Text content (OCR)
REPLAY Il
APPLE PROGRAM COPY SYSTEM
Disk Formatting Irrelevant
Does not interfere with other cards
Menu driven
Card is transparent until copy desired.
Copy *and* restart in under 15 seconds
Will copy all 64k with *no* compression
Copies total load programs
MICRO
ANALYST, INC.
REPLAY II is an interface card that is slot independent.
Users can stop the program, examine and change memory,
then restart without changing disks. Control of the system
is obtained by pressing the remote switch which comes on
an 18 inch cord outside the Apple*. If a copy is desired a
(} blank disk is inserted in Drive 1 and the copy option is
selected from the menu. REPLAY II does not copy the
disk, rather it copies the program executing in memory.
REPLAY II does not change ANY memory - unlike other
copy cards. It faithfully reproduces the lower 48k of
memory in a fast load format. The upper 16k of memory
can also be copied for a 64k copy. Standard DOS 3.3 files
can be created for storage on hard disk, although the RAM
card is needed.
TO ORDER OR REQUEST INFO:
Write or Call
MICRO ANALYST, INC.
P.O. Box 15003
Austin, TX 78761
REPLAY II can move protected APPLESOFT programs to
(512) 926-4527 standard DOS 3.3 disk automatically.
Dealer Inquiries Welcome
Utility programs supplied with the REPLAY Il card include
cost: Program Analysis, Packing, and Compression. A language
$150.00 [includes postage) card is not needed to run packed programs. Because most
Outside U.S./Canada add $10 shipping programs are written in Assembly language, the user
Texas residents add $7.50 sales tax should be familiar with Assembly in order to fully utilize the
Analysis and Packing programs
VISA/MASTERCARD Accepted! !
NOW game player can save a game at ANY LEVEL and
REPLAY Il is intended for archival backup QUICKLY restart it with the REPLAY Il card
purposes only.
“Apple is a registered trademark for Apple Computers Inc. AT LAST!!! A full sized card with full sized capabilities! ! !
hardcgre
for the serious Apple-user and hard-core GOMputist 1
Features
SOFTKEYS
Data Reporter, by Don Halley.... 4
Multiplan e+: seeeee2ceasa saunas 4
ZOM ewe eng geeceseeseeeeeaee 5
PARAMETERS
Parms for Copy ll Plus ......... 6
ux
SPECIAL FEATURE
No More Bugs, by Robb Canfield . 10
GChecksoft «sis scsssacan aes 11
Gheckbin » «2 ss 4s « s sweseenee 21
API's
CHOIR 6 occas ees es wrsnrcee 20
Cannonball Blitz.............. 24
Reviews
COPY CARDS
Replay ............000 eee aee 27
Crackshot, Snapshot, Wildcard. . . 28
(reprinted from Peelings II)
Departments
Letters ...............0.0008 2
Publisher’s note .............. 3
Checksums for CORE ......... 30
Ad Index... ........0.0 cee 32
Fed Up Down Under
The whole business of copy-
protection sickens me—I resent being
treated like a child and told | can only
look and not touch! (All my CP/M pro-
grams which are all much more expen-
sive, or average, than Apple 6502
programs, have not one bit of copy-
protection!) Consequently, even
though | am not a reseller of “pirated”
programs, | do like to have backups
and so have copied now most of my
software (which runs to more than 300
diskfuls, some even D/S). Even Lock-
smith seems to be back-pedalling a lit-
tle and not supplying parm changes on
some programs anymore.
Dr. Leigh Rowan-Kelly
Australia
Breaking Software
Wastes Time
Keep up the good work! Although
protection may be justified for games, |
feel that the use of copy-protection for
serious applications has greatly dam-
aged the usefulness of the Apple as a
business machine. Having had much
experience in running critical medical
applications (on large mini s) | could not
tolerate becoming dependent on soft-
ware which | could not back up to the
extent that | (or my auditors) felt ade-
quate. This always exceeds the “1
backup per user” currently allowed by
the vendors of protected program
packages. While my use of the Apple is
currently mainly recreational, my
biases carry over from the “real world”
systems. As | become more involved in
Apple applications, | begin to resent the
time | must spend to “break” the soft-
ware that | have already spent good
money to own. CP/M packages now
appear more attractive, because they
are not protected (WHY??7?). | am seri-
ously considering buying a data base
program; and will probably choose
dBASE over DBmaster because
(among other things) dBASE can be
backed up.
Mitchell Pilot, M.D.
Atlanta, GA
Pac-Man Clones
Hardly “Grand Piracy”
| must take exception to your “Grand
Piracy” editorial [HARDCORE COM-
PUTING #3]. Nothing could have
missed the mark more. Now I’m no
expert on copyright law, but | cannot
see where Atari's copyright is being
infringed by anyone publishing a Pac
Man look-alike.
Are we to assume that all Whatsit-
Calc spreadsheet programs are a ripoff
of someone else’s? And what about all
those screen oriented text editors that
all do more-or-less the same thing on
all those different machines? If the
Atari precedent stands, a lot of people
are in BIG trouble.
You want Grand Piracy? Copy some-
one else’s ROM and put it in your Z-80
card or Apple-compatible computer.
There’s Grand Piracy. Run off copies of
someone else’s copyrighted program
and sell them. There’s Grand Piracy.
But to see a game and then write your
own version of it? Sorry, that doesn’t
qualify in my book.
Unless I’m mistaken, even in board
games the same board cannot be copy-
righted. The name may be a trademark
but neither the playing pieces (dots?
ghosts?) nor the board (a maze?) can
be protected by a copyright. Only the
rules of play can be copyright pro-
tected. So how does Atari get away
with claiming copyright protection for
their “images”? They can pull off pretty
much anything they want as long as
practically no one can afford to muster
a battalion of attorneys to do battle
against Warner Communications in
court. Let's face it, most anyone else
would be outgunned.
Even if everything does come out in
Atari’s favor, have they really gained
anything? As an Apple owner, I’m not
about to go out and buy either an Atari
video game or computer just to play
Pac Man. | suppose they might come
continued on page 25
Publisher:
Charles R. Haight
Editor:
Bev R. Haight
Business and
Circulation Manager:
Karen Fitzpatrick
Assistant Editor:
Julie Joringdal
Production:
David C. Smith
Cheri J. Harrell
Technical Editor:
Robb Canfield
Cover Art:
Todd Osborne
Illustrators:
Todd Osborne
Luke West
Steve West
Ryuji
Typeset via Modem:
Graphic Services
Tacoma, WA
Printing:
Grange Printing, Inc.
Seattle, WA
Publishing:
Softkey Publishing
P.O. Box 44549
Tacoma, WA 98444
Entire contents copyright 1983 by Softkey
Publishing. All rights reserved. Copying
done for other than personal or internal ref-
erence (without the express written permis-
sion from the publisher) is prohibited
The editorial staff assumes no liability or
responsibility for the products advertised in
the magazine. Any opinions expressed by
the authors are not necessarily those of
HARDCORE COMPUTIST or Softkey
Publishing.
Address all editorial, advertising, and sub-
scription inquiries to the proper department,
HARDCORE COMPUTIST, P.O. Box 44549,
Tacoma, WA 98444. (For subscription infor-
mation see page 25.) Return postage must
accompany all manuscripts, drawings, pho-
tos, disks, or tapes if they are to be returned.
No responsibility can be assumed for unso-
licited manuscripts. We suggest you send
‘only copies.
DOMESTIC DEALER RATES sent upon
request, or call (206) 581-6038.
Apple usually refers to the Apple II or Il
Plus computer and is a trademark of Apple
Computers, Inc.
Page 2
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
ANOTHER
PREMIERE ISSUE ?!?
Now you’ve really gone and done it. You got the
editor so mixed up with your divergent opinions
that he:(it?) has split in two, taking the magazine
with him. But since:it’s difficult to sell a magazine
torn in halves, the remainder of the editorial staff
has mended both parts (yes, both, as in two
instead of one).
This traumatic division of the editor has two
bright sides. The new Hardcore Computing is now
both CORE and HARDCORE COMPUTIST.
CORE, a quarterly, will tackle the little problems,
like, “Tell me all about graphics.” HARDCORE
COMPUTIST, which will come out eight. times a
year, will handle the b-i-g problems, \. “Howdol —
make a copy of Zork?”
Remember the mythical Hardcore Computing
number 4, the graphics special? Well, if you take
the premiere issue of CORE and add the premiere
issue of HARDCORE COMPUTIST, you'll get a
total that equates as that mythical special.
Confused? Not yet? Well, let me reword it. Your
subscription to the old Hardcore Computing
(pre-schism) is equal to a subscription to. both
CORE and HARDCORE COMPUTIST (post-
schism). While CORE is aimed at all Apple users —
(yes, that includes users of the Franklin Ace and
other pseudo-Apples and Apple clones), HARD- —
CORE COMPUTIST is aimed at those interested
~ in making back-ups of locked software and exam-
ining everything under the sun that results from.
that practice, including the debates, reviews,
A.P-T.s, mods, and fixes. See ‘ 4
Welcome to the new HARDCORE COMPUTIST -
It's not flashy, but it has what it takes to keep
hardcore computists informed about what they
‘say they want. So keep the articles, letters, and
programming tips coming. The more we get, the
more we print.
The feature for this premiere issue is Robb Can-
field’s checksum programs: Checksoft and -
Checkbin. Also included are parameters for Copy
ii Plus, and some softkeys and A.P.T.s.
SOFTKEY FOR
Data Reporter
by Don Halley |
Data Reporter,
Synergistic Software,
5221 120th Avenue S.E.,
Bellevue, Washington 98006,
(206) 226-3216, $220.00
The Data Reporter, from Synergistic
Software, is advertised as Version 2 of
the popular modifiable data base sys-
tem. It is basically a data storage and
retrieval system with graph plotting
capabilities, a text editor, and many
data management features.
It is offered at a suggested retail
price of $220.00. There is a $5.00
charge for a back-up disk.
Documentation is fairly complete,
although it suffers from the same uni-
maginative approach to organization
as does the documentation for its com-
petitors. There is no index, and the
table of contents offers no help beyond
one- or two-word references to pro-
gram features. A tutorial section would
be appreciated by the uninitiated user,
and a reference table containing
pointers to key sections would help.
Normal Copy
The documentation suggests that a
copy of the original disk be made for
general use, in order to prolong the
original's life. The COPYA program on
the DOS System Master may be used,
but it will encounter a read error on the
last track. This track has been written
with a modified DOS, and its contents
are read into memory via a short
machine language program appended
to the last line of the HELLO program.
This means that you must always boot
from the original, then swap to your
application disk for processing.
NOTE: Softkey Publishing was unable
to test the authenticity of this Softkey.
Reader response is encouraged.
Unprotected Copy
That is, only if you want to. A little
PEEKing around will reveal that the
protected sectors are from $00 to $06
on track $22, and that the information
contained there is loaded into memory
from $9400 to $9AFF. Examination of
the HELLO program shows that it does
not touch this area upon exit.
This means that both a way of read-
ing the protected portion of the disk into
the proper memory locations (HELLO)
and a clean exit have been provided.
Try the following sequence:
1. RUN COPYA to create a copy of the
original disk. (Remember to ignore the
read error.)
2. RUN the HELLO program on the
original disk.
3. Choose the QUIT option from the pri-
mary menu
SOFTKEY FOR
Multiplan
Multiplan, Microsoft Corporation,
10700 Northup Way,
Bellevue, Washington 98004
$275.00
REQUIREMENTS:
The Multiplan disk
The IOB program from Issue 3 of
Hardcore Computing
or |OB+ from Hardcore Computing
Update 3.1 (for single drive users)
Multiplan is an excellent spread-
sheet program by Microsoft. It includes
an unusually complete manual with a
reference guide, and an auto-help
mode from within the program. Multi-
plan allows one and only one back-up
4. Replace the original disk with your
copy.
5. Issue these commands:
BSAVE HELLO.OBJ,
A$9400,LSO6FF
LOCK HELLO.OBJ
UNLOCK HELLO
63999 PRINT D$;
”BLOAD HELLO.OBy” :
SAVE HELLO
LOCK HELLO
PR#6
RETURN
You now have a fully operational
back-up, for only the cost of the disk
itself. Of course, you may make as
many additional back-ups as you like
from this disk.
by Bobby
to be made, which | found to be an
insufficient guarantee (three is my min-
imum back-up policy for commercial
software).
The program is only protected on
tracks zero through four. The protec-
tion scheme is to change the end of the
address mark on those tracks from 0E
to CB. To allow the Multiplan DOS to
read the unprotected disk, a mod must
be done to track @, sector A, changing
byte D from CB to DE. This mod is auto-
matically done by the IOB program.
