Atari 800XL OS programmers name in rom?

[atarigungfu]

Hi folks,

 

I seem to remember I had a strange bit of software which would dump the contents of the Atari 800XL OS Rom to the screen in real time, and then let you scroll around it with very smooth fast scrolling. It was dumped as ATASCII.

 

The reason I mention this, is that after scrolling around for a while I found the name of someone in the OS Rom. I cant remember what the name was.

 

Does anyone know the names of the people who wrote the OS Rom? I wish I could remember what program I had which did this, but it was a long time ago.

 

Thanks.

[Rybags]

It's in the Self Test (Keyboard). You have to select "All Tests" then wait for it to go through.

 

In the early XL Roms it types out "Michael Colburn". From Rev 2 onwards it just types "Copyright 1983 Atari".

 

Not sure how the text is represented in the Rom, couldn't find it in the OS as Ascii or screen code. Note that some of the self test resources are held in the $C000 area.

[atarigungfu]

It's in the Self Test (Keyboard). You have to select "All Tests" then wait for it to go through.

 

In the early XL Roms it types out "Michael Colburn". From Rev 2 onwards it just types "Copyright 1983 Atari".

 

Not sure how the text is represented in the Rom, couldn't find it in the OS as Ascii or screen code. Note that some of the self test resources are held in the $C000 area.

 

Yeah, its a strange one, but it was someones name clear as day (I dont remember Michael Colburn). Perhaps one day I will find the program which "found it".

 

Thanks.

[Rybags]

I just did a quick/dirty one that scrolls through the Rom and also looked at the file with UltraEdit - found the menu and things but not the name text.

 

OK, I think I've found it. The text is represented in the Rom as internal scanned keycodes - pretty logical since then it just plugs them into the keycode shadow to simulate them being typed.

 

Rom location is $5545

[atarigungfu]

I just did a quick/dirty one that scrolls through the Rom and also looked at the file with UltraEdit - found the menu and things but not the name text.

 

OK, I think I've found it. The text is represented in the Rom as internal scanned keycodes - pretty logical since then it just plugs them into the keycode shadow to simulate them being typed.

 

Rom location is $5545

 

Well done. I take it this is for Michael Colburn?

 

Thanks.

[Rybags]

Both - though the copyright one is a bit longer so other stuff probably got bumped forward a bit.

Here's a quick Basic program that will type it out, using the system's keyboard table to translate. You can try in Altirra, if you have the proper XL Roms you can try Rev 01 for the name, later ones should give the copyright message.

 

Seems the later XE version that can test for >64K Ram, the text has moved elsewhere so won't work on that.

10 POKE 54017,125:K=PEEK(121)+PEEK(122)*256
20 FOR A=21829 TO 21846
30 PUT #16,PEEK(K+PEEK(A))
90 NEXT A

 

Edited November 26, 2017 by Rybags

[atarigungfu]

Both - though the copyright one is a bit longer so other stuff probably got bumped forward a bit.

 

Here's a quick Basic program that will type it out, using the system's keyboard table to translate. You can try in Altirra, if you have the proper XL Roms you can try Rev 01 for the name, later ones should give the copyright message.

 

Seems the later XE version that can test for >64K Ram, the text has moved elsewhere so won't work on that.

 

 

10 POKE 54017,125:K=PEEK(121)+PEEK(122)*256
20 FOR A=21829 TO 21846
30 PUT #16,PEEK(K+PEEK(A))
90 NEXT A

 

Yes, prints out Copyright1983Atari

[FULS]

If you had a third party OS rom (Omniview, Omnimon), maybe the name was David Young.

[Rybags]

The OminiMon & OmniView Roms don't have the Self-Test AFAIK. No doubt put that 2K to better use.

"David Young Omniview XE" is printed onscreen if you type BYE with that OS active.

[Kr0tki]

Besides Colburn's name in OS rev. 10, 11 and 1, there are no other names hidden there.

 

atarigungfu, I guess your program was a demo of ANTIC's scrolling capabilities, which simply scrolled through the whole system memory, and therefore displayed the OS contents as ANTIC screen codes. In that case, it probably displayed the string "LWinner" (as in Lane Winner), located at $BFF3 in Atari BASIC rev. B.

[1050]

Other possibles depending on what OS you were running

might be MARSLETT, Bob Puff, Robert Puff, C HAMLIN.