Home » Archimedes archive » Acorn User » AU 1997-02 B.adf » Regulars » StarInfo/Rawle/!SwiConv/!Help
StarInfo/Rawle/!SwiConv/!Help
This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.
Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.
| Tape/disk: | Home » Archimedes archive » Acorn User » AU 1997-02 B.adf » Regulars |
| Filename: | StarInfo/Rawle/!SwiConv/!Help |
| Read OK: | ✔ |
| File size: | 0872 bytes |
| Load address: | 0000 |
| Exec address: | 0000 |
Duplicates
There is 1 duplicate copy of this file in the archive:
- Archimedes archive » Acorn User » AU 1997-02 B.adf » Regulars » StarInfo/Rawle/!SwiConv/!Help
- Archimedes archive » Acorn User » AU 1997-07 A.adf » Regulars » info/Rawle/!SwiConv/!Help
File contents
SWI CONVERTER Jonathan Rawle 1996 Instructions ------------ SWI converter is a useful tool for any BASIC programmers who use software interrupts (SWIs) in their programs. SWIs are instructions to the operating system, and are prefixed in BASIC with the keyword SYS. The command itself can either be in the form of a string, or a number. It is far more convenient for the programmer to use the string version as these are easily remembered and make programs easier to follow. But the strings take up more memory and disc space than their equivalent numbers, and execute more slowly. SWI converter solves this problem, by allowing the programmer to enter a string and convert it to a number, or vice versa. To use the converter, install on the iconbar�as usual.�Click to open the main window. Use the arrow keys to move the caret into either the decimal number, hexadecimal or text string icon, and enter the command. Press return or click OK, and the SWI will be converted into the other two forms. You can continue like this, or use the arrow icons to move through SWIs in numerical order. A second, and either more useful feature of SWI converter, is the ability to convert all the SWIs in a program automatically. To use this facility, simply drag the program icon over the iconbar icon or the window. Another window will open. Use the "destination" part of the window like an ordinary save box, to indicate where the converted program should be saved (drag the icon to a directory display). Use the radio icons to choose which types of SWI should be converted to which and click OK. After a while, the new program should be saved. NOTE: It is not a good idea to save the converted program on top of the old one. The new version should be tested before the old one is deleted. If the original program had its SWIs in the form of numbers, and you convert them to text, this may make some lines too long, and conversion will�fail. If this happens, split the long lines and try again. SWI converted will only convert the SWIs prefixed with SYS in BASIC programs. It will not convert SWIs in assembler. Quit the program from the iconbar menu as usual.
00000000 53 57 49 20 43 4f 4e 56 45 52 54 45 52 0a 4a 6f |SWI CONVERTER.Jo| 00000010 6e 61 74 68 61 6e 20 52 61 77 6c 65 20 31 39 39 |nathan Rawle 199| 00000020 36 0a 0a 0a 49 6e 73 74 72 75 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 |6...Instructions| 00000030 0a 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 0a 0a 53 |.------------..S| 00000040 57 49 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 65 72 20 69 73 20 |WI converter is | 00000050 61 20 75 73 65 66 75 6c 20 74 6f 6f 6c 20 66 6f |a useful tool fo| 00000060 72 20 61 6e 79 20 42 41 53 49 43 20 70 72 6f 67 |r any BASIC prog| 00000070 72 61 6d 6d 65 72 73 20 77 68 6f 20 75 73 65 20 |rammers who use | 00000080 73 6f 66 74 77 61 72 65 0a 69 6e 74 65 72 72 75 |software.interru| 00000090 70 74 73 20 28 53 57 49 73 29 20 69 6e 20 74 68 |pts (SWIs) in th| 000000a0 65 69 72 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 73 2e 20 53 57 |eir programs. SW| 000000b0 49 73 20 61 72 65 20 69 6e 73 74 72 75 63 74 69 |Is are instructi| 000000c0 6f 6e 73 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6f 70 65 72 61 |ons to the opera| 000000d0 74 69 6e 67 0a 73 79 73 74 65 6d 2c 20 61 6e 64 |ting.system, and| 000000e0 20 61 72 65 20 70 72 65 66 69 78 65 64 20 69 6e | are prefixed in| 000000f0 20 42 41 53 49 43 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 | BASIC with the | 00000100 6b 65 79 77 6f 72 64 20 53 59 53 2e 20 54 68 65 |keyword SYS. The| 00000110 20 63 6f 6d 6d 61 6e 64 20 69 74 73 65 6c 66 0a | command itself.