ftp.barnyard.co.uk/2015.02.ftp.barnyard.co.uk.tar/ftp.barnyard.co.uk/cpm/walnut-creek-CDROM/SIMTEL/CPMUG/CPMUG042.ARK/ABSTRACT.042

Text File | 1984-04-29 | 6KB | 117 lines

-------------------- VOLUME 42 ABSTRACTS ----------------------

TITLE:  DISASSEMBLERS, TERMINAL INIT, TIME BOARD, DIABLO DRIVER

BIDI.LIB contains a software driver for a diablo
Hy-Type I printer.  It is the first in the users group to
offer bidirectional printing and high speed tabbing.  It
may be integrated into your favorite CBIOS or file listing
program.  Memory requirements are about 190 bytes of code
space (ROM or RAM) and about 130 bytes of data area (RAM).
Timing tests indicate that it runs about 20% faster than
previous single directional drivers available from the
users group.  It requires a Diablo Hy-Type I printer
interfaced through 3 parallel output ports and one input
port.  The code is well commented and should be fairly
easy to maintain and modify.  Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.

CLKROM.ASM and TIME.ASM are corrected programs originally
printed in Interface Age magazine.  They are intended for the
Compu-time real time clock/calendar board.  If you have one
of the clocks, you'll know what these are good for, I don't.
Related programs are T.ASM and T.COM which prints the time
on the console and XT.ASM and XT.COM which sends a file to
the list device with the time and date at the top of each page.
TIMESET.BAS is for setting the time and date from basic.
Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.

CT82.Z80 contains source for a 'STAT' like utility for changing
the mode of a SWTPC CT82 terminal.  The source is written in
Zilog mnemonics and I have no idea what you'd use to assemble
it.  Requires a Z-80 for execution.  The source seems to be
well commented and should be easy to adapt to another set of
mnemonics.  CT82.COM contains the object code.
Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.

DIS.ASM is a Z-80 dissambler written using the TDL mnemonics
and disassembling to TDL mnemonics.  It requires the TDL
macro assembler for assembly.  Assembly is necessary beacuse
the code does not (as yet) relocate itself to the top of
memory in the way DDT does.  One unique feature is that it
is capable of writing a TDL assembler compatible .ASM file
to disk for re-assembly.  The original source code appeared
in Dr. Dobbs Journal, Volume 4, Issue 5.  It is base on
Ward Christensen's disassembler, DDJ February, 1977.  This
version was CP/Mified by Tim Burke.  DIS.ASM is devoid of
comments, but the DDJ article has good comments which should
still apply.  Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.

HOW2BS.DOC contains instructions on how to patch CP/M version
1.4 to echo 'DEL' (RUBOUT) as 'BS'.  On many CRT's, this will
have the effect of moving the cursor backwards over the
deleted character.  With this installed, it is much easier
to correct typing mistakes when using a CRT.  Be forwarned,
though, that it makes correcting things harder on a hard-copy
terminal.  This patch requires a Z-80 processor because it
takes advantage of the relative jump instruction of the Z-80.
Installing this patch would require at least a working
knowledge of the use of DDT and SYSGEN procedures.  Reviewed
by Robert A. Van Valzah.

INIT.TEL conatains initialization commands for the TDL text
editor running with a South West Technical Products CT-82
terminal.  This file would be useful to you if you have this
combination of editor and terminal or it may be used as a
sample to write you own initialization commands.  Reviewed by
Robert A. Van Valzah.

MNEMONIC.ABS contains source for a memory testing program.
Two tests are provided, fill with and check for pseudo-random
pattern and exhaustive unique addessing test.  The former will
find most all failures and is quite fast.  The latter fills
memory with zeros, sets a single bit, and then checks all other
bits in memory to see if they have changed.  This should find
even the stickest problems but takes a long time (2 1/2 hours
for 4K).  The code is very well written and well structured.
It reads the front panel to select the test, though this
could be easily changed.  I/O is done directly to the console
so that memory used by CP/M can be tested too.  Re-assembly
will be necessary to make it work on your system.
Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.

QUOTES.PRN contains many quotations which are applicable to
computer programming.  Many have to do with the coordination
of a team of programmers all working on the same large project.
These quotes will be humorous to anyone who has ever programmed
a computer.  They are included in the users group to inject a
little levity into the life of programmers everywhere.  A must
for every programming office wall, in my oppinion.  Reviewed by
Robert A. Van Valzah.

RESOURCE.COM is an interactive 8080 disassembler.  It has the
ability to generate lables and then to replace them with
meaningful labels as the disassembly progresses.  The mode
(instruction, DB, DW, or DS) can be dynamically changed,
and is stored in a table such that the listing switches
from mode to mode at the appropriate addresses.   ASCII DB's
may be automatically searched for.  The resulting source code,
including an ORG statement to the load address, and EQUates for
references outside of the program, can be written to disk for
assembly.  The symbol table, control table, and comments table
may also be written to disk, and later reloaded, allowing you
to continue a disassembly at a later time.  Editorial:  This
disassembler is so good that it is dangerous.  In the hands of
any experienced programmer, RESOURCE can give a complete
disassembly (even with comments!) of any piece of code in a
very short time.  You have to use it to believe it.  It is
hoped that RESOURCE will be used to customize commercially
available software where source is not provided, but only for
the use of an individual.  See documentation in RESOURCE.DOC.
Source is not provided (we had to leave you something to
practice on!).  Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.

START.ASM contains the source for a utility to initialize the
Compucolor 8001 CRT display for normal use as a terminal.  It
sets the forground and background colors and prints the time
of day.  Reviewed by Robert A. Van Valzah.