DiskPassage, anyone? - Macintosh Garden

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2010, April 18 - 7:38am

IIGS_User

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DiskPassage, anyone?

Does anyone happen to own the Macintosh DiskPassage application, which must shipped with some ISO9660 CD-ROMs by Educorp?

Nearly 20 years ago, I bought a Educorp collection of 4 CD-ROMs (including 'Multimedia Birds of America', 'Multimedia Audobon's Mammals', 'The Complete Works of William Shakespeare' and 'The Complete Sherlock Holmes'), including DOS PC version of DiskPassage. It was a second hand buy right offered in a german Macintosh magazin, but I can't remember whether I popped the discs into the drive even, at that time. Today, I must discover that it seems the Macintosh application is missing on these CD-ROMs.

Thus, I remember another CD-ROM of that time (german postal zip codes), which also comes on PC CD-ROM, but with a Macintosh floppy disk to access it.

Same must go for the Educorp collection discussed above, but if I remember right, I didn't get a separate Macintosh floppy disk along with it.

I remembered another application to access DiscPassage content on the Apple IIGS, which I found at Whatisthe2gs (namely DiscQuest) and installed in Sweet16 now, which successful accessed supported CD-ROMs of that collection.

Here is an online version of a readme file included on that CD-ROM, which quotes the following:

"Multimedia Audubon's Birds is contained on an ISO-9660 disc and includes both DOS and MAC search programs."

Since I can't find any Macintosh related files on any of the four CD-ROMs (except readme files mentioning Macintosh system requirements), I believe I'm missing a Macintosh floppy disk to access the files through the Mac.

OK, I could run these in DOSBox nowaday, but...

Is anyone happen to own DiskPassage for Macintosh or know where to download/get it?

Thanks, IIGS User

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2010, April 18 - 4:54pm

bertyboy

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Don't have it, although I did find references to it. Did think that it might have been also used by the National Geographic complete collection that I have (1888-1997) but there's nothing on the discs to suggest it.
There are two other sets of complete Nat Geo, which of course used different presentation and search engines. Can't say if they use it or not, I don't have them, they cost a lot of money and it was only 1 and 2 extra years worth of magazines.

Mmmm, I really should make the effort to upload the Nat Geo complete set (to 1997). On 31 CDs, and most definitely unsupported and no longer sold. And rare too I bet.

2010, April 18 - 5:49pm

IIGS_User

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Thanks for directing me to National Geographic.

"The Complete National Geographic" (Link directs to Amazon) should be worth a look into it, because it is labelled as 'Windows 3.1 / 95, Mac OS 9 and below' system requirements, althought these system requirements seems to be a bit higher/newer than the original DiskPassage settings, which runs on System 6.

Althought, an eBay search of mine turns up the following:
The Complete National Geographic -108 yrs on CD-ROM!1, but it is a shipping cost killer.

I believe, this one, located in germany, is the same item, even if there is no pict:
The Complete National Geographic, which has good shipping costs for me.

Independent of DiskPassage or not, its a very interesting content.

I found some Amazon.com links about the items I'm talking above:
Audubon's Birds of America (Multimedia) and Multimedia Audubon's Mammals

2010, April 18 - 7:25pm

bertyboy

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"Forgodsake" read the reviews for the set you may bid / buy.

A lot of the early sets - including mine - although they are well indexed, they are very poor scans in the first 60 or so years. But the search engne is insanely good for software of that age.

Had a quick look for more NatGeo collections, seems the 2008 version has decent scan quality, but the content viewer and indexer look to have turned to poo.

2010, April 19 - 3:18pm

IIGS_User

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Yep, back to DiskPassage, as NatGeo would take room only, even on CD-ROMs...

2010, May 11 - 4:55pm

IIGS_User

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It is very frustrating to see this thread in Google's top results, when searching for DiskPassage.

In the meanwhile, I bought 'The Family doctor' off eBay (item 300417447201, 'The Family Doctor Version 2.2/PC & Mac Software'), which is listed as compatible with my existing DiskPassage CD-ROMs). Even off description I would expect a Mac version of DiskPassage stored on that CD-ROM which is what I'm hunting for.

Other CD ROMs compatible with my existing DiskPassage would be 'Yearbooks 1990 CD-ROM' and 'American Family Physician', but these do not turn up some buy results yet.

