Speedscript File Conversion This is the .DOC file for spdcnv.img. This, being the latest version, will convert Speedscript files to either ASCII or PETSCII. Changes from the Original Version The first version was written entirely in BASIC. In order to speed up the conversion process, proceedures were changed, and a major part of the conversion is done by 3 'RELOCATABLE' machine language routines. For those who have something that is running starting at 49152 in memory will want to pick another place for these routines. I'm sure everyone has there own favorite places for something like that. Since this new version reads the entire text file into memory first, it was necessary to protect it from BASIC. To do this, the top of memory is lowered at the very beginning of the program. Instructions Load in the program. If you need to relocate the ML portion of the program, change the variable ML in line 10 of the program. All sys's to these routines will adjust accordingly. This version is written for use with both disk and tape. It does, however write a sequential tape file. On start up, you will be asked for a device number, which is preset to 8 for disk. If you wish to permanently change your version to another device number, change the number in line 7 of the program. If 8 is the device you desire, press RETURN. Otherwise, select the device number you want, and press RETURN. At this point, the ML portion of the program is loaded into memory, beginning at the location defined by the variable ML. Next, you will be asked which way you would like to convert your file (ASCII or PETSCII). Preset on this is ASCII. If this is acceptable, press RETURN, or select 'P' and press RETURN. Next is 'EDITING REQUIRED'. If you have pre-edited your material from Speedscript by placing returns in the text where you want them, answer (N)o to the question. Preset is (Y)es. If editing is desired, you must determine maximum line length. Since the ML does search back from a maximum line length, you will never have lines longer than what you have specified. Preset on this is 40 (for 40 columns). You will now be asked for the original file name, and then the new file name. Answer both of these questions accordingly. The last question you will be asked (disk users only, tape users automatically have this function) is if you need to change the media to receive the new file. For tape users, this is forced to yes to allow you to reset the dataset to for the info. Disk users may find this option handy to place the conveted file onto there terminal program disk for later uploading. The disk is initialized from in the program after the change to avoid overwriting other data. From here on, the program will take care of things. The file is printed on the screen as it is written to the receiving device. This is not necessary, but was done so the results could be seen immediately. To give you an idea of the difference between this version, and the first version, I tried timing a conversion using both. The file I used was a little over 5800 bytes long. The original version took 10 minutes 35 seconds to convert. This version took 2 minutes, 2 seconds. Time may vary for you, but this seems to hold true. Tape users will find this takes longer for them, but the same file was loaded from tape, converted, and sent back to tape in just a touch over 6 minutes. But don't hold me to that! There is one hitch in the program. Unlike the original, this one does not detect a leading space at the beginning of a sentence. So unless you don't care about the finished text, don't double space unless you have to. I'll try to cure this in another version. Watch for the ASCII and PETSCII to Speedscript converter to come. I would like to hear any comments or suggestions anyone has about this program. You can leave me a message on the board, or Email me. Hope this is what all you SS users were looking for. Regards, Steve Hammer 74776,1570
Amiga7878