8-bit Software Disc Magazine (c) Duncan Webster September 1991 Issue 15 September 1991 PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION All neccessary documentation on programs on this months disc appear below. Programs that have not been documented usuall speak for themselves (ie. "hallo!"). If you have a problem with any of the programs on this months disc then please get in touch. ADFS SECTOR EDITOR DOCUMENTATION In the perfect world everyone makes backups of every program and file they have on a Son-Father-Grandfather rota and they all keep at least one copy on a different planet. However, this is not the perfect world in which we live and files do get lost. Recovering them is a difficult task indeed, but is impossible without my friend and yours, the sector editor. One such proram was published in a Beeb User Group magazine a while back, but it was of Sideways RAM image form. For those few who don't have any SWR memory, here is a good old BASIC version (Though I imagine that SR memory is a pretty standard upgrade, like Second Processors and Music 5000 systems right?). It simulates the afore-mentioned M/C editor in many ways, though it can not calculate FSM check digits and ends when you press ESCAPE. It also makes use of those pretty red keys at the top of your keyboard... f0 - Select drive f1 - Select & read sector f2 - Read same sector again f3 - Redisplay the screen f4 - Save sector f5 - Wipe sector I do recommend playing with this program before the time comes when you have to use it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DOCUMENTION FOR CHARINE PROGRAM Charine is a bit map character set definer. When using other such programs I've noticed two things... 1. They all allow you to edit characters and 2. They are all in BASIC. Though 1. is important, 2. has always resulted in a slow, sluggish program which is not the best program to use. So Charine is machine code. I've based it as much as possible on the character definer supplied with the Master's Welcome disk, with several added features which are accessed by the nice red keys at the top of your key board fx fx + SHIFT 0 Shift left Shift right 1 Shift up Shift down 2 Flip x 3 FLip y 4 Mirror left Mirror right 5 Mirror top Mirror bottom 6 Invert Clear 7 Rotate Recover 8 Clear row Fill row 9 Clear column Fill column The other red keys, CRTL + fx & CTRL + SHIFT + fx, have been defined to load up ASCII characters outside the keyboard range (This is a rather useless feature if you ask me). Most of the keys are self reversing and will not corrupt the character (eg. If you accidently press Invert, then just press it again). However, mirroring, a technique that had me flusted for a while, will, so I've included a recover command. This will remember the previous character and swap it with the current character. Pressing this again will give you the character you had before you pressed Recover the first time (ie. it is self reversing, if you see what I mean). COPY to save, as usual, and the font will be saved into the standard machine code file. To load the font in just type * in future, jus like with the Acorn Definer. We are also planning to write a Master only SWR image of this program. If you have any ideas for extra features send them to either 8-bit software (if they're not too busy collecting their GCSE results) of fonts too. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Actually I am NOT awaiting GCSE results - I took my 'O LEVELS' over 5 years ago, which might give you the indication that I am not as young as I write - see you at the show if I can make it? ..... Duncan. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DOCUMENTATION FOR UTILITY ROM (Master Computers Only) The UtilRom was designed and written by B&B Software. It is suitable for the BBC MASTER 128 computer only. The UtilRom receives its instructions via *COMMANDs which can be used while in BASIC, VIEW etc. Some of the most useful features are:- Saving & Loading of BASIC memory to sideways ROM. Saving & Loading of CMOS RAM contents. Sideways ROM saving. Our Address Is: B&B Software 3 Grey Gables Meadowfield Durham DH7 8QW. The UtilRom Command Summary =========================== AS No Abbr. ASCII ASC. BITS BI. BUFFER , No Abbr. BVERIFY (Filename) No Abbr. CASE U/M/L No Abbr. CLM (Y) No Abbr. CMOSDEF (M) No Abbr. CMOSLOAD (Filename) No Abbr. CMOSSAVE (Filename) No Abbr. COMPACT (Drive) COM. CURSOR FLASH/STEADY/OFF CU. ESCAPE ON/OFF ESC. FCLEAR (Y) FCL. FLIPX No Abbr. FLIPY No Abbr. FLUSH No Abbr. FS No Abbr. LOCK (Directory) No Abbr. PROTECT (Drive) PRO. QCAT (Drive) Q. RSAVE RSA. SLOAD SLO. SOUND ON/OFF SO. SSAVE SSA. STAMP No Abbr. WIERD No Abbr. WIPE No Abbr. AS == This command is an implementation of the archimedes SAVE. The program will take the filename from the first line and then save the basic program under this name. The First line must be of the format: REM >filename If it is not, the UtilRom will display an error message. ASCII ===== This command must be followed by a string. The string will be printed together with its ASCII codes. BITS ==== This unusual command displays the current definition of the entered character alongside its codes in decimal, hex and binary. BUFFER ====== This command will insert a character code into a certain buffer. For buffer numbers see P.199 of the Welcome Guide. BVERIFY ======= This command will check the current BASIC program against the file on disk. If the filename is omitted, you will be prompted for it. CASE ==== This command provides an easy method of changing the caps/shift lock status from software. U - Upper Case/Upper Case with M - Upper Case/Lower Case with L - Lower Case/Upper Case with CLM === This causes the entire computer memory (excluding sideways RAM) to be cleared. As this is a potentially dangerous command, you will be asked if you are sure; unless you add the optional Y parameter. CMOSDEF ======= This command returns the CMOS RAM settings to a default state. The optional M parameter causes the configuration to be set to that on p.244 of the Welcome Guide. CMOSLOAD ======== This command provides a way of loading in previously saved CMOS RAM settings. If the filename is ommited, you will be prompted for it. CMOSSAVE ======== This command provides a way of saving CMOS RAM settings for reloading later. If the filename is ommited, you will be prompted for it. COMPACT ======= This is a replacement for the standard compact command. The difference is that the UtilRom first verifies the disk thus ensuring that no data is moved onto a corrupted sector. CURSOR ====== This command allows you to change the cursor. The parameters are self explanatory. ESCAPE ====== Using this command, one can disable and subsequently re-enable the key. FCLEAR ====== This command clears the function key definitions. The addition of the Y parameter, disables the 'are you sure' message. FLIPX & FLIPY ============= These two commands 'flip' the character set about the X or Y axis. FLUSH ===== This command provides a means of flushing any buffer. For a list of buffer numbers see p.199 of the Welcome Guide. FS == This will display the name of the current filing system. LOCK ==== Using this command, files in a specified directory can be locked and unlocked by simply typing Y or N. PROTECT ======= This command will prevent the disk in the drive from being catalogued. Although this is by no means a complete protection, it will stop most amateur hackers. Repeating the command will reverse the action (i.e. un-protect the disk.) QCAT ==== This is one of the most useful commands in the ROM. It will display the catalogue, bytes free and FS map for the current or specified drive. RSAVE ===== This command allows you to save a ROM from any of the 15 banks. SLOAD ===== Load BASIC memory from sideways RAM. SOUND ===== This command allows you to enable or disable the computers speaker. SSAVE ===== Save Basic memory to sideways RAM. STAMP ===== This command inserts the current date and time onto line 11 of a BASIC program. Line 11 is used because it is assumed that line 10 is being used for the filename. WIERD ===== ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? WIPE ==== This adds a *WIPE command to the ADFS.