XB loader

[Asmusr]

If anyone is interested in this type of loader, I will have a little time tonight and could outline the general principals that you need to know and provide the source code for a SYSTEX like loader. With a few modifications this could be made to do what you want.

 

Thank you, that's very kind of you and I would like to know for future projects. For the Titanium disk, however, I think I will just use the loader that InsaneMultitasker provided.

[Barry Nelson]

Is there a loader that works well to load programs from regular XB that you normally have to load with EA opt #3 (not 5)? I have a few loaders that work well for opt 5 but I would like one that works good for opt 3 stuff.

[Omega-TI]

Is there a loader that works well to load programs from regular XB that you normally have to load with EA opt #3 (not 5)? I have a few loaders that work well for opt 5 but I would like one that works good for opt 3 stuff.

 

If there is one out there, I've never seen it either, so if you find one please share it. Honestly though, I hope someone else pops in with an answer more to your liking. Unfortunately, I'm only aware of two options:

 

1) The Editor/Assembler cartridge

2) Gazoo's new Extended Basic 2.7 Suite Cartridge.

 

Good Luck!

[senior_falcon]

There are a few problems with the XB program loader. It cannot read compressed object code and it is super slow. It would take a long time (at least a minute) to load just 8K of code, so you can see the problem there. I see two solutions to your problem:

1 - Use Funnelweb which is a universal loader environment that can load EA programs (Both EA3 and EA5) with the XB cartridge in the slot. I prefer Funnelweb 4.40 but they got up to 5.01 or so.

2 - convert the EA3 into EA5. It is probably easiest to use Classic99 for this. Click on EDIT then DEBUGGER and then you can make the EA5 program. You need to know the addresses you want to save and the starting address.

I think you can do it on a real TI with the SAVE utility, but someone else will have to walk you through that.

[Gazoo]

There are a few problems with the XB program loader. It cannot read compressed object code and it is super slow. It would take a long time (at least a minute) to load just 8K of code, so you can see the problem there. I see two solutions to your problem:

1 - Use Funnelweb which is a universal loader environment that can load EA programs (Both EA3 and EA5) with the XB cartridge in the slot. I prefer Funnelweb 4.40 but they got up to 5.01 or so.

2 - convert the EA3 into EA5. It is probably easiest to use Classic99 for this. Click on EDIT then DEBUGGER and then you can make the EA5 program. You need to know the addresses you want to save and the starting address.

I think you can do it on a real TI with the SAVE utility, but someone else will have to walk you through that.

 

RAG LINKER is also very simple to use to convert EA3 to EA5. Most times you just input the object file name and name you want for the EA5 file. Sometimes you may also need to type in the library file name of utilities (RAGLIB) if there are any REFs in the program. But it's still pretty simple to use.

 

Gazoo

[Barry Nelson]

 

RAG LINKER is also very simple to use to convert EA3 to EA5. Most times you just input the object file name and name you want for the EA5 file. Sometimes you may also need to type in the library file name of utilities (RAGLIB) if there are any REFs in the program. But it's still pretty simple to use.

 

Gazoo

I am trying to convert a program called "ATARI", it displays a menu and then loads one of several Atari games. I ran the RAG Linker, and said the control file was DSK1.ATARI, it then asked for the library, and I typed DSK2.RAGLIB, and specified DSK1.ATARI5 for the output. This completed without errors, but the resulting DSK1.ATARI5 program hangs when run and never displays a menu.

[+Ksarul]

IIRC, ATARI was a hybrid loader--it was an Extended BASIC program that had the necessary assembly caller routines included/attached to the program image. You'd nee to reattach that assembly loader to get it to link load and run. . .

[Barry Nelson]

Uh… huh what? This program does not appear to be basic and only loads through the editor assembler cartridge opt 3 menu. If I could load it from XB I would be a happy camper.

[+Ksarul]

There was definitely a version of the program that incorporated an Assembly Loader into an Extended BASIC program, IIRC. I haven't played around with that disk in a couple of decades though. . .so the memory may be faulty.

[Gazoo]

It's easier to just load the Atari games directly from EA5. Some old news is quoted below.

 

Gazoo

 

 

Do you have the disk or disks with the Atari games that load from Extended Basic? If you do, I'm sure you're not really pleased with that loader (it seems to take about an hour and a half to load that object code!) Well, hope is in sight, those files can be converted rather easily to work from Editor/Assembler option 5 or any other similar program image loader like FUNNELWEB or XBOPT5. The game files are already in program image format, they just don't contain the necessary file header information on where to load and where to start execution. The loader decides where to load the game and where to begin execution. Fortunately the first few bytes of each game file are not used by any of the programs and we can change them to the necessary file header information. (For those who are interested, the first 20 or 30 bytes are the Cartridge headers left over from when the games were in Cartridge form.) To make the changes use a sector editor or file editor (Disk Utilities works real well) to edit the beginning bytes of each file as listed in the chart below. You'll find that the files usually start with something like AAFF 0000 0000 or AA01 0000 0000 or AA01 0100 0000. if you see that sort of information, you'll know you're at the start of the file. Replace the string at the start of the file with the string from the chart, and write the sector back to the disk. For two-file games, you need to change both files. Please do not use your original disk to make the changes, copy the files to another disk and work with the copy disk in case you make a mistake! After the changes are made, you can load the games from Editor/Assembler option 5 (or equivalent) by running the file ending with a 1. For example, type "DSK1.DK1" <enter> from the "File Name ?" prompt to run "DONKEY KONG" after selecting 5 from the Editor/Assembler menu. The games load and run now without the need of the special loader. We also have the added bonus in that the games will still run from the special loader, the changes do not affect the operation of the loader. Happy game playing!

