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+--- Thread: Forth for the Sorcerer Manual and Tapes (/thread-789.html)
Forth for the Sorcerer Manual and Tapes - ChickenMan - 20-04-2024
Thanks to Ian Mavric for making both the manual and tape available to be scanned and recorded. The manual is A4 in size and 132 pages long, scanned at 300dpi and converted to a searchable PDF as usual. The tape was played on a digital recorder and saved using Goldwave on my PC as a 44khz 16 bit WAV file. The tape contained only 2 x copies at 1200 baud on side A of the tape. Thanks to Digitalker who was able to load the recording into a real Sorcerer after a couple of fixes and then save it out as both 300b and 1200b files.
This version of Forth was produced by Quality Software in 1980 and is based on FIG-Forth with enhancements. From the Manual -
Quality Software has expanded, but not significantly modified, the fig-FORTH model
in an effort to make it compatible with the special features of the Sorcerer computer.
The enhancements we have added include a screen editor, a serial RS-232
driver, and tape save and load features. The additions to fig-FORTH made by
Quality Software are proprietary and are not in the public domain.
Fig-FORTH normally requires a disk system and runs in 16K. This version
does not require a disk system. Instead of storing text pages (which FORTH
calls screens) on diskette, this version sets up simulated disk screens in RAM.
Up to 14 screens of about 1000 bytes each can be held in RAM using a 32K
system. The program can be modified to allow for a total of 30 simulated disk
screens if your system has more than 32K of RAM (see Chapter XIV). Screens
may be saved to and loaded from cassette tape using built-in FORTH commands.
This version of FORTH does not include a FORTH assembler (the CODE commands).
However, you can use machine language subroutines in conjunction with your
FORTH programs.
Those who own disk systems may be able to convert this version of FORTH
to use disk storage as virtual memory. The fig-FORTH model is designed to
interface with the CP/M operating system, and we have not removed these features.
However, conversion to disk is not elementary.
To use this manual effectively, the user should be sure that he thoroughly
understands the material in Chapter I. The rest of the manual should be regarded
as reference material. It is probably a good idea for the user to read Chapter
I several times, scan Chapters II to XVII once or twice, commence work, and
then refer to each chapter as he needs it.
The tape files were re-sampled down to 22khz to reduce their size and have been tested to load into a Sorcerer and the 2 emulators JSORCERER and MAME without any issues. They are NOT Basic files so simple load using LOG from the Monitor. The tapes label was also scanned and the cassette did not have any insert. It replaces the very poor quality copy we already have in the repository.
So in the Vintage Repository in the Exidy_Sorcerer\Manuals folder we placed
forth_for_the_sorcerer.pdf
forth_handy_reference.pdf
forth_300b.wav <-- in the Exidy_Sorcerer\Software\Tapes folder
forth_1200b.wav
forth.jpg <-- in the Exidy_Sorcerer\Pictures\Tapes folder - updated