..this is a WS doc file ..addapted from the original Epson 1.40 doc file RTX RUNTIME ACCESSORIES SYSTEM FOR PX-8 Version 1.41, 30 Nov 86 Version 1.41 vs Version 1.4 The following has been removed: Battery Voltage: A relative voltage graph and voltage. Printer Setup: Allowing various features to be setup for Epson printers. LST: Device Select: Allowing 'on the fly' CP/M I/O byte LST: assignments. The following has been added: Continuous display of date and time as well as remaining percent battery capacity. A local mode for the Terminal function. A Programmer Calculator module. The memory resident portion of RTX has been shortened 256 bytes to 14 pages. Note, the Printer Setup operation may still be accomplished via the Terminal function and I/O byte modification may be done with the RAM editor. .pa OVERVIEW RTX is designed to provide various useful facilities to make day- to-day use of the PX-8 more convenient. It is similar to the PX-8 System Display, but allows access to features not available on the System Display. The system consists of just one program "RTX141.COM" which is five kilo bytes long. It is not necessary to keep this file on the RAM disk - once the system is installed the COM file is no longer needed unless the machine is reset. This document covers use of the specific functions provided by RTX, and a basic working knowledge of PX-8 operation is assumed. INSTALLATION To install RTX (ver 1.41) the PX-8 user BIOS area must first be set to 14 pages with the CONFIG program. If this is not done, an error message will be displayed. Once this has been done simply run RTX from the menu or from the CP/M drive prompt. A banner will be displayed, giving the version number (this text refers to ver 1.41) and a warning message advising against changing the user BIOS area in any way. If the user BIOS area is disturbed the PX-8 will almost certainly crash when an attempt is made to use RTX, so avoid resizing it, or using programs that use it, while RTX is installed. To remove RTX there are two options: a) Reset the machine by pressing the reset button on the side of the PX-8. This is effective, but not normally necessary. In addition it resets function key strings and other parts of the machine. b) Use the "Remove RTX" option from within RTX - see later. USING RTX Once RTX is installed the extra features are available through a special menu which is displayed by holding down the CTRL key and pressing the ESC key (the same way as the System Display is obtained with CTRL and HELP). There are eight available options which can be obtained by pressing the appropriate number key. For nearly all options the ESC key is the "exit" key. Most of the functions are self-explanatory and easy to use. The CTRL/ESC key can be used whenever the System Display can be used. .pa 1) RAM DISK DIRECTORY Pressing "1" gives a directory listing of the RAM disk, five entries to a line. This is useful if using an application which does not provide a means of obtaining a list of files. Normally it would be necessary to leave the application in order to per form a DIR. 2) PROGRAMMER CALCULATOR Refer to the subsequent section, PrgCal v0.3 - Programmer Calcu lator. 3) RS-232C SETUP The RS-232C interface parameters can be set in a similar manner to when using CONFIG. Keys "1" through "9" set the bit rate from 19200bps down to 110bps, with "A" and "B" giving 75/1200 and 1200/75. Keys "C" through "M" select the other parameters. The most frequently used combinations will soon become familiar, e.g. "7CGH" for 300 baud, 7 data bits, even parity, 1 stop bit, as commonly used with acoustic couplers. The PX-8 holds two sets of parameters, a "default" set and a "working" set. The working set is the one actually used by TERM, FILINK and the like, and is restored from the defaults when CP/M is warm-booted. It is possible to have RTX reset either just the working set, or both sets. If a program has already opened the RS-232C port, the new set tings will not take effect until the port has been closed and re- opened. If in doubt, set the RS-232C port before starting the program. .pa 4) RAM EDITOR The RAM editor is not generally intended for the average user but will be useful to those familiar with the DDT, SID or ZSID debug gers. Prior experience of one of these is assumed, and knowledge of the PX-8 memory structure is helpful. One of the advantages of the memory editor is that it can be used "in real time" whatever application happens to be running. The commands available are: D start-address S start-address Addresses are treated as hexadecimal numbers and must consist of the characters 0-9 and A-F. They must be four characters in length. If fewer than four characters are typed, RETURN cannot be pressed; if more are given, the extra characters are not accep ted. IF ESCape