Descriptions of several file formats and types What are .PMA/.BIN/.BAS/.ROM/.COM... files and how to run them? Some MSX emulator users ask that question quite often and I am really tired of reading the same messages over and over again, so here you should find answers on most common questions about file formats on MSX. Stop filling comp.sys.msx[1] with these questions! [.BAS]/[.LDR] What are the [.BAS] files? The [.BAS] and [.LDR] files are MSX-BASIC files. These are not ASCII files! See below! How do I run them? They can be started by writing following (when you are in MSX-BASIC): (Example file: EXAMPLE.BAS) LOAD"EXAMPLE.BAS" <ENTER> RUN <ENTER> or LOAD"EXAMPLE.BAS",R <ENTER> or RUN"EXAMPLE.BAS" <ENTER> from MSX-DOS it can be also done by typing at the command line: A:>BASIC EXAMPLE.BAS <ENTER> <ENTER> = PUSH Return/Enter key. To run those files in an emulator, most of the time you have to put them on a disk image. For more info about that, see below at DSK files. I tried to load a [.BAS] file in my text editor but I got only some garbage!? That's because normally, a BASIC program is saved in a special format. This is called `tokenized' BASIC. It means every BASIC-command has it's own special byte or byte- combination. These files seem pretty binary if you don't know that it's BASIC. But of course you can also save a BASIC program in ASCII format. To save a [.BAS] file in ASCII format try: (Example file: EXAMPLE.BAS) LOAD"EXAMPLE.BAS" <ENTER> SAVE"EXAMPLE.ASC",A <ENTER> Now it is possible to open the file in a text editor. It's possible to write the BASIC program in a text editor too, but who does that? :-) Note: When a [.BAS] file has been saved with [,A] option it will take longer to load it in MSX-BASIC (especially when the program is on tape!). This is way the described method of tokens is used. It's a way of compressing the BASIC files. What's the purpose of [.LDR]-basic files? Some MSX-BASIC files have a .LDR extension. LDR is short for "loader". This usually means that this particular basic program loads a machine-language-binary (often called .BIN file, see below) program in the computer's memory. It's often seen with games. [.BIN] What are the [.BIN] files? The [.BIN] files are binary files and contain machine language. On disk, the structure is like this: First 7 bytes of file-header: byte 0 : ID byte #FE byte 1+2: start-address byte 3+4: end-address byte 5+6: execution-address Then follows the machine-language. Note that this is only true for BIN files on disk, because cassette-files have a separate header with the address-information in it. The structure is as follows: First a long header with binary 1s, 10 bytes #D0 (which indicates the file type, here binary), 6 bytes for the filename, (a short silence), short header with binary 1s, 2 byte start-address, 2 byte end-address, 2 byte execution-address, then follows the machine-language. The computer recognizes the baud rate by the long header with the binary 1's. So actually, you can save in a lot of speeds, limited by the cassette-quality (about 4600 Baud is really the maximum for good cassettes). How do I run them? They can be started by typing the following (when you are in MSX-BASIC): (Example file: EXAMPLE.BIN) BLOAD"EXAMPLE.BIN",R <ENTER> If the file will not start then there may be several reasons: 1. There's not enough free memory. Free more RAM by holding [CTRL] key down during the boot until a BEEP is heard (this makes the MSX reserve memory for only one disk-drive instead of two, so you have some kilobytes more free in BASIC). 2. This file is either buggy or is a part of a whole program. Try to find the loader (*.BAS/*.LDR file) and try with RUN"EXAMPLE.BAS" or RUN"EXAMPLE.LDR" (please also check the section on BAS files, above!) 