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1. ter CAT Now the original copied from the renamed is back H E Y G G y G o G w G w w w w G G w w a w 0 3 w K Ww emark copying creates a duplicate of the file nter ERASE renamed emark protected files cannot be erased nter ATTR renamed u emark Unprotect the file nter ERASE renamed nter CAT emark That did it nter ATTR p nter ERASE emark TOS lists all the protected files not erasable nter ATTR u nter ERASE n Remark TOS erases all files without Prompt of Y N Remark The Demo disk side B all programmes erased TOS allows you to create a start up file which is automatically loaded into your SPECTRUM and run every time you reset it power up or RESET button on the interface To use this feature you must SAVE your start up Programme with the auto run facility and call it START Now every time a reset is executed TOS will look for a Programme named Start in drive A if it exists then the SPECTRUM will run it Remark To be able save the programme displace the disk protection tab 11 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual Enter Enter Remark Enter Reset Remark Remark If you h BREAK while pressing the reset button on the interface all simp Try the 10 CAT 20 INPUT 30 LOAD Using side A of
2. Now enter CAT ie File NEWSCR SCR now has a size of 80 bytes and an allocated space of 1k The Cur field has been incremented by one due to the 1K block allocated to the open version of NEWSCR SCR This means that the CAT instruction follows the development of the file allowing you to monitor its growth as does the LIST instruction Enter LIST 2 Now let us simulate a power failure Press the reset button of the disk controller This resets th ntire system Now enter LIST The fact that there are no channels open does not mean that they have all been closed The term used here is aborted meaning that your work on the open files NEWSCR SCR is lost To better understand this enter CAT The file NEWSCR SCR is still there with all its 6917 bytes so you didn t lose the old version of the file but you did lose the 80 bytes 1K used in the new version of the file Now do it Properly Run the program 5 OPEN 2 newscr scr 0 27 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 10 FOR n 1 TO 80 20 PRINT 2 a 30 NEXT n 40 CLOSE 2 Now enter CAT Now the file NEWSCR SCR has size 80 and the Cur field is consistent with the sun of the allocated spaces of all the files of disk Before running this program the value hown in the Cur field was 6k smaller which proves that th
3. This is no problems with disk files becaus ven if the bytes in the buffer are destroyed the disk file can be read back SCP s do not have a memory and the bytes are only received once In output only or append modes this is no problem because SCP s transmit all the information as you write it with the PRINT instruction So if you try to open an SCP in the input only or random access modes TOS will generate th rror message Cannot use a slow channel Unlike disk files you cannot open an SCP in more than one channel even if the mode is input only because data read from an SCP is no longer available for another read operation This is because SCP s have no memory If you could read an SCP from more than one channel the bytes received would be dispersed among those channels and no channel would receive the whole information If you try to open the same SCP in more than one channel you will got the error message lt gt is open The CLOSE instruction is no different from the disk file CLOSE instruction except when the SCP is open in one of the write modes and with the data type text In this case an end of file character Z ASCII code 1AH is sent through the SCP to inform the other party that no more date will be sent through the channel This instruction lists information on open channels and has a different presentation with disk files and SCP s because the information to be displayed
4. Enter DIM FILE1 as a direct command 28 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 10 LET n 4 20 OPEN n filel o 30 FOR i 1 TO 50 50 NEXT i L O F 40 PRINT n abcd N 60 CLOSE n which stores the same string in FILE1 50 times Now run the same programme with line 10 modified to make n 5 channel 5 is slow The execution time is much longer because TOS accesses the disk every time line 40 is executed In reading operations this difference in speed does not arise unless another slow channel is used between two input operations In this case the date in the slow channel common buffer may be destroyed forcing TOS to re read the fil Before moving to CHAPTER 6 lets CLOSE channels that may be open due to the examples of CHAPTER 5 CLOSE Closes all channels Your Floppy Disk Controller is equipped with two RS232C Serial Communication Ports SCP s These R5232C interfaces are referred to as CH A SCP CH B SCP Entering the following will demonstrate this CAT eto SCP s are a special kind of file that convey data instead of storing it Data is transmitted or received in a serial fashion one bit at a time TOS uses software and hardware protocols to ensure that the transmitter only sends data when the receiver is ready The instructions used to exchange information with the outside
5. Note the use of CH A or CH_B depends on the Port connections used In the rest of these examples CH_A will be used for clarity The receiver should type LOAD CH_A All the save and load options are available see section 3 6 Using the MOVE instruction it is possible to send a disk file from one computer to another using the RS232C SCP s linked up Example sender MOVE File name TO CH A receiver MOVE CH A TO file name As before the receiver needs to be active first The extended BASIC instructions of TOS dealing with the disk drives issue an error report where there is one If these instructions are used within a programme there is no way of knowing if they can be executed For example suppose a sequential file is being accessed and it is not known where it will end Any further data output from the file will generate an error stopping the programme There are times that this type of error needs to be trapped perhaps warning the user that this has happened but not having the programme stop The method of carrying out this error trapping in TOS is using two of the unused systems variables of the SPECTRUM which are referred to as SYSERR and TRAP When the SPECTRUM is turned on it writes 0 in TRAP and never uses it again Poking another value into that ocation will activate the error trapping mechanism whereby TOS will write an error number into SYSERR whe
6. he controller reset button which resets th nterface to reset the SPECTRUM hen you reset the controller TOS will be BOOTED There will not be the normal message an the screen that appears when you turn on the SPECTRUM by itself when not using TOS There is a special kind of boot described in section 3 15 that allows the automatic execution of a start up programme on your SPECTRUM CAUTION Do not power up the system with the disk inserted in the drive It you stock the system the power supply should be on the top Never prevent air circulation to the power supply Unless a cassette is labelled properly there is no way of knowing what programmes it contains without loading the programmes into the computer TOS has a special directory of each file on the disk together with information about where it is located on the disk the size of the file and other information some of which is useful only to the operating system but some of which is displayed as part of the listing appearing on the screen as a result of executing the CAT instruction Using side A of your demo disk type in the command Side A is accessed by placing the disk into the drive door with side A facing upwards CAT followed by enter A listing of the disk directory contents will appear Notice that you can stop the SCROLLING at any time using the S key and resume using the Q key Try it This is common to many TOS commands
7. t r CAT HI LO BAS proB 2 p D p 0 O 0 H y Gy y wed A A w et dew 0 D TOS allows you to change your current directory to another drive without knowing the disk name The syntax is GO TO DRIVE NAME d Where the DRIVE NAME can be A B C or D Specifiyng a pathname is not allowed when using this facility Refer to Section 4 9 It is very useful to go to a directory perform whatever instructions are needed and return back to the source directory TOS allows this using the GOSUB instruction followed by the DRAW instruction The process is very similar to a subroutine call in BASIC TOS uses a directory stack which holds information on the level of nesting of these calls TOS allows 8 levels of nesting of subroutine calls to directories in this way 15 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 16 de 47 The syntax is GO SUB pathname The pathname between brackets means that it is optional GO SUB is used in conjunction with DRAW which causes a jump back to the original directory The level of GO SUB nesting is displayed at the head of the directory listing produced by CAT t does not matter which directory is current it will always be level 0 unless a GO SUB has been executed The level refers to the level of nesting on the stack Every time a RAW a is e
8. 370 IF VAL p lt gt n THEN GOTO 350 380 PRINT Number n belongs to the table 390 RESTORE 1 400 GOTO 330 410 PRINT Number n does not belong to the table 420 GOTO 3 0 430 REM Program end 440 CLOSE 1 450 POKE TRAP O 460 PRINT End of program Line 200 defines variables used for error trapping see appendix E Line 310 enables th error trapping routine The loop in line 330 checks if the number presently entered 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html figures in our list by checking it against all the numbers in the file If you have already run the previous programme then enter run 200 In 1 ine 350 a value is INPUT from the file This value is in the form of a string p and is converted to a number in line 370 using VAL All information transmitted to or The begi The an oO 3 AOT Ut BWDHND Anot You from a file must be in string format RES TORE in line 390 resets the file pointer so that every search starts at the nni mos You The You The ba The her can ng of the file t important points concerning files and sequential access modes are can only use strings when reading or writing to a file se strings have a maximum length of 256 bytes cannot use string arrays with more than one dimension for input re must be 2 separator between strings in a file
9. A and the right hand Pins for D ll N tTMHAAOCH D1 PADGAAM NG WMP EA Figure 1 If you are in doubt or difficulty contact your dealer The way of accessing the TOS commands is familiar to those used to the SPECTRUM BASIC s use of keywords All the TOS commands use existing keywords but they are followed by an asterisk so that LOAD becomes LOAD El TOS is a disk operating system TOS commands are designed so that you can LOAD and SAV with the Disk Drives in a way similar to that of cassettes The beauty of TOS is that it does not interfere with the existing instructions relative to the cassette so that you are still free to use your cassette and disk drives at the same time and even from within the same programme You need not change your existing programmes when using TOS but you will need to use LOAD and SAVE to transfer the programmes to and from the disks in much the same way you would for a cassette The syntax is essentially the same apart from the which is there to activate TOS 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 5 de 47 Instructions can either b xecuted directly from the keyboard or from within the programme like any other BASIC instruction TOS therefore becomes an extension of the SPECTRUM BASIC with all the disk and file handling facilities of TOS acting
10. DEMO Level 0 Drive A Name Typ Size Alloc S P 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual 6 de 47 MATHS DIR FUN DIR UTIL DIR FILING DIR 3187 4K P 6651 9K P 3075 7K P 1070 2K P MAX 140K CUR 33K REM 107K 0 OK O 1 Referring the directory output from the CAT instruction of the previous page http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html you will see the columns contain the filename th xtension type of file the file size in bytes the disk allocation and it the file is currently open The filename is a string of up o nd if it is write protected o 8 characters optionally followed by another inally two columns headed S and P these are to indicate string of up to 3 characters to indicate the file type The filename and the extension must be separated by a dot TOS treats the filename as a BASIC string and therefore it must be surrounded by matching quotes It is possible to use symbols as well as digits and characters although the symbol must be a single character not gt or keywords following symbols are used by TOS and must not be used An 2 TOS will automatically convert any file name to the upper cas quivalent examples HELP BAS UTILITY DIR The file type communication TOS are the DIR and SCP extensions equivalent to hElp Bas or help bas The is useful
11. LOAD SAVE pathname CODE start length LOAD SAVE pathname DATA array name Try the following Remark Using the demonstration disk in drive A SID Enter CAT Remark All the files in the directory displayed Enter LOAD HELP BAS Remark The optional typ is separated by a dot Remark To stop a programme use BREAK capshift space Enter Press ENTER and then LIST Remark The programme listing appears on the screen Example Programme to generate a screen linked to the exercise following 10 REM TOS BAS 20 PAPER 3 30 FOR I 1 TO 704 40 PRINT ESRA 50 NEXT I 60 PAPER 6 70 PRINT AT 5 13 TOS 80 PRINT AT 13 12 TIMEX 90 PRINT AT 15 7 OPERATING SYSTEM 100 STOP 0 3 w K The programme TOS BAS should now be k The SPECTRUM memory is clear LOAD TOS BAS k The Programme automatically runs The programme was saved using lower SAVE TOS SCR SCREENS The screen memory im CAT will confirm t Using the reset butt LOAD TOS SCR SCREENS The screen memory address 16384 SAVE TOS COD CODE 16384 6912 5 0 ts 0 o B K 0 5S o w KOK ct 0 K D w K 0 i w K a O gt ct OM E K Oo 3 w K YN g 0 K 0 zi w K a sing side B of your demonstration disk nter SAVE tos bas LINE 10 ES
