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READ.TAD
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1996-10-15
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TADS, the Text Adventure Development System version 2.2
Copyright (c) 1990, 1996 by Michael J. Roberts. All rights reserved.
This package was prepared October 14, 1996.
This software is being distributed as freeware. You may use and redistribute
it subject to the usual freeeware rules; see LICENSE.TAD for full details.
Attention Version 1 Users!
--------------------------
TADS Version 2 is intended to be compatible with games written for v1.
However, there are a few differences. If you experience any difficulty
compiling a game that was working with v1, try using the "V1 Compatibility
Mode" options. You can enable full v1 compatibility mode by placing -1
before your game name:
tc -1 mygame
Most v1 games that have problems with v2 need only rename the new "do"
keyword to run with v2; this can be done with these options:
tc -1d _do_ mygame
Documentation
-------------
You should download the TADS Documentation archive, TADS2DOC.ZIP on PC's,
or TADS2DOC.SIT on Macintosh. This file contains overview documentation
for TADS, as well as the source for "Ditch Day Drifter", a complete sample
game.
Getting Started
---------------
To get started on the system, install the executables in a directory on your
path, and install the source files (*.T) wherever you please. Compile "Ditch
Day Drifter" by typing:
tc ditch
Be sure that ADV.T is in your current directory.
Note that DITCH.T is part of the separate TADS Documentation archive;
you should be able to get this archive from the same place you got the
archive containing the TADS executables.
After you have compiled Ditch, run the game by typing:
tr ditch
Please read DITCH.DOC for information on playing the game. This file also
describes many features of the run-time system, including the parser.
Notes for DOS users
-------------------
On PC's, you may edit command lines with the arrow keys and other standard
editing keys. Review Mode (described in DEEP.DOC) is activated with
function key F1.
Saved games are stored in standard DOS files, by default in the current
directory (the directory from which you start the game), so make sure
you have free disk space before you begin playing.
If you have limited memory in your PC, you may need to adjust the
compiler's memory usage so it fits. If the compiler runs out of
memory, it will tell you the amount of memory it is consuming and
suggest that you run again with a lower -m option. For example,
if the compiler displays a message like this:
*** Note for -m option:
*** Current cache size is 256000
ditch.t, line 3501: TADS-1: out of memory
you can run again by specifying a smaller size with the -m option:
tc -m 200000 ditch
This tells the compiler to restrict its memory usage to 200,000 bytes,
which it does by swapping excess space out to a disk file. If the
compiler is forced to swap, you can speed it up considerably by moving
the swap file to a RAM disk in extended or expanded memory. If your
RAM disk is drive D, you can tell TADS to place the swap file on
your RAM disk using the -tf option:
tc -m 200000 -tf d:swap.dat ditch
DOS Protected-Mode TADS
-----------------------
The compiler, runtime, and debugger are available as DOS
protected-mode commands. The protected-mode versions are only
capable of running on 80286 or newer processors -- they will not work
on XT-type machines (which use 8086 processors). The protected-mode
versions can access up to 16 megabytes of memory, so they will allow
much larger games; because they will not do as much swapping as the
normal DOS versions, the protected- mode commands are usually much
faster than the normal DOS versions with large games.
The protected-mode versions of the executables have the same names as
the normal DOS versions plus an "X":
Component Normal DOS Protected-mode
Command Command
--------- ---------- --------------
compiler tc tcx
runtime tr trx
debugger tdb tdbx
The protected-mode commands work the same as their real-mode
counterparts, and all command line options and arguments are the same
for both versions.
The protected-mode commands use the Borland DOS extender software.
This software is copyrighted by Borland and cannot be distributed
except with Borland's permission. The Borland license allows
redistribution of the DOS extender with software created with a
properly licensed copy of the Borland tools, which allows us to
include the DOS extender software with TADS. The files making up the
Borland DOS extender are:
dpmi16bi.ovl
rtm.exe
Before running any of the protected-mode commands, you must have
these files in a directory on your DOS PATH.
The Borland DOS extender is compatible with most computers based on
286, 386, 486, or Pentium processors, and works properly with most
memory managers (such as QEMM and EMM386), and with Microsoft Windows
DOS windows when running in 386 Enhanced mode. By its nature,
though, the DOS extender software is sensitive to the specific
hardware and software configuration of your computer, and may not
work with certain computers, peripherals, or resident software. If
you experience any problems with the protected-mode versions, try
removing any drivers, TSR's, and other resident software from your
configuration. Since the DOS extender is developed and maintained by
Borland, not High Energy Software, we will not be able to correct any
incompatibilities or other problems that are caused by the DOS
extender itself.
To reduce the size of this archive file, only the normal DOS versions
of the TADS commands are included in the distribution. You do not
need any additional software to run the normal DOS versions of the
commands, and these versions will run on any IBM or 100% compatible
DOS PC.
ABOUT HIGH ENERGY SOFTWARE
--------------------------
High Energy Software formerly distributed TADS as a shareware system,
but is no longer in business. Mike Roberts, the developer of TADS,
is now maintaining and distributing the system as freeware. We have
made an effort to remove references from these files to High Energy
Software and its former telephone and other contact information,
since all of those numbers and addresses are no longer in service.
If we inadvertantly left any such references intact, please disregard
them, since they're oversights.