Transmat

A tape to disc transfer program from Pride Utilities

TRANSMAT is a sophisticated tape to disc transfer program for your disc drivesystem. It also contains some disc file manipulating programs to help youconstruct a working disc. TRANSMAT will faithfully transfer tape based programson to disc but some alteration to the programs may be necessary for them to runsatisfactory.

COMMANDS

When you see {A}- or {B}- and then a black cursor this means you are in commandlevel. The following commands are available:-

1) TRANS n AUTO:- This will transfer n programs from tape onto disc. The n(number) must be within the range 0 - 255. If the number is not known then enter0 and press ESC when the copying is complete to return to command level. Thismode should only be used if you know that the program will run when transfered.

2) TRANS n:- This is similar to the above except that it will wait for youto enter your own filename to prevent the problem of creating BAK files ofprograms with same names. If you press CLR then that program will not betransferred. In this mode you also have the facility to add a small relocatorprogram to the main program to prevent corruption of the area of memory reservedþfor the disc drive on subsequent loading if necessary.

3) INFO:- This will print out all the relevant information on all programsand files on disc.

4) DISCA:- Work with disc drive A.

5) DISCB:- Work with disc drive B.

6) CPM:- Enter CPM.

7) BASIC:- Return to BASIC. You can re-enter TRANSMAT by typing |TMAT.

8) REN newname=oldname:- Rename a file.

9) ERA filename:- Erase a file.

10) DIR:- Directory.

11) USR n:- Change to user number n.

12) INS:- These instructions

Note that you can use ambiguous file references (*,?) with DIR and ERA. Seeyour disc drive handbook for more information on commands 8-11.

As you probably are aware, you cannot always use the same filename that youwould when SAVEing on cassette when using the disc drive. TRANSMAT will, in theAUTO mode, try to make a legal disc filename out of the original cassettefilename (It will also do this in the non-AUTO mode if you just press ENTER whenit allows you to enter your own filename). This will mean that if, in themajority of times, there is a BASIC loader program which draws a logo and thenLOADS the next program you will manually have to alter the appropriate LOADcommand to cater for the new name. This is also true if it tries to LOAD anunnamed program (LOAD" or RUN"). TRANSMAT will have already removed anyprotection on the BASIC program so that you can list it. If the first program isa binary file then some knowledge of machine code is necessary. However if youuse INFO you may find that the second program has an Execution address (Exc). Ifthis is true then you may be able to RUN" it directly without the first program.If there are more than two programs then make sure that you LOAD them in thecorrect order, note the names down as they are transfered or use the printeroption.

Another problem which you may come across, is the fact that when the disc driveis attached HIMEM is lowered by 1284 bytes and if the original program islocated too high in memory then LOADing from disc will corrupt itself and crashþthe computer. Again TRANSMAT will try to help you out on this in the non-AUTOmode. If it sees that you are likely to have this problem then it will print outthe Location (Loc.), Length (Len.) and if present the Execution address (Exc.)of the problem program. It will then ask you if you wish to add a relocator tothe program, pressing N will transfer program as per the original. Pressing Ywill move the program to the highest point in memory and add a 14 byte relocatorprogram to the beginning. It will then print out the new Len, Loc and Exc. Exc.will normally be the same as Loc and it refers to where you execute therelocator when you next LOAD the program. If the original program had an Exc.then CALLing or RUN"ing the relocator will put the program back to its originalplace and then execute it. If it did not have an Exc. then CALLing (DO NOT USERUN") it will relocate the program and then RETurn to BASIC. Once the programhas been relocated disc operations will not function correctly.

Sometimes user defined graphics are LOADed from tape. These should not berelocated but just LOADed 1284 bytes lower in memory. The same applies to BASICprograms which POKE the DATA into place.

TRANSMAT.PDF
T.I.E. (Transmat Information Exchange) pdf-booklet