PC-8201A LOGO

NEC PC-8201A MENU System



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[MENU Screen]

MENU is the file manager of the PC-8201A. It is generally the first screen seen by the user after turning on the laptop. The time and date stored in the unit's real-time clock are in the top left of the display. The current RAM bank number is in the top right of the display. The function key list is across the bottom row of the display and the amount of free memory available is lsited in the bottom right of the display. There are slots for 24 file entries. Three of the entries, BASIC, TEXT, and TELCOM, are built into the PC-8201A ROM and cannot be erased. This leaves up to 21 open slots for user and program files. An open slot is designated by the -.- symbol.

1983/01/01 00:00:00      (C) Microsoft #1
 BASIC     TEXT       TELCOM    -.-
 -.-       -.-        -.-       -.-
 -.-       -.-        -.-       -.-
 -.-       -.-        -.-       -.-
 -.-       -.-        -.-       -.-
 -.-       -.-        -.-       -.-
Load    Save     Name    List    12374

From MENU the user may manipulate files without entering BASIC to type in commands. The MENU functions are: Rename, Delete, Copy, Save, Load, List, IPL, and Bank. To use one of the MENU functions, use the left, right, up, or down arrow keys to highlight the file. Press the appropriate function key. F1 through F5 act as F6 through F10 when used with the SHIFT key. You may not Rename, Delete, Copy, Load, or Save the three built-in programs.

The PC-8201A supports three types of file in the file system: BASIC programs stored in a special tokenized file format (.BA), text files that may be loaded into TEXT (.DO), and machine language program files (.CO). BASIC programs stored in an ASCII format for transfer to/from bulletin boards or other computers will show up as (.DO) text files.

Load (F1): This function loads a program from one of two external devices, the cassette interface or the serial port. The cassette port has the designator (CAS:) and the serial port has the designator (COM:). If the user does not designate a device, the computer defaults to the cassette interface. A file name should be specified when you load from cassette (it may be either text or BASIC). The file name is replaced by communications parameters when loading from the serial port. When loading from the serial port, the file must be in text file format (.DO). See the LOAD command in the BASIC reference.

Example: Load

     1.  It does not matter what slot is highlighted when you tell
         the PC-8201A to load a file. The Load command always fills
         the first available open slot.
     2.  Press F1. The computer responds "Load from". Let's say
         that we want to load the BASIC program called "TEST" or
         the text file "MYFILE".
     3.  Type a proper file name with a designator or omit the
         designator if loading from cassette. Then press the
         enter key.

         Load a BASIC program from cassette, use       TEST.BA
         Load a BASIC program from cassette, use       CAS:TEST.BA
         Load a TEXT file from cassette, use           MYFILE.DO

     3.  The computer responds "Save as"
     4.  Type the file name that you want the file called in the
         MENU listing.




Original author of this page: David Firth.


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