12. Protect unprotect dirl and files then erase them Enter ATTR AXYDTRI P Enter ATTR DIR1 P Enter CAT CAT DIRI Enter ERASE DIR1 Enter ATTR KNWDITIRL U Remark The directory is unprotected but files are Protected Enter ERASE DIR1I Remark Files need to be unprotected for erasure Enter ATTR DIR1 U Enter ERASE DIR1 123456 Enter ERASE DIR1 3 Remark Study selectiv rasure using templates Enter ERASE DIR1 Remark Renaming a file dir Enter LET DIR2 12 TO DIR2 RENAMED Enter CAT DIR2 Remark Rename a directory Enter LET DIR2 TO DIRNEW Enter CAT DIRNEW Enter ERASE DIRNEW Enter CAT Remark Erasing a directory will erase the files within it Enter ERASE DIRIL Enter GO TO Make test your current directory Enter ERASE DIRNEW CAT Enter ERASE CREATE Remark Side B of demo disk now empty Use side B for CHAPTER 5 examples 4 10 USING TWO OR MORE DRIVES As you know the ROOT represents the physical resources of your system You can connect 18 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html up to 4 drives A to D as wall as the two communications ports CH_A and CH_S see section 2 3 Knowing the names of your disks to do that you CAT the ROOT you can access other drives just by specifying a pathname starting at the ROOT or at your current dire
13. RI rm B GOT Prom ELO EFA UT 1 a NT a Eor SE This program works without using separators but you must know in advance the record length you are going to use You could remove the carriage return from line 160 in the Program that generates the TABLE DAT file see above if You introduced a fixed record length in line 110 t read the file using the same record length you used when you wrote it n be useful to study the contents of a file For example UT Name of file to read n x 1 N 1 n I 1 UT 1 aS NT x a CODI x x t1 O 130 Gl a will read a file and display each character and its code until the end of file is reached and the program stops try it with NAMES Th 24 de 47 nex t example is an direct access files With this type of access you can read or 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual write to any place in the fi useful to define records suc predefined siz The demonstration programme a search is made and writes This program uses only one o separate fields Alternative of the fields thus avoiding Please refer to the program 90 LET TRAP 23729 95 POKE TRAP 255 100 DIM address dat 110 POKE TRAP O 115 OPEN 1 address dat r 120 INPUT 1 Read 2 Write an 130 IF h 2 THEN GOTO 500 135 IF h 3 THEN GOTO 610 140 IF h lt gt 1 T
14. nt this See Appendix E LINE 115 Opens the file address dat as a random access file with a record length of 100 256 maximum LINE 170 Is the system limi LINE 160 Read from the disk LINE 590 Writes the record LINE 610 The file must be c The BASIC programme could be way that the TOS commands ar Specific records are written Access times to specific rec since to access a record it Please note the following po 1 When a record is input f string slicing function TO t normally 2 lower limit would apply the record n a will need slicing to the disk as a single string losed Otherwise records will not be updated more sophisticated the point here is to demonstrate the e used or read according to the number following the AT statement ords can be much shorter than with sequential type files is not necessary to read through the whole file ints rom a file the different fields can be separated with the 2 Care must be taken when writing to a record because if you specify a record number past the end of file the fil size is increased until the record belongs to the file 3 The record number must be an integer between 1 and 65535 The following is the complete syntax for the two commands 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html PRINT n Str exp AT p INPUT n Var AT p record numb
15. 1 ch_a a This means that CH_A SCP will be open in the output only mode with the data type text the auto line feed and X ON X OFF options independentely of the first four parameters of the SCP configuration settings In all other modes the SCP is programmed with the setting it had when you opened it As the append mode has this special meaning there is no need to specify a record length It you do TOS prints the error message 31 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 32 de 47 Illegal mode type combination Also you cannot use the random access mode input and output if the X ON X OFF Protocol option is on because one way transmit or receive of the channel is needed to transmit the X ON and X OFF control characters and it therefore cannot carry data too If you have an SCP configurated to support an X ON X OFF protocol and try to open it in the random access mode TOS will generate th rror message Illegal mode SCP configuration The same message is issued it you try to open an SCP and specify a record length when the SCP is configured with the data type text This is because words have a variable length You cannot open an SCP input or random access in a slow channel because th system may need to use the slow channel common buffer to access another slow channel before it reads and stores all the bytes received by the SCP
16. called th NAME is a specified route of moves from a source directory through the tree e to a file together with the filename THNAME can be the fil ove is needed to reach urce directory does no f the path in the PAT ntage of being able to or grouping informatio file types under on nee HNAME name directories in n or programmes into a disk it is only necessary to CAT that the need to have several screens of files directory will make errors t type wh convenie are ont t mean root directory name itself when the file is within the source directory but any directory which is the this way means that the possiblity convenient divisions When many files directory containing the file thus displayed accessing them easier For example if C programmes are in one directory and the machine language programmes are in then accessing and using the programmes is easier and leaves less chance of rying to LOAD a programme with the wrong Load Optio BASIC or COD to represent COD nt to identify the file type is useful especially w n Including the extension E or whichever extension is hen large numbers of files ether BAS to represent he disk oducing TOS with DIRECTORIES It is important to identify th does TO files an 12 de 47 d or directories inside directories difference between the directory and the file The director
17. created the structure is entirely up to the user Attempting to create more then 15 will generate th rror report cannot create more directories Directories may be nested withing each other or directly under the disk s main directory at the same level DIM cannot be used to create an SCP Serial Communication Port Trying to do so would product an error report of wrong type DIM cannot be used to create a file that already exists file would generate th rror NEWFILE already It a file newfile exists then DIM newf exists A similar conflict would occur trying to DIM newdir dir that already existed Creating a file of the same name as a directory is not allowed Attempting to open a file newdir without any type extension would still produce the error NEWDIR already exists The pathname can be a string variable and the DIM instruction used as a programme statement as in the following example Two directories are opened using a direct command as follows DIM NEWDIR DIR DIM NEWDIR DIR1 DIR 10 REM Create files 20 LET as nn 30 FOR i 1 TO 8 40 LET aS aS STRS i 50 DIM newdir dirl a 60 NEXT i Remark Use side B of disk SAVE the above programme 14 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html Enter SAVE CREATE Enter RUN Enter CAT newdir dir
18. file you can read or write a variable number of characters up to 256 If you open the file as a record file you can only read or write a fixed number of characters the number you specified in the record length parameter of the OP EN instruction Stream files are better suited to deal with information that has Record films have an underlying record structure and are dealing with data bases where a record holds informatio tA Record files can be read or written in a random manner tream files can only be read or written sequentially W INPUT instructions on a stream file you read the characters on no special structure particularly useful when n of a fixed length hen you perform consecutive after the other you specify using the AT statement the number of the record you want to read with the PRINT and INPUT instructions nformation unit is In stream files file is accessed using a file pointer tream files the basic information unit is the character the record hichever the basic information unit is t this file pointer understanding the concept is important In In record files the basic which can have up to 256 charaters If you want to ZrHSaOrW Pp will be read or writ after record When the OPEN ins values according to the mode parameter or record files or random the file is empty e written next ag i A recor
19. for reference the only extensions that have special meaning to channel used to identify the name of a directory or a TOS stores files in directories but also allows a directory to be stored within another directory The route to a file or the pathname may be just the name of the file but can include the name of the directories on the route to the file Being able to specify pathnames in The disk is divided into tracks which are in turn divided into sectors These and sectors are termed soft sectored because they are written to the disk by this way is a very powerful feature of TOS and a chapter of the manual is devoted to it The size of the file is the number of bytes the programme will use in RAM Random Access Memory of the SPECTRUM plus 5 or 7 bytes for use of the system tracks software This process of placing these tracks and sectors on the disk is called Formatting and must be done before the disk can be used Open meaning that the file is currently open to be accessed from a programme The disk allocation of a file relates to the number of sectors used TOS allocates always a minimum of 1KB 1024 bytes to a file The last two columns headed S amp P indicate whether the file is open and whether or not it is write protected The P indicates that a file is write protected this refers to the software facility within TOS not the setting of the plastic
20. or you will not be able to read ck separately re must be only one string expression in each PRINT statement It you want to rint several items join them by a Plus In a sequential file you can only read or write items one after the other If you open an already existing file for output its previous contents will be lost important point about files is record access write to a file as if it were an endless tape separating the items for later reading or you can define a fixed record length and every time you access the file th information transfer will be made in chunks of fixed length disregarding the separator char DIM 100 110 120 130 140 150 byte act ers For example enter x NAMES As a direct command OPE FOR n 1 TO 20 INP PRI N 1 NAMES 0 30 UT Name p n NT 1 n NEXT n CLO S SE This program will prompt for and write 20 names to a file called NAMES each using 30 If n is longer than 30 bytes only the first 30 will be written if Shorter the remaining bytes will be filled with blanks The 200 210 220 230 240 250 names may be read back using this program OPE N 1 NAMES I 30 FOR n 1 to 20 INP PRI NEX CLO You mus otherwise you will read back different strings from those you wrote This 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 ca NP Z u El UAH
21. pathname output by the system Syntax ATTR pathname P or U or I or V The P or U Protects or Unprotects a file respectively whereas I hides a file from the CAT display and V unveils it Protected files are recognized by the appearance of a P under the rightmost field of the disk directory If the file is unprotected this field appears blank Obviously neither V nor I will ever be displayed under the status field The pathname can be a template so you can protect or unprotect hide or unveil more than one file with the same command A protected file cannot be erased or written to If you protect a disk then you cannot write to that disk Note that the FORMAT instruction can destroy a protected disk Syntax CAT pathname Without the pathname this instruction displays information on all the files defined in the current directory It the argument is specified only the information concerning the files designated by the pathname which can be a template is listed This information consists at 1 General Data 1 Pathname of the directory where the files are defined 2 Its level 3 The name of the drive where it is physically defined 4 The disk capacity the currently used space and the remaining space all in K bytes 2 File Specific Data 1 Name including type Size in bytes Real size in K bytes the space actually used File status open or closed File protection state
22. per 16K in size an empty file uses one entry This error occurs if TOS tries to exceed this number of entries Closing a G M hannel releases space in the table This error can be generated by SAVE LOAD ERGE OPEN MOVE and PRINT 60 ILLEGAL MODE TYPE COMBINATION This error expresses an incompatibility between the mode and type in the OPEN It will occur in the following situations 1 opening a disk file in random access mode r without specifying the record length 2 opening an SCP in append mode 2 and specifying a record length 35 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html You specified a record length in the OPEN instruction that is outside the range 1 to 256 Any variable used in the instruction must be within this range You cannot open an SCP in input or random access mode and specify a slow channel Use a fast channel You tried to open a file or SCP but it was already open in another channel You can only open a disk file in more than one channel if the mode is input only This error is generated by the OPEN but it can also occur in the SAVE LOAD MERGE and MOVE instructions which open files and SCPs to access them You replaced a disk but the old one had at least one file open You m
