EPROM_LOAD

Syntax	EPROM_LOAD device_file
Location	ATARI_REXT (v1.21+), SMS

You cannot plug QL EPROM cartridges into the various other computers which now support QL software, which would normally make some software which contains part of its code on EPROM, unusable. In order that you can use such software on other computers, you need to create a file on an original QL containing an image of the EPROM cartridge plugged into the QL’s ROM port. To do this, use the command:

SBYTES flp1_EPROM_image,49152,16384

It is hoped that software producers who sell software which requires an EPROM cartridge will make versions available with ready-made images of the cartridge, so that the software can be used by users without access to an original QL.

Having done this, you will need to have the ST/QL Emulator switched on (or SMS loaded on the other computer), then insert that disk into the Atari’s disk drive, and use the command: EPROM_LOAD flp1_EPROM_image This will then copy the EPROM code into the same address on the Emulator or other computer as the EPROM cartridge occupies on the QL, thus making it usable.

NOTE 1

If you make images of several EPROM cartridges in this way, then additional ones which are loaded with EPROM_LOAD will be stored in arbitrary addresses under SMS or the emulator. Therefore you will need to ensure that cartridges which insist on being loaded at the address $C000 (the QL’s ROM port address), will need to be loaded first with EPROM_LOAD.

NOTE 2

On early versions of the Emulator, this was called ROM_LOAD.

NOTE 3

On SMS before v2.52, this could crash the system if used on a Gold Card or Super Gold Card without the specified file being present.

CROSS-REFERENCE

See also ROM, ROMs and ROM_TEST.