Subject: Re: Bootloader 'Todo' List
To: Ben Harris <bjh21@netbsd.org>
From: Reinoud Zandijk <imago@kabel065011.kabel.utwente.nl>
List: port-arm26
Date: 11/19/2000 17:06:13
Hi Ben!,

On Sun, 19 Nov 2000, Ben Harris wrote:
> > Nice but its not nessisary (ahum) ... you can just load your file in
> > BASIC with "BASIC -load file" ... that loads the text file just fine and
> > then a simple `SAVE' is enough.
> 
> I suspect this trick may need a BASIC that supports TEXTLOAD, which I
> believe some old versions don't.  I, at least, want to be able to boot on
> everything from Arthur 1.20 upwards.

Oh ok ... i thought all BASIC versions supported that ... hmm.. guess
not! I myself owned a Archimedes A310 with Arthur 1.20 .. but i cant
remember if it really loaded text files as BASIC ... so i guess you are
right :)

> > Hehe.... yeah ... I've patched it in now so that ELF can be used too for
> > booting NetBSD/arm32 easily without much changes... It still boots my A4
> > perfectly :)) allthough the program has significantly grown from about 14
> > kb (?) to a 23 kb :) ... It now autodetects arm26/arm32 and calls the
> > relevant procedures...
> 
> Be careful.  If it gets too close to 32k it won't be able to fit in one
> page on arm26, which will break things.

Hmm.. yeah i realise that ... Thats why I've got some extra space now
since i dont move down HIMEM but rised LOMEM so the variables won't get in
the way = )

Cheers,
Reinoud