PRG format for LOAD "*",8

Kweepa · Post by **Kweepa** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 12:20 am

Hi,
What is the format of PRG files that must be loaded with LOAD "*",8?
It seems that using the first two bytes as a start address is wrong.
Thanks!

Boray · Post by **Boray** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 3:19 am

The first two bytes are always the start address. Loading ,8,1 loads the program into that address. Loading ,8 loads it into the current basic area address instead.

Wonder-Boy · Post by **Wonder-Boy** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 8:12 am

Is there an advantage to using the ,1 ? Does it matter into what area you load a program?

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:01 am

,<device> or ,<device>,0 always loads to the start of BASIC memory, regardless of RAM expansion in use. Pure BASIC programs should only be loaded this way.

,<device>,1 forces the LOAD command to load the PRG file at its stored loading address. Most machine code programs only work at a specified address, so this is the preferred way to load machine code.

Michael

Athlor · Post by **Athlor** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 1:23 am

I though load"*",8
was for loading the first file in the directory irregardless of what it's actually named. Like what's been said above that's not really a different file format just a different form of the load command.

Kweepa · Post by **Kweepa** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:08 am

Thanks for all the responses! JarVIC can now relocate BASIC programs!

CurtisP · Post by **CurtisP** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 1:46 pm

Athlor wrote:I though load"*",8
was for loading the first file in the directory irregardless of what it's actually named. Like what's been said above that's not really a different file format just a different form of the load command.

The "*" actually tells the disk drive to load the last program loaded from disk. If you haven't loaded one yet, then it defaults to the first one.

MacbthPSW · Post by **MacbthPSW** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 4:34 pm

CurtisP wrote:The "*" actually tells the disk drive to load the last program loaded from disk. If you haven't loaded one yet, then it defaults to the first one.

I guess we're getting even further away from the original topic, but yeah, and to force the first file to be loaded, LOAD ":*",8 (and the optional ,1 if you want to force the file to be loaded to it's original saved address)