Copy Multiplan by using the IOB pro-
gram and the controller listed below.
The IOB copy of Multiplan can then be
duplicated with COPYA, or any number
of other copy programs.
Hardcore Computist invites our readers to submit
Softkeys (methods of unlocking programs) for a
Reader’s Softkey Exchange to begin in HARDCORE
#3. Softkey Publishing will be unable to authenticate
every submission, although we will test as many as
&-
possible.
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1 |
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
SOFTKEY FOR
Zork
Zork, Infocom, Inc.,
55 Wheeler Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
$39.95
REQUIREMENTS:
An Apple II
At least one disk drive
Acopy of Zork
COPYA
A disk editing program, such as
DiskEdit
Zork is a challenging adventure
game from Insoft. Although a hi-res pic-
ture is lacking (since it is a text game),
Zork is one of the best adventure
games | have ever attempted to solve
While trying to solve some of the puz-
zles, | started to do a little APT and
found that Zork was on a protected
disk. | set it aside until | had the time to
examine the program. Then a reader
called, explaining a way to unprotect
Zork. Believe it or not, the COPYA pro-
gram on the system master disk can be
used.
How to Copy Zork
This copy method works on Zork ver-
sions I, Il, and Ill.
1. Boot the 3.3 master disk.
PR#6
2. Run COPYA
3. Once it is in memory, press ctrl C to
halt the program.
4. Delete line 70. This stops the pro-
gram from reloading a machine lan-
guage routine each time it is run.
5. Drop into the monitor.
CALL -151
6. Create the following modes.
B925:18 60
B988:18 60
Kill end of data marks.
Kill end of address
marks.
BE48:18 Clear errors.
B8FB:29 00 Kill last byte of begin-
ning of data mark.
7. Return to Applesoft.
3D0G
by Bobby
8. Run the program.
RUN
9. After the copy is done, reboot the
disk with the 3.3 master.
10. Run your disk editing program
11. Read track ®, sector 2.
12. Modify the following values:
Change location:
5D from BC to AD
FB from C9 to 29
FC from BC to 00
You now have an unprotected ver-
sion of Zork. It can be duplicated by any
of the numerous copy programs availa-
ble, even COPYA, without the use of
modes. The disk cannot be cataloged,
nor may separate files be run; it must
be booted to play the game. But Zork is
now open to inspection by those wish-
ing to participate in the rapidly growing
hobby of APT.
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444.
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1
Page 5
-ARAMETERS
Copy II Plus, Central Point Software
P.O. Box 10730, #203, Portland, Ore-
gon 97219, (503) 244-5782 $39.95.
The following is a list of parameters
to change in order to back up certain
pieces of software with Copy Il Plus
version 4.1. To the right of the program
name is the abbreviated name of the
publisher. For a complete list of the
publishers, please see the table on this
page.
When making a back-up, be sure to
follow the steps in order. Often a
parameter will not be relisted if it is set
for a prior range of tracks.
To back up a program, first find its
name in the list of parameters. Directly
below the name is a list of the tracks to
copy and parameters to change. If the
word BY is used, set the increment to
the value that follows it. Use the default
increment of one if no other figure is
given.
When the word SECTMOD appears,
it means that a sector should be
changed using the Track Sector-Editor.
Be sure to patch the read/write routines
if the listing shows PATCHED and to
use the correct DOS (3.2 or 3.3). Place
the destination disk in drive one, then
perform the changes listed.
The command format is:
SECTMOD {F=n, C=n, S=n, T=n}
DOS 3.n PATCHED
CHANGE ADDRESS A1 FROM A2 TO
A3
The meaning of F,C, S, Tand At, A2,
A3 are explained below:
F Disk format to be used. The value
(n) will be either 13 or 16.
C Toggle. The value (n) will be
either on or off.
S Sector to be read.
T Track to be read.
A1 Location to be changed in the
buffer.
A2 Old value.
A3 New value.
The middle line from the example
gives the DOS (3.2 or 3.3) patched
Some diskettes can be duplicated
using the default parameters (select
the Bit Copy option from the main
menu). If the diskette you wish to back
up is not listed, try the default settings
anyway.
An asterisk (*) next to the product
name indicates that these parameters
were user-submitted and have not
been verified by Central Point Soft-
ware. Central Point encourages cus-
tomers to let them know when they
back up a disk not on this list. This
information is made available to all
Copy II Plus owners.
If you have access to The Source,
the command to type out the most
recent parameter list is
TY SFILES > ST2008 > PARAMS
Table of Abbreviations
of Publishers
AC Apple Computer
Al Adventure International
ART ARTSCI
AST Applied Software Technology
BC Budgeco
BS Broderbund Software
CC Cavalier Computer
CTS Continental Software
DM Data Most
EW Edu-Ware
HN Hayden
ISM ISM
KL Krell
KN Kensington
LNS Lightning Software
MIS Microsoft
MU Muse
PBS Personal Business Systems
PDS Picadilly Software
SEN Sensible Software
SL Sub Logic
SOL Sierra On-Line
SPC Software Publishing Corp.
SRS ius Software
svs on Valley Software
SW_ Stoneware
TKS Turnkey Software
UNK Unknown
USA USA
VCP Visicorp
Parameters for Copy II Plus
ALIEN RAIN * (BS)
GnDe ween new enn BF
Fag
APPLE ADVENTURE * (UNK)
19=96,
wo
ny
APPLE LOGO * (AC)
O-22
Lanne n nnn nnn nne
weiss iy woe D1 G
24=96
APPLE PANIC * (BS)
g-D
Page 6
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1
PO. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
APPLE WORLD * (USA)
APPLEWRITER II (AC)
o- ora)
APPLEWRITER /// (AC)
a a ee D=1, 18=96,
A2-PBL
(PINBALL) (SL)
AZTEC * (DM)
O-2osncnnnenaen DRL,
BACK-IT-UP II * (SEN)
. oe LDEIG,
BEER RUN (SRS)
a
1%
24e
CASTLE WOLFENSTEIN (MU)
ca a es D=1
CEILING ZERO * (TKS)
2
ae er er eas
Dd, 1
=F ®
CHESS 7.9 (oD)
Bm wen nn enn LBRI6, FO
CHOPLIFTER (BS)
We HATE to think of you
typing in all the programs in
CORE and HARDCORE!
A disk with the programs
contained in HARDCORE
COMPUTIST #1 and #2 and in
the first issue of CORE is
available from Softkey
Publishing for only
$19.95
(postage and handling complimentary)
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
! These disks are available: !
I Library Disk #1.............0. $19.95 i]
| Spring 1983 CORE {Graphics issue}: |
I Scruncher Design Plus |
I Quick Draw Faster Shapes I
I QD.Editor Space Raid I
| Hardcore Computist #1: 1
| Checksoft Checkbin I
| Hardcore Computist #2: 1
I Page Flipper Wall Draw |]
I DISKCONTROL ............. $18.00 id
| DiskEdit Menu |
| DiskView 1.0.B. I
| SpeedDOS |
H NAME. — —
ADDRESS. ual
| CITY. __STATE___ ZIP. |
| Sorry, I
J noctedit cards Send check or money order to:
no phone orders, HARDCORE PROGRAM LIBRARY
no purchase orders. PO. Box 44549
| U.S. funds only, Tacoma, WA 98444 |
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1 Page 7
(advertisement)
IF YOU LIKE
FRE ORGAN
YOU'LL LOVE
SPARKEES
Son of FIRE ORGAN
FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE, FIRE ORGAN
WAS THE FIRST ‘ALBUM’ OF DYNAMIC (E VER-
CHANGING) VISUAL COMPOSITIONS TO BE
PRODUCED BY VAGABONDO ENTERPRISES. FIRE
ORGAN WAS, AND STILL MAY BE, AVAILABLE FREE
FROM MOST APPLE DEALERS.
NOW YOU CAN SEND FOR SPARKEE, WITH TWO
DOZEN NEW DYNAMIC WORKS OF ART, GUARANTEED
TO DELIGHT YOU WITH THEIR BRILLIANT COLORS
AND GRACEFUL FLOWING PATTERNS OF
CONTINUALLY MOVING SHAPES, LINES AND CURVES.
SPECIAL OFFER TO READERS OF HARDCORE: SEND
JUST $19.95 (PA RESIDENTS ADD $1.20 SALES TAX) TO
KEN SHERWOOD
117-B N. 25TH ST.
READING, PA 19606
IN RETURN, SPARKBE WILL BE SENT TO YOU BY
FIRST CLASS MAIL.
DETAILS: SPARKEE REQUIRES A 48K APPLE WITH
DISK DRIVE. SPARKEE AND FIRE ORGAN ARE
WRITTEN IN THE LANGUAGE OF CEEMAC. FIRE
ORGAN, SPARKEE, CEEMAC AND THE FIRE ORGAN
LOGO ARE ALL (TM) OF VAGABONDO ENTERPRISES.
SPARKEE IS NOT COPY-PROTECTED.
NOTES
and
arc dng
angitive to
you have
COLOSSAL CAVE ADVENTURE * (AC)
se
CRANSTON MANOR (SOL)
a7
1
CROSSFIRE (SOL)
B-Buwwnnnnaene
DAVID?S MIDNIGHT MAGIC
2] wae
See notes for Chopl i fte
DB MASTER (SW)
@
&
i)
DISK ORGANIZER * (SEN)
ca)
A-E
DESKTOP PLAN II (VCP)
G-22 NP by 4
ESCAPE (SL)
B-2z
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY * (PBS)
B-B22 sw wwwen anne 9=3, G=1, 19-96
Page 8
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
EXPER ETOR (SOL)
(ERROR 6 OK)
FORMAT Lotte (KIND
Use Copy Disk from Main Menu
FS-1 (FLIGHT SIMULATOR) (SL)
E «L296
1.5. .E=DEB, F=AB,
i@=BF, ABS, 4E=1
7-8 .
9.5
o
+19=96, 9=0
D1, 24596,
E=DD, F=AD,
SB=40
ABS,
(CTS)
HYPERSPACE WARS *
28 ae PD
go
JAW BREAKER * (SOL)
ee FED
ous MBB! , Ait
4028, S@=1
(ERROR & OK)
4Be1,
KRELL LOGO * (KL)
w 2
MAGIC WINDOW * (ART)
W-22
w
11
MOUSKATTACK * (SOL)
B-22ecnwannnen a LBEIG
SECTMOD CS=3, T=18}
DOS 3.3 FATCHED
CHANGE ADDRESS E1
FROM 49 TO 6%
MULTI PLAN (MIS)
BBQ ewww wenn LBEIG
i=DA,
PFS & PFS REPORT (SPC)
Use "Copy Di from Main Menu.
After capying and before using,
put a TAR over the write protect
notch or you will turn into a
lizard.
PHANTOMS FIVE a
ee) joe
rp oO Pod
PRISM * (ITSM)
B-22
PRISONER * (EW)
@-22
RASTER BLASTER
(01d & New Versions)
(BC)
6-12 BY 4
7.5-F.S BY 4
1.5-3.5 BY 2
SABOTAGE * (SOL)
O-22
Bene! Jeo ase 6
4D=8, 5
{ERROR 6 OF)
4b=1,
SARGON * (HN)
B-10
SERPENTINE (BS)
Same as Choplifter
SNACK ATTACK (DM)
-12
SECTMOD (T=,
DOS 3.2 PATCHED
CHANGE ADDRESS
FROM 38 TO 19
SNEAKERS (SRS)
Bove nnn sneer svn G2M, 10=96, 44=1,
45210, D=1
L.5-C. 5. ea 4428
eee eee eee 44=1
SOFTPORN ADVENTURE (old) (SOL)
Br-Zewcunnnenen dd
continued on page 32
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444.
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1
Page 9
One of the most inexpensive methods of accumulat-
ing software (if your monetary status is not in the “rich”
category) is to subscribe to magazines that print pro-
gram listings and laboriously type them in and save
them. And the most frustrating thing that can occur after
typing in a lon-n-n-n-g listing is to find that it doesn’t
work.
And the reason it doesn’t work is that it has bugs.
Some of the bugs are improperly printed listings.
These are our bugs. They most often occur when we try
to format a listing to make it easier to read and under-
stand. Other bugs occur when the listing is sliced up
and pasted onto boards in order to be photographed
and printed.
We've eliminated our bugs. Listings will no longer be
formatted. They will be printed just as they are seen on
the screen (usually). And we will have all line numbers in
consecutive increments of ten so that if a line is missing
it will be spotted by the editorial staff.
