Sharp Pocket Computer Resources
PETOOLS 11 System Extension

PETOOLS System Extension and Applications for it

For the PC-1403H and the PC-1403

Introduction

PETOOLS 1.1 is a set of machine language routines, which extends the possibilities of your sharp in graphics, sound and other functions. It comes with a GPL and without warranty of any kind. With PETOOLS 1.1 it is possible, to write powerful basic programs easier. It is also easier, to port programs from the PC-1500 to use them with the PC-1403(H).

What's new in 1.1 (compared to 1.0)?

  • The BREAK key is respected more frequently in operations that need time
  • Possibility to ensure the type of standard variables (number, string) without getting an error (INITS, INITN)
  • Mixing text and graphics is possible flicker-free now (important for games)
  • Non-blocking read of the keyboard with evaluation of all keys except BREAK
  • RS 232 support (optional) with 4800 baud. Upload and download of files is more than 10 times faster compared to the tape interface (and silent ...)
  • Remote operation of upload and download possible (with a standard terminal program)

Installation

  • Download the PETOOLS 1.1 installation program: peload.bas or peloadse.bas if you like to have the serial port extension (needs some extra hardware like the universal serial interface also described on this site).
  • Transfer it to your PC-1403(H) and run it 1).
  • Follow the instructions on the display. Warning: During the installation process, all data will be deleted from your PC-1403(H).
  • After a few minutes, the installation process is complete. Switch back to RUN-mode (The installation program leaves the PC-1403(H) in PRO-mode).
  • To check your installation and see the possibilities of PETOOLS 1.1, download pedemo.bas , transfer it to your PC-1403(H) and run it.
Hint: If you loaded machine language programs before, it's a good idea to press the ALL RESET-button before installing PETOOLS 1.1.

Programs using PETOOLS

... you can find in the PC-1403(H) File Archive

Using the Serial Interface

Hardware

You can find the hardware to connect your PC-1403 to the serial port of your big PC here. There was an article in C'T (www.heise.de) which describes a hardware that can also be used with PETOOLS 1.1.

Software for the big PC

You can use any terminal program you want. If you use TeraTerm, I have prepared a Zip, which contains a *.ini file for TeraTerm, a macro for TeraTerm, which handles all the communication and a tokeniser/detokeniser which does the job of converting the basic tokens to strings and back (called by the TeraTerm macro).

API Documentation

The API documentation includes a description of every machine language routine and also instructions how to build PETOOLS 1.1. Here is the link:

PETOOLS 1.1 - Reference



1) Hint: You can install PETOOLS 1.1 without check of data integrity by typing "NOCHK" and DEF-S. This is faster, but more insecure.
Edgar Pühringer
last modified: 2009-10-14