REPLACEMENT STOS LOADER                        - Mike Horwell Sept 1992




The current STOS loader is BASIC206.PRG, replace it with BASICMJH.PRG and
STOS will work with ANY version of TOS. It's as simple as that.

Now for the technical stuff.

The old loader contained a table large enough for 8 entries containing a
TOS version identifier and 7 addresses. These addresses relate to input and
output routines and buffers so that the mouse, joystick and keyboard can
be used in STOS.

These address change with each version of TOS, requiring an upgrade in order
to make STOS work with the new TOS. However, there are now 11 different
versions of TOS as well as a few 3rd party TOS versions such as EOS.

The modified loader has had the table removed as well as the code which
tries to match the TOS version in the table and copy it to a work table.
Instead, code has been inserted which asks the operating system for the
addresses of tables and calculates the addresses needed by STOS and inserts
them into the work table. However, there could still be problems with this.

Firstly, the input/output tables returned by the OS calls have to be in the
order for all versions of TOS so that the necessary addresses can be
calculated correctly. Currently, all versions except TOS 3.06 (and
presumably TOS 2.06) adhere to this. In TOS 3.06, the last address has to
be offset by 2 as there appears to be a counter in the middle of one of the
tables.

Secondly, it is assumed that the layout of the tables will not change in
future TOS versions. If they do, the old method will have to be used again.


Whether you use this loader or not is up to you.  If you do, I will not be
held responsible for any damage that may occur as a result of using this
program - however unlikely it should be.

If you have any problems contact me on CIX, my handle is mhorwell

or write/phone me at

	M.J. Horwell
	Barbary Park
	Trematon
	Cornwall
	PL12 4RT
	
	tel Plymouth (0752) 840012

 