Most bugs occur at the user’s keyboard. The program
is not typed in exactly as it was listed.
Syntax errors in BASIC listings are easily found
because you are notified of this fact by the computer.
But many errors are not found because they are
errors that are not really syntax-related. Most of these
mistakes fall into this category. These include:
1. Transposition (typing 536 instead of 563).
2. Missing characters (forgetting to put in parentheses).
3. Mistaken characters (typing a colon instead of a
semicolon).
4. Missing arguments (typing IF ATHEN .
of IFA >5THEN ...).
5. Missing GOSUBs and GOTOs, and their line num-
bers.
6. Mistyped data statements.
And a profusion of others . .
These bugs are annoying, and require an inordinate
amount of patience and determination to eliminate.
Thus, we will now be using a solution that seems to have
worked with other magazines: a program that will help
spot bugs.
These programs are called “checksum” programs.
Nibble uses one called Key Perfect. Our own are Check-
soft (for Applesoft programs) and Checkbin (for
machine programs).
. , instead
Page 10
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1
PO. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA: 98444
CHECKSOFT
REQUIREMENTS:
An Apple II or Apple I+
Applesoft
One disk drive
Checksoft is an ampersand utility for
those who type in the programs listed in
CORE and HARDCORE COMPUTIST.
Checksoft will allow you to verify that
the listing you have typed and the origi-
nal one in the magazine are the same.
Any errors found can be easily traced
to the individual lines and corrected. All
that is necessary once Checksoft is in
memory is to press the & (ampersand)
key and compare the numbers dis-
played on the screen with those shown
in the magazine.
Checksoft is designed to work only
with Applesoft programs and will not
work correctly on programs written in
other languages such as Integer or
binary.
Unique Options
in Checksoft
Checksoft provides options that are
not found in most other checksum pro-
grams.
1. Checksoft is written in machine lan-
guage.
2. Checksoft provides a checksum for
every line in a program and will detect
the smallest differences in a program
and the listing.
3. The beginning of the program affects
the checksum. This double checks that
the program starts at the correct loca-
tion
4. Checksums may be sent to a printer.
5. Checksoft can be configured to
ignore:
A. REM statements, allowing you to
leave them out of a program and still
have the same checksums as the
original listing that contained REM s.
B. Line numbers, so programs can
be renumbered without affecting the
checksums.
Since Checksoft will only work for
Applesoft programs, the program in the
listing must be accompanied by a
checksum list generated by Checksoft.
NO MORE BUGS!
by Robb Canfield
Checksoft will generate checksums
that are different than those of other
checksum programs (i.e., Keyperfect
by Nibble), so a checksum list by other
checksum programs will not match
those by Checksoft.
Please read through the entire article
before entering and using the program.
You may be able to save yourself some
extra work and frustration.
Typing In
Checksoft
Checksoft works by generating a
two-byte hexadecimal (base 16 num-
ber) checksum. A checksum is a num-
ber based on the collection of certain
data; that is to say, a number that will be
constantly changing in a predictable
way. Checksoft will update its check-
sum for every line encountered in an
Applesoft program. Since the check-
sum is cumulative, all the previous
checksums generated (one for each
line) affect the next one. This gives
each program its own unique check-
sum. There is a small chance that two
programs will have the same final
checksum (since there are only 65,536
different possibilities), but this chance
is so small that it’s not worth losing
sleep over.
| will refer to two different checksums
from this point on:
1. The line checksum, which appears
for every line of the program.
2. The final checksum, which appears
as the last line checksum displayed.
Checksoft must first be typed into
memory as a series of bytes (the
source code is also included for those
interested). After typing the machine
language part of Checksoft, enter the
Applesoft part of the program.
The directions below explain how to
move Checksoft from the published
listing to the computer’s memory in
simple step-by-step procedures.
1. Re-boot your Apple
IN#6
To clear memory and make sure you
are in Applesoft, also known as floating
point,
FP
(the Applesoft prompt is “]’””)
2. Enter the monitor with
CALL -151
The machine language prompt should
appear (as an asterisk “*”). If it
doesn't, try CALL -151 again. If the
prompt still refuses to appear, then
something is definitely wrong with your
Apple (you are using an Apple, aren't
you?).
3. Type the following bytes
9300: AI 4C 8D F5 83 AD 1B 8D
6368: Fé @3 AI B3 8D F7 83 6B
9310: 28 BE FD AS 18 8D % 83
@318: A9 FB 8D 97 @3 AI 14 85
#328: BA AS 67 8D C8 83 85 BB
9328: A5 68 8D C9 G3 85 AC AZ
8330: BB AB BB 26 (7 B3 EB 82
338: 98 22 EB 84 BA O3 48 98
8348: BE CI OB FA 1D CB FF FO
348: 13 C9 B2 DB @2 AB FF 6A
8358: 45 BB 2A 45 BC 85 @B 45
9358: @C 6A 85 OC 28 BF 03 EB
8368: DB D4 68 AB 68 AA 98 28
9368; 24 ED 38 AI G6 ES 24 AA
8378: 28 4A F9 AB 82 BO CB B3
378: 26 ED FD 88 10 F7 AS OB
8388: A6 BC 28 41 FO 28 BE FD
9388: C6 BA DA IF AI 14 85 BA
#398: 28 8E FD AD 88 CB 1B FB
9398: 8D 18 CB C9 83 FB IC C9
@3AG: 9B DB BB AI EA 8D % 3
@3A8: 8D 97 83 A2 2 AB OB 2B
@3Bd:: BF 63 D@ 82 EB Bl FB 83
@3B8-: E8 18 F4 28 SE FD 6 EE
8308: C8 63 DB 83 EE C9 @3 AD
@308:: FF FF 68 A4 AB AD
4. Double check what you have typed.
You should still be in the monitor. Type
300.378
Compare this to lines 300 to 378. The
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1
Page 11
only differences should be:
A. There is a zero before the first
number in each of the lines.
B. A dash instead of a colon will
appear after each line number (there
will be a space after the dash). For
example, line 300 will appear as:
@300- A9 4C 8D F5 @3 A9 10 8D
The bytes themselves should be the
same. After fixing any errors you may
have found, examine the rest of the
program by typing
380.3C8
and compare this to lines 380 to 3C8 in
the listing. Fix all errors before continu-
ing.
5. Return to BASIC
3D0G
or if you have AutoStart simply press
the RESET key. At this point you should
see the Applesoft prompt, (]). If you see
the integer prompt (>), type FP to
enter Applesoft. You should now see
the Applesoft prompt. Checksoft is not
affected by language changes.
6. Save Checksoft to the disk
BSAVE CHECKSOFT,A$300,L$D0
7. Erase the current program
NEW
Then type the Applesoft program
8. Save the Applesoft program
SAVE START CHECKSOFT
How To Use
Checksoft
The easiest way to use Checksoft is
to run the Applesoft program (the
binary part of Checksoft must be on the
disk under the name CHECKSOFT).
Press RETURN when asked for the
version to load (this will automatically
load the normal version CHECKSOFT)
and answer the next two questions with
“Y" and “N”, respectively.
If you want to save yourself the extra
effort of typing in the Applesoft pro-
gram you may simply BRUN CHECK-
SOFT. When Checksoft is loaded in this
manner, the Applesoft program in
memory will remain intact (the varia-
bles will not even be disturbed). The
loading of any Applesoft program will
not disturb Checksoft (loading binary
files — machine language programs —
may erase Checksoft if they use the
upper half of page $3).
The only reason | have included the
BASIC program is so that the various
options in Checksoft may be changed
easily. These options may be changed
manually, as | will explain later. Check-
Checksoft
Sr Re
1918 *
1828 * CHECKSOFT .
1638 * .
1948 * BY .
1958 * =
1968 * ROBB S. CANFIELD *
1978 * a
1988 COPYRIGHT 1988 =
1998 * SOFTKEY PUBLISHING *
ig * .
LLG *Hteeereneeveseseeeeeesees
1128 *
1138 * LOCATIONS USED
1148 *
158
1168 LINPRNT .£Q $ED24 = PRINT DECIMAL VALUE OF X AND A REG
1176 CROUT =—.EQ SFD@E = PRINT A CARRIAGE RETURN
118@ COUT -EQ $FDED = PRINT A REG IN ASCII
1198 PRINTAX EQ $F941 PRINT A AND X REG AS A TWO HEXBYTE NUMBER
1208 PRINT.X.SPACES .£Q SF94A
1218 BEG -EQ $67 BEGINNING OF APPLESOFT PROGRAM
1228 HTAB -EQ $24 HORIZONTAL POSITION OF CURSOR
1238 CLEAR — «EQ SC = CLEAR KEYBOARD STROBE
1248 READ -EQ $C@@ LOAD A REG WITH KEY PRESSED
1258 COUNTER .EQ SBA COUNTER FOR NUMBER OF LINES
1268 CHKSUM = «EQ $B CHECKSUM BYTES $B & $C
1278 AMPER — «EQ $3F5 AMPERSAND JUMP VECTOR
1288
29%
1308 OR $308 PLACE ON PAGE 3
1318 . TF CHECKSOFT
1328
eke
1348 * INITIALIZATION FOR AMPERSAND
158°
1368
1378 INIT LDA #$4C SET UP AMPERSAND JUMP VECTOR
1388 ‘STA AMPER
1398 LDA WSETUP
1468 STA AMPER+L
1418 LDA /SETUP
1428 ‘STA AMPER+2
1438 RTS
1448
1456 *
1468 * PROGRAM STARTS HERE +
1478 *
1488
1498 SETUP = JSR CROUT
1508 LDA #$18 OPCODE FOR BNE (SET KEY1 TO NORMAL)
1518 STA KEY1+3
Page 12 HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1
PRO. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
1528 LDA HSFB—FOLLONS BNE STATEMENT
1538 STA KEY1+4
1548 LDA ¥2 = OF LINES UNTIL STOPPED
1550 STA COUNTER
1568 LDA BEG GET BEGINNING OF APPLESOFT PROGRAM
1578 sta GET#L
1590 STA CHKSUM USE THIS BYTE FOR CHECKSUM
1590 LDA BEG#1
1608 STA GET#2
1610 STA CHKSUM#)
1628 LOX #08 SET COUNTER TO ZERO
1638 LOY #884 CLEAR REM FLAG
1648 LOOP. «SR GET = GET AA BYTE
1658 LOOP2 CPX #2 ON OFFSET?
1668 BCC SUMIT3 YES, SO SKIP END OF LINE CHECK
1678 CPx #4 ON LINE #?
1698 BCS SUMIT NO, SO DON'T SAVE LINE #
1698 PHA SAVE LINE #
1708 BCC SUMIT2 SKIP END OF LINE CHECK. DEFAULT IS TO USE LINE #
1716 SUMIT CHP a END OF LINE?
728 BEQ PRINTCHK YES SO PRINT CHECKSUM AND CHECK FOR END OF PROGRAM
1738 CPY WSFF IGNORE REM?
1748 BEQ SUMIT3 YES
1750 CHP S82 TOKEN FOR REM
1768 BNE SUMIT2
78 LOY HSFF SET REM FLAG. DEFAULT IS TO IGNORE THEM
1788 SUMIT2 ROR
1798 EOR CHKSUM —;GENERATE A CHECKSUM
19888 ROL Te
1818 EOR CHKSUM#1 ak
1628 STA CHKSUM
1638 EOR CHKSUM#1
1849 ROR
1958 STA CHKSUM#1 a!
1868 SUMIT3 JSR INCGET INCREMENT COUNTERS
1878 IK
1688 BNE LOOP2 CONTINUE BY GETTING ANOTHER BYTE
1890 PRINTCHK PLA GET HIGH BYTE OF LINE #
1908 TAY SAVE IT TEMPORARILY
1916 PLA GET LOW BYTE OF LINE #
1928 TAX SET UP FOR LINE PRINT
1938 TYA GET HIGH BYTE BACK
1948 JSR LINPRNT PRINT DECIMAL LINE #
1958 SEC CALCULATE THE NUMBER OF SPACES TO PRINT
1968 LOA HS6
1978 SBC HTAB
1988 TeX
1998 JSR PRINT..X.SPACES
2008 LOY #2 NUMBER OF CHARACTERS TO PRINT MINUS 1 (-1)
2818 PRINTL LDA MSG1,Y
2928 JSR COUT PRINT AREG IN ASCII
2630 Dey DONE ITH PRINT?
2048 BPL PRINT] NO. SO GET NEXT CHARACTER
2958 LDA CHKSUM PRINT CHECKSUM ALUE
268 LOX CHKSUN+
soft will disable any ampersand utility
you have in memory (such as PRINT
USING and RENUMBER), but does not
affect PLE (Program Line Editor).
