Cataloging a tape.

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johnnyrockets
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Cataloging a tape.

Post by johnnyrockets »

Hi all,

I was wondering how to list the contents of a tape?

I understand:

load ""
load "name"

But is there something like *CAT (like in BBC Basic)?

Thanks!


JR
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1024MAK
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Re: Cataloging a tape.

Post by 1024MAK »

No. The file system is as simple as possible to keep the size of BASIC within the space of the 8k byte ROM chip.

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johnnyrockets
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Re: Cataloging a tape.

Post by johnnyrockets »

1024MAK wrote:No. The file system is as simple as possible to keep the size of BASIC within the space of the 8k byte ROM chip.

Mark
Okay, so how do most people remember the contents of the tape?

Obvious answer: write it down?


Thanks for dealing with my simple questions! Really appreciate it.


JR
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mrtinb
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Re: Cataloging a tape.

Post by mrtinb »

I have a scan from an old magazine at home. It contains a BASIC program (a "type in"), that reads a whole tape and lists all filenames on the screen.

I'll find it for you.
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mrtinb
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Re: Cataloging a tape.

Post by mrtinb »

johnnyrockets wrote:Obvious answer: write it down?
Unless you have few programs on a tape, you would like to write down the tape counter anyway, so you don't have to load through the whole tape.
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siggi
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Re: Cataloging a tape.

Post by siggi »

Sirmorris once wrote a program, which reads all programs from tape and saves them to ZXPAND:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=467

Maybe this program can be adapted to print the file names to screen/printer only?

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sirmorris
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Re: Cataloging a tape.

Post by sirmorris »

It surely could. I also remember the program that mrtinb is referencing.
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RetroTechie
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Re: Cataloging a tape.

Post by RetroTechie »

Try this:
Tape header reader.zip
(6.19 KiB) Downloaded 213 times
It's been a while since last use, but IIRC you just start this program, insert another tape & set it to play, and this program will list program names as they come along. For a more useful / permanent record, watch & record tape counter position for each program.
johnnyrockets
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Re: Cataloging a tape.

Post by johnnyrockets »

Hi guys,

One question just brings up another it seems.

When I'm using the "Eighty-One" emulator, I just usually load a tape image and work from that as if it were the real machine.

So that is why the question came up. No tape counters in the emulator, so it got me thinking.

Looks like I'd just better "know" what is on that tape!

The type in program sounds interesting that reads the contents of a tape. Funny the things you take for granted on some other machines (BBC Micro) that are just missing on others (T/S 1000), but of course these machines are in different categories, etc.

I really like the idiosyncrasies of this little machine, it makes programming/using more challenging than some machines! :)


J
johnnyrockets
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Re: Cataloging a tape.

Post by johnnyrockets »

Hi,

And now as I read the "tape header" program my mind is completely blown to realize that a tape file exists in a "wav" format?!

That is very wild to me.

This must be why the manual talked so much about picking a tape player and using lower quality tapes, because the machine responded better to specific frequency bandwidths. Translation: sound or "wav" files

Very interesting. Sorry, I'm sure all of this is very "old news" to you guys, but it is all exciting to me! :)


J
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