Documentation for Source Convert Prepared by: Herbert F. Hrowal David D. Ely April 29, 1990 -- System Requirements -- Source Convert requires a minimum of 64k and 65c02 processor. This should allow it to be used on most conventional Apple II systems still in use. Future conversion modules will undoubtedly require 128k. -- Source Convert General Information -- Source Convert is a shareware source file converter available directly from Palace Productions and on many information services. It is designed to ease the pain in transferring source files from one assembler to another. SC was written by Herbert F. Hrowal and is supported by Palace Productions. If you like the program, and plan on using it, please send $10 to this address: Palace Productions c/o Herbert F. Hrowal 13754 Penn Street Whittier, CA. 90602 Currently, the following conversion methods are available and supported by Source Convert: Merlin --> Orca/M Orca/M --> Merlin Orca/M --> Micol Macro (Assembler) Orca/M --> Lisa816 Should there be a demand, conversion modules for popular languages may be implemented. Source Convert was written with future expansion in mind and currently can support up to 10 conversion modules. For those interested in further information, a doc file on conversion module format may be obtained directly from us. Source Convert should be received on your end in a ShrinkIt/NuFX file containing the following: SOURCE.CONVERT/ CONVERT.SYSTEM SC.MOD.02 SC.MOD.03 SC.MOD.04 SC.MOD.05 SC.DOCS READ.ME (may be included for update information) Source Convert is a source file converter for the Apple IIe/c/gs. Feel free to pass this program out among the various online systems and to all your friends. However, because this is a Shareware program, and I reserve all copyrights on this program, and request that after a trial period of ten days, you either delete Source Convert and all it's associated conversion modules from your disk, or send a $10 registration fee to the address above. We further request that the file be left in the current file format so that required information and support files are not inadvertently lost. -- How to Use Source Convert -- Source convert has proved to be a fairly easy to operate, yet very powerful tool for anyone wishing to convert source files from one assembler to another. After installing Source Convert on your disk, start it up via your normal selector program. You'll be greeted by four options. Q - Quit C - Catalog I - Information S - Convert Source All options can be selected either by letter, arrow keys or the mouse. Descriptions of these options follow: Quit - self explanatory, meaning leave, exit, adios, asta-la-byebye etc. Catalog - catalog current prefix or modify to suit your needs. See section below on editing commands. The last prefix used here will be considered the source prefix. You will notice that only one screen of the catalog is displayed. To see more, use the arrow keys to scroll the display up / down. Information - ye old about screen. This displays information about Source Convert, where to send the shareware fee, etc. Convert Source - does the actual job of converting source files. You will be prompted for a source prefix (where the file currently lives), and will initially be given either the last prefix cataloged, or the launch path (default). You may modify this as desired, and then press return. Next comes the destination prefix. This is the path you wish to use for the new source file that will be created. Once again, press return when finished. Now comes the fun part. What are we converting? A list of module options will appear. Select the conversion method you wish to use, and a list of source files will appear. In the event that there are no files of that type in the current source directory, you will be informed of this and returned to the main menu (do not pass go, do not collect $200, adnauseum). If you wish to convert source files that are not of the proper filetype/auxtype combination, you may hold the Open-Apple key down while selecting a conversion method and all the files in that directory will be displayed. Now you will be able to select from a list of files the file to be converted. After making all of your selections, press return and your new source files will be created. Any errors will be reported and you will be ALL SET to check these babies out in your assembler. There may be a need for some small amount of editing to get your new assembler files working correctly. However, the rest of the conversion process should be relatively painless and hassle free. Disclaimer - Many hours of testing by several people on all kinds of source files has been done, but errors MAY exist. If in fact you discover a problem with source convert, PLEASE contact one of the people listed below to report this problem so that it may be rectified as soon as possible (ASAP for you acronym hounds). Editing Commands [ those shown in here are options ]: Tab - jumps forward one full pathname in the current prefix. oa-Tab - jumps backward one full pathname in the current prefix. oa-X - will switch the source and destination prefix buffer contents following the standard set in Cat Doctor (and a couple of completely insignificant others). [ opt-X, ctrl-X ] oa-A - will select all files. Any files currently selected will be 'de-selected'. [ opt-A, ctrl-A ] -- Palace Productions - who issit? -- Palace Productions is the cooperative effort of Herbert F. Hrowal and David D. Ely. There has been a San Diego Apple II utility group for quite some time, now there's a Los Angeles group. We've got some interesting older utilities available including BetterBye80, RamStuff, ZipTools and now ... Source Convert. There are a few other new projects in the works, but more on that later. In the meantime, we are available online at the following E-Mail address's: GEnie: DDELY H.HROWAL America Online: DaveEly HerbH1 If you have an idea for something you'd like to see, or you'd like to join the group (we're not in this for the money ya know, just the fun), drop us a line. Basically, we want to expand programmer information, and make it easier on both the end user and the programmer. If you have a program or utility that accomplishes this task, is free or shareware, we'd love to hear from you. If you have any questions about Source Convert, pass them along too.