Other possible 'Family Doctor' eBay items would be 180502919758, 290335183055, 270556737645, 300253451658 and 370296053377, but not clearly described as designed for Mac or not shipping worldwide (some 'PC and Mac compatible', but could you not read any PC CD ROM on your Mac, even without owning Software to use it?).

Hope to receive 'The Family Doctor Version 2.2/PC & Mac Software' as soon as possible, althought the seller states shipping could take 4 weeks...

2010, May 23 - 10:02am

IIGS_User

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Received the item mentioned above ('Family Doctor') 6 days after the seller sent it.

I made a mis-spelling, it is not DiskPassage, but DiscPassage.

Now, playing with the CD-ROM, creating disk images of it, either I could save the PC/Mac part for use in Basilisk and SheepShaver (Mini vMac won't mount the .cdr image w/o initializing. But when initializing the .cdr image within Mini vMac, the PC part is going lost) or save Mac partition only to be compatible with Mini vMac, too.

So I think I will upload two parts - the PC/Mac hybrid .cdr image for use in Basilisk and SheepShaver + a Mac only version of it, stored in Disk Copy .img file, which is also usable in Mini vMac.

I don't want the PC part is being lost, but I also want it Mini vMac compatible before uploading it here.

2010, May 25 - 6:01pm

IIGS_User

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Now, playing with the CD-ROM, creating disk images of it, either I could save the PC/Mac part for use in Basilisk and SheepShaver (Mini vMac won't mount the .cdr image w/o initializing. But when initializing the .cdr image within Mini vMac, the PC part is going lost) or save Mac partition only to be compatible with Mini vMac, too.

Now I've noticed, the originally created .cdr image of the hybrid PC/Mac CD-ROM mounts fine in Mini-vMac, too, *if* Mac O 7.5 is used within. Probably this happens, because Mac OS 7.5 includes Apple's PC Exchange software, which has been sold separately before.

I think i need to re-animate that 'PC Exchange' floppy disk, located in my cellar chamber, to install with older System Software in Mini vMac.

Finally, I see no longer need of uploading one CD ROM twice, a .cdr file plus an .img file for Mac OS 6 and 7, as mentioned above:

So I think I will upload two parts - the PC/Mac hybrid .cdr image for use in Basilisk and SheepShaver + a Mac only version of it, stored in Disk Copy .img file, which is also usable in Mini vMac.

The whole thing is a bit messy. Sometimes a Mac version of DiscPassage is visible on the same disc, sometimes not.

Edit: Changed 'xxx 7' to 'Mac OS 7' - IIGS User

2010, May 26 - 2:21pm

IIGS_User

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I think i need to re-animate that 'PC Exchange' floppy disk, located in my cellar chamber, to install with older System Software in Mini vMac.

I should remember, 'PC Exchange' is not to mount PC floppies and such in Mac OS, but 'PC Exchange' has been created to open PC files with matching Mac applications.

2010, May 26 - 6:19pm

#10

bertyboy

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Was it explicitly to allow the user to control the relationship between PC file extensions and the File Type and Creator set by the Mac OS when the file was copied to an HFS/HFS+ volume. Or was that just Apple File Exchange ?

2010, May 27 - 1:45pm

#11

IIGS_User

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'PC Exchange' was the first one you mentioned, the relationship thingy. If I remember correct, 'PC Exchange' became 'Apple File Exchange' later.

I also found the manual that comes with 'PC Exchange', it tells me it enables me to read and write DOS floppies, as well as linking PC file extensions to Mac applications, like you wrote above.

So I really have to image that 'PC Exchange' floppy disk to get the software installed in Mini vMac to test Mac OS 7 with the DiscPassage CD-ROMs, or DOS CD-ROMs at all (Mac OS 7.0 is minimum requirement for 'PC Exchange', it also requires an Apple SuperDrive (the older Floppy SuperDrive type).

Maybe, in the emulator, it handles all types of DOS formatted disks?
This is one of the questions to find an answer.

