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!SPConv
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PGP Signed Message
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1995-06-14
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12KB
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264 lines
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
!SPConv - RISC-OS version (1.10), based on SPConv (version 1.08)
================================================================
Purpose: To convert ZX Spectrum 'snapshot' images to and from different
formats.
Details: A ZX Spectrum 'snapshot' is a memory dump of a Sinclair ZX Spectrum
computer suitable for use with a ZX Spectrum emulator (common on many
machines now). The RISC-OS platforms have several such emulators
(listed below).
This application allows the user to convert different formats of
spectrum snapshots to other versions.
For full documentation on the converter itself, the different
snapshot formats and the original CLI version (and its author), see
the documents in the directory 'Docs' inside this application.
(Hold down SHIFT and double-click on the application in a filer
window to gain access to it).
This version is a wimp version for RISC-OS that deals with a drag-
and-drop interface and a simple dialogue box to choose the format
to convert to. The original version is a command-line based version.
Support for interactive help on windows and icons is also provided as
well as a help menu option.
The main program (SPconv-FE.c) is a front end to 'ROS-SPConv.c'
(a modified version of 'SPConv.c').
Installation:
To install, just drag the application from the archive onto
a destination filer window to copy it.
Using a suitable archive filing system (eg. ArcFS), !SPConv should
run from within an archive.
If there are problems de-archiving or running in archives, then
try de-archiving with !Spark or !SparkPlug.
Usage: 1) Install the application on the icon bar by 'double-clicking' on the
application in a filer window.
2) Drag a snapshot file of a suitable filetype (see below for info on
filetypes) onto the icon bar application and a convert dialogue
window will pop-up.
3) Select the file format to convert to by clicking on the suitable
option. (If new 'filetypes' are needed for Z80 or SNA files, then
'uncheck' the "Old-format Z80/SNA files" box by clicking on it.
see the 'filetype' info below for more information on this).
4) Now click on the 'Convert' icon to start the conversion.
(Click on the 'Cancel' icon to abandon the conversion).
5) A 'save-as' window will pop-up allowing you to save your file
to a filer window in the normal RISC-OS manner.
File Types:
You must 'file-type' your snapshot files under RISC-OS for them to
be accepted by !SPConv.
Use the filer menu under the 'file' submenu and 'set type' and
specify one of the filetypes below.
When using !MZX (at least up to version 1.10), set the file types
for Z80 to Z80old (or CEE) and for SNA to SNAold (or CEF).
The filetypes are the RISC-OS equivalent to the file extensions
used on versions of 'spconv' on other machines.
I have used the following file types for the moment, based on the
types used in the Spectrum emulators for RISC-OS machines...
Filetype : Hex equivalent
---------------------------------------------------
Z80 & Z80old : BA0 & CEE (Z80 snapshot)
SNA & SNAold : BA1 & CEF (SNA snapshot)
SP : 225 (SP snapshot)
PRG : 226 (PRG snapshot)
ZX : 227 (ZX/KGB snapshot)
SpecProg : 702 (ACH snapshot)
RAWsnap : 701 (RAW file)
<unknown/data>: FFD (Unknown type)
Note that the filetypes BA0 and BA1 are official Acorn filetypes,
but that current Acorn emulators (as of June 1995) do not use them.
For this reason, there is an option provided to choose between new
and old style filetypes for Z80 and SNA files.
The current default is to use the old formats which are compatible
with current versions of emulators such as !MZX.
The output filetype is fairly irrelevent when moving the files to
another machine, though the can help you identify what they are
before copying, for example, onto a DOS disc.
Note that these filetypes do not distinguish different versions
of 'snapshots', such as different versions of the Z80 snapshot.
The converter *should* try to deal with them.
If you don't know what type the file should be then it may be
a RAW file. Try either RAWsnap (701) filetype or just plain
Data (FFD).
If it is a RAW file, then the converter will attempt to convert
these if possible.
If not, try each of the above types (SNA & Z80 being the most common).
!Scrap: RISC-OS must have seen the application !Scrap for this to work, and
must have read/write access to !Scrap (and sufficient space -
probably 48k to 64k aprox.) for it to work. (Good reason to get a
hard disc :-)
Notice:
I'm no expert on the snapshot converter itself, just the front-end,
so you may have more luck with the original author if any conversion
problems arise. Hopefully there shouldn't be any errors introduced
into it by this front-end.
See the documentation inside 'Docs' for details about the converter.
This application has not been tested on pre-A5000 machines or
pre-Risc-OS 3.10 systems. (It also requires SharedCLibrary 3.50
or higher - I think).
The ZX Spectrum ROM:
A copy of the 16k ROM image from the ZX spectrum is required for some
conversions. It is provided in the 'Resources' directory inside this
application on the basis that it has been released into the Public
Domain. The ROM is (was?) copyrighted to Sinclair Research.
=================================================================
Inside the original distribution archives...
SPConv.arc contains:
!SPConv
!Boot, !Run, !Sprites,Sprites, Messages, } - The application files.
!RunImage etc. }
Resources.RomImage - The rom image (spectrum.rom - see documentation).
for certain conversions.
Docs - Documentation of SPConv 1.08
spcnvsrc.arc contains:
ReadMe - Details about merging source with main application.
!SPConv
c, h, o, Makefile - All to do with the source for this version.
CliSource - Original unix & PC source for SPConv 1.08
OldSprites - Old Sprites
The source directory application can be merged into the main application by
simply dragging the source !SPconv icon onto the main one (once unarchived).
=================================================================
Author: RISC-OS conversion: Tim Moore (c) 1995
Original version: Henk de Groot (c)
(Contact: Henk de Groot, hegr@ensae.ericsson.se)
Acknowledgements:
!MZX and !Speculator authors for some of the filetypes and the
Sprites for the filetypes (now replaced by newer ones).
Note: The 701 and 702 filetypes are taken from !Speculator
and I've assumed that 701 fits RAW files.
The CEE and CEF filetypes are from !MZX.
Mike Borcherds for supplying the Acorn filetypes for Z80/SNA.
Richard G. Hallas for some advice, new sprites and template
improvements.
Some Archimedes ZX Spectrum Emulators:
!MZX (version 1.10 at this date) by Graham Willmott
Last known contact:
Graham Willmott (se2044@bristol.ac.uk) 22 Apr 1994
!Speculator, author unknown, availability (officially) unknown.
Apparently copies available should not be around.
- -------------------------------------