PROT_MEM

Syntax

PROT_MEM level

Location

SMSQ/E

The command PROT_MEM can be used to set the level of memory protection which is afforded on Atari ST and TT computers, to try and stop the user from altering essential areas of the operating system by mistake. There are five levels of memory protection currently available:

Level

Protection

0

Memory access faults are not reported.

1

Write memory access faults are trapped from all jobs except from Job 0. Read operations from a protected area read 0.

2

Read memory access faults are trapped from all jobs except Job 0. Any Write operations to a protected area are ignored.

3

Both Read and Write memory access faults are trapped from all jobs except Job 0.

7

Both Read and Write memory access faults are trapped from all jobs.

The default level is 3.

We would recommend that Level 0 is avoided if at all possible. Memory access faults tend to occur when the user (or a program) tries to access memory which does not exist or can only be accessed in Supervisor Mode (the vector area, the TOS system variables and the IO hardware). However, under SMSQ/E, if there is an attempt to read an address which actually forms part of the legitimate QL vector area, this will not cause a fault. If a memory access fault is trapped, the Job which has caused the fault is paused and the program counter is placed on the stack (all registers are preserved). An advanced user may then use a debugger to examine the Job to find out what has caused the fault.

NOTE

Unfortunately, on other implementations, this command has no effect, and it is therefore still possible to overwrite the operating system on QL Emulators (non-Atari based), Gold and Super Gold Cards.

CROSS-REFERENCE

See POKES and PEEKS. PROT_DATE protects a battery backed clock.