[Coco] Why DECB is important to OS-9 folk.

[Stephen H. Fischer]

Hi,

Take a look at "Colorful SLED ED6" on RTSI.

I put in a feature that makes writing BASIC09 programs much easier. I hope I
remember how to do it correctly.

1. Create a Ram disk.

2. Depending on what stage you are at, the next step might be loading the
BASIC09 program into Basic09 and running it, or loading it into "Colorful
SLED ED6" .

3. If you are running in Basic09 and wish to make a change, save the file to
the ram disk and load it into SLED and edit it. Use a full file name when 
saving from Basic09.

4. When you have done the editing, execute the command to write the file as
a series. The file is then written to file "a" if it does not exist.
Otherwise "b", or "c' until a unused file name is found.

5. Press clear to switch to BASIC09. Load the "a" ... file. Basic09 replaces
the modules that have the same name. Note: You need only edit the module you
are working on, the rest remain in Basic09. Do not change the module name or
you need to delete the one with the old name.

6. Run and test or get a reported error.

7. Clear to switch back to SLED.

8. Edit the file and execute the command to write the file as a series. File
"a" ...  is emptied and rewritten.

9. Clear to Basic09 and repeat until done.

10. Remember to save your files to floppy or HD often as the ram disk is not
saved over a reset. Use the normal file write or exit from SLED and write.

****************************************
Why cannot a RAM disk driver be written that checks for a recovery pointer
to the RAM disk (/R0) and if it passes a check, recover the existing RAM
disk?

Power off will of course lose all the data, but why must we lose data on a
reset and reload of OS-9 which does not destroy memory.

And why not add some code to the boot process to try and recover the OS-9
system?
****************************************

Diego Barizo wrote:
> I think one of the worst parts of going from ECB to Basic-09 is the text
> editor.
> May be something in that area could be done?
> Because then, it's just a 3 line script at startup asking if you want to
> use BASIC or go to the OS prompt.
>
> Diego