| 00000120 63 61 6e 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 62 65 20 69 6e |can either be in| 00000130 20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 72 6d 20 6f 66 20 61 20 73 | the form of a s| 00000140 74 72 69 6e 67 2c 20 6f 72 20 61 20 6e 75 6d 62 |tring, or a numb| 00000150 65 72 2e 0a 0a 49 74 20 69 73 20 66 61 72 20 6d |er...It is far m| 00000160 6f 72 65 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 6e 69 65 6e 74 20 66 |ore convenient f| 00000170 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 6d 65 |or the programme| 00000180 72 20 74 6f 20 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 72 |r to use the str| 00000190 69 6e 67 20 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 61 73 0a 74 |ing version as.t| 000001a0 68 65 73 65 20 61 72 65 20 65 61 73 69 6c 79 20 |hese are easily | 000001b0 72 65 6d 65 6d 62 65 72 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20 6d |remembered and m| 000001c0 61 6b 65 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 73 20 65 61 73 |ake programs eas| 000001d0 69 65 72 20 74 6f 20 66 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 2e 20 42 |ier to follow. B| 000001e0 75 74 20 74 68 65 0a 73 74 72 69 6e 67 73 20 74 |ut the.strings t| 000001f0 61 6b 65 20 75 70 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6d 65 6d 6f |ake up more memo| 00000200 72 79 20 61 6e 64 20 64 69 73 63 20 73 70 61 63 |ry and disc spac| 00000210 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 65 71 75 |e than their equ| 00000220 69 76 61 6c 65 6e 74 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 73 2c |ivalent numbers,| 00000230 0a 61 6e 64 20 65 78 65 63 75 74 65 20 6d 6f 72 |.and execute mor| 00000240 65 20 73 6c 6f 77 6c 79 2e 0a 0a 53 57 49 20 63 |e slowly...SWI c| 00000250 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 65 72 20 73 6f 6c 76 65 73 20 |onverter solves | 00000260 74 68 69 73 20 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d 2c 20 62 79 |this problem, by| 00000270 20 61 6c 6c 6f 77 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 | allowing the pr| 00000280 6f 67 72 61 6d 6d 65 72 20 74 6f 20 65 6e 74 65 |ogrammer to ente| 00000290 72 20 61 0a 73 74 72 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 64 20 63 |r a.string and c| 000002a0 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 61 20 6e |onvert it to a n| 000002b0 75 6d 62 65 72 2c 20 6f 72 20 76 69 63 65 20 76 |umber, or vice v| 000002c0 65 72 73 61 2e 20 54 6f 20 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 |ersa. To use the| 000002d0 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 65 72 2c 0a 69 6e 73 74 | converter,.inst| 000002e0 61 6c 6c 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 69 63 6f 6e 62 |all on the iconb| 000002f0 61 72 a0 61 73 20 75 73 75 61 6c 2e a0 43 6c 69 |ar.as usual..Cli| 00000300 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 6f 70 65 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6d |ck to open the m| 00000310 61 69 6e 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 2e 20 55 73 65 20 |ain window. Use | 00000320 74 68 65 0a 61 72 72 6f 77 20 6b 65 79 73 20 74 |the.arrow keys t| 00000330 6f 20 6d 6f 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 65 74 |o move the caret| 00000340 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 74 68 65 | into either the| 00000350 20 64 65 63 69 6d 61 6c 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 2c | decimal number,| 00000360 20 68 65 78 61 64 65 63 69 6d 61 6c 20 6f 72 0a | hexadecimal or.