23. read OUTPUT zero if ok HL points to bufdat BC number of bytes read 0617H JP RDMEM Purpose read a file to memory Registers used A INPUT prolen number of bytes to read prostr loading address chan channel to use OUTPUT zero if ok Comment Prolen and Prostr are two byte variables O61AH JP WRTMEM Purpose write memory to a file Registers used A INPUT prolen number of bytes to read prostr loading address chan channel to use OUTPUT zero if ok O61DH JP CBAS Purpose Call a BASIC ROM subroutine INPUT address to call Comment all registers are preserved during the ROM switching 0620H JP SAVEP Purpose save code or a Program to a file Registers used non INPUT Pathname in bufdat must end with CHR 0 A len of Pathname BC len of code to save DE code start HL line number it there is one OUTPUT zero if ok 46 de 47 http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html To study the extended BASIC ROM you can use this programme COPY PUSH IY LD IY 0 CALL 0008H POP IY the Paging routing LD BC 1000H the ROM only has 4Kbytes LD HL OOOOH LD HL DEST Place in memory where code to be put LDIR CALL 0603H 7select the BASIC ROM RET return To send a command to the disk system you must place the command in 2100H set the Z80 registers with correct parameters and call PU
24. the that i disk Wit he PRINT instruction with a file open as a record file with a would increas h this error the disk maintains its free space the file size to a value beyond the free You tried to update or erase a file or directory that has been protected by the ATTR instruction This error can be generated by the SAVE ERASE MOVE and OPEN instructions 43 DISK lt gt IS SOFTWARE W P You cannot create update rase rename or even write protect a file or directory defined in a disk that has been write protected by software with ATTR This error can be generated by SAVE OPEN CLOSE DIM ERASE LET MOVE PRINT or ATTR Note that the FORMAT disk does not generate this error because this instruction formats a disk even if it software write protected 44 DISK lt gt IS HARDWARE W P The disk is hardware write protected by the write protect tabs The FORMAT disk instruction will not format a hardware write protected disk but generates th rror hardware fault on disk lt gt instead 45 lt gt HAS DIRECTORIES You cannot erase a directory that contains other directories You must erase the lower level directories first and then proceed upwards erasing all the directories
25. the questions asked 1 Text or Bytes T B If the data type is text answer T this will set bit 7 of every transmitted data byte to 0 If the data type is bytes all data is transmitted without modification 2 Auto line feed Y N This question appears if the data type is text Answering yes TOS will insert a line feed ASCII code OAH after each carriage return ASCII code ODH 3 XON XOFF Y N Choosing this option TOS establishes a software protocol using two special control characters X ON ASCII code 11H enabling transmission and X OFF ASCII code 13H disabling transmission 4 Input with wait Y N Answering no all read operations to the SCP will return even it the requested data is not present as TOS won t wait for data to in the channel buffer This is somewhat Similar to the INKEYS function provided by the SPECTRUM Otherwise TOS will wait for the requested data 5 Baud rate A P This parameter determines the number of transmitted bits per second the transmission speed The correspondence between letters and baud rates is Letter Baud rate bits second 50 TI 110 134 5 150 200 300 600 200 900 400 600 800 200 9 600 19 200 VOZKE RUHEQHNEAJAW DY YJB WNRP 6 Parity E Even O Odd N None This is an error detection mechanism that uses a bit to make the numbers of 1 s odd 0 or even E The mechanism can be disabled N
26. unit has been used A BASIC programme is an example of a such a file Using the SPECTRUM in the traditional way data for example would be contained in an array to access any data the whole file would be loaded and accessed as a whole A feature of TOS is that it permits the reading of a part of a file without the need to read the whole file This feature is especially useful in preparing large data files where individual records from the file are to be accessed as needed for example in data base stock control applications and other business applications This allows the creation of files of any size no longer limiting your applications to the size of the SPECTRUM memory TOS accesses reads or writes files through channels A channel is a number associated with a file that you use to refer to it in the instructions PRINT which writes and INPUT which reads A Channel also acts as a data buffer through which date flows with some memory containing information on the file such as its name size etc 19 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html TOS provides you with 16 channels To access a file choose a free channel one that is not being used to access another file and associate it with the file To open a file use the OPEN instruction The PRINT and INPUT instructions refer to output and input to a file through the c
27. until you can finally erase the one you want This error is generated by the ERASE instruction 46 lt gt HAS FILES OPEN You cannot erase a directory that contains open files You must close all files defined in the directory before you can erase it This error is generated by the ERASE instruction 47 lt gt HAS FILES W P You cannot erase a directory that contains write protected files You must unprotect them with the ATTR instruction before you can erase the directory This error is generated by the ERASE instruction 48 CANNOT ERASE CURRENT DIRECTORY You cannot erase a directory if it is your current directory Change it with GO TO This error is generated by the ERASE instruction 49 CANNOT CREATE MORE DIRECTORIES 34 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html You can create up to 15 directories in each side of each disk This error is generated by the DIM instruction if you try to create more The structure of the directory tree does not matter 50 ILLEGAL DIRECTORY SPECIFICATION This error is generated by the LET instruction if the first and second pathnames specify names files directories or SCP s defined in different directories The directory stack has only 8 levels This message appears if you execute a GO SUB instruction at level 8 You execute a DRAW instruction whil
28. 38 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html CAUTION This instruction destroys all the files contained in the disk The software protection provided by ATTR is not effective The only way to protect a disk against formatting is to protect it by hardware using the disk s protection tabs Since this is a dangerous instruction even more so than ERASE TOS checks your request before formatting by printing Format disk in drive lt gt Y N Typing N will abort the command If you specified drive A TOS will print an additional message Change diskette and press ENTER and waits for you to press the ENTER key before proceeding This allows you to format disks without destroying the disk you are using even if you have only one drive which is necessarily drive A Syntax FORMAT SCP pathname If the string expression is a pathname designating a SCP you can change the configuration of that SCP TOS prints the following questions Text or bytes T B Auto line feed Y N Software Protocol Y N Input with wait Y N Baud rate A P Parity N none E even O odd Stop bits A 1 B 1 5 C 2 Bits char A 5 B 6 C 7 D 8 In each case you must type one of the letters shown above You can hit ENTER if you want to proceed to the next parameter without changing the value of
29. 7 Stop bits A 1 B 1 5 C 2 This is the minimal number of bits between the end of one byte and the beginning of the next 8 Bits char A 5 B 6 C 7 D 8 Number of bits of each data byte Although the normal value is 8 som quipment uses less bits Possible values are 5 6 7 and 8 The factory default setting is 1 Bytes 2 No auto line food 3 No X ON X OFF 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 4 Input operation with wait 5 1200 baud 6 No parity none 7 1 stop bit 8 8 bits per character The new setting values defined by the FORMAT will be destroyed when you turn your system off or press the Disk controller reset button However you can make these new values permanent by formatting a disk after configurating the SCP s This will store the operating system TOS in the disk with the current SCP configuration If you don t like the names CH A and CH_B you can change them with the LET instruction Note however that it is the disk inserted in drive A that provides the operating system So if you want to use your own SCP configuration instead of the factory default system you must use this new disk in drive A Or run the the utility LOSYS in all existing disks see appendix c You cannot configure an open SCP If you do you will get the error message lt gt is open The angle brackets represen
30. AT m sp A Ss 3s 45 YP AR y G G w G w G y G w G w G w w 0 emark A files are now unprotected nothing in last column nter ATTR ba ia emark A files are now Protected an side B of Demo disk nter ATTR 4 4 i nter CAT emark No files displayed by the CAT command nter ATTR v nter CAT Remark A files visible once more When files are no longer needed the best thing to do is delete them the instruction for this in TOS is ERASE The syntax is ERASE pathname n Templates can be used ERASE will not delete a protected file TOS prompts you with the following response before taking action unless the n parameter is given then it will be carried out without TOS asking no prompt Erase lt gt Y N lt gt represents the file name Y wi execute the command N wi stop the file from being erased his instruction to rename a file in TOS is LET he syntax is LET old Pathname TO new pathname TO is a keyword and cannot be the characters TO separately Protected files can be renamed where the protection is at the file level with the software If the directory has been write protected renaming would still be possible 10 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html However if the dis
31. ET Using the reset button on the interface nter CAT in the directory case age is saved as bytes in memory he screen has been saved n on the interface with 6912 bytes loaded Save option of CODE start address length to load with screen now you know why ESET on interface nter LOAD TOS COD CODE 16384 6912 emark Exactly equivalent nter CAT emark New screen nter SAVE TOS SCR SCREENS emark TOS prompts You answer no nter SAVE TOS SCR SCREENS n Remark No prompting TOS SCR is overwritten 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html The use of Arrays in BASIC is the main way of creating Data storage TOS provides additional file handling capabilities in sequential and random access files Data can still be saved in arrays using TOS The syntax for a string array named p which is to be saved as the date file name dat is SAVE name dat DATA P to load LOAD name dat DATA p Were the array numeric the syntax would only differ in the name for the array which would have no S after it Using the file type to indicate the type of data in the file the right Load option can more easily be chosen avoiding the likelyhood of data type mismatch E g a SCREENS type cannot be loaded using LOAD filename The syntax is MERGE pathname This merges a new programme and its variabl
32. HEN GOTO 120 150 REM Read a record 160 INPUT Record number n 165 REM File size limited to 170 IF n gt 65535 OR n lt 1 THEN G 180 INPUT 1l aS AT n 190 CLS 200 PRINT AT 4 3 Name a 210 PRINT AT 8 0 Address 220 PRINT AT 12 7 Phone 230 PRINT AT 16 2 Notes Z40 INPUT Enter to continue 250 GOTO 120 500 REM Write a record 510 INPUT Record number n 520 IF n gt 65535 OR n lt 1 THEN G 530 CLS 540 DIM n 30 DIM bS 30 550 INPUT Name n 560 INPUT Address b 570 INPUT Phone p 590 INPUT Notes c 590 PRINT 1 n b p c AT 600 GOTO 120 610 CLOSE 1 PRINT Finish LINES 90 95 110 are used f existing file name The seco programme these lines prev http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html le but you must use fixed length records This mode is h as those in an address book where each entry has a reads records without resetting the file pointer every time anywhere in the file without upsetting other records f the sixteen channels and the string slicing function to ly you could use several channels and allocate one to each the need for the string slicing function ADDRESS on your demo disk 7100 d 3 End hs 65535 records OTO 160 TO 30 7a 31 TO 60 a 61 TO 75 a 76 TO wens OTO 510 DIM p 15 DIM c 25 n eda or the error trapping It is not possible to DIM an nd time through the programme an error would stop the
33. K CAPSHIFT SPAC mark How to go and got help again ter LOAD DEMO HELP BAS mark After finishing s where we ar tcen S CAT A or list nark We did not move from the current directory ter DRAW followed by LIST mark each DRAW moves down 1 level nter Using GO TO or would got back to root Remark use GO TO instead of GO SUB doing it again O 2 p 0 0 2 p 0 Gl Ww 0 0 YP 5 0 os 0 H y Gy G y G wy G w G A w a a w D The way these commands operate with files is similar to the way they operate using directories however there are differences based on the fact that a directory can contain a file This means that operating on a directory will affect the file Som instructions cannot be used in the same way with directories ATTR can be used to protect unprotect veil or unveil directories in a similar way that it can be used with files As an example ATTR Newdir dirl v Will unprotect all the files in dirl LET Directories can be renamed just like files but only when there are not any files currently open As an example LET Disk1 TO Work will rename directory Diskl to Work MOVE The copying function cannot be used to copy a directory However the files from within can be copied freely from one directory to a
34. P EET H FHF 444 a5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HHE HE E H H H H 1 N C not connected 2 TX data transmit data 3 RX data receive data 4 CTS clear to send Sr DER data terminal ready 6 N C 7 Ground signal ground 8 N C 9 12v Pull up D 2 MAKING a standard 25 pin D type cable to connect a Printer available from your dealer EDD SY STEM TO RS232C peripheral connections on 9 Pin D type 25 Pin D type 2 emne 3 Rx Data e e T 2 Tx Data Qo eenean 5 CTS Seta eee Haat 20 DTR P al a a ga 7 Signal Gnd D Hee SS SESS SSS esa S 6 DSR data set ready NOTE You will need to check your printer configuration protocol and match it with that of the FDD SYSTEM You can use the default protocol see chapter 6 and configure your peripheral to that or you can reconfigure the RS232C port s current setting by using the FORMAT CH A instruction The most likely need will be to reconfigure the baud rate to match the peripheral D 3 PRINTING CHARACTERS There is a utility programme named type which you will be able to use with your printer making it echo the output from the keyboard like a type writer This is under the directory named UTIL on your demo disk Before loading the program connect a printer equipped with an RS232C interface to channel A of the controller D 4 USING LPRINT and LLIST You will need the utility programme lprint see appen