After Checksoft is in memory, enter a
program from a listing that has a check-
sum table created by Checksoft. (I have
included the checksum table for the
Applesoft program START CHECK-
SOFT, and will use examples from this
program in the rest of the article.) After
entering the program, type “&”. If there
is no Applesoft program in memory,
Checksoft may display random line
numbers and checksums (if this hap-
pens, use the ctr! C command to exit
Checksoft).
The first twenty lines of your program
will be displayed in the following fash-
ion:
line# - $0000
(hexadecimal checksum)
For example:
10 -$E7C9
The checksum number will always
be four digits long.
Compare the checksums given for
each line of the program to those pro-
vided in the magazine. If the check-
sums match, the line is okay. If the two
checksums differ, there is an error in
the program.
The first line that has a checksum dif-
ferent than the one in the magazine is
the offending line (remember that
every checksum is based on the pre-
vious one, so if one line is incorrect all
the following lines also appear to be
incorrect). Fix this line and check the
program again to see if any other lines
were mistyped.
If the first twenty lines are okay, press
the SPACE bar to display the next
twenty lines. Proceed in this manner
until you are returned to Applesoft.
Double check the program to make
sure all the checksums match. When
they all match, the program is exactly
as given in the magazine.
This process can be reduced to the
following:
1. Type the program into memory.
2. Press the ampersand key (&). The
first twenty lines of the program will be
displayed.
3. Compare the checksums on the
screen to those in the listing. The first
line encountered that doesn’t match
the checksum table printed in the mag-
azine is in error and must be fixed
before continuing.
4. Continue in this manner until all the
checksums displayed on the screen
match those in the table.
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1 Page 13
Commands
Checksoft has three commands
available:
ctriC —_ Exit Checksoft immediately.
This command can be used
to exit Checksoft without
having to page through the
remaining checksums.
Display the next twenty
lines of the program with
checksums.
Does not pause after dis-
playing twenty lines. This
command can be used to
rapidly check a program
(see Trick 2 below).
When the Applesoft prompt (])
appears, Checksoft has finished
checking the program and has auto-
matically returned you to Applesoft.
There is no need to use ctrl C to exit.
SPACE
ESC
Tricks
The following tricks may be used to
help find where the checksums differ:
1. The first time through, press ESC
and look at the last checksum printed
(the final checksum). If this one
matches the final one in the magazine,
you have successfully typed in the pro-
gram. If this checksum doesn’t match,
the program is different from the one in
the magazine. Try Trick 2.
2. When paging through the checksum
tables, only compare the last check-
sum printed for each set of twenty.
When you find that they differ, back-
track until you find the offending line
(the first line with a different checksum
than listed).
Modifying
Checksoft
The following is a discussion of how
to modify Checksoft for different types
of listings. Checksoft can be configured
in a number of different ways. You have
the option to use or ignore the follow-
ing:
1. REMark statements.
2. Line numbers.
3. Next line pointers.
For convenience | am going to refer to
each of the three possible changes as
three separate parameters. Checksoft
is normally set up to ignore REMark
statements, use line numbers, and
ignore line pointers.
If any of the above parameters are
changed, Checksoft will generate dif-
ferent checksums. Each parameter has
its own special function. The REMark
parameter can be configured so that
everything after a REM statement is
ignored. This allows you to simply type
the command REM and leave out all
the garbage following it without affect-
ing the checksum. Or you could even
replace the original REM statement
with your own, again without affecting
the checksum.
Only existing REMs may be
changed; no new REMarks may be cre-
ated. This is the most useful and pow-
erful parameter.
For example, assume that the follow-
ing line appears in a program:
10 DS = CHRS$ (4): REM CTRL “D”
If you wanted to, you could change
the line to the following:
10 DS = CHRS (4): REM
or:
10 DS = CHRS (4): REM ANYTHING
CAN GO HERE
without affecting the checksums.
2078 JSR PRINTAX 2368 NOSTOP2 JSR INCGET GET NEXT BYTE
2688 JSR CROUT 2378 BNE LOOP2 IF NO ZERO WAS ENCOUNTERED CONT .
2098 DEC COUNTER DONE WITH 28 LINES 2388 CPX HSL IS THIS THE 3RD ZERO?
2168 BNE NOSTOP NO, SO CONTINUE 2398 BEQ END IF SO END
2118 LDA #28 YES, SO GET KEYPRESS 2408 INX CHECK FOR LAST ZERO (3RD)
2128 STA COUNTER AND RESET COUNTER 2418 BPL NOSTOP2 ALWAYS DO THIS
2138 JSR CROUT 2428 END JSR CROUT DONE WITH PROGRAM
2148 KEY LDA READ GET A KEYPRESS 2438 RTS RETURN TO APPLESOFT
2158 BPL KEYI LOOP UNTIL A KEY IS PRESSED 2448
2168 STA CLEAR CLEAR KEYBOARD STROBE 2458 *
2178 CYP #$83 WAS IT CTRL C? 2468 * SUBROUTINES CALLED FROM MAIN PROGRAM
2168 BEQ END YES, SO STOP PROGRAM 2478 *
2198 CYP #S9B Was IT ESC? 2488
2208 BNE NOSTOP NO, SO CONTINUE NORMALLY 2498 INCGET INC GET+1 — ADD ONE TO THE VALUE IN GET
2218 2508 BNE GET TS THERE A CARRY OVER
28 * 2518 INC GET+2 YES INCREMENT HIGH BYTE
2238 * CHANGES PROGRAM TO IGNORE KEYPRESSES 2528 GET LDA SFFFF = GETS A VALUE FROM APPLESOFT
2248 * rx) RTS
2258 248
2268 STOP LDA SEA SET BRANCH IN KEY1 TO NOPS 2558 *
2278 ‘STA KEY1+3 2568 * PRINT MESSAGES
2288 STA KEY1+4 2578 * THE MESSAGE IS STORED BACKWORDS
22398 2588 °
2308 * a)
2318 * CONTINUE WITH PROGRAM 2608 MSG1 AS -"S -"
2328 ° 2618 *
238 2628 * LOCATION FOR TEMPORARY USES
2348 NOSTOP LDX #908 CHECK FOR END 2638 * 10]
2358 LOY #800 CLEAR FLAG
Page 14 HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1 P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
The following would be illegal:
140 DS — CHRS (4):
since the REM statement is missing. If
anything else was changed, such as
D$ to E$, the checksum would also be
changed and therefore would be ille-
al.
If the REMark parameter is set up to
use REMs, the REMark must be typed
exactly as shown in the listing.
The line number parameter can also
be configured to ignore or use the line
numbers. This parameter was origi-
nally set up to use line numbers. This
means that each line number must be
typed exactly as shown.
If this parameter is changed to ignore
line numbers, line numbers may be
changed when typed. This only applies
to the line number, not to line refer-
ences such as GOTOs or GOSUBs
These line references must still be
typed exactly as printed in the maga-
Configuration 2
This is especially useful in self-modi-
fying or length-dependent code. The
program must be typed in exactly as
shown. No changes can be made, no
matter how slight they are.
REM - Use (on)
Line -Use (on)
Point - Use (on)
Configuration 3
This can be used if there are no line
references within the program. The
only real advantage it has is to allow the
line numbers to be changed (such as
renumbering the program) without
affecting the checksums.
REM _- Ignore (off)
Line - Ignore (off)
Point - Ignore (off)
There are two ways to modify Check-
soft: one is to use the BASIC program,
and the other is to POKE the changes
into memory. The BASIC program will
tell if Checksoft is configured normally
or not by changing the top line of text.
For normal configuration, the top line
will read “NORMAL CONFIGURATION
IS”. If Checksoft has been modified,
this line will change to “NON-NORMAL
CONFIGURATION IS”.
To change Checksoft, simply answer
“N” when asked if this is the proper
configuration. You will then be asked if
you want to use or ignore the three pos-
sible parameters. Answer with “Y” for
Yes, “N” for No, or press RETURN if
you wish it to remain the same.
The modified Checksoft may then be
saved to the disk under any name.
Pressing RETURN will cause the
zine.
For example, again assume that the
following line exists in a program:
10 DS = CHR$ (4): GOTO 900
The following change is legal if the
line numbers are ignored:
15 D$ = CHRS (4): GOTO 900
The line number has been changed
from 10 to 15. This change would not
have been allowed if it had been speci-
fied to use line numbers.
The following change is illegal and
would affect the checksum in all situa-
tions:
10 DS = CHRS (4): GOTO 980
The line reference has been changed
from 990 to 980
The line pointer is a special parame-
ter that will be used very rarely. When it
is used, the program must have the
same number of bytes in each line.
That is, each line must take up the
same amount of memory as it did origi-
nally. Generally, if the line pointer is
used the author wants the program
typed in exactly as shown with abso-
lutely no changes.
Below are some common configura-
tions that may be used and when to use
them. To conserve space, | have abbre-
viated each of the three parameters to:
REM REMark statements
Line Line numbers
Point Next line pointers
Configuration 1
This is what Checksoft is normally
set to. REMark statements can be
changed or deleted, but everything
else must remain the same.
REM _- Ignore (off)
Line - Use (on)
Point - Ignore (off)
Checksums for Start Checksoft
- S7EF8
1 = $97CE ; 138 - $7ADB : 260
2 = SABE; 149 - $9536 : 278
3 - SBBEC 150 - S4FB5 ; 208
18 - $E7C9 : 169 - SBL7F : 298
2 =~ $DCES ; 178 - SCBEA : 380
38 - $7810: an)
4 © - SALZC : 188) - $1DSC : 328
56 - SCIME | 198) - $5RD9 : 338
66 © - $3803: 266 - $8892 : 348
78 - $0968 ; 218 - $9EAB : 356
86 «© - $0228 | 228 - $FS2A! 340
98 - $CC7b : 238 - $0817 : 378
180 - $E735 249 - $736E
116 - $FFBS : 258 - $1037: 389
126 - $41CB
Hex Dump and Checksums for Checksoft
@3@8- A9 4C 8D F5 83 AI 18 8D
@388- F6 83 AI @3 8D F7 83 68
@318- 28 BE FD AI 18 8D % 83
@318- A9 FB 8D 97 83 AI 14 85
6328- BA AS 67 8D C8 G3 85 BB
8328- AS 68 8D C9 B3 85 AC A2
8338- 88 AB 88 20 (7 63 EB B2
@338- 98 22 EB B4 BA 3 48
@348- BE C9 08 FB 1D CB FF FB
9348- 13 C9 B2 DB 82 AB FF 6A
$2C5A
SBB3A
$0383
‘SEEB6
$8884
SI7IC
SEFA7
‘$B2D8
$2B27
‘$F4C8
@358- 45 BB 2A 45 OC 85 BB 45
@358- OC 6A 85 OC 28 BF 83 £8
@36G- DB D4 68 AB 68 AA BD
$4E77
$8698
$8224
39 - S1DD8 : 538) - $2540
~ $6BB1 2 489) - SATEE ; 54G - $55ED
~ SDBVE | gig - soFAC : 558 - $7482
- $ECFA : 49g 0 - gapas : 56d - SEGER
- $BAEC : 43g 0 - SATAN: 578 - SABE
~ $4BA2 2 44g - $4400
~ SIAZE : 450 - $1ESB: 588 - $7968
~ $B16E : 46g) - $6861: 598 - $9827
~ SIBIA : 478 - $aciB: 660 - $9087
~ SO77F : 499 - $1908; 618 - $2648
- $7BAC | 498 - SFB4L | 628 © - SDOCC
~ $30FA : 509 i 638 - $6E20
518 49 - $0307
- $0692: 526 : 656 - $1440
Configuration 1
BEG: *300.3CD END:
6368- 24 ED 38 AI B6 ES 24 AA
€378- 28 4A F9 AB B2 BI CB 83
@378- 28 ED FD 88 18 F7 AS OB
@388- A6 BC 28 41 FO 28 BE FD
@388- C6 GA DO IF AS 14 85 BA
@398- 28 8E FD AD 08 CB 18 FB
9398- 8D 18 CB C9 83 FB IC C9
SFAFS
$F 44)
‘$27ED
$9356
‘$2D8F
$3B3A
$3202
@3A8- 98 DB 88 AI EA 8D % 63
@3A8- 8D 97 83 A2 BB AB OB 2B
@3B6- BF 83 DB 62 EB 81 FA 83
@388- E68 18 F4 28 SE FD 68 EE
93C8- C8 B3 DB 63 EE C9 83 AD
@3C8- FF FF 68 A4 AB AD
SI6EC
SBAE2
$A485
$1038
$6118
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1
Page 15
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Prices subject to change without notice.
