Converting text from PC to A8

[+Guitarman]

Can someone explain exactly what needs to be done to a text file to make it A8 compatible?? For instance, typing or OCR'ing a BASIC program on the PC and converting it to an A8 loadable file. Also, is there a PC based A8 character set/font for generating the proper A8 graphic/control characters?

[pseudografx]

Can someone explain exactly what needs to be done to a text file to make it A8 compatible?? For instance, typing or OCR'ing a BASIC program on the PC and converting it to an A8 loadable file. Also, is there a PC based A8 character set/font for generating the proper A8 graphic/control characters?

I suggest trying this tool:

http://raster.infos.cz/atari/forpc/dratex.htm

The description is in Czech, but the program itself is in English and should be easy to use (just drag&drop).

[Rybags]

Many PC text files use a CR, LF ($0D,$0A) sequence for end of line.

 

The Atari uses CR only ($9B), and doesn't follow normal ASCII standards for any control characters except for Backspace and Escape.

 

One cheap&nasty way is to use the "H6:" device in Atari800Win+ which performs conversion

Edited August 29, 2007 by Rybags

[urborg]

You can convert text written for example in Notepad to Atascii format using emulator Atari800Win. Try out an option Misc/convert/ASCII to ATASCII.

 

If you have Basic program in txt file, you follow this scheme:

 

1. save file as f.e. program.txt

2. Choose option in emulator Convert/ASCII TO ATASCII, and choose file program.txt to convert. Then you choose option "EOL only" and save it as f.e. program.bas

3. Use tool MakeATR and add file program.bas to an ATR file.

4. Attach ATR file to Device D1 on emulator

5. Run Basic and type ENTER "D1:program.bas"

Edited August 29, 2007 by urborg

[Roydea6]

Can someone explain exactly what needs to be done to a text file to make it A8 compatible?? For instance, typing or OCR'ing a BASIC program on the PC and converting it to an A8 loadable file. Also, is there a PC based A8 character set/font for generating the proper A8 graphic/control characters?

 

Hi,

Check the out Dis6502 distribution file. Atari.Fon and install in the windows font directory. I noticed that you have UltaEdit if it is a new enough version Create a Macro to change 9B to 0D0A set to a hot key and then create Macro to change 0D0A to 9B and set a hot key, after conversion Save to one of the 'H1: H2: H3: H4' directory options in AtariWin800.

This works great for me.. Oh, in UltraEdit under the VIEW option set font------ATARI.FON------ LIST files to your prefered H: directory then open with UltaEdit. My Macro and font file attached.

 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2007 by rdea6

[+Guitarman]

I took a set of scans for a game Hit & Miss from one of the other posting here and OCR'd it. After a couple of edits, I tried using the Dratex converter and Atari800Win converter. Both worked great. That Dratex utility smokes!! Does that Atari.fon file support the Atari special graphic characters??

[joyfulcoder]

I took a set of scans for a game Hit & Miss from one of the other posting here and OCR'd it. After a couple of edits, I tried using the Dratex converter and Atari800Win converter. Both worked great. That Dratex utility smokes!! Does that Atari.fon file support the Atari special graphic characters??

 

Hello,

 

Yes, the Atari.fon font supports the atari graphic characters and even supports all the characters in reverse video.

 

You may also want to try my Memo Pad application for Windows. It uses the same Atari.fon file to display files using the Atari 8-bit font and also lets you convert between the common end-of-line characters.

 

You can download Memo Pad at:

http://joyfulcoder.com/memopad/

 

Thanks,

Eric

[undeadmechanic]

I actually wrote a utility a couple of years ago to do just this. I used a 13K test document to test it and it would convert/strip the file in just over a minute if loading off an actual Atari drive, or about 45 seconds with ape/sio2pc at 3x speed, or about 20 seconds with myide. The second version (which I still haven't finished) had a ton of other features I was adding but never mustered the drive to finish.

 

There are 2 "versions" of it. One is loaded from the DOS menu, the other was "Sparta friendly", and parsed the CLI.

 

If you want a copy, I can find it and post it.