How to install Multiplan 1.06 on CP/M-80 2.2?

April 1, 2022

In the last tutorial we saw how to install WordStar 4.0 on CP/M-80 2.2. In this tutorial we will see how to install Multiplan 1.06 on CP/M-80 2.2. Multiplan was a spreadheet software from Microsoft and it was released much before the world started using Microsoft Excel, another spreadsheet software by Microsoft. You can download the files required for this tutorial from here:

Multiplan 1.06 package for Altair Z80s CP/M-80 2.2

Installing Multiplan 1.06

First, you need to install CP/M-80 2.2 using Altair Z80 emulator. If have not already done so, see our tutorial on how to experience CP/M-80 2.2. After you have installed CP/M-80 2.2, unzip the Multiplan 1.06 package you downloaded from above. There are two files in that archive:

multiplan
multiplan.dsk

Copy those two files to the folder where you stored the files for CP/M-80 2.2. Now you can open a terminal/Command Prompt and enter the following command to start CP/M-80 2.2 with Multiplan 1.06 diskette loaded:

./altairz80l64 multiplan

Now type b: and press enter to switch to B drive. Enter the following command to start Multiplan 1.06:

mp

To exit Multiplan, press tab key a few times until Quit is highlighted in the bottom bar, then press enter. Enter y when asked whether to quit or not. Read the mannual linked below to learn how to use Multiplan.

We will now create shell/Batch scripts to start CP/M-80 2.2 with Multiplan 1.06 diskette loaded in B drive.

On Linux

Create a file called multiplan.sh in the folder where you stored everything related to the VM with the following contents:

#!/bin/bash
./altairz80l64 multiplan

Save and close the file and make it executable by using this command:

chmod +x ./multiplan.sh

You need to execute the above command in the folder where you created that script. Now you can right click on that file and click on Run as Program to open the emulator. Some DEs and distros may have other methods of running shell scripts.