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444 HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1
default name to be used. The default
name is CHECKSOFT unless you
decided to enter another name when
you were asked for the version to load,
causing the new name to become the
default.
There is one POKE for each of the
possible parameters.
REMarks:
1. Ignore POKE 846,255 (Stan-
dard) .
2. Use POKE 846,00
Line numbers:
1. Ignore POKE 832,27
2. Use POKE 832,14 (Standard)
Next line pointers:
1. Ignore POKE 825,34 (Standard)
2. Use POKE 825,21
The configuration type must accom-
pany the checksum table, and Check-
soft must be configured in that same
manner before checking the program,
otherwise the checksums won't match.
For example, if | used Configuration 2,
then your version of Checksoft must be
changed to Configuration 2 or the
checksums would not match.
Using Checksoft
with a Printer
If you want a printout of the check-
sums, simply turn on the printer before
calling Checksoft (&). To turn on your
printer type PR#n, where n is the slot
that the printer interface card is in.
Since the interface card is usually
located in slot one, PR#1 will turn on
most printers. PR#@ will turn off the
goes to the screen as well as the
printer. Your printer manual should
have information on how to do this.
How Does
Applesoft Store A
Program?
Before discussing how Checksoft
works, a review of how Applesoft stores
a program is in order. An Applesoft line
consists of four parts:
1. The next-line pointer, a two-byte
number that points to the place in mem-
ory where the next line is located.
2. The line number, also two bytes. Line
numbers are converted to hexadecimal
before being stored.
3. The tokenized line itself.
4. And 00 to mark the end of the line.
When you type a line in Applesoft, it
is tokenized. This is a process whereby
a large amount of information may be
encoded to fit into a small amount of
memory. See page 121 of the Applesoft
Manual for a list of tokens.
In Applesoft there is a one-byte code
for each of the commands (PRINT,
REM, POKE, etc.). The one-byte code
takes the place of the letters for the
command. This means that only one
byte, instead of five, is being used each
time the PRINT command is required.
That shrinks the amount of space
required to store a line tremendously.
There is also a code for each of the
letters, numbers, and symbols. This
doesn't save space, but it insures that
no two commands and/or characters
have the same code
A zero (00) is added to the line being
tokenized to mark its ending. Two extra
zeros would be added if this was the
last line of the program.
After the line is tokenized, Applesoft
searches for a line number. If one was
not given, it immediately processes the
line (immediate mode). Otherwise the
line number is converted into its hex-
adecimal equivalent (deferred mode).
After this conversion is done, a check is
made to see where in memory the line
will go. The next line pointer is then set
to point to the end of the line plus one
(right after the @0). The line is then
stored in memory in the order men-
tioned above.
The following is an example of how
an Applesoft line is stored:
20 D$ = CHRS (4): REM CTRL “D”
First the line is tokenized. D$= is
tokenized character-by-character into
the values $44 $24 $D0. Since CHR$ is
considered acomman4, itis reduced to
one byte, $E7. The (4): is stored as four
separate characters, $28 $34 $29 $3A.
The REM is another command, so it is
stored as $B2.
Illustration 1
SAMPLE LINE WITH CORRESPONDING HEX TOKENS
20 D$ = CHR$( 4 ) : REM
printer. Make sure that the printout 1400 44 24 DO E7 28 34 29 3A «B2 20
Start Checksoft 110 INVERSE
120 VTAB PEEK (37)! HTAB 10! PRINT
1 REM * START CHECKSOFT NAS
2 REM * WRITTEN BY 130 NORMAL
3 REM * ROBB CANFIELD 140 PRINT D$"BLOAD"NAS
10 D$ = CHR$ (4)% REM CTRL "D" 150 LNS = "YES":0F$ = "NO "ERM$ =
20 TEXT = HOME "No"
30 INVERSE 160 IF PEEK (825) = 21 THEN OF$
4®@ PRINT = HTAB 15: PRINT "CHECK = "YES"
SOFT" 170 IF PEEK (832) = 27 THEN LNS
5@ NORMAL = "NO"
60 VTAB 112 PRINT "ENTER VERSION 180 IF PEEK (844) = @ THEN RM$ =
OF CHECKSOFT TO USE." "YES
7®@ PRINT "DEFAULT VERSION IS *CH 190 HOME
ECKSOFT?" 200 PRINT = PRINT SPC( 10)"NORM
80 PRINT AL CONFIGURATION IS"
90 HTAB 7: INPUT " > "SNAS 210 VTAB &
100 IF LEN (NAS) < 1 THEN NAS = 220 PRINT SPC( 10)"UISE REMARKS"
"CHECKSOFT" 230 PRINT
Page 18
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1
RO. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
The REM is an exception to the rule
that each command has a one-byte
code. After the REM is stored ($B2), a
space is added to the line ($20). The
DATA command works the same way.
The rest of the line is stored as charac-
ters — $43 $54 $52 $4C $20 $22 $44
$22 —since Applesoft ignores any
commands in a REMark statement. A
zero is added to mark the end of the
line.
This leaves the line consisting of the
following bytes:
$44 $24 $DO SE7 $28 $34 $29 $3A
$B2 $20 $43 $54 $52 $4C $20 $22
$44 $22 $00
The line was reduced from 23 bytes
to 20. This adds up to a lot of space
saved in a long program, especially if
REM sare left out.
Next, the line number is converted to
hexadecimal. The decimal number 20
becomes $14 in hexadecimal, but
since all line numbers are two bytes, a
zero is used in the second byte (it is
standard in machine language to store
all numbers in the low/high format; low
byte first, high byte second).
Now the only thing left is the next line
pointer. To show this, | will assume that
there was a previous line as follows:
10 HOME
Illustration 2
891:07 68 GA 88 97 OO IE
988588 14 G9 44 24 DG E7 28
818554 29 3A B2 28 43 54 52
B18:4C 26 22 44 22 60 98 OB
It would be tokenized into the follow-
ing bytes: $0A $00 $97 0 (the line
number and the HOME command).
The program will be placed at $801 in
memory (this is where Applesoft nor-
mally starts a program).
Illustration 2 is a hex dump (a listing
of hexadecimal bytes) obtained by typ-
ing the BASIC program given above
and then entering the monitor to list the
desired bytes. To duplicate my efforts,
do the following:
1. Type FP to clear any Applesoft pro-
grams in memory and to set the begin-
ning of the program to $801.
2. Type the basic program used above:
10 HOME
20 DS = CHRS(4):REM CTRL “D”
3. Enter the monitor with
CALL -151
4. List the bytes
801.81F
5. Re-enter basic with 3D0G or press
the RESET key if you have AutoStart
ROM.
In Illustration 2, the first two bytes tell
where the next line begins (remember
that these bytes are in reverse order:
07 8). In this case, the next line starts
at $807. The line number is at $803 and
$804 with the tokenized line following.
The zero marks the end of the line.
The next byte is the beginning of line
20. Line 20 starts at $807 and begins
with the next line pointer pointing to
$814. What follows is the line number,
tokenized line, and the zero. Two more
zeros are found after this line. This lets
Applesoft know where the program
ends.
Applesoft also uses four locations in
memory to indicate where the program
starts and where it ends. Locations $67
and $68 (decimal 103 and 104) point to
the beginning of the program (again the
bytes are in a reverse order). Locations
SAF and $B0 (decimal 175 and 176)
point to the end of the program (these
are also in the reverse order).
How Does
Checksoft Work?
The first thing Checksoft does is find
the start of the program by checking
locations $67 and $68. After it finds the
beginning, Checksoft puts every byte
of the entire program (until it encoun-
ters three zeros in a row) through the
checksum routine
Checksoft keeps track of its location
on every line by using a counter (this
counter is reset to zero whenever anew
line is encountered). If this counter is at
two or three, the current bytes are tem-
porarily saved (these two bytes are the
line number). When the end of that line
is found, the two bytes saved are
retrieved and converted to decimal,
then printed.
After the line is printed, Checksoft
does an HTAB to six and prints the mes-
sage “CHECKSUM §$” along with the
current checksum value. Another
counter keeps track of how many lines
have been displayed, stopping every
20. The program also checks for the
various commands at this time. If the
ESC key has been pressed, Checksoft
modifies itself so that it will no longer
pause and wait for a command before
displaying the next 20 lines.
240 PRINT SPC( 10)"ISE LINE NUM 350 VTAB 6: HTAB 30% PRINT "Y/N"
BERS" 32 GET AS
250 PRINT 36@ IF A$ = CHR$ (13) THEN 380
260 PRINT SPC( 10)"USE OFFSETS" 370 RMS = "NO "2 IF AS = "Y" THEN
270 PRINT RMS = "YES"
280 INVERSE =: VTAB &: HTAB 30: PRINT 380 INVERSE
RMS 370 HTAB 30: PRINT RM$
270 VTAB 8: HTAB 30: PRINT LN¢ 400 NORMAL
300 VTAB 10: HTAB 30: PRINT OF$ 410 VTAB 8: HTAB 30: PRINT "Y/N"
310 NORMAL $2 GET AS
320 IF RM$ < > "NO" OR LN$ < > 420 IF A$ = CHR$ (13) THEN 440
"YES" OR OF$ = > "NO " THEN 430 LN$ = "NO "i IF AS = "Y" THEN
VTAB 2: HTAB 72 PRINT "NON- LN$ = "YES"
"2 GOTO 340 440 INVERSE
330 VTAB 2: HTAB 7! PRINT SPC( 450 HTAB 302 PRINT LNS
4): PRINT 4é@ NORMAL
340 VTAB 20: PRINT "IS THIS CONF 470 VTAB 10: HTAB 30: PRINT "Y/N
IGURATION CORRECT? "58 GET A "32 GET AS
$: IF AS = "Y" THEN 530 480 IF AS = CHR$ (13) THEN 500
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1
Page 19
How To Generate
The Checksums
The Checksum Algorithm is the rou-
tine in Checksoft which generates the
checksums. Every time a byte is sent to
this routine, the checksum will change.
Unless you know machine language,
you will not understand the technique |
use to generate my checksums. | will
continue to usé this technique in any
later editions | write (unless a bug is
found, in which case the routine will be
corrected and a note to that effect will
be given). In this way | will always gen-
erate the same checksums, regardless
of how the rest of the program is writ-
ten.
The method | use will catch missing
letters and transposed letters (such as
TETX instead of TEXT) along with any
other errors that are made. For those
interested in machine language, |
rotate the bytes numerous times to
catch transposition errors, and exclu-
sively OR it with the last checksums in
amanner that will catch even the slight-
est error (even an error in one bit of a
27-sector program).
The BASIC
Program
| included the BASIC program to
allow easy changes to Checksoft. The
only thing it does is to make all the
POKEs for you. It is a straightforward
program that requires no explanations.
Nonetheless, | would like to point out
a very useful technique. In lines 120
and 610, | do a VTAB PEEK (37). This
VTABs to the text line directly above the
current line. For example, if something
was printed on line three, normally line
four would be printed on next. But this
doesn’t occur because location 37 ($25
HEX) contains a value of three (in fact
this location contains the current line
minus one, so do NOT VTAB PEEK (37)
from line one or an error will occur).
This technique worked very well
when | wanted to print right over where
the input was, without having to keep
track of where | actually was on the text
screen. This can add a nice touch to
your own BASIC programs.
Get Some Sleep
Gone forever are those long, sleep-
less nights spent poring over listings,
trying to find that one “little” error.
Checksoft will track down that error, no
matter what line it’s in. 1 |
Pleasant dreams.
DVANCED
LAYING 490 OF$ = "NO ": IF A$ = "Y" THEN
OF$ = "YES"
ECHNIQUES 50@ INVERSE
510 HTAB 30! PRINT OF$
ARR 520 GOTO 310
530 OF = 34: IF LEFT# (OF$,1) =
aif Choplifter, Broderbund "Y" THEN OF = 21
. Software, 1938 Fourth Street, 540 LN = 14: IF LEFT (LN$,1) =
San Rafael, California 94901, “N" THEN LN = 27
(415) 456-6424. 550 RM = 255: IF LEFTS (RM$,1) =
: "Y" THEN RM = 00
mE mwtinsnncdiinmmmnumend S00 FOKE 929,0F# PORE G92,LNt POKE
*y
"4 570 PRINT * YVTAB 20: PRINT "DO Y
h er OU WISH TO SAVE THIS VERSION
TO THE DISK? "3: GET AS
Many people don’t know that ctrl L will 580 IF A$ = "Y" THEN HOME & PRINT
regulate the level of play in Choplifter. Ctrl 2 VTAB 12: INPUT "SAVE THIS
L followed by these numbers will get the VERSION AS "3A
specified results: 590 IF LEN (A$) > @ THEN NAS =
@ One tank attacking you 400 a
1 Two tanks and jets 61@ VTAB PEEK (37): HTAB 22: PRINT
2 Two tanks and jets, and two drones NAS
3 Two tanks and jets, and two drones 62@ NORMAL
that fire 630 PRINT D$s"BSAVE"NA$",A$30,L
You will also find that making the pris- ae ,
oners walk back to Base, instead of flying iad pean ih HONE 1 PRINT, NOS
them back, will cause those prisoners who 650 NEN = REM ERASE PROGRAM IN
go into the Post Office to completely dis- MEMORY
appear from the game (the scorekeeper |]
will not update the information).