35. Specify a channel already in use a channel outside the range 1 to 16 a directory as the argument Specify a pathname using a template a random access file wit the opening of a file in write mode Or a record outside hout a record length the range 1 to 256 that is using output random or append modest to a file or disk which is write protected If a file or SCP is open the CAI know in which channel s the fil LIST instruction which disp LIST channel number The channel number is optional that channel If you 21 de 47 omit it TOS will instruction displays an 0 under the S field To le is open its mode type stream ays information on open files or record use the and whose syntax is If you specify it TOS will only display information on display information on all open channels 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html Try entering DIM TOS SCR OPEN 3 tos scr i This instruction opens the file TOS SCR in channel 3 in the stream input mode Now enter LIST The fist line listed is the pathname of the file starting at the root Next comes a header and the corresponding information Last line tells you how many free channels you have left The information on the open file includes Ch Channel number 1 to 16 T Channel type slow s or fast f M M
36. TCOM The disk tries to execute the command and sends back the result and error report 0 if 0 K To get the result you can use GETBLOCK which returns with the carry set if the disk sent a command or reset if it was data Montagem e impress o GR FICA P CACILHAS LDA ALMADA PORTUGAL 47 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28
37. Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 1 de 47 undefined COMPUTER WORLD Timex Floppy Disk Drive System User manual For SPECTRUM users Note the character represents the up arrow symbol in Spectrum Timex character set Symbol Shift H First Edition 1984 C T O S Copyright TIMEX PORTUGAL Ltd TMX PORTUGAL Ltd Apartado 2 2825 Monte da Caparica TIMEX DISK OPERATING SYSTEM H ntroducing TOS About this manual NR 2 1 Unpacking and Setting up 2 2 About the diskettes 2 3 Expanding the system 3 1 Using TOS commands 3 2 Getting started 3 3 CAT to catalogue disk contents 3 4 Filenames what is in a filename 3 5 FORMAT 3 6 LOAD SAVE 3 7 Using LOAD SAVE 3 8 MERGE 3 9 TEMPLATES 3 10 ATTR 3 11 ERASE 3 12 LET 3 13 MOVE 3 14 Using MOVE ERASE LET 3 15 START to create start up files The tree structure TOS DIRECTORIES The PATHNAME Using TOS PATHNAMES BP BP BWwWNH FE E 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 5 DIM E GOTO Y of Sof 2 LIST 7 GOSUB DRAW 8 Using the Demo disk 9 ATTR LET MOVE ERASE LOAD SAVE 10 Using two or more drives 5 RANDOM and SEQUENTIAL access f
38. al ROM that TOS use The first stage is to understand the ROM swapping mechanism that is used All the new commands are in an external ROM that uses the same address range of the standard BASIC ROM To access that ROM it must be selected by jumping to address 0008H After doing this the external ROM is enabled and the routines can be used To avoid crashing the system and not losing control of your programme it is suggested that you use the following code to switch ROM s PAGEIN PUSH IY 7 the ROM uses IY to detect a user call LD ITY 0 flag user call CALL 8 paging mechanism activated POP IY restore IY NOTES 1 After executing PAGEIN the external ROM disables interrupts 2 You can not use BASIC ROM routines using CBAS CBAS is explained later 3 You have access to 1Kbyte of RAM from 2000H to 23FFH that is used by the system to store variables and buffers It is free from 2156H to 23FFH After using the external ROM you can reselect the BASIC ROM by calling 0603H or 0604H the latter does not reenable the interrupts In the external ROM there is a routine to call routines in the BASIC ROM with the external ROM selected that takes care of all switching It is called with the address of the BASIC ROM in the next two bytes For example CBAS EQU 061DH the spcial calling routine CLS EQU OD6BH the SPECTRUM routine CALL CBAS DEFW CLS the calling address low byte first There is a jump table starti
39. as extended BASIC functions The next section deals with the TOS instructions There are two ways instructions can be xecuted either directly from the keyboard referred to as commands or from within a programme referred to as statements Throughout the manual in relation to TOS the terms command and statement will be used in this context The term file includes all types of programmes and data files and no special distinction is made unless applicable Knowledge of the SPECTRUM keyboard and SPECTRUM BASIC is assumed Any doubts may be clarified by referring to the SPECTRUM manuals The disk that comes with the system contains the demonstration programmes on side A and side B has nothing on it If you look at the disk you will see that side A has been write protected using the plastic tab Side B is not write protected and is for you to use The only copy of TOS you have is on side A so make sure that the disk remains write protected Side B will have to be formatted to be used and is explained in section 3 4 With the system set up you can now switch on the current using the power switch on the back of the power supply in the 1 Position nsert the disk labelled TOS in the drive and I he system will BOOT The red light on the drive will flicker until finally it goes o t i f TOS is then ready for use There is hole system or the reset button on the mac
40. at TOS is being read from the disk all o k Remark Turn disk over to side B Enter CAT Remark Disk keeps spinning but stops with error report Remark Error report Hardware fault on disk DEMO Remark This occurs because the disk is not FORMATTED The disk must have a name to be used for the FORMAT let it be Test Follow the instructions to see how it is done Remark turn disk over to side A Remark FORMAT will clear all data from a disk be careful Enter FORMAT A TO test Remark TOS responds Format disk in drive A Y N Enter Y Remark Change disk and press ENTER Remark turn to side B Enter ENTER Remark This allows formatting with a one disk system Remar It takes about 30 secs to format Remark It stops through 40 tracks and then writes TOS across A The system is written to the disk and uses up 16K of space on the disk There is another 4k used by the directory for the disk You can notice that the system is written to the disk last and takes place while the light is flickering at the very end To format the disk B the principle is exactly the same except the drive name is disk B If the disk name was NEWDRIVE then the command would appear like this FORMAT B TO NEWDRIVE In this case there must be a system disk in drive A for the system to work and there would be no delay for disk change
41. ceive a output of text with auto line feed and software protocol Type record or stream Record length 1 if stream baud rate 50 to 19200 baud Data type text or bytes Auto line feed yes Y or no N XON XOFF Protocol yes Y or no N This instruction also prints the number of free channels 40 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual 41 de 47 Syntax LOAD pathname load option The LOAD instruction is very similar to its equivalent in the SPECTRUM s BASIC The load options are the same The Pathname can represent an SCP allowing you to receive BASIC programs or code directly from another computer Syntax MERGE Pathname This instruction is similar to its equivalent of the SPECTRUM BASIC language and merges a disk BASIC program to a program already existing in the memory of the SPECTRUM Syntax LET old pathname TO new Pathname This instruction renames a file directory or SCP Both pathnames must designate the same directory This renaming operation does not affect the protection attribute Syntax OPEN expression 1 pathname mode expression 2 This instruction opens a file or SCP and associates a channel with it allowing you to access it through the instructions PRINT and INPUT expression 1 channel number pathname pathname of the file or SCP mode i input read only o output write only r rand
42. ctory To access the other drives treat them as if they were directories placed immediately under the ROOT So if you wished to move say to the disk in drive B you could type GO SUB or GO TO Name of drive B disk Try the following example Remark For users with more than one drive Remark Using side A of demo disk and a blank disk in drive B Enter FORMAT B TO NEW Enter Y Remark Formatting drive B Enter CAT Remark You now have two disksEnter DIM NEW MATHS DIR Enter MOVE MATHS TO NEW MATHS Enter CAT NEW MATHS Enter GO SUB Remark Use of GO SUB without a pathname Enter GO TO NEW MATHS Enter CAT Remark Your current directory is MATHS in drive B Enter DRAW Enter CAT Remark Return to previous directory Enter LOAD NEW MATHS ROOTS BAS Remark Now try changing your current directory to MATHS in disk B and LOAD x LINEAR BAS Try the following to understand the way of changing drives without knowing the names of the disks Enter GO TO DEMO Remark Your directory is now drive A Enter 3 GO TO JTBE Enter CAT Remark Your current directory is now NEW in drive B Remark Try to go back to drive A using GO SUB A d A file may be thought of as a collection of pieces of information bound to the same name Until now the concept of a file as a whole
43. d file will be overwritten by specifying a record ritten next In record files ten next Record truction is the file is open in the append mode ize plus 1 stream files fF you open a file in output only mode Using the append mode the data is attached to the end of the file the fil record files ccess a particular character in a certain record you must read th ntire record an open file always has a pointer pointing to points to the character which will be read or le pointer points to the number of the record that files can also be accessed s xecuted th If the quentially record fi pointer is initialised to different file is open in input or output stream the file pointer is initialised to 1 even if the file pointer is initialized with the file all its previous contents on the file The changes made to a file becom CLOSE instruction ffective when you I S or with the number of records contained in the file plus 1 record files corresponding to the number of the character or record that is going to b will be destroyed without overwriting number lower than the last one close it with the You can also open and read or write SCP s but the concepts just described vary These are described in the next chapter devoted to SCP s The following you cannot do with the OPEN instruction Specify specify specify Specify
44. dix C These can also pass control codes for enlarged Print etc 10 OPEN 1 CH_A a 20 PRINT 1 CHR 27 30 CLOSE 1 D 5 COMMUNICATING FDD SYSTEM to another SYSTEM Controller to Controller connection will use a standard TIMEX 9 Pin D type cable to connect two FDD SYSTEMS For any other system using an RS232C interface follow the pin out table above making the connections as shown The receive programme would need to be written to suit that system To send characters between two systems connect the cable to both channels A of each system and load RSTRANS under directory UTIL into the transmitting computer The programme listing is as follows Programme RSTRANS 43 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 10 OPEN 1 ch_a o 20 IF INKEYS lt gt THEN GO TO 20 30 IF INKEYS THEN GO TO 30 45 PRINT INKEYS 50 PRINT 1 INKEYS 60 GO TO 20 The receiver should load RSRECEIV under the directory UTIL Listing as follows Programme RSRECEIV 10 OPEN 1 CH A i 1 20 INPUT 1 AS 30 PRINT AS 40 GO TO 20 The receiver should start running the program before the transmitter You will find it easy to send programs from one computer to another Simply load the program you want in the transmitting computer and then type SAVE CH A or SAVE CH_B
45. e at level 0 Probably a DRAW without a GO SUB This error is generated by the OPEN instruction it you specify the number of a channel that is already open Change the channel number or close the other file first You tried to execute CLOSE LIST PRINT INPUT or RESTORE with a number corresponding to a channel that is not open You specified a channel number outside the range 1 to 16 in one of the following instructions OPEN CLOSE LIST PRINT or RESTORE Possibly a variable with a wrong value You executed a CLOSE without argument close all channels but all channels were already closed This message also appears in the LIST instruction but constitutes no error just an information report This error message is generated by the instructions that access files as a whole that is SAVE LOAD MERGE and MOVE The three first need one channel and MOVE needs two This error occurs if there are not enough free channels This error can only occur when trying to copy an SCP to a file or another SCP SCP s can only be read using fast channels The MOVE instruction also issues this message if channels 1 to 4 are busy The channel table holds information on open channels and has a capacity of 128 entries SCP s use on ntry each Files use one entry
46. e old version of the file which occupied 7 Kbytes was erased his was done by the CLOSE instruction Ja Uu 4 5 The same principle applies to the other write modes random access and append with nformation written beyond the end of the file when it was opened H F This is the case with append in stream files and append and random access in record files when specifying a record number greater than the last one on file In such a case a system reset will lose all new information However if you write over already existing information this is immediately replaced and will not be lost even in a power failure This is also true with the RESTORE instruction when in the append mode with stream files and append and random access with record files if you specify an already existing record number In the input mode data is never lost even if the power fails because the file is not being updated If you are writing into files always check that all files are closed before turning off your system otherwise new information written in your files may be lost Errors that may occur with the CLOSE instruction are if you specify a channel not open or with a number outside the 1 to 16 range TOS will print Channel not open and Tllegal channel number respectively Extremely unlikely but possible is the error message Directory full on disk lt gt w
