[pdp11-bin2load] / README.md

# Overview #

This is a simple program that converts raw binary data into a paper-tape image
compatible with SIMH.

For example, I commonly use it when transfering compiled PDP-11 code into SIMH
with the output of:

    pdp11-aout-objcopy --only-section=.text --output-target binary program.out program.bin

It does not generate correct checksums, but this generates only a warning in
SIMH, not an error.


# Status #

Tested and working on Linux and FreeBSD.


# Instructions #

The `Makefile` provides targets for `all`, `install`, `uninstall`, and `clean`.
Edit the `Makefile` to set `$PREFIX` for alternate installation paths. By
default it installs to `$HOME/bin`.

Once compiled and added to your `$PATH`, simply provide a raw binary blob as
`input` and receive a SIMH compatible paper tape image at `output`.

If provided via the `-a` flag, the paper tape will load at the provided address
in memory. If not provided, this defaults to `01000` (`1000` octal).

    bin2load -i /path/to/input -o /path/to/output -a 01000
Commit	Line	Data
f2b550c0 AT	1	# Overview #
	2
	3	This is a simple program that converts raw binary data into a paper-tape image
	4	compatible with SIMH.
	5
	6	For example, I commonly use it when transfering compiled PDP-11 code into SIMH
	7	with the output of:
	8
	9	pdp11-aout-objcopy --only-section=.text --output-target binary program.out program.bin
	10
	11	It does not generate correct checksums, but this generates only a warning in
	12	SIMH, not an error.
	13
	14
	15	# Status #
	16
	17	Tested and working on Linux and FreeBSD.
	18
	19
	20	# Instructions #
	21
	22	The `Makefile` provides targets for `all`, `install`, `uninstall`, and `clean`.
	23	Edit the `Makefile` to set `$PREFIX` for alternate installation paths. By
	24	default it installs to `$HOME/bin`.
	25
	26	Once compiled and added to your `$PATH`, simply provide a raw binary blob as
	27	`input` and receive a SIMH compatible paper tape image at `output`.
	28
	29	If provided via the `-a` flag, the paper tape will load at the provided address
	30	in memory. If not provided, this defaults to `01000` (`1000` octal).
	31
	32	bin2load -i /path/to/input -o /path/to/output -a 01000
	33