Page 20
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1
PO. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
bet)
1128
1138
1148
1158
168
78
1188
1
1208
gpa]
1228
122
1248
1258
1268
1278
1288
1298
1308
1318
1328
138
134g
1388
1368
1378
1388
1398
1488
1418
1428
1438
1448
NO MORE BUGS!
Checkbin
by Robb Canfield
* CHECK-BIN 4
. BY .
* ROBB S. CANFIELD *
* COPYRIGHT 1988 .
* — SOFTKEY PUBLISHING *
* LOCATIONS USED
COUT -EQ $FDED
CROUT
GETNUM
INPUT.BUFFER .EQ $208 THE INPUT BUFFER
EQ SFFA7
NXTAL EQ $FCBA INCREMENT ALL ,ALH
PRINT ACCUMULATOR IN ASCII
-EQ $FD8E PRINT A CARRIAGE RETURN
CONVERT THE NUMBER AT $288 INTO HEX
PRAL -EQ $FD92 PRINT AlL,AlH IN HEX AND A DASH "-
PRBYTE
-EQ $FDDA = PRINT THE ACCUMULATOR IN HEX
PRINT.SPACES .£Q $F948 PRINT THREE SPACES
PRINTAX .EQ $F941
PRINT.X.SPACES .EQ $F94A PRINT X SPACES
RETURN = .EQ SFF58
STACK =. EQ $108 THE APPLE STACK
* LOCATIONS IN 1/0 AREA (PAGE $02)
PRINT THE ACCUMULATOR AND X-REG IN HEX
A GUARANTEED RETURN COMMAND (RTS)
REQUIREMENTS:
An APPLE Il or APPLE II+
One disk drive
Checkbin is a checksum utility which
will be used to confirm the accuracy of
binary programs typed from future
issues of both CORE and HARDCORE
COMPUTIST.
Checkbin has many points in com-
mon with Checksoft, even though
Checksoft is for use with Applesoft pro-
grams. They both generate the same
type of checksums, they have nearly
identical commands, and they must be
used on programs that are in memory.
Checkbin has the following features:
1. The program is written in machine
language.
2. A checksum is provided for every
eight bytes of machine code.
3. Checkbin is relocatable (more on this
later).
4, Checksums may be sent to a printer.
Every program that is to be verified
by Checkbin must be accompanied by
a checksum list generated by Check-
bin. This is the same general technique
that was used with Checksoft. Check-
bin essentially works the same way as
Checksoft, and has the same limita-
tions.
Checkbin must be typed into mem-
ory as a series of bytes (the source
code is included for the curious). There
is no Applesoft program for Checkbin
like there is for Checksoft. It was writ-
ten to stand alone.
1. To make sure DOS is intact and work-
ing, reboot your Apple
IN#6
2. Enter the monitor
CALL-151
3. Type the following bytes
9308: 28 58 FF BA CA BD 88 Bl
9388: 18 69 IF BD F9 63 85 62
#318: E8 BD a8 81 69 86 8D FA
9318: 83 95 63 AI 4C 8D FB 83
@328: 68 28 8E FD AI BA 85 BA
1328: AB OB 84 31 28 A7 FF AD
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1
Page 21
8338: FF 85 31 AS 3C 85 BB AS
8338: 3D 85 BC 28 A7 FF AB SS
348: AI 18 91 62 AI FB CB 91
8348: 62 AB OB FB 45 AS XL 29
6358: 87 DB 42 38 AD IF ES 24
9358: AA 28 4A FS AD A4 28 ED
8368: FD A5 BB AG OC 28 41 FO
368: C6 BA DB 26 24 BE FD A
@378: BA 85 BA AD BB CB EA EA
8378: 8D 18 CB C9 83 FA 48 C9
@308: AB FB BB C9 9B DB BB AD
9388: EA AB 55 91 62 CB 91 62
398: AB BB 28 92 FD AI AB 2B
9398: ED FD Bl 3C 48 28 DA FD
@3AB: 68 6A 45 BB 2A 45 BC 85
@3A8: BB 45 OC 6A 85 AC 28 BA
@3B@: FC 98 9A AS IF ES 24 AA
@3B8: 20 4A F9 AI A4 28 ED FD
@308: A5 BB AG BC 28 41 FO 2B
@3C8: BE FD 8D 18 CB 68
4. Double check what you have typed.
You should still be in the monitor. Type
300.378
Compare this to lines 300 through 378
in the listing.
5. Return to BASIC with
3D0G
or by pressing the RESET key if you
have AutoStart ROM.
6. Save Checkbin
BSAVE CHECKBIN,A$300,L$D0
How To Use
Checkbin
As previously mentioned, Checkbin
and Checksoft have nearly identical
commands. The only major difference
is in how they are accessed. To use
Checkbin, you must be in machine lan-
guage, but you should already be there
after typing a machine language pro-
gram into memory. The command to
start Checkbin is ctrl Y. This works
much the same way as the ampersand
key in Applesoft.
Type the beginning address of the
machine language program you wish to
check (remember, it must be in mem-
ory), then a period and the ending
address of the program (both these
addresses will be given with the listing),
and a ctrl Y. The screen will fill with ten
lines of code, each line consisting of an
address, one to eight hexadecimal
bytes, and a checksum value.
Example:
0300- 45 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 SF987
The number to the left of the dash is
1458 * MONITOR PAGE @ LOCATIONS
Ded
1478
1488 HTAB -EQ $24
1498 MODE -EQ $31
CURSOR LOCATION HORIZONTALLY
MODE COUNTER FOR GETNUM
1508 AIL -EQ $3C START OF MEMORY TO LIST, LOW BYTE
1518 AlH -EQ $30 START OF MEMORY TO LIST, HIGH BYTE
1528 AaL -EQ $3E END OF MEMORY TO LIST, LOW BYTE
1538 AQH «EQ $3F END OF MEMORY TO LIST, HIGH BYTE
1549
1558
)56§ *------------------------------ —
1578 * LOCATIONS I USE ON PAGE @
THE CHECKSUM VALUES ($@B AND $8C)
COUNTER FOR NUMBER OF LINES PRINTED
THE LOCATION WHERE CHECKBIN IS
1618 COUNTER .EQ $BA
1628 RELOCATE .E0 $62
1638
rr a
1658 * THE FOLLOWING ARE KEY CODES
DS 11
1678 fr i Sie y
1688 CTRL.C .E0 $83 5 <
1698 CTRL.Y .EQ $99
17@B ESC EQ $98
1710 SPACE «EO $0
178
ON)
4
oat
Se,
S.west
NT) Bn —
1748 * PAGE 3 LOCATIONS
Yo =
1768
1778 CTRL.Y.VECTOR .EQ $3F8 LOCATION TO JUMP TO WHEN A CTRL.Y IS PRESSED
1838 -OR $388
1848 . TF CHECKBIN
PLACE ON PAGE 3
1998 INIT JSR RETURN = FIND WHERE WE ARE AT
1916 18x
199 DEX
1938 LOA STACK, X
1949 ac
1950 ADC HSETUP-INIT-$2
1968 STA CTRL.Y.VECTOR+1 POINT CTRL.Y JUMP VECTOR HERE
1978 STA RELOCATE
1989 INK
1999 LDA STACK, X
208 ADC 4808
Page 22 _
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
2618 STA CTRL.Y.VECTOR+2
OB STA RELOCATE+1
2038 LDA #S4C
2849 STA CTRL.Y.VECTOR
2058 RTS
2868
2870 Bape
(2888 * PROGRAM STARTS HERE
990g Sesser ee ee
2188
2118 SETUP = JSR CROUT
2128 LDA #18 LIST 16 LINES AT A TIME
2138 STA COUNTER
2148 LOY #880 GET CHARACTERS FROM INPUT BUFFER
2158 STY MODE CLEAR MODE
2168 JSR GETNUM = TRANSLATE ASCII TO HEX AND PUT IN AIL,AlH
2178 LDA HSFF SET MODE
2188 STA MODE
2198 LDA AIL USE FIRST ADDRESS AS STARTING CHECKSUM
2208 STA CHKSUM
2218 LDA AlH
2228 ‘STA CHKSUM+1
2238 CONT JSR GETNUM = CONVERT 2ND NUMBER TO HEX
2248 START2 —LDY #KEY+3-SETUP RE-ENABLE PAUSE COMMMAND
2258 LDA #S18
2268 ‘STA (RELOCATE) ,Y
2278 LDA #$FB
2288 INY
2298 STA (RELOCATE) ,Y
2308 UDY #88 CLEAR Y-REG AND SET ZERO FLAG
2318 BEQ XAM ALWAYS DO THIS BRANCH
2328 MODBCHK LDA ALL HAVE EIGHT BYTES BEEN PRINTED?
2358 AND #987
2348 BNE CHECKSUMS NO. SO CONTINUE TO PRINT BYTES
2358 SEC
2368 LDA #31 CALC NUMBER OF SPACES TO PRINT
2378 SBC HTAB
2388 TAX
2398 JSR PRINT.X.SPACES
2408 LDA #'$+$8@ PRINT A DOLLAR SIGN ($)
2416 JSR COUT
2428 LDA CHKSUM = PRINT THE CHECKSUM VALUE
2438 LDX CHKSUM+1
2448 JSR PRINTAX
2458 DEC COUNTER COUNTER FOR NUMBER OF LINES
2468 BNE XAM IF NOT ZERO THEN CONTINUE
2478 JSR CROUT = OTHERWISE PAUSE
2488 LDA #18 RESET COUNTER
2498 STA COUNTER
2508 KEY LDA READ GET KEYPRESS
Pd) BPL KEY WAIT FOR A KEY TO BE PRESSED
2528 STA CLEAR CLEAR BUFFER
2538 CYP HCTRL.C STOP PROGRAM?
2548 BEQ DONE YES!
2558 CHP HSPACE RESET PAUSE FUNCTION?
2568 BEQ START2 YES!
2578 YP HESC DISABLE PAUSE FUNCTION?
the location of the bytes in memory
after the line is stored. The eight bytes
should appear in both the listing and
the checksum value. The number of
bytes on the first and last line of the list-
ing may change slightly, but will never
be more than eight or less than one.
If the checksum matches the one in
the listing, all is okay and you can pro-
ceed to the next line. If the checksum
doesn’t match, there is an error in that
line and it should be retyped. The same
tricks used in Checksoft can be applied
to Checkbin
Checkbin recognizes the following
commands:
ESC Stop pausing after every
ten lines.
SPACE Re-enable the pause func-
tion (this is different from
Checksoft) and list the next
ten lines.
ctriC Exit Checkbin.
Any other key will display the next ten
lines.
Using Checkbin
with a Printer
If a printout of the checksums and
the code is desired, simply turn on the
printer before calling Checkbin. To turn
on the printer from machine language,
type PR#n, where nis the slot that your
printer card is in (usually one). Then
proceed with the check. When you are
done, turn off the printer with PR#0.
Make sure that the printout goes to
the screen as well as the printer. Your
printer manual will have information on
how to do this.
How Checkbin
Works
Checkbin works by running every
byte in the program being verified
through the checksum routine. The
checksums are dependent on where in
memory that program is located.
Checkbin is relocatable. This means
that it may be BRUN anywhere in mem-
ory without affecting the checksums. If
Checkbin was not relocatable it might
interfere with the program being
checked.
All programs that have a checksum
list will also have the beginning and
ending addresses of the program,
along with the location where Checkbin
should be BRUN.
