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ENCODE CP/M Version 1.06 3/2/86 Copyright (C) 1985,1986 by Merlin R. Null ENCODE is a pseudo compiler for dBASE II version 2.4 or higher command files. Programs encoded with ENCODE will run with the regular version of dBASE II version 2.4 or higher. Ashton-Tate's RUNTIME is not required, although it could be used. RUNTIME is simply an amputated version of dBASE II that only has the ability to run programs, not edit them. The ENCODE library should contain the following files: ENCODE.COM ENCODE, pseudo compiles dBASE II command files to run up to 30% faster. ENCODE.BAS The MBASIC source for the above program. ENCODE.HLP Help file for ENCODE. ENCODE.DOC This documentation. ENCODE.CRC CRC and other stats on ENCODE6.LBR ************ ENCODE.COM is a stand alone compiled MBASIC * NOTE * program. BRUN.COM, the Microsoft compiled basic ************ runtime package is NOT required. ENCODE.BAS requires the MBASIC interpreter to run. The compiled version is in 8080 code. It should run on most 8080 or Z80 machines, provided your TPA is 52K or greater. If it is less, you will have to recompile ENCODE.BAS or run it under the MBASIC interpreter. Installation To install ENCODE, just run the program. It is self installing. If the clear screen data file, CLS.DAT, is missing on the disk with ENCODE, a new one will be generated. You will be asked for the decimal values of your clear screen sequence. For example, on a KayPro or Osborne CP/M machine just enter: Clear screen character 1? 26 Clear screen character 2? <RETURN> CLS.DAT will then be written and you will go directly to operation of ENCODE. If the title screen is preceeded by a clear screen, the installation was successful. If the title screen scrolls on, it failed. If it fails, exit the program, erase CLS.DAT, and run ENCODE again. If you don't like the clear screen function, simply enter 10 when asked for your clear screen sequence. For each 10 you enter ENCODE will scroll one line in place of the clear screen. My older program, CLEARSET, will still generate a correct CLS.DAT for this version of ENCODE. Calling a Directory Listing To call a directory from the title screen simply enter the drive you wish to list. Filename.[SRC] or Drive:? A: This will list the directory of drive A and give the prompt again. Directory of drive A: FOO .CMD DBSOURCE.BAS DBSOURCE.COM TEST2 .CMD A10 .CMD ENCODE .BAS ENCODE .COM MBASIC .COM D .COM SAMPLE .CMD BOOKS .DBF BOOKS .FRM DBASE .COM CLS .DAT CLEARSET.BAS CLEARSET.COM DBASEMSG.TXT DBASEOVR.COM B4 .CMD R2D2 .CMD DBINDENT.BAS DBINDENT.COM ELIZA .BAS A10 .SRC A10 .BAK CLONE .CMD TEST .CMD CLONE .SRC A10 .OLD DBSRC2 .BAS DBSRC2 .COM Filename.[SRC] or Drive:? The ZCPR like drive call of A; will also work to call the directory, even if you are not running ZCPR. The Filename.CMD may be entered here or a <RETURN> will redisplay the start screen. Encoding a File A file to be encoded MUST have the extension .SRC. This protects your source file from being overwritten. Just rename your source file to <filename>.SRC. Then enter the <filename>.[SRC] at the ENCODE prompt. The use of the extension .SRC at the prompt is optional. Filename.[SRC] or Drive:? SAMPLE.SRC ENCODE requires all characters in the input file have the 8th bit set low. You might have to run your source file through a filter, like UNSOFT. ENCODE creates a partially tokenized file that can not be listed with anything but DBSOURCE or a commercial decoder. It is also hard to modify a command file protected with ENCODE. The file is reduced in size as all indenting and comments preceded by * are removed. In addition comments after the END statements are removed. Example: ENDIF .NOT. green Becomes a single byte for the reserved word ENDIF. The ".NOT. green" is purely a comment that repeats the conditions that began the IF statement that should read: IF .NOT. green Such comments make a program easier to read but will slow down operation as dBASE II reads program lines from the disk as they are executed. The latest versions of Ashton-Tate's DBCODE that I have seen leave these comments in. You can label a file by enclosing a message between TEXT and ENDTEXT. This leaves all lines between TEXT and ENDTEXT as in the source file. ENDTEXT may be abbreviated to ENDT. Example: TEXT (C) 1985 by Croggle Software, Inc. ENDTEXT Caution should be taken that the ENDTEXT (or ENDT) is included. If omitted, all of the remaining file will not be encoded. The command TEXT shuts off encoding, ENDTEXT turns it on again. Indentation within the TEXT area will be left as in the source file. Use this feature as little as you can. The extra lines will slow down the program a little for each line added. ENCODE also requires that you name the source file with the extension .SRC. This keeps the programmer from mistaking the pseudo compiled (.CMD) file for the source (.SRC) file. If a file is requested and the .CMD file already exists, you will be warned: []=========[] [] WARNING [] []=========[] SAMPLE.CMD already exists! If you answer NO, the old SAMPLE.CMD will be renamed to SAMPLE.OLD Do you wish to overwrite SAMPLE.CMD (Yes/No/Quit)? If you choose not to overwrite SAMPLE.CMD, the old file will be renamed SAMPLE.OLD. The .OLD extension is used to keep the encoded backup files distinct from the source backup which would have a .BAK extension. The quit option exits to CP/M. Macro Support Unlike Ashton-Tate's DBCODE, ENCODE provides full macro support. It is recommended that macros be used only when other means are not available. Macro operation is usually slower. A line starting with a macro will not be encoded. This will slow the program even more. You must retain the "&" as the macro symbol if you want to start a line with a macro. ENCODE will not recognize a different symbol at the start of a line, even if dBASE II can be configured to do so. If macros are confined to locations other than the start of a line, the "&" may be changed. If you do plan on using ENCODE to create a file for Ashton-Tate's RUNTIME, do not use an