X-BOOT version 4.0

INTRODUCTION

This tool converts Atari executable file (.OBX) into Atari disk image (.ATR), which can be used in emulator. For loading executable into real Atari you need no .ATR, try using X-LOAD.

CHANGES

Version 4.0

wildcards support - now you can convert a set of files
.ATR name not required - name can be taken from executable
no length limit - files longer than 60k allowed
truncated executables handling
checking for memory conflicts
better errors handling

Version 3.2

.OBX is default extension of Atari executable

Version 3.1

first release

USAGE

There are two ways of running X-BOOT:

XBOOT [/p] obxfile [atrfile]
XBOOT [/p] obxfiles [atrpath]

The former converts single file, the latter a set of files.

Parameters in brackets are optional.

/p switch forces writing 'professional loader', which allows you to load code/data under ROM and disables ROM and interrupts while starting program. By default, standard loader is used, which can load any Atari executable not demanding DOS or any special loader.

Both loaders disable Atari Basic, so you needn't hold OPTION key while booting.

DETAILS

Produced ATR is single density and as short as possible. Loader occupies one boot sector.

X-BOOT does not write executable in ATR as Atari file. You can't read it from DOS or extract it somehow or other. You can only run it by booting.

For more details, view sources of loaders:

Standard: XBOOTSTD.ASX
Professional: XBOOTPRO.ASX

Loaders are so simple that they even do not detect end of file. Instead, they are modified when end of file is reached: disk image contains one additional block, which doesn't belong to executable file, but changes loader to run program instead of initializing.