Automaker a MicroDot Basic Utility by Dave Ward ----------------------------------------------- What's It All About: -------------------- Make a Basic file into a SYStem file. Why? Basic is a powerful language from which potent and useful tools can be made. Sometimes novice users reject BASIC applications because of the need for more than one file and the "apparent" difficulty of launching. On the other hand you may not wish your code to be exposed to the light of day. Either way a single SYS file is a neat and clean way of presenting an application and here is the means of doing it. Anything that can be done using BASIC.SYSTEM (10.6K) can be done faster using MicroDot Basic. MicroDot is much smaller (4.0K) and more powerful. It will do a whole lot of things that BASIC.SYSTEM will not do. Take just one, it reads text to the screen. Be assured there are many more. Converting from Basic.System BASIC to MicroDot is not difficult. What does Automaker do? ------------------------ You can convert almost any Basic program written in MicroDot basic into a P8 SYStem file. Also non Microdot basic programs will often convert satisfactorily so long as they contain no PRODOS calls. You will need these 2 files: AUTOMAKER (SYS) MIDOT (BIN) The resulting System file consists of a header, part of Microdot.System and a Microdot Basic program all appended together. Users needing other MicroDot modules must make their own arrangements to bring about their use. CAT40 40 column directory module CAT80 80 column directory module MULTI Buffer management module RANDOM Random access file module PACK Hires packer/unpacker module SYSCALL MLI calling module The MICRODOT program is the copyright of Kitchen Sink Software Inc. 903 Knebworth Ct. Westerville Ohio 43081 Telephone: */614/891/2111 USA Requirements: ------------- First write your program. You may use : a ROM1 or ROM3 GS, a //c or //c+, or a 128K enhanced //e. NOTE: The basic program MUST be longer than 1 block ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Procedure: ---------- Having written your MicroDot program place it in a directory together with AUTOMAKER and MIDOT. 1. Launch Automaker. Answer then . 2. Enter the name of your MicroDot BASIC program then . 3. Enter the name of the SYStem file you wish to create . After some disk activity the program creates the new SYS file and quits back to your launcher. Basic programs normally execute from $801 but higher locations are sometimes required. AUTOMAKER takes account of files which need to be relocated in order to work properly. It is essential that a Basic file intended for relocation is saved from its correct working location. ieEnsure that its working location corresponds with its AUXTYPE. You must prepare your file for use with AUTOMAKER by performing your relocation first. Say you need to work at location $0a00 you could use an exec file like this:- POKE 104, 10 : POKE 103, 1 : POKE 10 * 256,0 : &.C You must first LOAD then SAVE your BASIC file. Once you have performed this task, AUTOMAKER will make lines 10-30 redundant. (See the snatch of program from YOUR.FILE below.) 10 IF PEEK (104) = 59 THEN 40 : REM OK if AppleSoft starts above $3b00 20 POKE 103,1 :POKE 104,59 : POKE 59 * 256,0 : REM make room above $3b00 30 &.X, "YOUR.FILE" : REM start all over 40 REM the rest of your program starts here. More about AUTOMAKER and MIDOT ------------------------------ The Merlin source code for AUTOMAKER and the first part of MIDOT (the header called MIDOT.NOAPEND) is enclosed. Midot is made up as follows. MiDot $2000 - $21ff consists of a Loader & Setup program (source included). $2200 - $29ff An abstracted portion of MICRODOT.SYSTEM The BASIC portion of the resulting SYStem file is appended at $2a01. Note. At present Automaker does not contain many error routines. For instance, there is NO indication if you attempt to write to a protected disk. Acknowledgements --------------- The techniques employed by AUTOMAKER and MIDOT merely emulate ideas present in Jerry Kindall's programs FLASHBOOT and SWITCH.HITTER. These programs are available from QUALITY COMPUTERS. I am indebted to Jerry Kindall (author of MicroDot). I am also grateful and to Kitchen Sink Software for their help and for their permission to use some of their copyright material. Dave Ward 97 Lambert Road Uttoxetter Staffs. ST14 7QY England Phone: 0889 562192 This program is freeware but shall only be used on condition that it is used entirely at the risk of the user. This material has been prepared for the BritishIIGSCLUB and for the benefit of the AppleII community in general. Postscript ---------- I would also really appreciate any suggestions for improvements or other encouragements. Send them to the above address. I know its a pain to write a letter. If you would like something changed I'll probably do it - but I need to know about it. (You may also contact me on Genie via P.GREEN.) DW June 30, 1994