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Testing tips to verify tape images (CDT)

12 bytes added, 14:33, 17 January 2009
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'''Testing tips'''
 
If the program uses standard block loading then you can test the image is correct in the following way:
* Insert the tape-image to test,
* Reset the CPC
* At the "Ready" prompt type: <br/> <pre>|TAPE:CAT</pre>* The following message will then be displayed: <br/> <pre>Press PLAY then any key</pre><br/>  [[Image:cat1.png]]   * Press a key, and then wait. After some time you will see a message similar to this: <br/> <pre><nowiki><filename> </nowiki> <nowiki>block <block number> <file type symbol></nowiki></pre><br/> Where:
** <nowiki><filename> is the name of the file on the cassette (maximum of 16 characters) </nowiki>
** <nowiki><block number> is the number of the current block being tested, </nowiki>
{| class="prettytable"
! <center>Symbol</center>! <center>File type</center>
|-
| $
| Unprotected BASIC file
|-
| %
| protected BASIC file (the program can't be listed)
|-
| &
| Unprotected binary file
|-
| '
| Protected binary file
|}
 
[[Image:cat2.png]]
An example is:
<pre>HUDSON HAWK block 1 &</pre>
If the block is correct and the CRC checksum is valid, then "Ok" will be printed after the file type symbol. e.g.
<pre>HUDSON HAWK block 1 & Ok</pre>
If there is an error "Read error a" or "Read error b" will be displayed.
** It is ideal for testing programs that only use the standard loader, but may contain many parts that are not loaded immediatly. e.g. a multi-loader program, many seperate programs on the same cassette
** Some programs disable the cassette messages (e.g. messages like "Loading HUDSON HAWK block 1"), and it is not easy to identify the name or number of a bad block. With this method, the name and block numbers are listed.
** You can easily identify blocks that are missing (maybe they were not decoded by voc2tzx). e.g. <br/> <pre> HUDSON HAWK block 1 & Ok<br/> HUDSON HAWK block 3 & Ok</pre><br/> In this example, block 2 of "HUDSON HAWK" is missing. This would result in a "Rewind tape" error.
** You can compare the list of blocks against the graphical display of the sound wave in a sound editor and identify any blocks that are not correct.
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