This is the last of the Diamond Programs I wrote in the wayback. I wasn’t going to mention this one because the method of loading an Atari BASIC program from the desktop does not work for all BASIC programs and I’m not sure why. But… because it works for the majority of programs and the goal of any GOS is to reduce the use of the keyboard as much as possible, here it is.

BASLO211 is based on the program in the article “Automate Your Atari”, Compute!, January 1983. The program writes an AUTORUN.SYS that will executes a series of Basic commands. The AUTORUN.SYS file is programed to “temporarily take over the task of supplying screen editor data by substituting a new device handler table and “get character” routine for the default ones provided by the operating system.”

What BASLO211.APP does is opens the file select dialog and checks the disk for any *.BAS files. Once a file is selected the program writes the autorun file data with a command - RUN “D?:filename.BAS – to the file D?:filename.SYS.

To run the BASIC program. At the desktop, put the disk with the .BAS and .SYS into the drive it was created on. Click on .SYS file to run. Once back at the desktop. Quit to BASIC. The BASIC program should run.

As a point of interest, this program was first released as Postcardware. (You know...if you like and use the program send a postcard). I am still waiting for the first postcard.

The zip files contains BASLO211.APP and BASLO211.M65

BASLO211.zip

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This is slightly more detailed information if you try this program on your dAtari.

USING THE APPLICATION

A machine language routine for each BASIC program must be created before you can click and RUN. The BASLO211.APP will create this file with the same filename as the BASIC program only with the extension ".SYS".

Follow these simple steps.

1. Boot up with Diamond. Put the disk with BASLO211.APP into a disk drive and open a window for that drive.

2. Double click on the filename BASLO211.APP.

3. When the title dialog will appears, click anywhere within the dialog box. The file select routine is displayed.

4. Place the disk with the BASIC program into the disk drive that will be used to load the program. Click in the drive identifier button to display the directory in the window.

5. Locate the BASIC file and select it.

6. Click on OK. The file will be written and you will be sent back to the desktop.

If you decide that you do not want to create a file, clicking on cancel will take you back to the desktop. If you click on OK while a filename of BASIC*.BAS is active, the program will send you back to the file select routine. Choose another file or return to the desktop and modify the BASIC program's file name. A dialog box will appear when a disk error occurs. Clicking inside the dialog will take you back to the desktop. Correct the problem and try again.

TO RUN THE BASIC PROGRAM:

The BASIC program can now be run at any time by:

1. When you are at the desktop, place the disk with the .BAS and .SYS file into the disk drive it was in when the .SYS file was created.

2. Display the directory for that disk drive in a window and double click on the .SYS file.

3. The .SYS file will run and return you to the desktop. Select "QUIT" in the menu bar and click OK.

4. The READY prompt should appear and the BASIC program should load and run.

5. Exit the program when you are done. To return to the desktop enter DOS at the READY prompt.