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Re: Transferring text files to CP/M ?

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On 7/22/25 8:25 AM, dxf wrote:
> When writing text files intended for a CP/M environment, I've been
> padding them with $1A characters such that the length is a multiple
> of 128 bytes.
> 
> Is this necessary - or will CP/M emulators and/or file transfer tools
> automatically do this?  I know MYZ80 pads with $1A.  Is that true of
> others?
> 
> As a compromise I was considering terminating such files with a single
> $1A character.  That should at least avoid problems with 'junk fill'.
> 
> Any observations or thoughts?  Thanks.



A properly written program will stop at the EOF marker ($1A), so there 
is no need to pad additional $1As after the first one.  All that data is 
'don't care' mode as it will never be processed. That's the way I've 
always done it.

However, more modern coders may not be aware of the EOF marker and 
process the remainder of the buffer by mistake. And very strange they 
would think all CP/M programs magically end at 128 byte boundaries with 
all valid code in there.

Best course of action is to follow the standard and rewrite the errant code.

-J

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Thread

Transferring text files to CP/M ? dxf <dxforth@gmail.com> - 2025-07-22 23:25 +1000
  Re: Transferring text files to CP/M ? John <john@somewhere> - 2025-07-22 13:37 -0500
    Re: Transferring text files to CP/M ? dxf <dxforth@gmail.com> - 2025-07-23 12:06 +1000
      Re: Transferring text files to CP/M ? Nils M Holm <nmh@sraddha.invalid> - 2025-07-23 09:14 +0000

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