initial macro. RUNTIME will not accept it. Sub Files ENCODE requires separate encoding of any sub files you wish to use in a dBASE II program package. It is not required that all sub programs be encoded when operation is with dBASE II, but it should be done for speed. Only the command files with the extension .CMD are encoded. Continuation Lines Continuation lines will be work with ENCODE, but are not recommended. They tend to add extra bytes to the file. The usual reason for the broken line is to handle 80 columns of display. A pair of lines like the following: @ 6,0 SAY '-----------------------------------------------------------------'; +'---------------' Could be written: @ 6,0 SAY '------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------' The line is allowed to wrap (without a <RETURN>) and be longer than 80 columns. This is only possible if you use a word processor to generate the command file. dBASE II will amputate the lines at 80 columns. This method produces the shortest output. Another way to handle it is as follows: @ 6,0 SAY '----------------------------------------' @ 6,40 SAY '----------------------------------------' This is 14 bytes longer than the previous example and 11 bytes longer than the first, when encoded. Abbreviated Reserved Words Reserved words may be abbreviated to four letters in your source file. For example: DO WHIL = DO WHILE OTHE = OTHERWISE STOR = STORE ENDI = ENDIF This produces a source file that is a little harder to read, but it allows faster code writing. You may also want to encode files already written in this style. It is often used to produce a dBASE II command file that will run slightly faster because of the shorter length of the file. There is no gain in ENCODE to abbreviate the initial reserved word in each line. ENCODE converts it to a single byte token anyway. Please note that only the full reserved word and the four letter abbreviation are supported by ENCODE for initial reserved words. OTHE for OTHERWISE is ok, but OTHER or OTHERW will not work. You can gain a little more speed from encoded files by running them through a compression program like DBSQUASH or DTUNE to remove extra spaces and abbreviate reserved words prior to using ENCODE. The removal of indentation and abbreviation of initial reserved words that these programs do will not do anything extra for ENCODE. The only gain is in the abbreviation of reserved words after the start of the line and removal of extra internal spaces. Help File The help file may be called from ENCODE by entering a "?" at the title screen. Filename.[SRC] or Drive:? ? Or by entering "ENCODE ?" at the CP/M command line. Option N No console display of input file. This is the only option. The N option must preceded by a space: Filename.[SRC] or Drive:? SAMPLE.SRC N MS-DOS Although the CP/M version of ENCODE.COM will not run under MS-DOS, most encoded command files will run with a 16 bit version of dBASE II. They will not run uner dBASE III or BASE III+. Not all dBASE programs written under CP/M will run under MS-DOS. As with any high level language, it is possible to write operating system specific code or machine specific code. History Rev. 1.06 3/2/86 Added CP/M command line input of filename to encode. Spaces or tabs now allowed for on otherwise blank lines. Made the extension .SRC the default. Rev. 1.05 3/20/85 Fixed bug that doubled encoded bytes for reserved words with a length of 4. WAIT was encoded to WAIT =. In hex: C2 C2. Bug present from version 1.02 thru 1.04. Rev. 1.04 2/28/85 Minor correction to installation routine. Rev. 1.03 2/27/85 Changed to remove comments starting with NOTE and fixed bug in abbreviations of DO WHILE and DO CASE. Rev. 1.02 2/24/85 Added the ability to recognize four letter abbreviations of initial reserved words. Clear screen self installation added. ENCODE.COM distributed as a stand alone COM file, BRUN.COM no longer required. Rev. 1.01 2/17/85 Modified for compatibility with MBASIC 5.20 under Apple CP/M. This required changing TEXT$ to TXT$ as TEXT is a reserved word in the Apple CP/M basic. Added the ability to accept initial reserved words in lower case. Also modified to handle continuation lines and remove indentation at the start of the continued line. Blank lines will no longer abort the encoding, provided they contain no spaces or tabs. ENCODE version 1.00 released 1/6/85 LEGAL NOTICE ENCODE is NOT "Public Domain." Copyright is held by the author: Merlin R. Null P. O. Box 9422 N. Hollywood, CA 91609 (818) 762-1429 Permission is given only for private, nonprofit use of ENCODE. Feel free to make copies of the program for your own use or for your friends. However, ENCODE may NOT be sold or included with any collection of programs for sale or used as an inducement to buy another product or program without the written permission of the author. Permission is also given for nonprofit computer clubs to include this program in distribution disks, provided total charges for the entire disk of programs, copying and shipping do not exceed $20.00. My vote of thanks goes to those clubs that have kept their charges under $10.00. Donation If you like the program and use it, a small donation of about $10.00 would be appreciated, though it is not required to use ENCODE. I will do my part to keep ENCODE maintained. Please report any bugs to me at the above address or phone number. I can also be reached by leaving a message on the Glendale Literaria RCP/M (818) 956-6164. Other dBASE Utilities I have two other programs that may be of interest to dBASE II users. They are: DBSOURCE, a program to return encoded dBASE II command files to source code. And DBINDENT, to pretty print or filter dBASE II source code. The current versions as of the date of this release are in DBSRC102.LBR and DBINDNT1.LBR. MBASIC and BRUN are Trademarks of Microsoft. dBASE II, dBASE III, dBASE III+, DBCODE and RUNTIME are Trademarks of Ashton-Tate. CP/M is a Trademark of Digital Research 20.00. My vote of thanks goes to those clubs that have kept their charges under $10.00. Donation If you