[Coco] OS-9 Pascal P-code Interpreters

[John W. Linville]

On Fri, Aug 28, 2015 at 10:27:00PM -0500, Joel Ewy wrote:
> On 08/24/2015 04:44 PM, John W. Linville wrote:
> >On Thu, Aug 20, 2015 at 02:49:40PM -0500, Joel Ewy wrote:
> >>Hey, does anybody know if the OS-9 Pascal P-code interpreters are compatible
> >>with other, UCSD-style P-code interpreters, such as the one for the Apple
> >>II, CP/M, or the original IBM PC?  For a possible future exhibit of classic
> >>computers at a local maker space, I would like to try running a P-code
> >>program on a variety of vintage platforms, and I'd very much like the CoCo
> >>to be one of them.
> >I've had this same question myself -- I think I've even asked it here.
> >Alas, I don't recall any meaningful answer.
> >
> >I reckon that someone needs to do a little ground work, transferring
> >files from the Apple II (or other) P-system and trying them out on
> >the CoCo.  I suspect that person will also need to create some sort
> >of utility to add the "P-code" OS-9 module headers to the programs
> >as well.
> >
> >Hopefully someone is bored enough to try it and let us know! ;-)
> >
> >John
> For as big a deal as was made about P-code compatibility I've found
> remarkably little in the vintage documentation I've come up with on the
> Internet about actually moving P-code between platforms.  I did read
> something in some Osborne UCSD Pascal docs about UCSD "Universal" disk
> format and moving P-code programs from it to Osborne double-density disks.
> I've got 3 Osbornes and several Apple 2 systems.  Maybe I can try it between
> them first, just to see if I can get it to work in environments that are
> advertised as UCSD P-systems (assuming one of my Osbornes has double density
> drives, which may not be the case) and if I get that to work, try to put
> OS-9 Pascal into the mix.

If you haven't already seen it, this might be of interest:

	http://ucsd-psystem-vm.sourceforge.net/

I wouldn't be surprised if the OS-9 p-code is the same.  But, I
wouldn't really be surprised if it was different either... :-)

Good luck!

John
-- 
John W. Linville		Someday the world will need a hero, and you
linville at tuxdriver.com			might be all we have.  Be ready.