Table of Contents

Introduction and History

RomCombiner allows individual Z88 Applications to be combined into one external device. It cannot be used to add applications to the internal Flash chip in slot 0.

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Three files are used. RomCombiner.bas, romcombiner.bin and RomUtil.bas. These need to be either copied to the emulator, or transferred to the Z88.

Prerequisites

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As you are reading this on the internet, you already have one item, a computer that you can download the applications from. To demonstrate how to use this program, OZvm the Z88 emulator is being used so that screen shots may be used. Using the emulator has other advantages, these are:-

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The other way of using this software is on your Z88 directly, but in both cases you still need the link.

Planning

This description is assuming that a Flash card is used for the compilation. We start with adding some applications and then plan a larger compilation which needs a number of points to be considered. This requires planning and then execution. We will be using the Pareto principal (80% planning, 20% doing).

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It may be desirable to group applications into functions like, Word Processor, Communications, Files, Test, System Programs Database Utilities by - Changing the order.

Example: Adding Applications to OZ

Getting the Applications

They can either be 

• read from an existing ROM - using RomCombiner
• downloaded from the internet - which is what follows:-

Download OZ 4.7

The main page for all the OZ variants are here. Download OZ 4.7 zip file and unzip it. The files that are used are:

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These need to be either copied to the emulator, or transferred to the Z88.

Romcombiner uses these 16K blocks which are numbered 32, 47, 50 - 63.

How the 16K blocks are organised

These 16K files store the applications and data in the file area. The highest number, 63 is where all applications start. The OZ compilation of applications in this case is the 50 - 63 range. As the Flash cards can only be erased in blocks of 64K, the file area can only be within these 64K to prevent Applications from being erased when the file area is formatted.

That has happened here. Block 47 is the file header and 32 contains files that are in the file area. This means that blocks 48-49 are unused and may be used for additional applications without impacting the existing file area. This example demonstrates how two 16K applications may be added. If another application is added which uses block 47, the file header would be moved to block 43. This will reduce the file area by 64K but will give that 64K to the application area.

Choosing additional applications

Applications are available to download here.

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Looking at the list, it is not immediately apparent which applications to choose. The latest files are at the top.

• forever4x.zip - 32K Application Compilation without install (works with OZ 4.x)
• forever.zip - 32K Application Compilation with install (works with OZ 3.x)
• Unzip v1.14_ZipUp v1.02.zip - 16K Application Compilation
• Eazylnk V5.2.3.zip - 16K Application
• Eazylnk V5.2.1.zip - 16K Application
• Eazylnk V5.1.zip - 16K Application
• RomCombiner V2.10.zip - BBC BASIC Program (already downloaded)
• Unzip v1.13_ZipUp v1.02.zip - 16K Application Compilation
• RomCombiner V2.08.zip - BBC BASIC Program

Alternatively, a game may be chosen from the Z88 RAM Applications are available to download here.

If these are used, file numbers need to be changed from .ap0 to .63, ap1 to .62 and so on. The .app file may be discarded.

Downloading additional applications

The two 16K applications chosen are:-

• Unzip v1.14_ZipUp v1.02.zip - 16K Application Compilation
• Eazylnk V5.2.3.zip - 16K Application

Unzip and ZipUp are always useful to have on the Z88, but why have another copy of Eazylink? With only 16K left it is really a choice between having a game or something else. If, for example, the original OZ 3.0 was used, the Eazylink application supplied with OZ 4.7 would not work as it needs to be run in OZ 4.7. Having the stand-alone copy as well, allows either version to be selected. Download them from the list above.

Building the ROM

Running the emulator

The emulator is set up with

• 1M RAM in Slot 1
• 1M Flash in Slot 2

All the files required are imported in the 1M Flash in Slot 2.

Select Flashstore Image RemovedJ Select File Card Area Slot 2, Restore to RAM, Device :RAM.1, Overwrite all files? No.

Select Panel Image RemovedS Change the Default Device to :RAM.1

Select Filer Image RemovedF Change Device Image RemovedSV to :RAM.1

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Whilst in the Filer, erase the .32 and .47 files, as these may confuse RomCombiner at this stage.

Run RomCombiner

Select BBC BASIC Image RemovedB

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Select C

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Select A

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The first card name to add is ozs1-603c979 the name of OZ 4.7 compilation.

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The first 15 applications are loaded, time to add the next one, Select A.

Then go around the loop a couple of times for the added applications

Card name, ziputils

Card name eazylink

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There is the compilation, 18 applications no further changes required. Select C.

• Destination card name? oz47
• Delete source images?  N

After a lot of text the final question is

• Do you want to run ROMupdate? N

Create Card to insert into slot 3

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Back to RomCombiner

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Blow image files to Blank EPROM

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Add the file area to the compilation.

Using a Spreadsheet for larger compilations

Planning the compilation i.e. with PipeDream will allow

• Grouping the applications together
• Choosing a meaningful Key letter (changing the letter has been used before)
• Changing the application name (to highlight a different Key letter)
• Calculating the size of the compilation (keeping it within 64K chunks)

The first items on the list are the existing Z88 applications. They have Application names and Key letters which need to be taken into consideration. An additional line is added at the top Image RemovedI Index which although is not displayed on the Z88, the Key letter is used. The first column is a 'master order' column. You will see that we will need this to return our list back to where we started after the different checks we will be doing.

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 Adding some Applications to OZ 4.7

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Using RomCombiner

To get to know this program, you may find reading and working through the example(s) to get an idea what it can do for you. Alternatively, browsing through the commands may be your approach. ROMupdate can also be used, so where do we start? How about a quick overview so that you can decide where to go next.

Overview

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The bold capital letter at the start of the line indicates which key to press to select it.

Verify EPROM banks properly erased

Blow image files to blank EPROM

Flash EPROM block erase

Emulator file conversion

Wait mode

Quit

This is the document planning area

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