Date   : Thu, 28 Feb 1985 10:35:00 MST (Thu)
From   : Keith Petersen <W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA>
Subject: MLOAD24 - a enhanced replacement for LOAD

MLOAD, Ron Fowler's enhanced replacement for CP/M-80's LOAD.COM has
been updated to version 2.4 and is now available from SIMTEL20:

Filename                       Type     Bytes   CRC

Directory MICRO:<CPM.ASMUTL>
MLOAD24.AQM.1                  BINARY   24064  585AH

MLOAD is a replacement for the cp/m "LOAD" program: this program fixes
many of the problems associated with the "CP/M" load program, and adds
many new features.

MLOAD has the ability to pre-load a non-hex file, allowing mload to be
used to load hex file patches (obviating any need to use DDT).  The
first (and only the first) filespec (after the "=", if used) may be
non-hex; the filetype must be specified.

       Examples:
               1)      mload ws.com,wspatch
               2)      mload MEXTEST=MEX112.COM,MXO-US13
               3)      mload ws.ovr,ovrpatch

The first example loads WS.COM, overlays it with wspatch.hex, and
writes the output to WS.COM.  The second example loads MEX112.COM,
overlays it with MXO-US13.HEX, and writes the output file to
MEXTEST.COM.  (note that the second example is the recommended
technique, since it preserves the original file). The third example
loads WS.OVR and patches it with the file "OVRPATCH.HEX".

ZCPR2-style du specs are fully supported, for both input and output
files.  Thus, the following command lines are permissable:

       b3>mload a4:myfile.com=0:bigfil,b6:patch1,c9:patch2
       a6>mload b5:=c3:mdm717.com,mdmpatch

After loading, an information line is printed in the statistics
report, which displays the true size of the saved image.

This program is a replacement for the cp/m "LOAD" program.  Why
replace "LOAD"?  well... LOAD.COM has a few deficiencies.  For
example, if your hex file's origin is above 100h, LOAD.COM prepends
blank space to the output file to insure it will work as a CP/M
transient.  It cares not if the file is not intended as a CP/M
transient.  It also doesn't like hex records with mixed load addresses
(for example, one that loads below a previous record -- which is a
perfectly legitimate happenstance).  Also, LOAD.COM can load only one
program at a time, and has no provision for a load bias in the command
specification. Finally, there is no provision for user specification
of the output file name.

[notes by Ron Fowler]

--Keith