Edit: Changed 'xxx 7' to 'Mac OS 7' - IIGS User

2010, May 27 - 3:48pm

#12

IIGS_User

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Seems to depend of the Mac OS version or CD-ROM hardware used.
On Mac OS X, the Educorp's DiscPassage CD-ROMs show PC partition only, which doesn't include the Macintosh application.
Creating .cdr images of that CD-ROMs, mounting in Mac emulators, sometimes the Mac partition will be mounted, which includes the Mac application, sometimes the PC partition will be mounted, which doesn't include the Mac application.

2010, May 27 - 4:30pm

#13

bertyboy

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What does OSX Toast make of it ?

When I imaged all my MacFormat cover CDs in Toast - which only mounted a Mac partition when physically inserted - the resulting Toast image mounts a Mac and an ISO volume when mounted again.

So not just what mounts, but what does Toast make of it if you do a "Disc Info..." under the Recorder menu - yes it's meant to check what type of writeable media you have inserted, but it usually does a good job of telling you what format the disc is already, multi-session, etc, etc.

2010, May 27 - 5:12pm

#14

IIGS_User

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Off the original media plus .cdr image, Toast "Disc Info..." tells it's ISO9660 (only), like labelled on the CD itself. No Mac application on that partition.

Mac emulators mounts the Mac partition of that .cdr image, which includes the Mac application.

I know, it's confusing, but it works a bit...

I think I will check the original CDs back on my older Mac OS computers...

2010, May 28 - 4:15pm

#15

IIGS_User

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The real old Mac hardware mounts the Mac partition of that CD-ROM.

I found another floppy disk in my cellar chamber, entitled with 'CD Setup', which originally has been shipped along with the AppleCD150 CD drive. I "disk imaged" that floppy, installed the CD driver stored on it within Mini vMac on both System 6 and 7, and from now on Mini vMac mounts .cdr images fine, previously asked either to eject or initialize it.

Regarding CD drivers, other peoples my try Apple_CD-ROM_5.4.img.bin from Apple's Oldersoftwarelist, but this requires Mac OS 7.1 minimum.
Remember, Mac OS 7.5 within Mini-vMac doesn't require separate CD driver software installed.

Want to take a look to an example?
http://macintoshgarden.org/games/the-complete-works-of-william-shakespeare

Edit: Changed 'xxx 7' to 'Mac OS 7' - IIGS User

2010, June 4 - 6:37pm

#16

IIGS_User

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Now, after getting DiscPassage to work succesful, I won other DiscPassage CD-ROMs right off eBay:
Darwin Multimedia CD-ROM and Total Baseball (eBay links).

The Total Baseball is the 1994 edition, which is a later date than the Family Doctor CD-ROM uploaded here, the first thing I'll check is the version number of the DiscPassage retrieval software included.

2010, September 5 - 12:40pm

#17

IIGS_User

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Anyone able to provide other DiscPassage CD-ROMs?

I'm still missing the following items:
American Family Physician
Countries of the World on CD-ROM
1991 YearBooks(R) (YearBook Medical Publishers, Inc)
World Fact Book (most likely the ~~Wayzata World Fact Book~~ listed in iarelative and Atariarchives ),
but I'm not sure about it. At least the 1993 edition of Wayzata World Fact Book isn't based on DiscPassage.

edited 2011, Nov 19 by IIGS_User

2012, January 21 - 5:38pm

#18

Brian1983

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Joined: 2010 Oct 30

I know this is a super old topic, but I was hoping you could help me. I'm trying to burn some of your cdr images you uploaded for Multimedia Audubon's Birds, Mammals, Shakepeare, etc which use diskpassage. I want to use them on my IIGS using an AppleCD 300 CD drive. I've installed Discquest and although it sees the CD as ISO 9660, it says it can't find the diskpassage content. I'm sure I'm doing something stupid.

I'm using Nero to burn the CDRs in Windows 7. I've been able to burn other Prodos and HFS content and had it read on the iigs no problem, but I'd really like to use Discquest with your CDs. Any ideas?

2012, January 22 - 4:11am

#19

IIGS_User

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Doesn't matter whether this is an 'old' thread, because it is *the* thread.

I've no idea what's going wrong here, but probably check to create Mixed-Mode CD-ROMs,
if it includes an Audio partition (first audio track = ROM part, second+ = Audio part).

This pict shows a real CD on my emulated IIGS system, but i've still to check with disc images like the downloadable ones.

Shame on me, I never used DiscQuest on real IIGS hardware before.

Apple II CDROM FAQ