Checkbin can be used to check itself
as well as the machine language part of
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1 Page 23
2588 BNE XAM NO, SO SKIP THE REWRITE SECTION.
Checksoft. | have included the check- 259% LDA #SEA DISABLE PAUSE FUNCTION.
sums for both programs. ; 2608 LDY #KEY+3-SETUP :
oe no eo] 2610 STA (RELOCATE) ,Y
2628 INY
2630 STA (RELOCATE) ,Y
Checksums for 2648 LOY #828
Checkbin sec: «300.300 eno: 2650 XAN JSR PRAL PRINTS ALL,AlH AND A DASH
9308-28 58 FF BACA BD 89 81 $#2F1 2666 CHECKSUMS LDA #SA@ PRINTS A SPACE
8308-18 69 IF 8D F9 G3 85 62 $286C 27a SOOT
6318- EB BO 8B 81 69 88 a0 FA SO2ED it Be eae nee ate
@318- 83 85 63 AI 4C BD F8 B3 S6oE2 708 JSR PRBYTE
0320- 68 28 GE FD AS BA 85 BA $2866
8328- AB BB 84 31 28 A7 FF AD $5284 soe te Ah (ace) GEERT
@330- FF 85 31 AS 3C 85 OB AS $9223 ue EOR CHKSUM
338-30 85 OC 20 A7 FF AB 55 sp44s 4g ROL
6340-9 18 91 62 A9 FB C8 91 SéCDF 5g EOR CHKSUM+1
8348-62 AB OB FO 45 A5 3C 29 SESE2 ea STA CHKSUM
@358- 87 Dé 42 38 AS IF ES 24 SE2B6 adie lle len
8358- AA 28 4A F909 A428 ED $3E81 :
8368- FD A5 OB AG OC 28 41 F9 $4590 pod ori
me ie eee 2808 JSR NXTAL INCREMENT AIL,ALH AND COMPARE TO A2L,A2H
tm eckwegooo ou ae ee IK IF CARRY CLEAR THEN AlL,AlH <) A2L,A2H SO CONTINUE
@378- 8D 18 CB C9 83 FB 48. C9 SCS4A pene SBC HTAB
38¢- A@ Fd BB C9 9B D@ @B AS S6CSB pag Tax
@388- EA AB 55 91 62 (891 62 $2C6 2888 JSR PRINT.X.SPACES
6398- AB 08 28 92 FD A9 AB 28 SFERE 2868 LDA #'$+S8@ PRINT FINAL CHECKSUM
0398-
398- ED FD Bl 3C 48 28 DA FD $E122 278 (BR COUT
GAG- 68 6A 45 @B 2A 45 OC 85 $0531 = ie Geo
@3A8- @B 45 OC 6A 85 BC 28 BA Sa598 2908 (SR PRINTAX
@3BG- FC 94 9A AQ IF E5 24 AA $C561 CROUT PROGRAM
@3B8- 28 4A F9 AS Ad 28 ED FD SODFG as Stee oar
BSCE AS OB AG OC 28 41 F9 2 Sone 233g RIS
@308- SE FD 80 18 CB 68 $CACE 2648
DVANCED
LAYING Cannonball Blitz A.PT.
ECHNIQUES Here is a short A.PT. for Cannonball Blitz, which will
reduce the hazards encountered on the second level of play.
After finishing Level 1, just press the space bar and the
repeat key simultaneously (or press the space bar continu-
ously if you have automatic repeat) until the screen changes
to the next level.
When play begins at the second level, the number of can-
And a Quick Softkey. _ fons will have been reduced to only two.
To copy the entire disk, use COPYA. Then, using a disk edit
program such as DiskEdit, read Track 17, Sector OE, and
change address CD from 49 to 60. Finally, write the sector
back to the disk.
This back-up copy can be copied using any of the numer- [Cannonball Blitz, Sierra On-Line,
ous copy programs on the market. Torun the program, simply _| Inc., 36575 Mudge Ranch Road,
boot the disk. Coarsegold, California 93614.
Page 24 HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1 PO. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
LZ
—=INPUT
continued from page 2
out dollars ahead if they licensed look-
alikes to non-Atari programmers, but |
seriously doubt they'll sell much more
product as a result.
We as computer consumers are all
headed for lean times ahead if we're
only to be offered one game program
where you have to shoot down space
ships dropping bombs on us. Would a
programmer be permitted to change
the space ships to flying saucers and
implement his own version? What if he
used lasers instead of missiles, would
that be different enough to keep him
from getting sued? And who's to decide
just how much different is different
If this carries over to other types of
publishing, just think . .. No more “boy
meets girl ... girl meets girl ... boy
gets girl,” sorry, it’s been used before.
And the western where the new Mar-
shall comes to town to clean it up and
can’t get help from anyone but the
pretty widow . . . Well, you get the idea.
Someone once said, “There are no
new ideas, just new combinations of
ideas.”
Granted, Atari deserves to be
rewarded handsomely for creating Pac
Man, and they are being so rewarded.
But no one copied their source code (at
least | don’t think it’s been alleged) so
where have their copyrights been
infringed? This is crazy; Atari can stop
others from publishing something that
merely looks like something of theirs
while Apple can’t get an injunction to
stop the manufacture of computers that
are alleged to use an actual copy-
righted source code of theirs.
All of this is, of course, just my opin-
ion, and I've already confessed to
knowing very little about copyright law,
but, in my opinion, if Atari pulls this off,
it’s bad news for everyone but Atari. We
consumers shouldn't be hailing it as
Justice.
Warren Michelson
Page, AZ
Hardcore Info
Valuable to Business
After driving 160 miles (round trip) to
obtain a copy of issue #3, and approxi-
mately 140 miles to find issues 1 and 2,
| determined that a subscription would
hardcgre
While the price of everything else in
Appledom is shooting SKY-HIGH,
subscription rates for the new CORE and
HARDCORE COMPUTIST magazines are
HALF the cover price!
: Rickessl of 4 issues and 4 updates (a $20.00 value), a
Leos sa now consists of 12 full-sized magazines (8
of Hardcore Computist and 4 of Core—a $40.00
value), yet our price for U.S. subscribers is still
$20.00
Current subscribers: Don’t wait to renew. Our rates can’t
stay this low forever!
[] New subscriber SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
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Update 1.1 Allothers $42.00
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Update 2.1 BACK ISSUES:
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ADDRESS
CITY STATE ZIP
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MASTERCARD NO. DATE
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No purchase orders
U.S. funds only
PO. Box 44549
I
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| Tacoma, WA 98444
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1
take much less of my time and would
be much more enjoyable.
| appreciate and applaud the wealth
of information you have packed into
each issue. As a businessman, | feel
that the information that you are provid-
ing will enable myself, and others like
me, to make back-up copies of valu-
able business software. Since | no
longer support those software pub-
lishers who deprive me of my right to
protect my software investment, | wel-
come every opportunity to protect
(legally) my company’s existing soft-
ware library.
Keep up the good work that you have
begun and “‘stick by your guns.” |
believe you'll see the “other commu-
nity” slowly beating a path to your door.
William E. Noel
Ontario, CA
So paranoid of us?
Some Tips for Ultima
| have really enjoyed Issue 3 and the
last two Updates. Especially the artic-
les on HyperDOS, Castle Wolfenstein
and Ultima. Ultima is the subject of this
letter.
Using the 1.0.B. program and follow-
ing the excellent directions given by
Bobby | was able to make 16-sector
copies of both sides of the Ultima disk.
Next | tried to make a character disk
and then realized that the Player Mas-
ter would no longer do this since it was
originally 13 sectors.
After a little searching | discovered
that the program named ‘PLAYER
DISK’ included the copy program to
make a player character disk. The
| EE HEE EE PSP FEN PSF HEE EEE |
A Lyrical Letter to the Editor: .
Not Pirates, But Pioneers?
I'm sick and tired of hearing all
The names that some are calling.
You'd think, for all their bitching, that
The cops would soon be hauling
A bevy of us off to jail!
For breaking copyrights?
Folks oughta take a closer look.
They'd see we set our sights
Much higher than mere pirating.
Indeed, in coming years,
We'll not be known as pirates, but
—COMPUTER PIONEERS!
We hurt the micro industry?
That’s rumored in some quarters.
When really, we’re the industry's
Most powerful supporters!
For software can’t be run without
Some hardware. Obvious?
Then why are all those micro firms
They'd welcome us with open arms,
If only they could see
That what we do, does benefit
Their whole darn industry!
I've never seen an issue of
Your HARDCORE publication.
And yet, I’ve heard the word of how
You captivate the nation!
A lot of folks are very proud
Of what you’re here to do.
Indeed, you are succeeding! And I
Praise the Lord for you!
Michael Herbert Shadick
Minneapolis, MN
changes necessary to make it work
with 16-sector DOS 3.3 were minimal
and it now works better (faster) than the
original.
Just change the following lines to
read as shown:
531 FOR A = 768 TO 801: READ B:
POKE A,B: NEXT A: RWTS = 768
532 DATA 32, 227, 3, 32, 217, 3, 176,
25, 238, 241, 183, 206, 237, 183, 173,
237, 183
533 DATA 201, 255, 208, 235, 169, 15,
141, 237, 183, 238, 236, 183, 198, 0,
208, 223, 96
590 FORT = 3 TO 27 STEP 8: GOSUB
640: NEXT T
790 POKE VO, 0: POKE TR, T: POKE
SE, 15: POKE BL, 0: POKE BH, 20:
POKE CO, C
800 POKE 0, 8: CALL RWTS: IF PEEK
(0) = @ THEN RETURN
Now save this program PLAYER
DISK back to the Player Master. That's
all it takes to make the Player Master
work as intended.
C.V. Fields
Sacramento, CA
Praise froma
Magazine Virtuoso
| subscribe to Popular Computing,
Creative Computing, Byte, Softalk,
Apple Orchard, In Cider, Computers
and Electronics, Softside, and maybe
something else and I’ve never been
impressed enough with one to write
and say anything, but yours is different.
I've learned more about how my com-
puter works from just one issue of
HARDCORE than | have from any of
the others. William Wingfield Jr.
Martinsville, VA
(advertisement)
Anyone who has pur-
chased an issue of Hard-
core Computing or any
other product from Norman|
Napier, “Red Rebel,” or
Pirates Harbor, either by
mail or at a computer fair,
please contact Bev R.
Haight at 14404 East “D”
Street, Tacoma, WA, 98445.
You will be of great help in
collecting information for a
comprehensive article on
Pirates Harbor.
Page 26
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1
PO. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
HARDWARE REVIEW:
ne the REPLAY Wf card [722 com.|
Replay II is an updated version of the original Replay
card, which was among the first copy cards marketed. It
is still being produced by the same company, but the
name has been changed from Texas Ranch And Shore-
line Systems (TRASH) to Micro Analyst, Inc. (a wise
decision).
The revised Replay II is a definite improvement over
the first Replay. The card no longer interferes with any
other card in the computer and can now copy the entire
64K of memory. The copy switch has been moved from
the card to the end of an 18-inch cable extending out
from the back of the computer. In addition, the card now
makes three different types of copies.
Making a Copy
The first and easiest way to make a Copy of the mem-
ory is to press the copy button and select “C” from the
menu displayed. The card will prompt you to insert a
blank diskette, and the program in memory is then cop-
ied in about 15 seconds. The quick copy will reload in
about 10 seconds. This method provides a fast and con-
venient way of making a copy. Unfortunately, the copy is
written in a non-standard format and requires that the
Replay card be in the computer to boot the disk. ARAM
card is not necessary.
The second copy method makes a standard DOS file
which represents the entire 48K of memory. Its only limi-
tation is that a RAM card is required to boot the disk (the
Replay card need not be in the computer). The copy will
reload in approximately one minute. To make this kind
of copy requires no programming skill, and consists of
first making a quick copy (the first one mentioned) and
then running “DOSMAKER?” from the Replay utility disk
to convert the quick copy to standard DOS.
The third type of copy creates a single binary pro-
gram that will boot under normal DOS. It does not
require the Replay card or a RAM card. This kind of
copy is called a “packed” copy, and it is made with the
use of the packer program on the Replay utility disk. A
knowledge of machine language is required to under-
stand and use the packer utilities.
Advanced Topics
The packer and the programs that go along with it
make up a powerful set of utilities. Using these utilities,
it is possible to analyze and condense the 48K copy into
a more compact file that does not require extra hard-
ware to run. Some of the utilities included help scan for
used and unused sections of code and eliminate those
sections that are unused. This would be the best type of
copy if it were not so difficult to understand.
A number of auto-pack utilities are included. These
allow the inexperienced user to pack some of the more
popular programs wthout having to know a great deal
about machine language. There are also utilities that
allow the creation of an auto-pack file if you can figure
out how to pack the file in the first place.
Functions on the Card
When the copy switch is pushed, a menu appears
with a choice to copy the disk, view various screens or
enter a special monitor. This monitor is one of the more
powerful and useful features of the card. The monitor
shows where the reset vector is pointed and what the
program counter and stack pointer were when the copy
switch was pressed. From the monitor, memory may be
displayed as hex or ASCII values (there is no disas-
sembler available). Specific values can be changed and
a search for a certain byte may be performed.