| 00000370 74 65 78 74 20 73 74 72 69 6e 67 20 69 63 6f 6e |text string icon| 00000380 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 65 6e 74 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 |, and enter the | 00000390 63 6f 6d 6d 61 6e 64 2e 20 50 72 65 73 73 20 72 |command. Press r| 000003a0 65 74 75 72 6e 20 6f 72 20 63 6c 69 63 6b 20 4f |eturn or click O| 000003b0 4b 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 0a 53 57 49 20 77 |K, and the.SWI w| 000003c0 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 65 64 |ill be converted| 000003d0 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 | into the other | 000003e0 74 77 6f 20 66 6f 72 6d 73 2e 20 59 6f 75 20 63 |two forms. You c| 000003f0 61 6e 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e 75 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 |an continue like| 00000400 20 74 68 69 73 2c 0a 6f 72 20 75 73 65 20 74 68 | this,.or use th| 00000410 65 20 61 72 72 6f 77 20 69 63 6f 6e 73 20 74 6f |e arrow icons to| 00000420 20 6d 6f 76 65 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 53 57 | move through SW| 00000430 49 73 20 69 6e 20 6e 75 6d 65 72 69 63 61 6c 20 |Is in numerical | 00000440 6f 72 64 65 72 2e 0a 0a 0a 41 20 73 65 63 6f 6e |order....A secon| 00000450 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 6d 6f |d, and either mo| 00000460 72 65 20 75 73 65 66 75 6c 20 66 65 61 74 75 72 |re useful featur| 00000470 65 20 6f 66 20 53 57 49 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 |e of SWI convert| 00000480 65 72 2c 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 61 62 69 6c 69 |er, is the abili| 00000490 74 79 20 74 6f 0a 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 20 61 6c |ty to.convert al| 000004a0 6c 20 74 68 65 20 53 57 49 73 20 69 6e 20 61 20 |l the SWIs in a | 000004b0 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 20 61 75 74 6f 6d 61 74 69 |program automati| 000004c0 63 61 6c 6c 79 2e 20 54 6f 20 75 73 65 20 74 68 |cally. To use th| 000004d0 69 73 20 66 61 63 69 6c 69 74 79 2c 0a 73 69 6d |is facility,.sim| 000004e0 70 6c 79 20 64 72 61 67 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f |ply drag the pro| 000004f0 67 72 61 6d 20 69 63 6f 6e 20 6f 76 65 72 20 74 |gram icon over t| 00000500 68 65 20 69 63 6f 6e 62 61 72 20 69 63 6f 6e 20 |he iconbar icon | 00000510 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 2e 20 41 |or the window. A| 00000520 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 0a 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 20 77 69 |nother.window wi| 00000530 6c 6c 20 6f 70 65 6e 2e 20 55 73 65 20 74 68 65 |ll open. Use the| 00000540 20 22 64 65 73 74 69 6e 61 74 69 6f 6e 22 20 70 | "destination" p| 00000550 61 72 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 77 69 6e 64 6f |art of the windo| 00000560 77 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 6e 20 6f 72 64 69 6e 61 |w like an ordina| 00000570 72 79 0a 73 61 76 65 20 62 6f 78 2c 20 74 6f 20 |ry.save box, to | 00000580 69 6e 64 69 63 61 74 65 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 74 |indicate where t| 00000590 68 65 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 65 64 20 70 72 6f |he converted pro| 000005a0 67 72 61 6d 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 73 |gram should be s| 000005b0 61 76 65 64 20 28 64 72 61 67 20 74 68 65 0a 69 |aved (drag the.i| 000005c0 63 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 61 20 64 69 72 65 63 74 6f |con to a directo| 000005d0 72 79 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 