═══ 1. Purpose ═══ Convert 4 and 8 Byte values between various data formats. ═══ 2. Data Entry & Results ═══ Data in any of the fields can be edited. The data entry format is the same as the display format. Thus hex values are expected in blank delimited form, binary values are 8 characters per byte, etc. If the user enters too few values in the ASCII, Hex, and 8bit Decimal fields the entry will be left padded with the hex value 00 (refer to Precision). For special notes regarding ASCII see ASCII and Meaning ═══ 2.1. ASCII ═══ Representing hex values in ASCII is a little tricky and there are impacts on how both for Convert displays and how the user enters values. First, Convert must prevent the display from responding to what the Hex code is saying. For example, the hex value may be that for a carriage return. In Convert the only code that is problematic for display is '00'x. This is displayed as a "?". The only way for a user to tell whether or not a literal "?" is meant is to look at one of the other fields. The question mark is hex code '3F'. Note: This all depends on the code page being used. Mine is set at the default for United States. Display is one thing, data entry is another. Few keyboards have keys for all the 256 ASCII values. To allow the user to enter values which do not have keyboard equivalents I have added the following twist to the ASCII entry field. ASCII values may be entered either by typing the ASCII value or by entering the hex code for value. To discriminate a hex value from a simple ASCII value the hex must be preceded by the string ||' and followed by the string 'x|| . Thus one could enter: a||'13'x||||'09'x||4 to get the hex value 61 13 09 34 . ═══ 2.2. Meaning ═══ If the user highlights a single character in the ASCII field and then hits Meaning the program will check if that character has a special meaning. If no meaning is found then the highlight is turned off and nothing happens. Note that only the first 33 ASCII values have been entered in this table. Where I understand the codes I've generally given a little more meaningful explanation than the 2 or 3 letter, standard definition. ═══ 3. Convert ═══ Which ever field was last edited will be read when the Convert button is hit. The value in that field is then converted to hexadecimal form and the appropriate values for the other fields are computed and displayed. ═══ 4. Swap ═══ Swap will read the current value in the "Hex" field, reverse the bytes and then do the convert operation. ═══ 5. Precision ═══ Conversions are done on either 4 Bytes or 8 Bytes of data. This corresponds to single double precision, floating point values. ═══ 6. Requirements ═══ Convert is a REXX program that used VisProREXX by HockWare and REXXLIB by Quercus. Convert uses a private release of REXXLib. I have included a copy of the necessary DLL. This DLL must be placed somewhere in your path. I vehemently recommend that if you wish to use the DLL to write your own code, buy a license for REXXLIB. I consider it very cheap. ═══ 7. Credits ═══ Convert was written by: Doug Rickman Global Hydrology and Climate Center, Marshall Space Flight Center/NASA 977 Explorer Blvd. Huntsville, Alabama 35806 256-922-5889 doug@hotrocks.msfc.nasa.gov Documentation revision date: April 29, 1998 Contact information: VisProREXX o Fax: (919) 380-0757 o Compuserve: Mail can be sent directly to us at 71333,3226 Technical questions can be directed to our forum. You can access the HOCKWARE forum by using the GO command in this form: GO HOCKWARE o Internet: Our Internet address is: support@vispro.com o World Wide Web: General sales information, product announcements, and patches are available from our site on the world wide web. The URL is: http://www.vispro.com REXXLIB Quercus Systems P. O. Box 2157 Saratoga, CA 95070 Phone: (408) 867-7399, (800) 440-5944 Fax: (408) 867-7489 BBS: (408) 867-7488 For up-to-date information on the latest releases of REXXLIB and our other products, check our Web page, http://www.quercus-sys.com/ ═══ 8. License and Warranties ═══ Convert is copyrighted. It may be freely distributed provided this copyright is retained with the program. REXXLIB is copyrighted software belonging to Quercus Systems and is included in Convert by permission of Quercus Systems. Users of Convert are not permitted to use REXXLIB except in conjunction with Convert. Any further use by an end user (except for evaluation) requires purchase of at least a basic registration from Quercus Systems. VisProREXX is copyrighted software belonging to Hockware, Inc. and is included in Convert by permission of Hockware. Users of Convert are not permitted to use VisProREXX except in conjunction with Convert. Any further use by an end user (except for evaluation) requires purchase of at least a registration from Hockware, Inc. This program is provided free of charge and with no warranty of any kind. For copies of the software licenses which cover the included code within Convert see REXXLIB and VisProREXX. ═══ 8.1. REXXLIB License ═══ Use of REXXLIB in this program is according to the following terms from my (Doug Rickman) REXXLIB license - The executable portions (only) of REXXLIB may be included with commercial, "shareware", or "freeware" application software or applications distributed "in house" as long as you pay for one full registration and agree to the following terms and conditions: 1. Only executable .EXE and .DLL files may be included. No other copyrighted files of Quercus Systems (including all or any portion of the online documentation) may be included with the product. 2. Included files must not be modified in any way. In particular, embedded copyright notices must be left intact. 3. Your documentation should explicitly state that REXXLIB is copyrighted software belonging to Quercus Systems and is included with your software by permission of Quercus Systems. 4. Users of your product are not permitted to use REXXLIB except in conjunction with your product. Any further use by an end user (except for evaluation) requires purchase of at least a basic registration. 5. No part of REXXLIB may be included with other collections of tools or libraries intended primarily for use by programmers. ═══ 8.2. VisProREXX License ═══ Use of VisProREXX in this program is according to the following terms from my (Doug Rickman) VisProREXX license - ═══ 9. Change History ═══ 1. April 29, 1998 First release. Good luck. 2. April 30, 1998 Added Packed Binary Coded Decimal with sign bit.