is pressed instead of entering an address, the "-" prompt returns. D (Display memory) This displays the next 112 bytes of memory in hex and ASCII starting at the start address given. If none is specified the display continues from the end of the previous "D" command. S (Set memory) This allows RAM to be edited. The memory contents are displayed one byte at a time and can be altered by typing a new hex value. Two hex characters must be entered. If RETURN only is typed, no change is made. This command is quit with the ESCape key. The RAM editor can be terminated by pressing the ESCape key when a command is expected. Since scrolling of the LCD display is likely while the RAM Editor is in operation, the time and date display is not updated in this mode. 5) TERMINAL The remote terminal allows the PX-8 to function as a very simple "dumb terminal". It is not intended as a substitute for "proper" terminal software, since there are no special options, nor the ability to send or receive files, and the screen is only 80 characters by 8 lines. However, it can be used as a terminal to a remote computer, or with Telecom Gold or similar services, running "on top of" any application program, as long as that program is not already using the RS-232C port. If the RS-232C port is already in use a message will be displayed. .pa The RS-232 interface settings used are those which have been set with the RS-232C SETUP option or with CONFIG. The size of the receive buffer is 260 bytes. On entry to TERMINAL, you may select "local" operation. In this mode, the keys that you type are echoed on the LCD as well as sent (and possibly returned) via the RS-232 port. Control char acters (except CR, LF and BS) are echoed as '^code+64'. For example DC3 (hex 12) is displayed as ^S. This is the only RTX function which must be quit with SHIFT/ESC rather than simply ESC. It might be necessary to send an ESC character to the remote system, so ESC by itself cannot be used as an exit command. Since scrolling is likely in this function, the date and time display is not updated. 6) REMOVE RTX FROM MEMORY If RTX needs to be removed from memory (for example, if another program needs the user BIOS area) this option provides a quick and convenient way to do it. The request to remove must be con firmed with a Y. If ESC is pressed instead no harm is done. HOW RTX AFFECTS POWER-OFF AND ALARM/WAKE FUNCTIONS The auto-power-off is inoperative while at the CTRL/ESC menu or while using one of the menu functions, but if the power switch is used or the battery becomes low RTX automatically exits and powers off in the same way as the System Display. An alarm or wake occurring when CTRL/ESC is in use will not go off until after leaving the menu. .pa PrgCal v0.3 - Programmer Calculator PrgCal is a 16 bit, unsigned integer, calculator for programmers designed to run on the Epson PX-8 Computer. Operation is similar to an HP-16C. PrgCal has three modes of operation: arithmetic/logic, base conversion, and stack operations. Arith/Logic: all arithmetic and logic functions use the data in the first (X) and second (Y) stack registers, perform the requested operation, 'drop' the stack and leave the result in X. The following are supported: .bp off .uj off Arithmetic Logic ---------- ----- + X <- Y add X & X <- Y and X - X <- Y sub X | X <- Y or X * X <- Y mul X ^ X <- Y xor X / X <- Y div X % X <- Y mod X .bp on .uj on Base: the commands \B, \D, \H, \O set the current base at Binary, Decimal, Hexadecimal or Octal. The first three letters of the current base are con tinuously displayed on line 0. Stack: PrgCal has a four level stack which is continuous ly displayed. The following operations manipulate the stack: .bp off .uj off < rolls the stack down > rolls the stack up = swaps the content of X and Y CR (return) enters the X data on the stack BS (back space) edits or clears X ^X (control X) clears the stack .uj on .bp on PrgCal is an RPN calculator. An explanation RPN is beyond the scope of this document. If you've used HP calculators, you should be comfortable with the operation of PrgCal. If you're not familiar with RPN, HP or Forth literature may be helpful. No overflow, underflow or error checks are done by PrgCal. Divi sion by 0 results in 0. Addition of 1 to 65535 results in 0, etc. .pa One known characteristic (ie. bug that's not worth the trouble to fix) of PrgCal is that leading zeros are counted as data entry. In binary mode, for example, this will prohibit the entry of 16 significant bits. If you should find additional 'characteristics', please leave a message/description for me at the Epson PX-8 Bulletin board (313- 538-6968). I will try to fix it. PrgCal is (c) 1986 by Eric Davis and may be freely distributed for non-commercial purposes. This documentation refers to PrgCal 0.3 11/30/86.