29 2e 20 55 73 65 |ry display). Use| 000005e0 20 74 68 65 20 72 61 64 69 6f 20 69 63 6f 6e 73 | the radio icons| 000005f0 20 74 6f 20 63 68 6f 6f 73 65 20 77 68 69 63 68 | to choose which| 00000600 20 74 79 70 65 73 20 6f 66 0a 53 57 49 20 73 68 | types of.SWI sh| 00000610 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 65 |ould be converte| 00000620 64 20 74 6f 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 61 6e 64 20 63 |d to which and c| 00000630 6c 69 63 6b 20 4f 4b 2e 20 41 66 74 65 72 20 61 |lick OK. After a| 00000640 20 77 68 69 6c 65 2c 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 77 0a | while, the new.| 00000650 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 |program should b| 00000660 65 20 73 61 76 65 64 2e 0a 0a 4e 4f 54 45 3a 20 |e saved...NOTE: | 00000670 49 74 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 |It is not a good| 00000680 20 69 64 65 61 20 74 6f 20 73 61 76 65 20 74 68 | idea to save th| 00000690 65 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 65 64 20 70 72 6f 67 |e converted prog| 000006a0 72 61 6d 20 6f 6e 20 74 6f 70 20 6f 66 20 74 68 |ram on top of th| 000006b0 65 20 6f 6c 64 0a 6f 6e 65 2e 20 54 68 65 20 6e |e old.one. The n| 000006c0 65 77 20 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 73 68 6f 75 6c |ew version shoul| 000006d0 64 20 62 65 20 74 65 73 74 65 64 20 62 65 66 6f |d be tested befo| 000006e0 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 6f 6c 64 20 6f 6e 65 20 69 |re the old one i| 000006f0 73 20 64 65 6c 65 74 65 64 2e 0a 0a 49 66 20 74 |s deleted...If t| 00000700 68 65 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e 61 6c 20 70 72 6f 67 |he original prog| 00000710 72 61 6d 20 68 61 64 20 69 74 73 20 53 57 49 73 |ram had its SWIs| 00000720 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 72 6d 20 6f 66 20 | in the form of | 00000730 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 |numbers, and you| 00000740 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 0a 74 68 65 6d 20 74 6f | convert.them to| 00000750 20 74 65 78 74 2c 20 74 68 69 73 20 6d 61 79 20 | text, this may | 00000760 6d 61 6b 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6c 69 6e 65 73 20 |make some lines | 00000770 74 6f 6f 20 6c 6f 6e 67 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f |too long, and co| 00000780 6e 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 77 69 6c 6c a0 66 61 |nversion will.fa| 00000790 69 6c 2e 0a 49 66 20 74 68 69 73 20 68 61 70 70 |il..If this happ| 000007a0 65 6e 73 2c 20 73 70 6c 69 74 20 74 68 65 20 6c |ens, split the l| 000007b0 6f 6e 67 20 6c 69 6e 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 74 72 |ong lines and tr| 000007c0 79 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 0a 0a 53 57 49 20 63 6f |y again...SWI co| 000007d0 6e 76 65 72 74 65 64 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6f 6e 6c |nverted will onl| 000007e0 79 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 20 74 68 65 20 53 57 |y convert the SW| 000007f0 49 73 20 70 72 65 66 69 78 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 |Is prefixed with| 00000800 20 53 59 53 20 69 6e 20 42 41 53 49 43 0a 70 72 | SYS in BASIC.pr| 00000810 6f 67 72 61 6d 73 2e 20 49 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 |ograms. It will | 00000820 6e 6f 74 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 20 53 57 49 73 |not convert SWIs| 00000830 20 69 6e 20 61 73 73 65 6d 62 6c 65 72 2e 20 0a | in assembler. .| 00000840 0a 0a 51 75 69 74 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 67 72 |..Quit the progr| 00000850 61 6d 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 69 63 6f 6e |am from the icon| 00000860 62 61 72 20 6d 65 6e 75 20 61 73 20 75 73 75 61 |bar menu as usua| 00000870 6c 2e |l.| 00000872
.