Revival #04 20 октября 1997

Софт

System - Conversion software PC -> ZX (TZX, SNA, TAP, Z80, Hobeta).

                           SYSTEM



                    ∙ CONVERSION IBM -> ZX ∙



                      Conversion programs


                 (For those familiar with the IBM PC)


                    Empty spaces - what are we living for

                    Abandoned places - I guess we know the score

                    On and on, does anybody know what we are

                                                  looking for 
... 


                                      Queen. The Show Must Go On


   I want to tell you about how to convert
Spectrum game of the formats. sna,. tap and. z80 in HoBet'u.
I think you know that Spectrum software on the Internet
vast majority of cases is precisely in these
formats.


                              . Z80



   To convert I use the emulator UKV. In this lies the
problem. UKV v1.2 can not work with 48-ymi. Z80, so that their
have to convert the format. SNA-48 with the help of programs 
from SPCONV. In this case, all that is required of you - is to 
write: 


   spconv game.z80 game.sna


   And you have the 48th. Sna, which is no problem (hmm. .. not
always) get in UKV.


   But suppose that you have the 128th. Z80. In this case, run
emulator, press ESC (get into the debugger). Now in the FILE 
menu enter the option "SELECT SNAPSHOT FORMAT" (choose ". Z80 
128"). Next ship snapshot ("READ SNAPSHOT FILE") and run it

(F9).

   If everything works like a clock, you can do conversions.
Enter into a debugger (ESC), then a good idea to directly in it
understand what a program starting address. Or at least,
find out what pages are busy and how much. Determine where that
is, you can save the contents of the pages: in the menu
DATA select "WRITE BLOCK" and enter the following line:


   game1, address, length


   where game1 - PCshnogo name of the file to which to save the 
block, 

       address - the hexadecimal address of the start recording

                 block

       length - the length (too HEX)


   Writing in this way all the necessary information, exit
Emulator (ALT + X in the debugger). Now in the directory can be
find saved files. To overtake them in the format
program HoBeta, which translates files from PC to ZX and back
You can use the PCTOBETA, referring to her
as follows:


   pctobeta game1 game1. $ c GAME1


   where game1 - converted file

       game1. $ c - the name that you hobetnogo file

       GAME1 - a name that will have a file on the Spectrum

               CD


   You can immediately take advantage of HoBet'oy but copy 
PCshny file is not on the F5, and for ALT + F5.



   Now you have to drive should be available to convert
game in the form of several files. And how you make it
work - not for me to explain to you.


                              . SNA



   These snapshots can also be converted through UKV, while
method of conversion is not much different from those described 
in the chapter on . Z80. The only difference - the ability to 
convert a 48th, and the 128th snapshot. Do not forget to select 
the desired mode in FILE / SELECT SNAPSHOT FORMAT.



   And another thing: the game, to convert from. Sna and. Z80 
usually require restoration. Do not be lazy to go through the 
program until the end, view, if not damaged, where the sprites. 
Also in convert the block can be a lot of garbage: a copy of

screens, unused data, etc. They are a good idea to remove it.


                              . TAP



   Convert them easier. To do this, there is at least
2 ways.


   The easiest way to start the program from TAP2HOB. It is 
perfectly extracts blocks from tap'ov by writing them in a 
format hobety, ie solves all problems. It remains only to 
convert game with this very HoBet'y. But there is one "but": 
this program is not suitable for those tapov who have in their

composed of blocks with no titles. And it's almost all games 
with levels + lion's share of the ordinary. And then it will 
prove useful program TAP2TRD. She surpasses all the contents of 
tapas in the image Shalaevskii emulator. 


   How to use it. Suppose you have a file game.tap. Create
using a disk image zcop Shalaevskii emulator:


   zcop disk.trd


   where disk.trd - the name of the disk image.


   Now enter the command prompt:


   tap2trd disk.trd game.tap


   Now the contents of tapa in disk.trd. Deal with it can be
both in the emulator, as well as directly on the Spectrum. In
the latter case, copy the disk image to a floppy disk can be in
Specifically, using the built-in emulator disk utilities.


   Another point on which I would like to draw your
note: TAP2TRD not merge the files with its caption, and
writes it as two blocks without a title: the first is
of himself the title of a length of 17 bytes, and the second -
the data itself.


   Like all.


   PS: Please do not contact me to send one or
different from the above-mentioned programs.


   PPS: Conversion of graphics, I think you should not be 
considered. If you think differently - write. Maybe someday 
touch and this issue.