47. e the file size is initialised to zero even 26 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html if the file already has some data This is because the output only mode overwrites th previous contents of a file However the old version of the file is not destroyed until you close the file As an example open a file in the output mode only To avoid destroying one of your files copy one and work on it Enter MOVE SCREEN SCR TO NEWSCR SCR open it with OP Gl N 2 NEWSCR SCR 0 and now enter CAT The S field shows you that the file NEWSCR SCR is open Note that the file NEWSCR SCR which should be 6917 bytes being a screen exhibits a size zero The Cur field which shows the currently used space in the disk exhibits a value that is 7k bytes larger than the sum of the allocated spaces of all the files This is because the old version of NEWSCR SCR is still there hidden by the system If you enter LIST 2 you can list additional information on channel 2 open to this file Note this is a fast channel The file is open as a stream in output only mode has size 0O and the next character to be written will be the first This information concerns the open version of the file You can new start writing data on the file Try running the following program 10 FOR n 1 TO 80 20 PRINT 2 a 30 NEXT n
48. ed to create a name that already exists This error can occur in the DIM LET and MOVE instructions iH This error occurs in LET if the type file directory or SCP of the second pathname does not agree with that of the first LET can only change the name not the type 37 TEMPLATE NOT ALLOWED You must use a name not a template Templates are only allowed in ERASE MOVE only 33 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual irst You specified a templat Pathname matching it instructions correctely CAT and ATTR This error can occur in the http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html but t here were no files or directories or SCP s ERASE MOVE CAT and ATTR L Th directory Therefore system tried to create or update a fil This error can occur in the DIM The disk directory can hold 128 entries The disk itself us Other directories also use one entry a file with 7K uses one entry and a file with 50 and le but there was no space in the disk and SAVE instructions s on ntry for its name files occupy one entry per each 16K in size K uses 4 entries CLOSE MOVE The disk has instructions no more space This error may result from SAVE This error occurs in t record number so high space in
49. er 1 to 65535 Optional when using random access files If not defined he next record position is used n channel number 1 to 16 Str exp any string or string expression resulting in a string with no more than 256 Characters Var any string variable or one dimensional string array P A last Point everything said about sequential files is also true when using serial channels since TOS treats both in much the same way The RESTORE instruction whose syntax is RESTORE channel number Allows you to reset the file pointer to the value 1 bringing it back to the beginning of the file This is especially useful in files open as streams which can only be accessed sequentially By using this command when the file is open in input only i you will start reading the beginning of the file again If the file is open in write only or append modes you will start overwriting it This instruction allows you to update only the initial characters of a stream file without destroying the rest of the file Only in output mode does it destroy all the file contents Open the file in the append mode and then use the RESTORE instruction You can now start rewriting the file from the beginning without destroying all its contents The process is the same for record files although you can avoid the use of RESTORE by always specifying the number of the record you wan
50. es specified by the pathname with the old programme in the SPECTRUM memory The new file must contain a BASIC programme and overwrites any of the programme lines or variables in the old programme with line numbers that conflict with the ones of the new programme It is not possible to merge bytes or arrays RESET On the interface Remark Use side B of Demo disk Type 40 PRINT Enter SAVE TOS OVL Enter CAT Remark Programme TOS BAS and TOS OVL are on disk Remark Going to overlay TOS OVL onto TOS BAS Enter LOAD TOS BAS Enter MERGE TOS OVL Enter Press ENTER Remark Line 40 is changed by the MERGE Enter RUN A template is similar to the Joker in a pack of cards because it can be anything A template will allow a selection over a number of files by for example selecting all those beginning with a particular character or all those with a BAS type extension There are two templates characters or wildcards in TOS as follows plus replaces all the name or type question mark replaces a character A pathname with at least one of these characters is called a TEMPLATE Selection of files could be done like this ie arin ced name and type masked BAS any name with BAS type a any file with no type C any 8 letter file starting with C nea File starting wi
51. from a file or SCP via a channel n specifies a channel From 1 to 16 VARS Any string variable or one dimension string array P Record number 1 to 65535 Used to point to next record to be accessed in the random access mode If ommited the next record is used Syntax LIST The LIST instruction lists information on the current directory and an all directories stored in the stack This information includes 1 The pathname of the current directory 2 Its level 3 The drive where its disk is inserted This information is partially displayed in the first two lines of the listing produced by CAT LIST Syntax LIST channel number If the channel number Can be a numerical expression is given this instruction lists information of the corresponding channel If the channel is not open an error message is generated If the expression is omitted this instruction lists information on all open channels This information includes For the channel s open to a file Channel number Channel type fast or slow Mode i input read only a output write only r random access read write a append write at the end of the file Type record or stream Record length 1 if stream Current record file pointer position Size file size in bytes Channel open to an SCP Channel number Mode i input receive only o output transmit only r full duplex transmit re
52. fying the disk name The Demo disk contains programmes on side A that should be used for the following study of the directory structure The pathname making use of nested directories will be used together with the proceeding set of instructions Remarks on how compound pathnames differ from pathnames with no path in relation to the instructions introduced in chapter 3 will be dealt with at the end of the next section Try the following Remark Using side A of the Demo disk Enter GO TO Remark go to the root directory Enter CAT Remark DEMO DIR Remark CH_A SCP Remark CH_B SCP Enter GO SUB DEMO Remark Going down the tree but can easily returns Enter 4 LEST Remark Tells us where we are 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html Enter CAT Remark See what is available Remark Help bas only Programme rest are directories Enter LOAD DEMO HELP BAS or simply LOAD help bas Remark using a compound pathname in LOAD Remark Running help you find it is a TOS summary Remark A programme can be stopped using BREAK nter CAT mark using LOAD did not change the LEVEL from 1 ter GOSUB FUN ter CAT nark level 2 amp pathname on top of directory nark What about a game ter GOSUB GAMES ter CAT mark play dice ter LOAD DICE BAS nark When wou have had enough BREA
53. hannel number which becomes exclusive to this file until you close it with the CLOSE instruction Closing a channel frees it and disassociates it from the file preventing further access to the file The OPEN instruction opens a file that is prepares it to be accessed read or written Essentially this operation consists of associating a channel with a file and establishing the access mode In all subsequent access operations the file is referred to by the number of the channel you associated with it You cannot access a file that is not open Note however that we are referring to read and write operations using the INPUT and PRINT instructions El You can access a closed file as a whole with instructions like SAVE LOAD and MOVI but INPUT and PRINT are the only instructions that allow access to a specific part of a file The syntax of the OPEN instruction is OPEN He channel pathnam r mod r r Cad ngth The is printed by the SPECTRUM as part of the OPEN keyword The OPEN parameters have the following meaning CHANNEL Number of the channel you want to associate with the file This channel must not be associated with another file and must be in the range of 1 to 16 It can be a numeric expression PATHNAME Pathname designating the file Can also designate an SCP but not a directory Can be a string expression MODE Let
54. hich neans the disk directory has no space to hold the name and additional information of the new version of the file This will only occur if you have the maximum possible number of files 128 per side of the disk occupied TOS provides you with 16 channels that are divided into two types fast and slow Channels 1 to 4 are fast and 5 to 16 are slow The difference is due to memory limitations Each fast channel has a 512 byte buffer exclusively reserved to it whereas slow channels share a common 512 byte buffer TOS uses these buffers to speed up access to the disks Reading or writing a memory buffer is much faster than reading or writing the same number of bytes in the disk So when you read a single byte from a file TOS reads a lot more 256 into the channel memory buffer Slow channels share a common buffer and the data in that buffer belonging to a file can be destroyed by the data of another file open in another slow channel When writing into a slow channel TOS writes the data in the disk or SCP immediately after the PRINT instruction because otherwise a second PRINT in another slow channel would overwrite that data As a direct consequence TOS must perform a disk access in case of disk files for each PRINT instruction even if you only print one character which slows down the printing process Hence the slow channel designation You can observe this with the following program
55. iles 6 RESTORE 7 CLOSE 8 Fast and slow channels 6 1 The SCP s 6 2 FORMAT a Serial Communication Port configure 6 3 File transfer via Serial ports 6 4 OPEN and CLOSE commands with the SCP s 6 6 6 5 CLOSE 6 LIST EJ APPENDIX A TOS COMMAND SUMMARY APPENDIX B ERROR REPORTS APPENDIX C UTILITY PROGRAMM zal n APPENDIX D RS232C LINK UPS APPENDIX E ERROR TRAPPING APPENDIX F MACHINE CODE TIPS The addition of disk drives to the SPECTRUM creates an immensely powerful system and TOS the disk operating system especially developed by Timex gives you the power from within your BASIC programme that you have always wanted but never believed would be available The secret lies in the controller which controls the operation of the disk drives and it is here that the TOS operating system resides The controller is a separate computer having its own Z80A Central Processor as well as its own internal memory and input output facilities Every time a TOS command is issued it passes straight to the controller which then executes the instruction Placing no overhead on the SPECTRUM and of course is not dependent an any hardware limitations of the SPECTRUM such as available memory The disks are the lastest in micro floppies using very high den
56. ion disk contains a number of utility programmes to perform certain useful operations This appendix will explain the use of these programmes They may be found under the directory UTIL The programmes contained are BACKUP DUMP LPRINT and LOSYS C 1 BACKUP This programme will copy an entire disk sector by sector copying all the contents This allows the creation of backup copies and will operate by copying the disk in drive A to any of the other drives It is Possible to copy to drive A in which case the prompt will appear to change disks now It is necessary to shuffle between the master and the target disk until the copy is complete Using any other drive the copy will proceed without stopping C 2 LOSYS This utility allows the updating of the operating system TOS without the loss of data in your disk Each side of the disk has an operating system written to it and this utility will COPY across your programmes onto a new disk with the now operating system resident To run the programme LOAD LOSYS Several options are offered in such the same way as the backup programme responding to these options you can work with drive A only or any one of the other thr drives This utility can be used after FORMAT scp to change default setting on existing disks C 3 DUMP This will allow the chosen file to be dumped onto the screen giving the hexadecimal bytes for each address and the ASCII equiva
57. is different With SCP s the information listed includes Ch Channel number 1 to 16 T Channel type slow S or fast F M Mode I 0 R or A Typ Type stream STR or record REC Rln Record length number of bytes of each record Baud Baud rate 50 to 19200 baud Dat Data type Text TXT or bytes BYT A Auto line feed yes Y or no N X XON XOFF protocol yes Y or no N W Wait on input yes Y or no N If the SCP is open in input only or random access mode this instruction flushes the 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html input buffer erasing all bytes in the channel buffer waiting to be read If the SCP is open in another mode this instruction has no effect This appendix includes the list of all the error codes and the messages which the system generates To help you discover why the error arose a list of reasons is given below for each of the error messages The symbols lt gt are used to represent a name output by the system A character with ASCII code outside the range 32 to 126 more than 64 characters including spaces no characters besides spaces or no characters at all spaces between two characters where neither of the characters is a separator OD a yes a filename with more than 8 characters or an extension with more than 3 a name and or type wi
