'BBC Files' is a utility to convert between some of the various types of files used by BBC emulators on Acorn & PC platforms.

Formats supported :
Read /Write

• 6502Em style BBC applications with BBC scripts
• /ssd dfs disc images (including watford double catalogue)
• vanilla directories
• bbc files with /inf files

• UEF files containing simple tape files

How to use

Although BBC Files is pretty self explanatory, here is a quick guide to it's use. After loading this program, clicking on it's iconbar icon produces a window like this-

1. First drag one of five supported types to this window, the input box sprite then changes to the appropriate type and the input leafname will be copied to the output box
2. Then choose one of the types to output.
3. If you want a different leafname type it into the bottom right text entry box.
4. Drag the converted file icon to the desired directory, which will start the conversion

Conversion Notes

6502Em style BBC applications with BBC scripts

This generates a pseudo application that when run will launch 6502Em.If the BBC archive has a !Boot file this will be renamed Boot (to stop the filer from running it) A BBC script is generated which will either *RUN or *EXEC Boot. If there is no boot file then it just does *CAT

/ssd dfs disc images

If the source archive has more than 31 files then you will need Watford DFS to read the resultant image.The image is only made as large as necessary with 16k of free space at the end.

If when reading a disc image filenames containing illegal ADFS characters are found, these will be converted. A file called !!files will be created containing the original names and the new ones.

If reading directly from a zip containing more than one disc image then an error will be generated.

Unreadable disc Images. The code in BBCFiles for detecting disc images isn't infallible, fortunately you can skip this by using the underlying star command directly. In a taskwindow type -
*READDFSIM -X <DFSImage> <Directory>
you will have to unzip the image yourself if needed & the output directory must already exist.

UEF File

Once converted these are unlikely to run straight off, as it is common to have several files with the same name, or names that are illegal under ADFS. BBCFiles will rename these to something legal, but it is up to you to change any LOAD/CHAIN/*RUN commands in the BBC programs. A file named !!files is generated showing the order of the files and what names they are output as.

FAQ

I drag a BASIC file to the BBCFiles window, but get the error "I Can't convert this file"?

You can only drag disc images,PKZIP archives & directories to BBCFiles. To convert a single BASIC progam, you should first put it in a directory and then drag the directory to the BBCFiles window.

History

• Crc calculation removed
• Multi-tasks using TaskWindow & FilerAction
• ROS4 application sprite added
• ROS3.7 and earlier Dos extension truncation problem solved !SPRITES/INF now becomes !SPRIT/INF instead of !SPRITES/I

• User interface improved, the input leaf name is copied to the output icon
• Upgraded to DrWimp 3.62 & Unzip 5.50
• Now reads some UEF files
• Sub-processes in BBCRTS directory now support long command lines
• Can now convert all the formats from within a zip, not just /INF files

• DFS routines re-written, should now cope better with watford double catalogue & illegal characters in filenames
• EncodeINF re-written, now much faster
• Upgraded to DrWimp 3.80 & 32bit Infozip progs
• UEF filenames with characters less than 32 (ie Acornsoft games) are now translated correctly

• Upgraded to DrWimp 3.90
• Automatically loads DDEUtils, should fix Iyonix problem

Acknowledgements

Copyright