W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA (Keith Petersen) (02/28/85)
MLOAD, Ron Fowler's enhanced replacement for CP/M-80's LOAD.COM has been updated to version 2.4 and is now available from SIMTEL20: Filename Type Bytes CRC Directory MICRO:<CPM.ASMUTL> MLOAD24.AQM.1 BINARY 24064 585AH MLOAD is a replacement for the cp/m "LOAD" program: this program fixes many of the problems associated with the "CP/M" load program, and adds many new features. MLOAD has the ability to pre-load a non-hex file, allowing mload to be used to load hex file patches (obviating any need to use DDT). The first (and only the first) filespec (after the "=", if used) may be non-hex; the filetype must be specified. Examples: 1) mload ws.com,wspatch 2) mload MEXTEST=MEX112.COM,MXO-US13 3) mload ws.ovr,ovrpatch The first example loads WS.COM, overlays it with wspatch.hex, and writes the output to WS.COM. The second example loads MEX112.COM, overlays it with MXO-US13.HEX, and writes the output file to MEXTEST.COM. (note that the second example is the recommended technique, since it preserves the original file). The third example loads WS.OVR and patches it with the file "OVRPATCH.HEX". ZCPR2-style du specs are fully supported, for both input and output files. Thus, the following command lines are permissable: b3>mload a4:myfile.com=0:bigfil,b6:patch1,c9:patch2 a6>mload b5:=c3:mdm717.com,mdmpatch After loading, an information line is printed in the statistics report, which displays the true size of the saved image. This program is a replacement for the cp/m "LOAD" program. Why replace "LOAD"? well... LOAD.COM has a few deficiencies. For example, if your hex file's origin is above 100h, LOAD.COM prepends blank space to the output file to insure it will work as a CP/M transient. It cares not if the file is not intended as a CP/M transient. It also doesn't like hex records with mixed load addresses (for example, one that loads below a previous record -- which is a perfectly legitimate happenstance). Also, LOAD.COM can load only one program at a time, and has no provision for a load bias in the command specification. Finally, there is no provision for user specification of the output file name. [notes by Ron Fowler] --Keith