[Coco] OS-9 Pascal P-code Interpreters

[Joel Ewy]

On 08/24/2015 04:44 PM, John W. Linville wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 20, 2015 at 02:49:40PM -0500, Joel Ewy wrote:
>> Hey, does anybody know if the OS-9 Pascal P-code interpreters are compatible
>> with other, UCSD-style P-code interpreters, such as the one for the Apple
>> II, CP/M, or the original IBM PC?  For a possible future exhibit of classic
>> computers at a local maker space, I would like to try running a P-code
>> program on a variety of vintage platforms, and I'd very much like the CoCo
>> to be one of them.
> I've had this same question myself -- I think I've even asked it here.
> Alas, I don't recall any meaningful answer.
>
> I reckon that someone needs to do a little ground work, transferring
> files from the Apple II (or other) P-system and trying them out on
> the CoCo.  I suspect that person will also need to create some sort
> of utility to add the "P-code" OS-9 module headers to the programs
> as well.
>
> Hopefully someone is bored enough to try it and let us know! ;-)
>
> John
For as big a deal as was made about P-code compatibility I've found 
remarkably little in the vintage documentation I've come up with on the 
Internet about actually moving P-code between platforms.  I did read 
something in some Osborne UCSD Pascal docs about UCSD "Universal" disk 
format and moving P-code programs from it to Osborne double-density 
disks.  I've got 3 Osbornes and several Apple 2 systems.  Maybe I can 
try it between them first, just to see if I can get it to work in 
environments that are advertised as UCSD P-systems (assuming one of my 
Osbornes has double density drives, which may not be the case) and if I 
get that to work, try to put OS-9 Pascal into the mix.

JCE