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- DOCUMENTATION FOR PWDIR.ASM
-
- DESCRIPTION
-
- Internal modifications of PW.COM (Perfect Writer vs. 1.xx) which allow
- users to:
-
- 1. Read the directory and space available on drive A or B while
- editing. Command: ESC ?
-
- 2. Switch disks in drive B while editing. Command: CTRL-X S
- This allows, for example, inserting a file from one disk into a file
- on another disk, or saving a file on two different disks.
-
- 3. Also, the disk system is automatically reset each time PW.COM is
- entered from CP/M, eliminating the need to type CTRL-C after changing
- disks.
-
- LIMITATIONS
-
- These modifications change PW's "HELP" function [ESC ?] to "READ
- DIRECTORY" and the "GO TO PERFECT SPELLER" function [CTRL-X S] to
- "RESET DISK SYSTEM." If users wish to use Perfect Speller WHILE
- EDITING, these modifications must not be made because they destroy
- several of PW's Perfect Speller functions. (Kaypro II owners who
- use Perfect Speller can have a modified PW.COM on their edit disk
- and keep an unmodified PW.COM on their Speller disk.)
-
- As for the PW "HELP" function, it simply reads PW.HLP, a text file.
- You can still read this file by using FIND FILE [CTRL-X CTRL-F] and
- entering A:PW.HLP. If you never use the HELP file, you can erase it
- for the disk space.
-
- INSTALLATION
-
- STEP 1. (PW vs. 1.20 users skip this step)
-
- On the PW Installation disk there is a text file PW.SYM which lists
- the memory locations of all functions in your version of PW. View
- PW.SYM on your screen, and find the locations of MHELP and MGOSPELL.
- Write these locations down (they are hex numbers such as "5E10").
-
- STEP 2.
-
- PIP copies of the following files onto a blank, formatted disk:
- ASM.COM and DDT.COM from the CP/M disk
- PW.COM and PW.SWP from the PW Edit disk
- PWDIR.ASM from this disk
- Place this new disk in drive A and press the restart button.
-
- STEP 3. (PW vs. 1.20 users skip this step)
-
- Edit the file PWDIR.ASM by typing PW PWDIR.ASM <return>. Find the
- following program lines:
- MHELP EQU 45F1H
- MGOSPEL EQU 5EC9H
-
- The hex numbers on the right tell the assembler where to put the
- modifications, and if your version of PW is not 1.20, change these
- numbers to the locations you wrote down in Step 1. For example for
- version 1.03, change 45F1 to 4597 and change 5EC9 to 5E10. (Always
- keep the H's which signify hex numbers.)
-
- SAVE the corrected PWDIR.ASM [CTRL-X CTRL-S], and exit PW
- [CTRL-X CTRL-C].
-
- STEP 4.
-
- Type: ASM PWDIR.AAZ <return>
-
- The assembler changes the assembly code to hex code and creates
- PWDIR.HEX. When you get a Warm Boot, type:
-
- DDT PW.COM <return>
-
- The computer will display:
-
- DDT VER 2.2
- NEXT PC
- 8A00 0100 [vs. 1.20; note if different]
- -
-
- 0100 is the program starting address (all .COM files start at 100H), and
- 8A00 is PW's ending address (vs. 1.20). If yours is not 8A00, write
- down the correct value for future reference.
-
- At the hyphen type: IPWDIR.HEX <return>
- Then: R <return>
-
- DDT overwrites PW.COM at the MHELP and MGOSPELL locations. When the
- disk stops spinning, the computer will display:
-
- NEXT PC
- 8A00 0000 [vs. 1.20]
- -
-
- Exit DDT by typing: G0 <return> [letter "G", number zero]
-
- STEP 5.
-
- After you get a Warm Boot, read the following paragraph and type:
-
- SAVE 137 PW.COM <return>
-
- This causes CP/M to write 137 "blocks" of memory (starting with 0100H
- and ending with 8A00H) to disk, calling it PW.COM. If your version
- was different than 8A00, consult the table below and substitute the
- correct number of blocks in place of the 137 in the above command.
-
- 8700 --> 134
- 8800 --> 135
- 8900 --> 136
- 8A00 --> 137
- 8B00 --> 138
- Etc.
-
- YOU ARE DONE! The modifications are permanently imbedded in this new
- PW.COM.
-
- Now test your handiwork. Leave the modified PW disk in drive A, and
- put a document disk in Drive B. Call up PW and a text file, or create
- a new text file (if you are not familiar with entering PW without the
- menu, see the method in Step 3, line 1). Edit your file, SAVE it,
- hit ESC ? to look at the directory, clear the directory by the means
- indicated, put a different disk in drive B, reset the disk system
- [CTRL-X S], SAVE your document to the new disk, look at its directory,
- FIND a file from the new disk, edit and save it, read a directory
- again . . .
-
- What fun!
-
- Two words of caution: Don't try changing disks in drive A while
- running PW, because that's where the SWAP file is. And be sure to
- reset the disk system [CTRL-X S] IMMEDIATELY after inserting any new
- disk in drive B while running PW.
-
- Now copy this modified PW.COM onto your Edit disk. All the other
- files you used are no longer needed, but you should keep a backup copy
- of the modified PW.COM.
-
- BONUS! (For the forgetful)
-
- What happens if you switch disks while in CP/M, forget to hit CTRL-C,
- and load Perfect Writer? Now you are safe. An automatic "reset disk
- system" instruction at the front of your modified PW.COM means you
- will never again need to hit CTRL-C before entering PW.COM from CP/M.
-
- Incidentally, the disk system also is automatically reset every time
- you use READ DIRECTORY [ESC ?]. If you switch disks in drive B while
- running PW, and forget to hit [CTRL-X S] (reset disk system), but
- happen to read the directory after the switch, you're still safe.
-
- RELEASE
-
- PWDIR.ASM and PWDIR.DOC are released to the Public Domain for
- unrestricted distribution.
-
- Ron Friedrich, Garland, TX
- Don Davis, Austin, TX
-
- January 1985
- em [CTRL-X S] IMMEDIATELY after inserting any new