Apple II Technical Notes _____________________________________________________________________________ Developer Technical Support AppleTalk #7: MLIACTV Flag and the IIe Workstation Card Written by: Mark Day & Dan Strnad November 1989 This Technical Note describes a problem using the MLIACTV flag with the IIe Workstation Card. _____________________________________________________________________________ When using the Apple IIe Workstation Card, the MLIACTV flag does not always show that the MLI (or PFI) is active. This inconsistency can cause programs that use the MLIACTV flag to fail when making MLI calls from interrupt routines. Programs can correct for this problem by making all MLI calls through the NewMLI routine listed in this Note and checking the NewMLIActv flag instead of the MLIACTV flag. This approach solves the problem only if all MLI calls, including those made by any interrupt routines, are made through this routine. The following routine is a replacement for the MLI entry point at $BF00. Programs using this routine can perform a JSR to NewMLI instead, which fixes the problem. Section 6.2.1 of the ProDOS 8 Technical Reference Manual details how programs can cause the MLI to return the their routine rather than the routine that originally called it. For programs using this technique that are also using the routine below, the location below labeled NewCmdAddr replaces CmdAdr ($BF9C). The steps involved in patching the MLI return location still apply, as specified in Section 6.2.1 of the ProDOS 8 Technical Reference. ; MLI patch for Apple II Workstation Card ; by Mark Day ; ; code shown is compatible with MPW IIGS cross-assembler ; ; Your program should use the NewMLIActv flag instead of ; MLIACTV ($BF9B), and should JSR NewMLI instead of ; JSR MLI ($BF00). ; machine M6502 ; 6502 code for //e longa off longi off parmptr equ 0 ; two bytes on zero page MLI equ $BF00 ; entry to the real MLI NewMLI proc php ; save old interrupt status to pla ; temporarily disable interrupts sta oldp ; so that NewCmdAddr is always valid sei ; when an interrupting routine sees ; NewMLI active. sec ror NewMLIActv ; NewMLI is now active! ; ; We need to get the return address from the stack so we can ; get the command number and parameter block address which ; follow the JSR NewMLI, and so we can save NewCmdAddr. ; clc pla ; get low byte of parm address - 1 sta parmptr adc #4 ; get real return address sta NewCmdAddr pla sta parmptr+1 ; save high byte of parm address - 1 adc #0 sta NewCmdAddr+1 ; save real return address lda oldp pha plp ; reinstate old interrupt status ; ; Now, we copy the call number and parameter list pointer that followed ; the JSR NewMLI, and copy them after a JSR to the real MLI. ; tya ; save Y on stack pha ldy #1 ; offset to command number lda (parmptr),y ; get command number sta NewCmdNum iny ; point to parm list ptr (low) lda (parmptr),y sta NewParmPtr iny lda (parmptr),y sta NewParmPtr+1 pla ; unstack value of y register tay ; ; Now, call the real MLI with the user's command and parameter list ; and jump back to our caller. ; jsr MLI ; call the real MLI NewCmdNum dc.b 0 ; command number NewParmPtr dc.w 0 ; parameter list pointer php ; save C because LSR changes it! lsr NewMLIActv ; MLI is no longer active plp ; restore C dc.b $4C ; JMP absolute instruction NewCmdAddr dc.w 0 ; target of jump, caller's return address NewMLIActv dc.b 0 ; $80 bit set if MLI active oldp ds.b 1 ; used to preserve processor status endp end Note that this routine also works on the Apple IIGS, even though the problem with the MLIACTV flag only affects Apple IIe Workstation Cards. Further Reference _____________________________________________________________________________ o AppleShare Programmer's Guide for the Apple IIGS o ProDOS 8 Technical Reference Manual