Systex - E/A - modules on disk

[+remowilliams]

I've talked about this a bit before on AA, but since we've got a bunch of great coders in this area I'll bring it up here

 

So, obviously there are a bunch of disks that have game command module code on them that can be booted via E/A instead of using physical carts. What I'd like to do is get as many of the remaining command modules to floppy, as there still are a bunch missing from what I can tell.

 

These 'GPL Simulator' disks seem to be written out by a program called SysTex (below being the boot code for the USGROP315B disk for example). So the big question is if I have command module .C .D, etc files - how would I get them going in this manner?

 

 

 

100 !@S.Gary 2 North Dr.#216  Scarboro Ont.Canada M1N 1Z2
110 !**********************
120 !*                    *
130 !*    Generated By    *
140 !*    SysTex  V1.0    *
150 !*      (C) 1985      *
160 !*   By Barry Boone   *
170 !*                    *
180 !**********************
190 CALL INIT :: CALL LOAD(8196,254,0)
200 CALL LINK("SLOAD")
210 CALL LINK("CHAR") :: DISPLAY AT(1,1)ERASE ALL:"€‚   TEXAS INSTRUMENTS":"ƒ„…":"†‡ˆ   MODULES DISK #01"
220 I=1 :: FOR P=1 TO 9 :: FOR L=1 TO 8 :: READ N$(P,L),F$(P,L) :: IF N$(P,L)="" THEN 240
230 NEXT L :: NEXT P :: P=9
240 IF L=I THEN P=P-I
250 DISPLAY AT(6,3):"PRESS" :: IF P>1 THEN DISPLAY AT(6,18):"page";I;"of ";STR$(P) :: DISPLAY AT(24,3):"ctrl x/ctrl e for paging"
260 FOR L=1 TO 8 :: IF N$(I,L)="" THEN DISPLAY AT(6+L+L,3):"" ELSE DISPLAY AT(6+L+L,2):L;"FOR ";N$(I,L)
270 NEXT L
280 DISPLAY AT(4,1):"" :: CALL KEY(5,K,S) :: L=K-48 :: DISPLAY AT(4,1):"‰gpl interpreter simulation‰" :: IF K=152 THEN 300 ELSE IF K=133 THEN 310 ELSE IF(L<1)+(L>8)THEN 280
290 IF N$(I,L)="" THEN 280 ELSE 320
300 IF I<P THEN I=I+1 :: GOTO 250 ELSE 280
310 IF I>1 THEN I=I-1 :: GOTO 250 ELSE 280
320 FOR S=0 TO L-1 :: DISPLAY AT(6+S+S,3):"" :: NEXT S :: FOR S=L+1 TO 9 :: DISPLAY AT(6+S+S,3):"" :: NEXT S
330 FOR S=1 TO 4 :: CALL LOAD(-S*6144,0) :: NEXT S :: CALL LINK("LOAD","DSK1."&F$(I,L))
340 DATA SIMON,SIMON1,MS-PACMAN,MS-PACMAN1,PINBALL,PINB,PIZZA,PIZZ
350 DATA POPEYE,POPE,Q*BERT,Q*BE,SPRINGER,SPRINGER
355 DATA,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
360 !@ S.Gary 2 North Dr. #216 Scarboro Ont.M1N 1Z2

[marc.hull]

That would be a question for Barry Boone (another fine Okie I might add.... although he is from the east side of the state He lurks on the Yahoo lists. I would think you would only have to know the format of the Rom/Grom dumps. Perhaps it is as easy as using Cart Saver or a Gram Kracker and linking to the dump in the XB Menu.... I can say this.... Most carts have been dumped and exist on floppy. The Rom versions are stand alone where the Grom or hybrid ones require GPL simulation. The list of game in your program listing are all ROM dumps. Qbert and Popeye both contain Groms but I believe all they do is contain the cart header. A TI licensing requirement which is not needed for floppy loads.

[+acadiel]

See this thread:

GPL Assembler Rewrite

[+InsaneMultitasker]

SysTex encapsulates the assembly code within the XB program, allowing a quick load. The alternative would be to load the assembly code as a DF80 object file via CALL INIT::CALL LOAD("DSKx.filename). The former is simply quicker and more efficient.

 

As for this particular program, the SysTex'd assembly code is a simple file loader hard-coded to CRU 0x1100, written as lean, quick, and dirty as possible. No real GPL simulation or interpretation - though the loader and screen do look pretty nice. IIRC, I disassembled and posted the code on one of the Yahoo group sites.

 

Marc and John pretty well sum up the rest.

 

Tim

Edited April 13, 2010 by InsaneMultitasker

[+remowilliams]

Thanks for the replies guys, I think I have a much better understanding of what's going on now. Not that I'll be writing custom loader screens anytime soon

 

Regarding what looks like many GROMs containing just a header, and therefore no GPL needed - is this why I don't see anywhere in my collection of 'modules on disk' games like Tunnels of Doom, or Alpiner? Or is it just coincidence that they are GROM heavy?

[+adamantyr]

Thanks for the replies guys, I think I have a much better understanding of what's going on now. Not that I'll be writing custom loader screens anytime soon

 

Regarding what looks like many GROMs containing just a header, and therefore no GPL needed - is this why I don't see anywhere in my collection of 'modules on disk' games like Tunnels of Doom, or Alpiner? Or is it just coincidence that they are GROM heavy?

 

Tunnels of Doom is the heaviest of the bunch, it has five 6k GROM chips for a total of 30k of data. Seriously big at the time.

 

Adamantyr

[Opry99er]

So--- looks like I'll be using SysTex pretty soon for some stuff... Filip... Can we upload SysTex and docs to the resources thread?

[+retroclouds]

So--- looks like I'll be using SysTex pretty soon for some stuff... Filip... Can we upload SysTex and docs to the resources thread?

 

Sure do, just add a reply to the dev resources thread and add the attachments there (zip file would be best).

I'll then update the thread (most likely on Sunday).

[Opry99er]

I don't have a copy--- Hull, you out there?

[marc.hull]

I don't have a copy--- Hull, you out there?

 

I have one somewhere in the pile. I'll post it later this week if no one else beats me to it (feel free i don't relish digging through that mess.)

[Opry99er]

Mess? I bet your "pile" is worth billions of pesos. You could sell it all at market value and have enough money to buy a broken Zero

Zap cartridge!!!