Game           File(s)  Patch to Start of File

-------------  -------  ------------------------

Centipede      CP1      0000 1FFA A006 0460 A056

Dig Dug        DD1      FFFF 1FFA A006 0460 C03C

               DD2      0000 1FFA C006

Defender       DF1      0000 1FFA A006 0460 A072

Donkey Kong    DK1      FFFF 1FFA A006 0460 A086

               DK2      0000 0FFA C006

Jungle Hunt    JH1      FFFF 1FFA C006 0460 C020

               JH2      0000 1FF4 E006

Moon Patrol    MP1      FFFF 1FFA C006 0460 C0FE

               MP2      0000 1FF4 E006

Ms Pacman      MS1      FFFF 1FFA C006 0460 E0AE

               MS2      0000 1FF4 E006

Pacman         PM1      FFFF 1FFA A006 0460 A052

               PM2      0000 0FFA C006

Pole Position  PP1      FFFF 1FFA A006 0460 A060

               PP2      0000 1FFA C006

Protector 2    PT1      FFFF 1FFA C006 0460 DE3A

               PT2      0000 1FF4 E006

Shamus         SH1      FFFF 1FFA A006 0460 CBDA

               SH2      0000 10FA C006

Edited October 6, 2014 by Gazoo

[Omega-TI]

Did you know there is actually a glitch in the one E/A 5 version of Moon Patrol that has been floating around out there all these years?

The A, B, C, D, E on the first run through is messed up. There is a cartridge version that seems to be okay though. Maybe a re-do and re-posting of a corrected version would be nice.

 

The attached file is how I've always played Atari games on the TI from disk.

 

 

ATARI-1.dsk

[Barry Nelson]

Hmm, well I tried patching the Dig Dug files on this disk as described and it did not run properly. In fact it crashed. I want to attach the disk I am trying to load from XB but I can't seem to figure out how to upload an attachment here. I am able to run this disk, but it is a hassle to have to get the editor/assembler cartridge for this disk when most everything else I have auto loads from XB. This I have to load DSK1.ATARI from the EA opt 3. The moon patrol on my disk does work correctly when loaded that way.

 

How do I attach this disk?

[+OLD CS1]

Use the full editor (click on More Reply Options.) Under the message you will see options for uploading the file.

 

Help Topic: Posting - AtariAge Forums

[Barry Nelson]

Ok, I have attached the disk. It works fine from the EA with opt 3 and the Moonpatrol on it is not glitched, but am trying to figure out a way to load it from XB.

Atari Cracked (19xx)(-)req. PHM 3055 option 3DSK1.ATARI.dsk

[Asmusr]

I guess YLOAD is an E/A#5 loader, but it doesn't work because the files on this disk are not real E/A#5 file. Looks more like ROM dumps saved as programs.

 

If you could convert ATARI from a compressed object file into an uncompressed file you would be able to load it from XB, but it would be slow.

 

Perhaps easier to look for another disk with these games? Don't know if one of the attached work.

atari.dsk

atarisoft.dsk

[Gazoo]

Ok, I have attached the disk. It works fine from the EA with opt 3 and the Moonpatrol on it is not glitched, but am trying to figure out a way to load it from XB

 

 

Here's your disk back with the proper patches applied and a quick loader I slapped together this Morning using XBOPT5. It's not elegant, but it works. Please look at the disk and attempt to learn what was done to make it work.

 

Atari Cracked (19xx)(-)req. PHM 3055 option 3DSK1.ATARI.dsk

 

Gazoo

[Gazoo]

The jump lines in the 20s in the LOAD program are a little messed up due to my haste. Here's a listing of what they should be.

Gonna be late for work now...

 

Gazoo

 

1 !******************!
2 ! !
3 ! XB Option 5 V3.1 !
4 ! !
5 ! By Barry Boone !
6 ! !
7 !*****10/01/87*****!
8 CALL INIT :: CALL LOAD(8196,253,6)
9 !Do not edit lines 1-9
10 CALL CLEAR
11 DISPLAY AT(5,5):"1 - DIG DUG"
12 DISPLAY AT(7,5):"2 - DONKEY KONG"
13 DISPLAY AT(9,5):"3 - MOON PATROL"
14 DISPLAY AT(11,5):"4 - PACMAN"
16 DISPLAY AT(13,5):"5 - PROTECTOR"
20 CALL KEY(3,K,S) :: IF S=0 THEN 20
21 IF K=49 THEN 100
22 IF K=50 THEN 110
23 IF K=51 THEN 120
24 IF K=52 THEN 130
25 IF K=53 THEN 140
27 GOTO 20
100 DISPLAY ERASE ALL:"Loading..."
105 CALL LINK("OPT5","DSK1.DD01")
110 DISPLAY ERASE ALL:"Loading..."
115 CALL LINK("OPT5","DSK1.DK01")
120 DISPLAY ERASE ALL:"Loading..."
125 CALL LINK("OPT5","DSK1.MP01")
130 DISPLAY ERASE ALL:"Loading..."
135 CALL LINK("OPT5","DSK1.PM01")
140 DISPLAY ERASE ALL:"Loading..."
145 CALL LINK("OPT5","DSK1.PR01")