3. The file hasn't got a run address. Find the loader (*.LDR/*.BAS) if possible. [.001], [.002], ... , [.00n] What are the these files and what to do with them? These files are actually binary files, like the [.BIN] files. But they're just called different. They're called this way, because apparently the machine-language program consists of more than one binary file. Try to find the [.BAS] or [.LDR] (loader, in BASIC) file and run it. [.COM] What are the [.COM] files? The [.COM] files are MSX-DOS V1.x/V2.x executable. To execute them you must boot MSX-DOS V1.x/V2.x, and type EXAMPLE after the prompt, to run the program EXAMPLE.COM, just like MS-DOS. How can I make an MSX-DOS V1.x disk? Format a 720kB or 1.44MB (with tape over the right hole) disk on an MSX: start your MSX with disk drive. put empty disk in drive A in MSX-BASIC write: CALL FORMAT <ENTER> choose drive A (A). choose Double Sided format (720kB) (2). copy MSXDOS.SYS and COMMAND.COM to the formatted disk copy the game/utility files to the disk reboot the MSX When the MSX-DOS prompt pops up, write the name of program which you want to execute and press return. Be aware of that some software may not work because it can be especially written to run under MSX-DOS2[2]. Can MSX run CP/M V2.20 software under MSX-DOS V1.x? Yes. With MSX-DOS V1.x you should be able to run most of CP/M V2.20 software. Where can I find the list of MSX-DOS V1.x commands? The commands of MSX-DOS V1.x are equal to MS-DOS's (except CD/MD/RD/MOVE - directory manipulation). Just read an MS-DOS manual/guide! Here are the three basic ones: COPY [A:] [wild cards (*?)] <B:> Example: COPY A:*.* B: [Copy all files from drive A: to drive B:] DIR [A:] [WILD CARDS (*?)] Example: DIR *.BAS (Show all files with BAS extension on current drive). DEL [A:] [WILD CARDS(*?)] or <FILE NAME> Example: DEL A:*.* [DELETE ALL FILES on drive A:]. [ ] = optional I can't boot the MSX-DOS, my MSX (emulator) locks up!? If you try to boot the MSX-DOS V1.x from a disk formatted in MS-DOS on a PC, then the MSX will lock up, because the boot sector is different. A disk formatted on PC will contain PC code in the boot sector, just as a disk formatted on a MSX will contain MSX code. So it is important that the boot sector is MSX's and not PC's! Where can I get the MSX-DOS V1.x or MSX-DOS V2.x files? [MSXDOS.SYS+COMMAND.COM]: [msxdos1.lzh[3]] MSX-DOS V1.x system files. [ksave105.lzh[4] ] MSX-DOS(2) kernel saver V1.05 by K.Tsujikawa. Use it to extract the ROM from your DOS2 cartridge on real MSX2. Then it (can) - (I assume that your emulator can emulate DOS2) be used with the MSX emulator. Consult the manual of your MSX emulator if in doubt. Some emulator sites provide the MSX DOS 2 ROM file too. [.PMA/.LZH/(.LHA)] What is a [.PMA] file? The [.PMA] file is a compressed archive created by PMARC2.COM. PMARC2.COM was the most used archiving tool on the MSX platform. To extract [.PMA] files use PMEXT.COM. An [.PMA] extractor/packer for PC is available too, and it is recommended to use it if you have a PC compatible machine. Where can I get a [.PMA] file extractor for MS-DOS, (L)UNIX or my MSX (emulator)? [pmext4pc.arj[5]] and PMEXT-PC.ZIP[6]]: PMEXT.COM for MS-DOS. [pmarc-pc.arj[7]]: PMARC.COM for MS-DOS. [pmarc.pma[8]]: PMARC.COM for MSX-DOS(2)/CP/M V2.20. [pmext.com[9]]: PMEXT.COM for MSX-DOS(2)/CP/M V2.20. [lha-pma-2.tar.bz[10]]- LHA/LZH extractor adapted to make it also work with PMA files, by Maarten ter Huurne. Source compilable for (L)UNIX systems (updated in 2011 by Ricardo Jurczyk Pinheiro). For Win32 users there is also a binary[11] available. The [.PMA] extractor for MS-DOS is the same as on MSX, but it runs under 22NICE - CP/M V2.20 emulator [22nice.lzh[12]]. When you have once executed 22NICE then you can run PMARC/PMEXT as many times as you want. It is not recommended to extract archives by using MSX-emulator due to the low speed. Use the 22NICE and PMEXT in MS-DOS instead. How to extract [.PMA] files on a MacIntosh computer? (Taken over from the (personal) site of The Red Devil[13].) There is no simple way to do it, so no special program to extract [.PMA] is available on Mac computers. So, to extract those archives you will need a CP/M emulator for Mac and the program (extractor): PMEXT.COM. There are two different versions of PMEXT.COM. First one is CP/M native and the 2nd one is patched so it is compatible with MSX- DOS1/2. The patched version will break down the emulator since it uses some MSX-DOS calls. The unpatched version is fully CP/M native so it works fine.