SpartaDOS X Reference Manual - CAR Command

SpartaDOS X Reference Manual

The Command Processor — Commands

CAR Command

Purpose		This command enters the cartridge plugged into the top of the SpartaDOS X cartridge. If a filename is specified, then that binary file is loaded and run with the cartridge enabled.
Syntax		CAR [/N] [d:][path][fname] [parameters]
Type		External — on device CAR:
Related		BASIC, COLD, SET
Remarks		If no filename is given, then control is given to the cartridge plugged into the SpartaDOS X cartridge. If you do specify a filename, then that binary file is loaded and run with the cartridge enabled. This is useful for compiled Action! programs that need to call routines within the cartridge. The optional "parameters" are whatever the program "fname" needs. The "/N" option returns to the cartridge after running fname, instead of to the command processor which is the default. This command is recognized by the command processor as an internal command that chains to the external program "CAR.COM", so both the CAR and BASIC commands share the same external program. CAR.COM remains memory resident while in the cartridge environment, so MEMLO will be slightly higher during this time. It will return to the lower value when the cartridge is exited. SpartaDOS X has a MEM.SAV facility somewhat like Atari DOS 2, but with much more power. The environment variable "CAR" should be set to the file you wish to use as the memory-save file for the cartridge. If no such environment variable exists, then the memory-save feature is disabled. If this feature is disabled, then the cartridge will be entered cold (there will be no program in user memory). The default value of the "CAR" variable is "I:>CAR.SAV". You may change this with the SET command (see the BASIC and SET commands for details on this). If a problem is encountered when loading or saving the memory file, you will be told the problem and asked if you wish to cancel (i.e. go back to where you came). Press the <ESC> key if you wish to cancel. The two situations that can occur are as follows Upon entering the cartridge, the current MEMLO does not match the MEMLO in the memory-save file. This can occur after installing extra drivers since last time you entered the cartridge (such as the keyboard buffer, RAMDISK, etc), or LOADing commands such as X or COMMAND (see the LOAD command). At this point you may press <ESC> and restore the system to the way it was when you last entered BASIC (By COLD starting and/or LOADing programs), or press <RETURN> and enter the cartridge cold. This will also happen if the memory-save file has somehow been corrupted. Upon exiting the cartridge (using the DOS command), the disk fills up or is not online and the memory-save file can't be saved. You have the option to go to DOS (RETURN) and lose the current data in memory, or to go back to the cartridge (ESC) and SAVE whatever you were working on or clear up the disk problem.. In addition to saving the contents of user memory, the memory-save feature saves page 0 (from $80-$FF), and page 4-6. This means that you may alternate between BASIC and CARtridge without ever loosing what you were working on. Whenever you enter the cartridge the memory-save file is loaded, thus you can edit a program in the cartridge, go to DOS, reboot the computer, and enter the cartridge with exactly what you were working on before rebooting the system (as long as the memory-save file is present and valid). Executing a cold start while in the cartridge will cause SpartaDOS X to be disabled, while leaving the external cartridge enabled. This is the same as typing COLD /C from the command processor.

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