Z80 assembler question re ZEN.BIN

Supporter (16)

03-11-2004, 00:14

Evening all..

New to this site, so sorry if i ask a subject thats not allowed..

I would like to return to Z80 coding after a few years of not doing it, i used to use Zen to write the assembler code (on a real MSX).

I have found the zen package at: http://members.chello.nl/h.otten/frontsw.htm

I have put that into a floppy image file

But when i try to bload into blueMSX it in i get an error:

"Bad file mode"

Does anyone have any ideas?
Can i use the zern.bin image like this?
Or do i need to move it into a CAS image file.?
Or is the zen image faulty?
Does anyone have a english Z80 assembler for the MSX i can have that works from a diskette image?

Thanks all !

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Van mars2000you

Enlighted (6221)

03-11-2004, 00:43

Files with .bin extension are not disk images, they are binary files that you can execute generally by BLOAD "name of the file",R

You can create a disk image by using DiskManager (on the site of RuMSX, another emulator) ; to avoid problems with WinXP, don't forget to give the Archive attribute to zen.bin

Another option is to put zen.bin in a new Windows directory and to use the dir as dsk feature of blueMSX (but your work won't be transferred in the Windows directory, it will remain virtual)

In both cases, when you are in MSX-BASIC, type
CLEAR200,&H9HFFF (+ Return)
BLOAD"ZEN.BIN",R (+ Return)

Van NickEng

Supporter (16)

03-11-2004, 00:49

Files with .bin extension are not disk images, they are binary files that you can execute generally by BLOAD "name of the file",R
Thanks for the point out, but yes I know all this ...

You can create a disk image by using DiskManager (on the site of RuMSX, another emulator) ; to avoid problems with WinXP, don't forget to give the Archive attribute to zen.bin
This is what i did , created a disk image then put the bin in it.. did not do the archive bit

Another option is to put zen.bin in a new Windows directory and to use the dir as dsk feature of blueMSX (but your work won't be transferred in the Windows directory, it will remain virtual)
I really want to be able to save the coding...so a disk image is the only way

In both cases, when you are in MSX-BASIC, type
CLEAR200,&H9HFFF (+ Return)
BLOAD"ZEN.BIN",R (+ Return)
Thanks but this i know, I still have my original Zen coding book that teachs assembler and how to use zen.

Thanks for the reply.
If i have created the disk image right and put the zen.bin in it should BLOAD right?

Van snout

Ascended (15187)

03-11-2004, 00:50

not setting the archive bit results in corrupted files, it's quite a nasty bug. A little 'attrib +a' should do the trick.

Van mars2000you

Enlighted (6221)

03-11-2004, 00:50

I will check now with the disk image (with the dir as dsk feature, it works)

Van NickEng

Supporter (16)

03-11-2004, 00:52

not setting the archive bit results in corrupted files, it's quite a nasty bug. A little 'attrib +a' should do the trick.

So do this in ms-dos first then include the file into the disk image file?

Van NickEng

Supporter (16)

03-11-2004, 00:53

not setting the archive bit results in corrupted files, it's quite a nasty bug. A little 'attrib +a' should do the trick.

So do this in ms-dos first then include the file into the disk image file?

Thank you, cant wait to do some Z80 again....!

On Jury Service this week so took my Z80 books in and re-read them, it all came back to me...have a couple of 'test' pgms just waiting for entry !!!

Van snout

Ascended (15187)

03-11-2004, 00:58

yup, an attrib + a [filename] and then adding it to the disk image should get the job done.

Van mars2000you

Enlighted (6221)

03-11-2004, 01:02

Well, that is the first time that I use DiskManager on WinXP (on Win98, no problem at all), but I have the solution !

The problem comes only with files archived in .lha or .lzh format (what is generally used on MRC for MSX games, demos, magazines and applications)

For these archives, you must
1 - Unzip (unlzh ...) the files
2 - Use WinZip to zip them again (it will give the Archive attribute)
3 - Use WinZip to unzip
4 - Drag and drop the files in the DiskManager window

It's a little tricky, but it works !

Van NickEng

Supporter (16)

03-11-2004, 01:03

yup, an attrib + a [filename] and then adding it to the disk image should get the job done.

Excellent.!

Adding the +a bit worked I can now load the assembler from the disk images...

Thanks you thank you thank you !!!

I wont forget that one in the future...

Van NickEng

Supporter (16)

03-11-2004, 01:07

Thanks to all for ya help !

Now to go finish some games I started writing 18 years ago !! God has it been that long...

All this talk of an MSX revival and the OneChip machine has me all excited again..

And also has the benefit of teaching my 7 year old how to program in basic !
Shes just bought her own PC (shes a model..) it now has 9000+ MP3, Mame and an MSX emulator what more could a 7 year old want...

8-)