Re: running .system files from BASIC

[Don Bruder <dakidd@sonic.net>]

In article <40709349.26C1@alumni.utexas.net>,
 Robert Boucher <boucher1@alumni.utexas.net> wrote:

> If you old enough, you know that D$ was almost universally used for
> CHR$(4). Therefore, 
> 
> 10 D$=CHR$(4)
> 20 ?D$"-program to run"
> .
> .
> .
> .
> 150 ?D$"-another program to run"

Except for one minor detail:
It's *VERY* likely that like 150 won't exist after line 20 executes - A 
.system program (which, coincidentally, is what "basic.system" is) 
*MUST* load at $2000, and begin execution at that same location. Whether 
it's "smart" enough to move itself out of the way after being loaded is 
one of the big questions. I believe basic.system does, but I can't swear 
to it anymore. Even if it does, there's no predicting what kind of 
memory-stomping dance the next .system file is going to perform, so 
there's no guarantee that basic.system (or the basic program that was 
running under it) will be intact after another .system program has been 
loaded/executed.

-- 
Don Bruder - dakidd@sonic.net - New Email policy in effect as of Feb. 21, 2004.
I respond to Email as quick as humanly possible. If you Email me and get no 
response, see <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd/main/contact.html> Short
form: I'm trashing EVERYTHING that doesn't contain a password in the subject.