58. k has been software write protected TOS will prevent renaming Setting the hardware protection tab also prevents name changes TOS gives on error message explaining the protection level a Trying to rename an open file or using templates will generate error messages from TOS Creating copies of disks and programmes is an essential part of using a disk system Important work and programmes should be backed up If you are using a single disk system you will need to use the utility programme which is on your demo disk in order to create a copy of an entire disk Details are in the appendix Utility programmes A disk copy may be made where there are two drives by using the copy command and specifiying the target directory into which the files are to be copied This is dealt with in section covering directories in CHAPTER 4 The syntax is MOVE source name TO destination name Try the following Remark Using side B of the demo disk ESET on the interface nter CAT emark P in the last column indicates file is protected emark Can a protected file be renamed nter LET tos ovil TO renamed emark No obvious change directory needs refreshing nter CAT emark The name is now RENAMED with no type D w K YN The file is sti protected with the name change renamed TO tos ovl ct oO KR Z lt 7 2 p
59. l Remark In directory dirli are 1 12 123 1234 712345678 Remark All the files are created with size zero The default directory can be changed to another directory by usin the GO TO instruction The syntax is GO TO Pathname A special instruction exists to move up through the directory structure which is GO TO move up one directory level GO TO move up two directory levels Any number of levels can be moved up in this way but there is a short form of returning to the top the root which uses a colon and is as follows GO TO goes to the root directory The Place you are in TOS is always stated at the top of the directory TOS allows that information to be displayed by itself using the LIST command along with your directory location GO TO and LIST may be used as a programme statements The pathname may be a string variable O mark Using side A of your demo disk ter CAT mark The physical resources of your system are displayed starting with the name of e disk In drive A followed by the two SCP s nark Another way to display the root is ter GO TO ter CAT mark Suppose You just wanted to know the size of the file HI LO BAS ter CAT DEMO FUN GAMES HI LO BAS ter CAT nark Your current directory is still the same mark If you wanted to make GAMES current directory ter GO TO DEMO FUN GAMES mark To know information about HI LO
60. lent Where the ASCII character cannot be printed it is displayed as a dot The programme will prompt you for the name of the file you want to dump in this way To run the Programme LOAD DUMP C 4 LPRINT This programme will activate your printer connected to the serial channel A to work with the commands of SPECTRUM BASIC to print text and list a programme LPRINT and LLIST The programme does not use any of the main RAM of the SPECTRUM but uses the print buffer Every time a NEW command is made this programme wi be destroyed To use the programme it must be first loaded then run and then line 9 which is the only BASIC line of the programme should b rased The programme should b ntered before the main programme you want to use however it can be MERGED to the existing programme provided no line 9 exists There is a STOP command at the end of line 9 to allow a merge followed by a GO TO 9 The GO TO 9 will activate the printing routine by loading the machine code required Once the code is in line 9 is no longer required and should be deleted Th STOP command will stop entry into the main programme and allow you to break out and 42 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html APPENDIX D RS232C LINK UPS D 1 PIN OUT OF PLUG The RS232C sockets are wired as follows FHFHEFFHEFETE FFT E A
61. n one occurs and a zero when there is not an error Testing for the error number and the error condition is the way that error trapping can be performed The following example should explain the method more clearly 50 LET TRAP 23729 LET SYSERR 23728 100 OPEN 1 1 Filename I 110 POKE TRAP 255 120 INPUT 1 AS 130 IF PEEK SYSERR lt gt O THEN GO TO 500 44 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 140 PRINT AS 150 GO TO 120 500 PRINT Reached end of file 510 CLOSE 1 EJ Use any Filename that exists under your current directory Line 110 error trapping is activated Line 130 the error number will appear in SYSERR or a 0 if no there is not an error The error numbers are those that appear in APPENDIX A Making use of these errors can be achieved as follows 5 AK SYSERR STOP 500 IF PEEK SYSERR lt gt 72 THEN PRINT System error number PRINT P 510 PRINT Reached end of file 520 CLOSE 1 Note error 72 means an attempt to read past the end of a file any other error will cause the programme to STOP To disable the error trapping routine remember to POKE 23729 0 APPENDIX F MACHINE CODE TIPS The extended BASIC functions of TOS may be used in machine code programmes but to do so calls must be made to the extern
62. n the disk The creation of a hole by moving the tab will write protect the revelant side of the disk Where the tab blanks off this hole the disk is not write protect The basic configuration with a single disk drive can be upgraded to a total of four disk drives A B C D The first one is A and each additional drive is assigned a letter as far as D Using more than two drives necessitates the use of a second power supply and a second cable from the controller to the drives The initialisation of the disk drives from the factory is for use as A drive You will need to configure further disk drives yourself as B C or D depending on your system You do this as follows Unscrew the 4 screws on the base of case which hold the drive assembly in position emove the drive assembly from the case The blue capped IC integrated circuit ina ocket near th dge connector of the drive marked R1 is only needed in drive A for ther drives it has to be removed There is a jumper marked J01 which has to be onnected corresponding to the drive designation using the following values A 0 B 1 D 3 As you configure a new drive remember to label it with the drive letter an the ront to the drive for easy identification From the outside of the drive you can check he designation by looking into the rear edge connector Under the word interface You will see the small connector in one of 4 Positions the leftmost position corresponds to
63. nding SPECTRUM rear T connector between your SPECTRUM an lines on the port and needs to the back of the normal printer connecting plug it may Such leads of a flexible mylar sheet coated with magnetic ma which has a shutter to protect the recordi is automatically opened when the disk is inserted in the drive te head of the disk drive is positioned The disks have two sides and when used with this system have a formatted mea 320K per drive but some basic precautions use must be take from Timex to plug into the co 2 2 ABOUT THE DISKETTES The diskettes are mad onclosed in a plastic casing shutter where the read wri are double density capacity of 160K per side giving in all The disks are very reliable Do not expose the disks to heat or direct sunlight Keep away from strong magnetic fiels e g Do no transformers t open the shutter or finger the magnetic surfacve to have more dge connector you d the interface lines than be connected to are avaiable ntroller in the relevant appendix of this manual terial and are ng media This and is the point and ning usable 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html Keep away dust that could reach the recording surface The disks can be write protected by using the small plastic tabs You can protect either side A or B or both by switching the two tabs o
64. ng at 0605H with some of the most useful routines in the external ROM to the machine code programmer The following is a list of the routines and the calling addresses 0605H JP PUTDAT Purpose transfer a data block to the disk system Registers used non INPUT data to transfer in bufdat 2000H to 20FFH A number of bytes to send OUTPUT none Comment can be aborted with break 0608H JP PUTCOM Purpose send command to the disk system 45 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual Registers used non INPUT AF PC DE HL IX IY OUTPUT none Comment all registers are sent to the disk system Can be aborted with break QO60BH JP GETBLOCK Purpose get data or command from the disk system INPUT none OUTPUT data carry reset and data in bufdat command carry set and all the registers changed Error code in 2100H and error message in 210DH to 211DH Comment can be aborted with break Q60EH JP SENDBL Purpose send a package to the disk Registers used non INPUT HL buffer pointer tvp len type and length of data to send OUTPUT zero if ok 0611H JP GETBL Purpose get a package from the disk Registers used non INPUT none OUTPUT data in bufdat or bufcom zero it op tvp Ion type and length of data received 0614H JP RDBLOC Purpose tread up to 256 bytes from file Registers used BC HL INPUT chan channel number DE number of bytes to
65. nnot be erased until they have been unprotected You can ERASE unprotected files inside protected directories There is an option using ERASE that allows files to be erased without offering the Y N prompt that is normal This is using the n option which works like this ERASE n no prompting ERASE wi give Y N choice for each file LOAD SAVE can be used in exactly the same way as with a single file except including the fu pathname This way you are able to save or load programmes from any of the directories in the system from the current directory SAVE NEWDIR DIR1 CREATE saves the programme in dirl LOAD NEWDIR DIR1 CREATE to load it Try the following Remark Using disk B With the program CREATE we generated 8 files with numeric names in section 4 5 Enter ERASE NEWDIR Remark Can not ERASE a directory that contains directories Enter GO TO NEWDIR Enter CAT DIRI Remark Create another directory and copy all files into it Enter DIM DIR2 DIR Enter MOVE DIR1 TO DIR2 Enter CAT DIR2 Remark A the files in dirl copied to dir2 Remark
66. nother A utility backup programme exists which will perform the function of a disk Copy When needed This programme is on the disk that you received with TOS and its functioning is explained in the appendix C A file can be copied from one directory to another like this xJ MOVE create TO newdir create T MOVE can also be used with SCP s copying to then and from them just like other files You can even copy from one SCP to the other which could be useful for echoing the input from CH A to CH_B could be used in testing a devic quipped with an RS232C interface like a video terminal or other computer MOVE CH_A TO CH B A File can be sent to an SCP using MOVE as follows MOVE Tos bas TO ch_b CAT Can be used simply by adding the full pathname as follows 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html CAT newdir dirl to list all the files on dirl ERASE can be used in much the same way as with files except you cannot erase the names defined in the root like the actual name of the disk and the SCP s Erasing a directory will erase all the files within it but if a directory contains another directory it cannot be erased All files have to be closed before a directory can be erased or indeed even a file that is open cannot be erased If there are files within a directory that are write protected then the directory ca
67. ode I 0 R or A one of the four modes in which you can open a file Typ File type stream STR or record REC Rin Record length the number you specified in the OPEN instruction If the file type is stream the value shown is 1 Pointer File pointer this is the number of the character or record that is going to be read or written next if the file is open as a stream or record file respectively The first character or record is number 1 Size The size of a file in bytes In input only this value is fixed In all other modes this value may grow according to what you write in the file Now enter DIM TOS BAS SAVE SCREEN SCR SCREENS OPEN 7 tos bas r 20 OPEN 16 screen scr a followed by LIST This lists information an all open channels Please note 1 Channel 3 is fast T field and 7 and 16 are slow 2 File TOS BAS is open as a record file with record length Rln of 20 bytes characters and the file pointer is initialised to 1 3 File SCREEN SCR is open as a stream in append mode which is why the file pointer is initialised to 6918 one plus the size that is the number of the character that will be written next Finally 3 channels open leave 13 channels free If there is no channel open the LIST will print 16 channels free No channels open If you specify the number of a channel that is not
68. olizes output through channel 120 REM Table input routine 130 INPUT How many do you wish a 140 FOR n 1 TO a 150 INPUT Enter Number a 160 PRINT 1 aS CHRS13 170 NEXT n 180 CLOSE 1 The main body of the program ends here closing the file In line 160 we do not print the number but its string representation and use a carriage return ASCII code 13 after the number as a SEPARATOR In a sequential file such as this the charaters are printed one after another and items must be separated otherwise you will not be able to read them back separately Several types of separators are recognised by the extended BASIC You can use commas tabs CHRS6 or quotes Quotes must be used in pairs and everything between them will be considered a string This way you can save a string that has a separator code in it If you want to save a string that includes quotes then use two quotes like this wee Hello x After running this program there will be a file in your disk with all the numbers you have entered Use the following program to see how to check whether a number belongs to this table or not 200 LET TRAP 23729 LET SYSERR 23728 300 OPEN 1 TABLE DAT i 310 POKE TRAP 255 320 PRINT 0 ends Program 330 INPUT Number to check n 340 IF n 0 THEN GOTO 440 350 INPUT 1 p 360 IF PEEK SYSERR lt gt 0 THEN GOTO 410
