XRUNCO.200 & MKXRUN.200 ----------------------- These two programs operate together to give the T200/XOS-C.200 user an easily accessible "pull-down" menu for Bank-3 .CO files: XRUNCO.200 is the small menu program (655 bytes empty, 850 full); MKXRUN.200 is the 652 byte program which makes XRUNCO: use it to create XRUNCO's menu. ONLY XRUNCO needs to be kept in Bank 3. MKXRUN.200 can be kept elsewhere and needs to be run in Bank 3 only when you need to change the data in XRUNCO. XOS-C must be loaded and active in all three banks, of course, but no other programs are required to run XRUNCO. XRUNCO was written to permit XOS-C users to automatically load and run as many as 26, Bank-3 .CO programs in Bank 1 or 2 with a single key-press. It eliminates the need for separate cross-bank "loader" programs (about 80 bytes each) AND it automatically checks for memory conflicts, clears the correct HIMEM for the chosen program and runs it. On the other hand: if you don't use programs that alter MAXRAM or if you only have a few .CO files that you run cross-bank or if you don't mind typing the name of the "loaders" then you may not need XRUNCO.200 at all. SET-UP ------ Download this file and XRUNCO.200 and remove any garbage. Checksum XRUNCO.200 and save a copy somewhere. The file XRUNCO.200 contains TWO programs: XRUNCO and MKXRUN. Use TEXT to SPLIT the file into two short programs, LOAD and SAVE each program as named in their top lines: XRUNCO.BA and MKXRUN.BA. Copy both programs to Bank 3. *** NOTE: Although XRUNCO can be used with any name it MUST be named as XRUNCO.BA and on BANK 3's menu whenever you run MKXRUN.BA! *** Cursor select MKXRUN.BA from the Bank 3 menu with at least 1500 bytes free ram. If you have at least one .CO file in RAM, the "first" .CO file's name and TOP/END addresses will display near the bottom of the screen below all your other files. Press "Y" or "y" if you want the file included in XRUNCO; any other keypress will move to the "next" .CO file. After you have made a choice for each .CO file, MKXRUN will clear the screen, MERGE the new data into XRUNCO and return to the menu. You can review the files included in XRUNCO by simply cursor selecting it from the menu. ( Press ENTER to return to the MAIN menu after you've reviewed XRUNCO's menu.) If you want to make any changes simply re-run MKXRUN. When you're satisfied with your choices you can kill MKXRUN. Rename XRUNCO as CMD>.BA if desired. Since MKXRUN.BA re-creates XRUNCO's data statements each time it runs you must re-select each .CO file to be included in XRUNCO. OPERATION --------- XRUNCO is VERY simple to use. With the cursor over the BASIC program slot in either Bank 1 or Bank 2 and the XOS-C "Cmd>" prompt displayed over F3, just press F3: If you've chosen to rename XRUNCO as CMD>.BA then having CAPS LOCK on will automatically run XRUNCO/CMD>.BA If you prefer to keep XRUNCO.BA as a separate .BA file (named as CO.BA for example) then leave CAPS LOCK off and type in it's name. In either case you'll see the T200 menu clear, quickly redisplay and then reclear to present XRUNCO's previously created menu of Bank-3 .CO files. At the "?" prompt press the letter (UPPER/lower case OK) that corresponds to your desired file and it will be copied into the correct memory area from bank 3 and run: otherwise press ENTER to return to the Bank's menu. That's all there is to it! Hint: Since XRUNCO clears all buffers and sets HIMEM=MAXRAM each time it runs, it can be used as a quick memory clearing routine by simply running it from the Cmd> prompt and pressing ENTER to return to the menu. ERRORS ------ XRUNCO first clears HIMEM to equal MAXRAM. If you keep a HIMEM program loaded in Banks 1 & 2 at all times then you can change the command "MAXRAM" in line 2 of XRUNCO to that program's "TOP" value: be certain that any .CO programs you run using XRUNCO are written to work "under" this value (or above 61104) or they'll overwrite your himem program. XRUNCO then checks to see that your chosen program's END address isn't between current MAXRAM and 61104. If it finds a MAXRAM conflict it BEEPs twice and ends after printing "CAN'T". Re-run and try again if you chose the wrong file, otherwise correct the MAXRAM conflict: either by removing the program which lowered MAXRAM or using a version of your .CO file designed to run BELOW the MAXRAM value. If there is some other problem XRUNCO will double-BEEP and print the error code. If the code is 17 then chances are the .CO file isn't in Bank 3 or there's not enough memory left in the "home" bank. Other errors are rare: send me an E-PLEX if they re-occur. MKXRUN and MAXRAM checking -------------------------- When MKXRUN creates the line of data in XRUNCO that stores your Bank-3 file info (LINE 50) it makes certain assumptions. It assumes that the ONLY two different MAXRAM values T200 users will encounter are 56672 (FLOPPY with the TDD2) and 58960 (POWR-DISK). If you're not sure about YOUR MAXRAM then simply go into basic and type ?MAXRAM. If you use ANY other programs which lower MAXRAM to some value other than 56672 or 58960 and intend to run additional .CO programs WITH THE DIFFERENT MAXRAMs LOADED then use extreme caution to prevent corrupting the first program! Users of RAM based TS-DOS should be aware that the "resident" portions of various versions ARE different than FLOPPY and POWR-DISK. I would strongly advise you to switch to POWR-DISK. It's FREE for the download time in DL9 (bro key: PDSK*) and really a better DOS all around! (If there is some reason you NEED to use some program that lowers MAXRAM to a different value then let me know and I'll work with you to see what can be done.) Programs which have been created (or "re-assembled") to run BELOW these values are coded as such by MKXRUN and will run OK via XRUNCO. Any ALT/LCD program can easily be run with XRUNCO although many of the "new" generation XOS -C programs require a .DO (TEXT) file under the cursor when selected at the main menu so using XRUNCO to run them defeats their original purpose. ------------------------------------- CREDITS: Wilson Van Alst wouldn't let me quit until I had this down to under 850 bytes (full menu) so you can thank him for your extra RAM! Paul Globman's outstanding XOS-C is what let's us keep all our "indispensable" files in a separate bank for use anywhere! Please send problems and comments to me. Randy Hess July, 1989 [73267,552] Omaha, Nebraska