The only complaints | have are that there is no way to
enter into the normal Apple monitor, and that to look at
the original pages (0-7) requires the user to look at the
memory on the card itself (a rather hit or miss proposi-
tion).
Documentation
The manual makes an effort to explain all the func-
tions of the card, and does well on the first and second
copy methods. It falls down on the packer section. The
instructions for the packer are hard to understand and
the utilities are not at all user-friendly. They require the
user to keep referring to a chart that relates logical and
physical sectors. This should have been implemented
in software, leaving the user free to think about more
important matters.
Summary
The Replay card is very easy to use and understand
(as long as the packer section is avoided like the
plague). The Replay card no longer has any conflicts
with other cards or slots and it has more features than
Wildcard and Snapshot. Its versatility allows it to be
used as a copy card and as a very helpful programming
aid (one | have used many times when my program
decided to leave this universe). Of all the cards | have
used, | have found the Replay II to be the most powerful
card available.
a note on Crackshot and Replay
The Crackshot card sold by Pirate’s Harbor is an
earlier version of the Replay 1.0 card. This card has
conflicts with other cards and slots.
The newer Replay II card is available from Micro
Analyst, Inc. at P.O. Box 15003, Austin, Texas, 78761
for $150.00.
The Replay I! has no conflicts with other cards or
slots and makes three different types of copies.
Purchasers of the Crackshot card may not be able to
upgrade to the Replay I! as Micro Analyst, Inc., has
informed us that Pirate’s Harbor is not an authorized
dealer.
If you are considering the purchase of a copy card,
call Micro Analyst, Inc. directly at (512) 926-4527.
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1
Page 27
Reprinted with permission from Peelings Il, volume 4, number 1,
pages 45 and 48. Peelings II is copyrighted by Peelings Il, Inc. A
one-year subscription
available for $21 from:
Peelings II, P.O. Box 188
Las Cruces, NM 88004-0188, (505) 526-8364
sibly for user data files) will most likely remain uncracked, At present
satisfaction can only be achieved by unlocked software, or software
single load programs, perhaps one of these cards will be satisfactory.
with a 2-80 card.
Hardware Copy Cards
The war goes on. The scenario is similar to the electronic warfare situation. First there were protected programs on cassette. Those
were broken. Then came protected diskettes and the nibble copiers. Then more sophisticated protection mechanisms were introduced
and more sophisticated copy programs became available. Now we have the hardware copy cards. Each of the three cards reviewed is
designed to make copies of the program in memory, for archival purposes. All of these hardware copy methods are subject to similar
restrictions. They only easily copy programs which reside entirely in memory; programs requiring multiple disk accesses (except pos
these copy cards will not satisfy all of your archival needs. Total
which allows a limited number of back-ups to be made. But for
None of the cards is really intended to copy programs running
CRACK-SHOT
PIRATES HARBOR
P. O. Box 8928
Boston, MA 02114
617-738-5051 (modem)
$149.95
Machine language
48K, DOS 3.3
Unlocked
Reviewed by Edward Burlbaw
INTRODUCTION
CRACK SHOT can be installed in any slot, provided there is no
card in slot 0. If you have a RAM card, you will have to remove it. In
‘order to run copied programs, CRACK-SHOT must be installed in
‘one of the slots (slot 0 can be occupied) or a RAM card can be used.
There are known conflicts with certain other cards, such as the
Hayes Micromodem II and some video cards. | also had problems us:
ing my Grappler card with CRACK-SHOT installed, and vice versa
Any confleiting cards must be removed before using CRACK SHOT.
A good rule would be to take everything out, except CRACK SHOT
and the disk controller card
MAKING A COPY
This is a very simple procedure. Once the card is installed, any
program can be run as normal. When the program is at the desired
point, the CRACK-SHOT copy switch is flipped and a blank diskette
placed in drive one. A copy will be made in fifteen seconds. The
blank diskette then has a copy of the entire 48K of memory, with the
exception of the screen display locations. These must be set, on
booting, by a menu within the CRACK-SHOT program. To execute
your copy with the CRACK-SHOT card in place, simply CALL a
location on the card and it takes over from there. You have essenti
ally created an archival copy of the program which requires a hard:
ware “key” (CRACK:SHOT) to run. If you are satisfied, there is
nothing more to do, File the original away and use the CRACK
SHOT copy
ADVANCED TOPICS
If you are satisfied with the copy described in the previous para:
graph, you will not be interested in the other possibilities of CRACK.
SHOT. There are other utilities included on the system disk for
analysis of the copy. The EDIT utility will allow you to read tracks
into a buffer, disassemble the code in the buffer, write the buffer back
to disk, or exit to BASIC (for BSAVE operations). The PACKER uti
ity is perhaps the most powerful of the utilities. For example, if it can
be determined that the entire 48K is not being used by the program,
the program areas of memory can be consolidated and automatically
unfolded once resident in memory. This would allow loading under
DOS 3.3 without the CRACK-SHOT card. | would feel more com
fortable with an archive copy of this nature. The PACKER utility is
also the most difficult to understand. It is confusing because it re
quires one to keep track of physical and logical locations of the code
and the location on the diskette. Other features of PACKER will ead
and attempt to analyze the various sections of the copied memory to
locate code or ASCII data sections, This can be done manually or
automatically. Packing command files can also be created but, obvi
ously, you have to be able to first do it manually.
The language card is supported in several ways. The utility pro
grams will run with the card and use the extra memory to increase the
size of the binary file that is packable. The language card can be used
in place of the CRACK-SHOT card, for running the copy
DOCUMENTATION
The manual is very extensive and attempts to explain all of the
features and possibilities of CRACK-SHOT. The simple copy and re
run procedures are well covered, but the advanced topics are not ade-
quately treated. Perhaps the experienced user will not need any more
explanation, but a simple tutorial would improve the usability consid
erably. There are nine Appendixes with some examples, tips, trouble
shooting hints, and packing parameters (sound familiar?)
SUMMARY
In addition to making archival copies of single load protected pro-
grams, CRACK-SHOT can be used as a gaming tool by making
copies which start at higher levels. Once understood, the extensive
advanced features could be useful. If you dislike performing surgery
‘on your Apple, you may be annoyed with the slot O restrictions and
the conflict with other cards.C]
SNAPSHOT
Dark Star Systems
54, Robin Hood Way
Greenford, Mddx. UB6 7QN
01-900-0104
P. O. Box 140
Amherst, MA 01004
413-584-7600
$109.95 (plus p&h)
Machine language
Dos 3.3, 64K (certain RAM cards only)
Unlocked
Reviewed by Edward Burlbaw
INSTALLATION
SNAPSHOT can be used with only some RAM cards. The more
common of these are Apple, Microsoft, and Ramex. Also supported
Page 28
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no.1
PO. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
Reprinted with permission from Peelings Il, volume 4, number 1,
pages 45 and 48. Peelings Il is copyrighted by Peelings Il, Inc. A
one-year subscription is available for $21 from:
Peelings Il, P.O. Box 188
Las Cruces, NM 88004-0188, (505) 526-8364
are Digitek, MPC, RH Electronics, and Super Ram Il. It also works
with the Franklin Ace 100, with 16K card, and the Ace 1000. The
list is growing, so if you have any questions concerning the suitability
of your RAM card, check it out with Dark Star Systems. Known ex
ceptions are Andromeda, Indigo, and Saturn 32K. You must remove
‘one of the chips from your RAM card and plug the ribbon cable con
nector, from the SNAPSHOT board, into the empty socket. The
SNAPSHOT card can then be inserted into any of the nearby slots
on the motherboard. There is an empty socket on the card into which
to plug the game paddles or a four-switch dip switch. Either of these
will be used to activate the copy program when it is time.
MAKING A COPY
Either the game paddle or one of the switches can be used to acti
vate the SNAPSHOT card. Ifit is not active, the RAM card acts as if
SNAPSHOT were not present. This enables the RAM card to be
used normally. The SNAPSHOT software is booted into the RAM
card, Pushing the paddle switch, or the appropriate dip switch, will
activate SNAPSHOT and display its menu. The “subject” diskette
‘can then be booted. (Thirteen-sector diskettes can be used with the
BASICS diskette.) Once the subject is in memory, pushing the
button again interrupts the program and displays the SNAPSHOT
menu. The menu has several options in a logical order. If you proceed
from the top to the bottom, you will be doing the steps necessary to
create a working backup. The video display settings are selected,
both for bootup and run, The memory is then saved on disk. The
final step is to use the last option of converting SNAPSHOT disk toa
backup disk that does not require the software to be in the RAM
card, The backup will now run on any 64K Apple (independent of the
type of memory card). It may or may not run on a 48K Apple. By
activating the SNAPSHOT card, and disabling the RAM card, the
copy can be checked on a 48K machine.
One of the menu options allows the user to exit to the monitor for
disassembly of the program in memory or other diagnosis. Some
memory is available on the RAM card for user programs to assist in
this, An exit to BASIC is also allowed which may make the program
in memory LISTable. There is very little treatment of advanced tech
niques, but I submit that once the DOS 3.3 backup is created, very
little more is needed
DOCUMENTATION
The instruction booklet consists of 13 typewritten half-pages
Everything necessary to make a DOS 3.3 backup of a memory resi
dent program is found in it. I's not fancy, but definitely adequate
SUMMARY
SNAPSHOT can be used in a manner similar to CRACKSHOT
for creating high level starting games or archival copies of single load
programs, The necessity to use one of the compatible RAM cards will
be a problem, unless you happen to have one of them. The simplicity
of the menu-driven software is very convenient to use.(]
WILDCARD
East Side Software Co.
344 E. 63 St., Suite 14-A
New York City, NY 10021
212-355-2860
$129.95 ($3 s&h)
Machine language
Dos 3.3, 64K, Apple I+
Unlocked
Reviewed by Edward Burlbaw
INSTALLATION
With power off, open the Apple cover and place WILDCARD in
any empty slot with the cable exiting through one of the slots in the
case. Close the cover and turn the power back on. The only require
ment is that you have a RAM card and an empty slot
MAKING A COPY
Load the subject program. When it is at the selected point, press
the WILDCARD button and RETURN. The WILDCARD menu will
appear and allow you to boot, restart, or exit to monitor. To make a
copy, use the boot option with the WILDCARD system disk in
drive 1, From there follow the menus to create a turnkey autoboot
copy of the subject software. You will need a blank diskette and it will
take about two minutes to complete the copy. You then have an ar
chive copy which will boot on a 64K machine. It may be possible to
compress it to run on a 48K machine, The compression can be at
tempted automatically by selecting the appropriate option. If this is
unsuccessful, it will stil run on a 64K machine. As with the other
copy cards, the video screen to be displayed must be selected during
the copy process.
DOCUMENTATION
The thirty half-sized pages contain installation and operation pro-
cedures. The copy section leads you through a sample copy proce
dure. It is simple enough that once or twice through the book will be
sufficient. A process is described by which a 64K program may be
copied; however, ifit cannot be compressed sufficiently it will not be
successful, There is a short section discussing some uses of the utility
option for the machine language programmer.
SUMMARY
WILDCARD like SNAPSHOT and CRACK-SHOT provides a
convenient method for backing up single load programs. It requires
the least modification of, and places the fewest restrictions on, the
existing hardware. It is both simple and easy to use.(
The three cards reviewed above are all designed to provide a method of creating archive copies of legitimately acquired software
Each uses a slightly different approach to achieve essentially the same end. CRACK-SHOT requires that any card in slot 0 be removed
before operation and other interface cards can interfere with its operation. These include some fairly common cards (i.e., D.C. Hayes
and Grappler) and, if in place, would interfere with the operation. There are more advanced features supported, but an understanding of
some of them is required to create a DOS 3.3 backup. SNAPSHOT places fewer restrictions on existing hardware. Used with one of
the supported RAM cards, there are no restrictions, but a chip must be removed from the card. That could be viewed as a disadvantage.
The copy procedure is perhaps the easiest and clearest of the three cards. WILDCARD places the least restrictions on the hardware. In
purchasing, this could be the deciding factor. The copy procedure is clear and straightforward
Overall, with one of the supported RAM cards, SNAPSHOT, at $109.95 is the best buy. WILDCARD places next because of ease
of use. CRACKSHOT is the most expensive of the three, has memory conflicts with other cards, and requires the most technical know:
ledge to use. However, it also has more features available to the advanced user.(]
P.O. Box 44549, Tacoma, WA 98444
HARDCORE COMPUTIST no. 1
Page 29
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