69. om access read write a append expression 2 record length Syntax PRINT n STR AT P Writes characters or groups of characters i e records to a file or SCP via a channel n Specifies channel number 1 to 16 STRS Any string or string expression with no more than 256 characters P Record number 1 to 65535 used to point to next record to be accessed in the random access mode Can be ommited in which case the next record will be used Syntax DRAW This instruction is used in conjuntion with GO SUB to retrieve directory information from the directory stack and thus return to the directory that was current when the last GO SUB instruction was executed The directory level is decremented by one An error occurs if you try to execute this instruction in level 0 13 12 2008 15 28 http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html Syntax SAVE pathname save option n The SAVE instruction is very similar to its equivalent in the SPECTRUM s BASIC The save options are the same When the optional n parameter is given TOS will overwrite an existing file with the same filename without the usual prompting lt gt already exists Supersede Y N The pathname can represent an SCP allowing you to transmit BASIC Programs or code directly to another computer APPENDIX C UTILITY PROGRAMMES The demonstrat
70. open TOS will generate th rror message Channel not open If you specify a channel number outside the 1 to 16 range you will get the error message Illegal channel number The LIST will still work if the channel is open to an SCP with a few exceptions see chapter on SCP s 5 5 RANDOM ACCESS and SEQUENTIAL files 22 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 23 de 47 This section describes the use of random and sequencial access files Files can be used to store and retrieve information other than BASIC or machine code programs For example they can be used to keep a record of your bank account your appointments or just a sequence of results from a calculation a The new commands that allow you to use files from within a BASIC program work just like PRINT and INPUT but act on files instead of the screen or the keyboard To explain the use of these commands two small programs will be used The first demonstrates the use of sequential files and the second of random or direct access files Suppose You went to check it a number matches any of a sequence you have previously created and stored in a data file named TABLE DAT First you have to create this file The program to do it could be something like this 100 DIM TABLE DAT 110 OPEN 1 TABLE DAT 0 We have created the file and then opened it for output 0 symb
71. opy several files with a single command but in this case and only in this case the destination pathname must be a directory All the files matching the template will be transferred to this directory unless an error occurs TOS prints the names of the files or error messages as they are being copied SCP s cannot be used if you specify a template Syntax DIM pathname This instruction creates a file or a directory specified by the pathname If you want to create a directory you must specify a name with the type DIR Without it TOS will create a file Files are created with size 0 and newly created directories ar mpty SCP s cannot be created ERASE erases files that is destroys them and removes their names from the directory where they are defined The pathname can be a template so you can erase more than one file with a single command This instruction will generate an error if you try to erase a file or directory that is write protected or belongs to a protected disk TOS asks for a confirmation of erasure with the Question Erase lt gt Y N unless an n is specified in the initial command FORMAT disk Syntax FORMAT drive name TO disk name The FORMAT instruction formats the disk currently inserted in the drive specified Note that you must specify the name of the drive A B C or D not the pathname of the disk
72. ou will f ind Disk drive unit Set up the system as follows Switch t Controller Power supply Manual Diskette he power OFF to your SPECTRUM computer tor of the SPECTRUM Lea ribbon cable from the controll Plug the interface into th Connect the D plug of the con Connect the There is a white mark on the rib red edge of the cable on your le cable must always be connected t Connect the power supply up as Check that the ON OFF switch at Plug the power leads into the di Connect the mains plug Before turning on a diskettes re using mo the system If you a If you are using a p will need to connect interfac Th ES uses all are availab If you are one of the le from pluggi using a prin two serial com rin the optio r that na re ce the add ng in ter that roller to t as you drive A ollows b o s r edge connec he rear is o k drive and controller the interface onto the dis ler k drive on plug witch should be pointing upwards loo k at the socket FE on ad the section nd inserting your diskett than one disk drive refer to the normally plugs onto the I ss has a standart RS232C interface munications ports on the controller please r placing the The plug at the end of the about the section following on Expa
73. s a BASIC string and is within quotation mark and can be represented by string variables Referring to figure 2 of the directory structure in the demo disk the pathname can be studied in relation to the following examples FILE PATHNAME Calendar bas DEMO FUN CALENDAR BAS Hi lo bas DEMO FUN GAMES HI LO BAS Roots bas DEMO MATHS ROOTS BAS The pathname consists of a Path through the directories together with a target filename TOS helps you to know where you are by printing cut the path to the current directory at the head of the directory listing How ever far down a directory tree you go this information is always in the directory together with the level of nesting of GO SUB level of the directory There are times that it is necessary to create files that are not for storing programmes or screens but some other kind of information The DIM instruction is provided by TOS for this purpose The svntax is DIM pathname DIM creates a file or a directory The use of the path means that files can be created outside the current directory To create a directory the DIR extension must be included letting TOS know it is a directory otherwise a file would be created Using DIM it is possible to create up to 16 directories an each side of the disk that includes the directory corresponding to the disk itself This means 15 now ones can be
74. sity recording medium giving on the standard floppy 160K free an each side of the disk providing 320K of disk space per drive The controller and TOS have been especially designed around the need to communicate The controller has two serial communication ports which can be be configured to suit almost any type of protocol you are likely to need This means that apart from being able to communicate with TOS users you will be set to talk to other users on a variety of computers with a standard RS232C serial port Other peripherals such as modems 2 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual 3 de 47 printers connected to these The The The use 1 2 ABOUT THIS MANUAL manual has thr s parate s of tree directory structures ctions http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html second goes through some of the more subtle ways of applying TOS in random access and sequential files a chapter on the use of channels and serial communication ports The third part is a series of appendices for more specialised reference referenc guid to TOS plotters or any device that can be coupled to a serial port can also be first contains enough information for you to set up and begin working with TOS relation to the and concludes with and a quick Information about the utility programmes included an your demo disk are explained in this section king your system y
75. t they can also be accessed sequentially 5 7 CLOSE When you finish accessing a file you must close it This is done with the CLOSE instruction whose syntax is CLOSE channel number Note that the is printed by the SPECTRUM as part of the CLOSE keyword If you specify a channel number you will only close the corresponding channel and associated file It you omit it all the open channels are closed Closing a file or SCP implies disassociating it from a channel However if the mode is other than input only there is more involved Disk files are described by a few bytes in the disk directory containing the name of the file its size and a description of which disk blocks 1K byte each contain data belonging to that file Therefore it the file was open in a write mode output only random or append the CLOSE instruction must update these bytes to reflect the new file contents The way in which CLOSE does this depends on the mode in which the file is open NOTE that data written into a file is NOT safe until you CLOSE that file If something happens e g a power failure before the file is closed you may lose information just printed to that file So never keep a file open in write mode longer than is necessary When you open a file in the output only mod
76. tab or the casing of the disk itself to each side of a disk A S being written W m emory J he syntax is This Process of preparing the disks for use in this way is called FORMATTING ny disk has to have the sectors and tracks recorded onto it before it is used most ystems have other information placed on the disk as well The way TOS operates is by hen the system is booted up TOS is there and is transferred into the controllers 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html FORMAT drive name TO disk name CAUTION FORMAT DESTROYS ALL OF THE DISK CONTENTS T 5 he only way to prevent a disk from being FORMATTED is to use the protection tabs on the disk This is the only TOS instruction where the Drive name and disk name must be specified The names of the four drives are A B C D Where only one drive exists it must be drive A The demonstration disk side A has all the demonstration programmes and the operating system TOS on the disk on side A CAT the directory command will show that there are files there Side B is not FORMATTED so will need doing straight away Side B is accessed by placing the disk into the drive door with side B facing upwards RESET On the controller to reset TOS Remark Red light of disk A flashes on for a while then stops Remark The sign th
77. ter upper or lower Case defining the access mode There are four possibilities Input only You can only read the file Output only You can only write in the file Random access You can only read or write the file Append You can only write in the file New information is appended to the Previous ne OP WOH REC LENGTH This is an optional parameter if the mode is I 0 or A and defines the number of bytes characters of each record of the file Must be a number in the range 1 to 256 Can be a numeric expression If this parameter is omitted the last semicolon nust not be Present Examples 100 INPUT File name f 110 INPUT Channel number n 120 DIM f 130 OPEN n f i 140 REM the file is now open and ready to be read 2000 DIM Workfile 2020 OPEN 15 Workfile r 150 2050 REM the file WORKFILE is now ready to be read or written to with a record length of 150 The mode parameter defines the access mode input output random or append The last parameter defines the record length If omitted we say that the file is open as a stream file if present we say that the file is open as a record file If you specify the r mode you cannot omit this parameter 20 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html This describes what the file structure is expected to be If the file is open as a stream
78. th C and no type Templates are very useful for checking directories using CAT to find a particular type or group of files They can be used with the following instructions CAT LET ATTR MOVE ERASE Instructions needing a specific argument such as GO TO cannot use TEMPLATES Go to anywhere is meaningless 9 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html The ATTR instruction sets the file attribute to protected or unprotected and to visible or invisible as required The syntax is ATTR pathname p to Protect a file ATTR pathname u to Unprotect a file ATTR pathname i to Hide a file ATTR pathname v to Unveil a file Templates are allowed to lock or unlock ranges of files This protection is useful to prevent inadvertent erasure or altering of a file Files that are made invisible with this command will not be displayed when a CAT is executed Visibility can be retrieved by using the ATTR pathname v command Try the following ye 0 mark use side B of the demo disk ter CAT nark last col of directory is protect state mark Programme TOS OVL is on the disk ter ATTR TOS OVL P mark P does not appear in protect column straight away ter CAT nark Now the P appears showing the file is protected ter ATTR U mark Unprotects all files ter C
79. th the root at the top and the branches coming down This is so that moving up the tree involves moving back upwards to the root Moving down involves moving through named directories towards the lower branches Moving downwards the branches provide alternative routes This is why TOS will insist or having directory names specified on the way down but will accept an up arrow as an instruction to move up because on the way up there is only one way to go TOS can use pathnames in the majority of the instructions such as LOAD SAVE MERGE CAT ERASE MOVE ATTR DIM LET These instructions function in much the same way as they would using a filename but have the additional options available through the added ability to work through the pathname and so operate across the boundary of the directory There are several points to note about pathnames as follows The pathname is a compound name defining a path from the current directory to a file 13 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html or a directory Directory names on the path must be separated by a colon The root directory may be represented by a colon Any pathname can be defined from the root directory by starting the pathname with a colon Any pathname not starting with a colon will be from the current directory The Pathname is treated a
