**************************************¢ * *¢ * BINARY & BASIC MENU/LOADER *¢ * *¢ * Copyright (c) 1987 *¢ * By Mike Apocourastos, *¢ * UNISOFT Systems *¢ **¢ NOTE # 1 'BINBASME.OBJ' IS ON THIS ¢ OL' HACKERS NEWSLETTR DISK! ¢ *¢ NOTE # 2: The files which are to be¢ displayed must be protected-Supporting¢ files like Character Sets, Screens and¢ other data files as well as DOS & DUP¢ may clutter the display unnecessarily.¢ By locking the main files the unwanted¢ unlocked files stay hidden. Go to DOS¢ and use [ F ] key to LOCK programs so¢ that they will show up when program is¢ run!¢ Pressing the 1-8 keys will display¢ the files on the drive corresponding¢ to the appropriate drive number.¢ Reading the directory of a drive a¢ SECOND TIME, will REMOVE the¢ restriction of the locked files, and¢ display the whole directory until the¢ directory of another drive is read.¢ **************************************¢ * *¢ * This program is the property of*¢ *the author, and it may not b sold*¢ *without his written consent. *¢ * However, it may be duplicated*¢ *and freely exchanged, providing that*¢ *all notices are left intact. *¢ * *¢ **************************************¢ * *¢ * Donations (not mandatory) are*¢ *most welcomed. For complete source*¢ *listings, donations, comments and*¢ *recommendations, write to: *¢ * *¢ * Mike Apocourastos *¢ * 84 Lissington Drive, S.W. *¢ * Calgary, Alberta. *¢ * T3E-5E3 - CANADA *¢ * >>>>or call<<<< *¢ * *¢ * CALTARI Users Group BBS *¢ * (403) 285-3382 *¢ * *¢ **************************************¢¢ LONG AGO¢¢ In the older days of ATARI, the¢ closest thing to an automatic load¢ were these handy little programs which¢ could run a basic or binary file.¢¢ STEP 2¢ The next step, was to add a routine¢ to offer the user a choice of programs¢ to run. Useful as they were, these¢ programs had a major drawback. They¢ could only load one type of files¢ only. Basic or binary.¢¢ IMPROVEMENTS¢ This program is a further extension¢ of these utilities. Its major feature¢ is the capability of running a file¢ regardless of type. There are also¢ additional features to make its use as¢ easy as possible.¢¢ FAST MACHINE LANGUAGE¢ The utility is 100% machine¢ language, and it may be binary loaded¢ or renamed to AUTORUN.SYS for¢ automatic execution. The state of the¢ internal cartridge is of no¢ importance, meaning that the computer¢ may be booted without pressing the¢ [OPTION] key.¢¢ The MENU¢ The files which are to be displayed¢ must be protected. Supporting files¢ like character sets, screens and other¢ data files as well as DOS and DUP may¢ clutter the display unnecessarily. By¢ locking the main files the unwanted¢ files stay hidden.¢ Pressing the 1-8 keys will display¢ the files on the drive corresponding¢ to the appropriate drive number.¢ Reading the directory of a drive a¢ second time, will remove the¢ restriction of the locked files, and¢ display the whole directory until the¢ directory of another drive is read.¢ This is not as confusing as it sounds.¢ In short, every time the directory of¢ a new drive is read, only the locked¢ files will show.¢¢ DISPLAY¢ Twenty six files may be displayed¢ at the same time, each assigned a¢ letter from A to Z. When there are¢ more than 26 files in the directory,¢ the program prompts the user to press¢ the space bar for 26 more.¢¢ SpartaDos¢ SpartaDos users may use the¢ underline [_] character to separate¢ words in a filename. This character is¢ displayed as a space on the menu,¢ providing the user with a better¢ looking directory. Users without¢ SpartaDos may use the [?] character to¢ accomplish the same. However, a disk¢ utility will have to be used in¢ renaming a file with this character.¢¢ BACK TO DOS¢ Finally, the escape key will cause¢ the program to return to DOS, where¢ DUP.SYS may be loaded.¢¢ FILE SELECTION¢ Selection of a file is accomplished¢ by pressing the corresponding letter.¢ Detection of the file type (Basic or¢ binary) turns the cartridge on or off,¢ and the loading process is continued.¢ Certain programs are hybrid. They¢ consist of a machine language program,¢ which in turn loads and runs a basic¢ file. To keep BASIC from being turned¢ off when such files are loaded, one of¢ the console keys must be pressed when¢ the selection is being made.¢¢ The LOADING process.¢ There are two independent loaders¢ in this program. A binary loader, and¢ a basic loader.¢¢ BASIC LOAD¢ The principal behind the basic¢ loading process is a little tricky.¢ The BASIC editor works by GETting a¢ user input, and acting upon it. To¢ make it do the same thing without user¢ interaction, the GET routine is¢ changed and the input is aquired from¢ the buffer instead of the keyboard.¢¢ BINARY LOAD¢ Unlike other utilities which depend¢ on DOS for loading binary files, this¢ has its own. It enables it to be¢ operational regardless of the DOS in¢ use. And since this part of the¢ routine occupies memory normally left¢ alone by others, it should load¢ virtually any binary file.¢ **¢ TECHNICAL INFORMATION¢ This program is actually four¢ utilities in one. Each of the parts¢ may be used independently, and may be¢ used in other programs.¢ When the menu is entered, the¢ contents of the accumulator are saved.¢ A non-zero number signifies that the¢ locked file option is to be used. A¢ zero enables the program to display¢ all files.¢ The cartridge is controlled by¢ manipulating memory location 54017¢ ($D301), as well as the basic flag at¢ 1016 ($03F8) and the cartridge state¢ at location 6. A problem however¢ arises when the routine is used with¢ version 2.x of SpartaDos. It seems¢ that due to its nature, this DOS does¢ not allow outside interference. Every¢ time the cartridge state is reversed,¢ DOS resets it. Therefore, the routine¢ also modifies the locations where the¢ state of the cartridge is saved in¢ SpartaDos 2.x.¢ In using the basic and binary¢ loaders, the file must be closed and¢ the name buffer must hold a legal¢ filename. The files must be have the¢ legal headers. ($00 $00 for basic, $FF¢ $FF for binary) It does not matter¢ where these routines reside, but the¢ binary loader may conflict with a¢ loading file. An answer to this¢ problem, is to place the utility in¢ the stack, at $0100 providing that the¢ pointer doesn't venture too low.¢ When a basic file is about to be¢ loaded, the GET pointer of the editor¢ is forced to point to a routine which¢ simulates a keyboard input. The string¢ RUN "Dx:FILENAME.EXT" is passed over¢ to the editor one character at the¢ time, and a carriage return causes the¢ original GET address to be reinstated.¢ With a command in its buffer, the¢ editor will proceed to execute it.¢ The binary file load is completely¢ different. Each segment is loaded¢ separately, while the INIT vector is¢ monitored. When this vector contains a¢ valid address, (anything over $00)¢ control of the processor is passed¢ over to the routine pointed by this¢ vector for another program execution.¢ When the routine exits, control is¢ passed back to this here, and the¢ loading process is continued until the¢ vector is loaded again, or there are¢ no more segments to load. At this time¢ the RUN vector is examined, and¢ control is once again passed. At the¢ absence of valid contents, the first¢ memory location loaded assumes¢ control.¢¢ SHORT AND SWEET¢ The utility uses 10 single density¢ sectors on the disk, making it an¢ efficient alternative to DUP.SYS or¢ typing whole filenames.¢ **************************************¢
