Need help with a terminal POS files \ VOGONS

Need help with a terminal POS files

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First post, by eddsonh

Posted on 2022-12-27, 13:05

eddsonh Offline

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Hi there,

I'm working as programmer of a POS(Point of sale) of a IBM terminal 4690 OS

My issue is i need edit some parameters in multiple files like (client labels, variables , functions), but these parameters are inside of .286 files and i don't know how open/read that extension, like this.

I tried open it with notepad but it shows the content full of weird characters
In the console of the terminal has a command to read certain files, but this type of file shows the same above

Somemone have any idea or worked with this before or any software that can read it. Thanks

Reply 1 of 10, by paradigital

Posted on 2022-12-27, 13:55

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There’s a distinct possibility that it’s a compiled format rather than plain-text. Try a hex editor or something like Ida (free decompiler) and see if it’s even remotely legible in either of those.

Gut feeling is that you’re going to need a very specific application to write these files though.

Reply 2 of 10, by Horun

Posted on 2022-12-27, 15:04

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Can you zip and attach one of the .286 file ?

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 3 of 10, by eddsonh

Posted on 2022-12-27, 17:28

eddsonh Offline

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paradigital wrote on 2022-12-27, 13:55:

There’s a distinct possibility that it’s a compiled format rather than plain-text. Try a hex editor or something like Ida (free decompiler) and see if it’s even remotely legible in either of those.

Gut feeling is that you’re going to need a very specific application to write these files though.

i did it, some of words can be readable but mostly no

Reply 4 of 10, by eddsonh

Posted on 2022-12-27, 17:29

eddsonh Offline

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Horun wrote on 2022-12-27, 15:04:

Can you zip and attach one of the .286 file ?

sure sr

Reply 5 of 10, by PC Hoarder Patrol

Posted on 2022-12-27, 20:53

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eddsonh wrote on 2022-12-27, 17:29:

Horun wrote on 2022-12-27, 15:04:

Can you zip and attach one of the .286 file ?

sure sr

Far as I can tell, like @paradigital said, they're compiled binary executables for IBM 4690 OS (FlexOS) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FlexOS#Overview. There is a 4690 Programming guide on scribd.com, and bitsavers have links like this, for other FlexOS platforms, which detail .286 file header info & more - http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/ … ters_198611.pdf

Reply 6 of 10, by Horun

Posted on 2022-12-27, 21:46

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Interesting, the file posted has some copyrights to (c) 2012 Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, Inc. as well as IBM
ADXMEL0L APAR=IR28370 01/20/95 and ADXUCLTL APAR=IR05791 05/15/01 4690 V3 (C) COPR. IBM CORP. 1990
There is both English and Spanish in the file....and the last data is: Wed Dec 07 10:22:34 2022..

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 7 of 10, by PC Hoarder Patrol

Posted on 2022-12-28, 01:54

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Horun wrote on 2022-12-27, 21:46:

Interesting, the file posted has some copyrights to (c) 2012 Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, Inc. as well as IBM
ADXMEL0L APAR=IR28370 01/20/95 and ADXUCLTL APAR=IR05791 05/15/01 4690 V3 (C) COPR. IBM CORP. 1990
There is both English and Spanish in the file....and the last data is: Wed Dec 07 10:22:34 2022..

IBM 4960 OS was part of the deal when they sold their retail division to Toshiba in 2012 - this is representative of what you see now if you hit up any old IBM links (for their 4690 v6r4 Programming Guide)...ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/retail/pu … v6r4_pg_mst.pdf

Reply 8 of 10, by Horun

Posted on 2022-12-28, 02:52

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PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2022-12-28, 01:54:

Horun wrote on 2022-12-27, 21:46:

Interesting, the file posted has some copyrights to (c) 2012 Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, Inc. as well as IBM
ADXMEL0L APAR=IR28370 01/20/95 and ADXUCLTL APAR=IR05791 05/15/01 4690 V3 (C) COPR. IBM CORP. 1990
There is both English and Spanish in the file....and the last data is: Wed Dec 07 10:22:34 2022..

IBM 4960 OS was part of the deal when they sold their retail division to Toshiba in 2012 - this is representative of what you see now if you hit up any old IBM links (for their 4690 v6r4 Programming Guide)...ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/retail/pu … v6r4_pg_mst.pdf

Ahh OK, thanks ! Did not dig around much after checking the file (out of curiosity). Well at least we know the current POS OS is later than 2012 😀
Was not sure what to expect being 286 based.

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 9 of 10, by eddsonh

Posted on 2022-12-28, 12:16

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PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2022-12-27, 20:53:

eddsonh wrote on 2022-12-27, 17:29:

Horun wrote on 2022-12-27, 15:04:

Can you zip and attach one of the .286 file ?

sure sr

Far as I can tell, like @paradigital said, they're compiled binary executables for IBM 4690 OS (FlexOS) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FlexOS#Overview. There is a 4690 Programming guide on scribd.com, and bitsavers have links like this, for other FlexOS platforms, which detail .286 file header info & more - http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/ … ters_198611.pdf

Thanks for reply i was reading the programming guide before but is a little bit confuse for me about the .286 files. Im going to read the another pdf

Reply 10 of 10, by eddsonh

Posted on 2022-12-28, 12:43

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Horun wrote on 2022-12-27, 21:46:

Interesting, the file posted has some copyrights to (c) 2012 Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, Inc. as well as IBM
ADXMEL0L APAR=IR28370 01/20/95 and ADXUCLTL APAR=IR05791 05/15/01 4690 V3 (C) COPR. IBM CORP. 1990
There is both English and Spanish in the file....and the last data is: Wed Dec 07 10:22:34 2022..

Im working in a supermarket in latam who bought this system several years ago and still using currently . That s explain the date and language

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