80. the current one or SPACE if you don t want to change any of the subsequent parameters Syntax GO SUB pathname or GO SUB drivename d The GO SUB instruction saves the current directory in a special stack known as the directory stack If the pathname is specified then TOS changes the current directory to the one designated by the pathname This instruction is used in conjunction with DRAW as an easy means of returning to the fe i n riginal directory even without you knowing which this is Several GO SUB nstructions can be nested The CAT instruction shows the current level of GO SUB esting It you use the d Parameter you must specify the drive name A B C D and not the pathname Hence you can move to another drive without knowing the disk name Note that your directory level will be incremented as the stack directory is updated Syntax GO TO pathname or GO TO drivename d This instruction changes the current directory to the one designated by pathname It is similar to GO SUB except it does not save the current directory in the directory stack Similarly to GO SUB the d option is available Except that once more the directory stack is not used 39 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html INPUT Syntax INPUT n VARS AT p Reads a character s or a group of characters i e a record
81. ther from the disk itself or the drive A likely cause is that there is no disk in the drive and note the system does not work unless there is a disk in drive A 36 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html This message appears if either 1 The disk is partially destroyed through magnetic fields heat etc 2 Your operating system loaded in memory is corrupted due to noise caused by electrical interference 3 You have replaced the disk in drive A and the new disk has a diferent version of the operating system TOS You shoud reset your system If the message persists then the disk has becoma corrupted In most cases you should be able to recover all or most if your files from the faulty disk by copying them onto a good disk This error occurs in the LOAD instruction if you specify an option CODE SCREENS DATA or name that is not the same or compatible with the option of the SAVE that created the file This error is also generatedif you try to load a file not generated by SAVE or MERGE a file that does not contain a BASIC programme This appendix presents a brief description of each one of the extended BASIC instructions provided by TOS in alphabetical order For reference The arguments between square brackets are optional lt gt are used to represent a disk name number file or
82. thout characters spaces do not count a file name with more than one two colons together an up arrow and a colon together an up arrow preceded by a character other than an up arrow a template character or not in the last file name that is a colon after a template character A pathname beginning with up arrows tried to go higher than the root Either you used more up arrows than you should or your current directory is not as low as you thought You cannot specify 1 the root or 2 a name in the root disk name or SCP This error can occur in the following instructions that have a pathname as their argument 1 All except GO TO GO SUB and CAT 2 DIM ERASE and SAVE 1 a file 2 a directory or 3 an SCP was specified where not allowed This error can occur in the following instructions 1 GO TO GO SUB and FORMAT SCP and disk 2 OPEN MOVE FORMAT SCP LOAD and MERGE 3 GO TO GO SUB ATTR and FORMAT disk You specified a pathname in which a name not necessarily the last one does not exist Note that this does not mean that the name does not exist in your system it just means that it was not found in the path specified in the pathname This error can occur in all the instructions requiring pathnames except DIM and FORMAT disk You tri
83. ting the name of the SCP in question m m There are four instructions to exchange files SAVE LOAD MERGE and MOVE They all work as the disk files do The SAVE instruction allows you to transmit a program code or data currently in memory LOAD and MERGE perform the inverse operation Note the auto run facility is also available e g SAVE CH_A LINE 20 MOVE allows you to copy a disk file to an SCP or vice versa or an SCP to another SCP The SCP s used must be configured with the data type bytes since the data type text gives special interpretation to some codes TOS does not check this These instructions deal with whole files To transmit or receive byte by byte the PRINT and INPUT instructions must be used SCP s are interpreted by TOS as normal files with special characteristics Thus you can also access SCP s with PRINT and INPUT instructions To do so you have to open and close the SCP s The syntax of this instruction is OPEN channel number SCP pathname mode record length Using SCP s the random access mode r input or output has a special meaning since each SCP can transmit and receive This mode means you can transmit by writing with PRINT or receive by reading with INPUT As SCP s have no permanent data SCP s send data they do not store it the append mode is given a special meaning For instance if you enter OPEN
84. ust replace the old disk to close the files s before using a new disk This error occurs in the FORMAT disk instruction if you have at least one file or SCP open You must close all files before formatting a disk 66 ILLEGAL DRIVE NAME This error occurs in the FORMAT disk instruction if you specify anything than A B C or D upper or lower case in the first string These are the legal drive names spaces are ignored This error occurs in FORMAT disk instruction if you do not specify a single legal name in the second string You must specify a disk name that is a directory name not a pathname This error occurs in the INPUT instruction when reading fromn an SCP if the channel buffer becomes full data incoming rate greater than system throughput and you have no protocol to stop the transmiter Configure the SCP to appropriate protocol You executed a PRINT instruction with a channel number corresponding to a file or SCP open in input only You executed a INPUT instruction with a channel number corresponding to a file or SCP open in output only or append You executed an INPUT instruction in a channel corresponding to a file whose pointer was at the end of the file No data is read This message can be generated by any instruction that reads or writes from or to the disk A hardware fault may be detected ei
85. which is there to allow the change of disk needed to format a disk in a single drive system LOAD and SAVE are similar to the standard LOAD and SAVE instructions of the SPECTRUM except that a name must be specificied and TOS treats all characters as upper case LOAD will produce an error report The LOAD of the SPECTRUM is useful when the name of the programme is not known In TOS the CAT command displays the directory of the files on the disk making is easy to find the programme needed The same options of LINE CODE SCR T ENS and DATA exist The syntax for SAVE and LOAD is the following SAVE pathname LOAD OPTION n 7 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual 8 de 47 H y G y G wy G wy Gwy Gy yy Gyw wwa U n 5 J LOAD pathname LOAD OPTION When the path in SAVE lt gt already exists Supersede Y N A Y will overwrite the file lt gt whilst N is used then TOS will carry out the command The OPTIONS are http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html refers to an existing file TOS prompts will ignore the command If the without prompting n option save with auto run save a screen save machine code save string array or numeric array 5a D SAVE pathname LINE number LOAD SAVE pathname SCREENS
86. world via SCP s are SAVE LOAD MERGE MOVE PRINT and INPUT 6 2 SCP CONFIGURATION FORMAT Communication between two computers and or peripherals through an RS232C interface is only possible when they use matching protocol To permit a wide range of protocols TOS provides an instruction to set all the parameters to the required values The syntax of this instruction is FORMAT SCP pathname which is distinct from the disk formatting instruction because the TO and the disk name are missing As with any instruction using a pathname you can either start at the root i e FORMAT CH_A SPC or you can start at your disk directory Enter FORMAT CH A SCP The type SCP is optional so you could enter 29 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html 30 de 47 FORMAT CH A TOS prompts for the required values to be entered but as default uses predefined setting If you press ENTER TOS proceeds to the next question and maintains the previous value for that parameter If you press SPACE TOS terminates the command and maintains the former values for the subsequent parameters It you press a key that is neither ENTER nor SPACE nor any of the alternatives asked by the question TOS repeats the question Replies may be entered in upper or lower case When FORMATting a serial port these are
87. write protected or unprotected Oe WN As a special case executing this instruction in the root shows the physical resources of your system that is the disk currently used and the SCP s 37 de 47 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html Syntax CLOSE expression P This instruction closes the open file linked to the channel number given by the expression The channel is disassociated from the file and becomes free f the file was open for input only it suffers no modification If the file was open or output only or for random access input output or append this instruction updates he file with the modifications made to the file If the system is initialized by ressing the reset button or switching it off and on the previous version of the file prior to the OPEN instruction will remain unchanged The modifications made will nly be transferred to the disk after the CLOSE instruction Oo ATO Gt MH Syntax MOVE source pathname TO destination pathname This instruction copies a file or SCP to another file or SCP The source is not destroyed nor modified The following combinations are allowed 1 Copying a file toa file makes a file duplicate allowing you to produce backup copies 2 Copying an SCP to a file 3 Copying a file to an SCP 4 Copying an SCP to an SCP The source pathname can be a template allowing you to c
88. xecuted the level drops by 1 An error will result from trying to DRAW rom level 0 cannot return from level 0 Mm Oo H The advantage of using GO SUB a instead of the straight GO TO a instruction is that TOS automatically keeps track of your route and will DRAW you to where you started and the way back requires no argument just DRAW GO TO would require the path specified for the route back You can also use to move up levels of directories LIST displays the contents of the directory stack hence for all the levels the following information PATHNAME LEVEL and DRIVE Remark Using side A of your demo diskette Remark You want to save your current directory in the stack for later use but you want o remain in that directory nter GO TO DEMO FUN or GO TO DEMO FUN it you are still at the ROOT 0 mark Makes FUN your current directory Per GIST ter i GO SUB mark No pathname Current directory saved an stack Ler LIST 2 p 5 0 ARAAwADADeAeded emark The current directory is the some but the directory level has been incremented nter GO TO DEMO MATHS nter CAT nter DRAW nter s List Remark You got bock to your first directory Like with the GO TO command this instruction also permits the usage of the d Parameter GO SUB drivename d which will enable you to change drives without speci
89. y contains the reference to where the file is rather like an index to a book S is organised in a hierarchic structure meaning that it is possible to have The directories appearing just like any 13 12 2008 15 28 Timex tech info FDD user manual http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html other files inside a directory but they always have a DIR type extension to the name There are two special files with the extension SCP these are serial communication ports and are CH_A SCP and CH_B SCP these may also appear in the directory listing and are dealt with in the last chapter The structure of your system with the demonstration disk is shown below ROOT F ILE DIRECTORY OU Ca O LFRt aT DUMP ROOTS 7 ADDRESS AS CALENDAR aonress nec covours DICE cackur Losys LINEAR HI 1 0 TYPE RSTRANS RSRECEIY Figure 2 TOS Provides various ways of moving around the directory structure as well as methods of creating erasing protecting copying and renaming a directory The TOS use of PATHNAME allows access to any file on whichever disk or directory that it is in The directory which is the one that TOS is currently at is termed the default or current directory When a command like CAT is performed it uses as its argument the current directory name and produces the listing of that directory The tree structure that TOS uses should be considered as an inverted tree wi
90. your diskette 10 LOAD HELP PAS SAVE start LINE 10 Creating a programme named START CAT Using reset button an interface Help bas runs automatically ave a programme named ly erase it http timex comboios info tmxtechfdd html START and you want to temporarly avoid its execution use following START programme Name of file to LOAD as 2 aS If you don t wish to use it at A Tree s directly and so o way to t connecte to the r The directory structure of TOS is analogous to There is a root directory which contains oth ctory may contain files and or directo ories can be nested one within another A dire Direct From a PATHNAME A PATH structur The PA and no m Note So source o The adva exists f exist on avoiding Grouping the BASI another tructure has a stem linked directly to the root There are branches which are linked to the root but there are branches which grow out of other branches n The path from a leaf to the root he root oot via the stem ny directory to a file r directories ries may involve passing through several branches on the The path may be very complex if the branch that the leaf is connected to is itself d to other branches but may also be very simple if there is a direct connection the tree structure or directory there is a specific route

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