The Complete STOS Reference

 pre-release 0.2 Edited By Dr Phibes

STOS Manual: APPENDIX B

Creating A Runtime Disc Commercial Stos Programs Adding A Title Screen Running Other Files
 
 

Creating A Runtime Disc

The following procedure will allow you to create a disc from which you can boot any STOS basic program without having to load STOS basic first.
  1. Format a disc and load up STOS basic.
  2. Load the accessory STOSCOPY.ACB with the command accload "STOSCOPY.ACB". Press the [help] key and select the STOSCOPY accessory with the appropriate function key. This accessory will now copy the required files from your STOS basic master disc onto the newly formatted disc.
  3. Now load in your basic program.TYPE save "myprog.prg". The name myprog can be any eight character string but the extension must be .prg .STOS will now ask you to insert a disc containing the STOS folder, into drive A. This, of course , is the disc which has the system files copied onto it by STOSCOPY.
  4. STOS saves out your program in a special format so that it now becomes a proper .PRG file, executable from GEM.
  5. If you want your file to autoboot, copy the file into an AUTO folder.

Commercial Stos Programs

When a runtime file has been generated, it still requires protecting if it is to be released commercially. On the STOS basic disc is a file called PROTECT.BAS. This is used to save out a special version of the basic which does not include the editor commands. The three main rules for STOS programs which are to be released commercially are:
  1. You must protect all programs using the PROTECT.BAS program.
  2. The program must state that it was written in STOS basic.
  3. The program must be entirely all your own work.
There are no Royalties payable to Mandarin Software.

Adding A Title Screen

A runtime package searches for a picture file called pic.pi1 or pic.pi3 when it boots up. If it finds the required file it will be spun on the screen in the same fashion as the STOS basic loading screen.

Running Other Files

Once the runtime copy of your program has loaded, it can run any other basic program with the command run "demo.bas" . The file demo.bas will then be loaded into memory and run. This feature only applies to runtime packages that are not protected with PROTECT.BAS which have the editor stripped from them.