How to use the new runtime card deck input feature in v0.4: - Remove the old ROPE1401 executable file and replace it with the attached ROPE1401.jar file. - Run the attached ROPE1401.bat file from the same directory as the .jar file, or enter the shell command: java -jar ROPE1401.jar - Make sure it says "Version 0.4" in the main window's header. - Select and assemble an Autocoder program in the EDIT window, as before. You can try the attached list8080.s program which lists a card deck. - In the EXEC window, click on the new "Program input ..." button. In the "Program input" dialog box, click the "Browse ..." button to select the file containing the input card deck. Click the "OK" button. For example, you can select list8080.s to list its source. - Back in the EXEC window, click the "Restart simulator" button. Set breakpoints, single step, etc., as before. If the program has an R (read) instruction, it will read card images from the input file you selected. - If your object deck is aaa.cd and the input deck is xxx.xx, then ROPE will generate a file named aaa_xxx.cd which will contain the object cards followed by the input cards. This combined card deck is put into the card reader for execution. - You can click the "Program input ..." button only when the simulator is not running. Runtime card input tips: - If sense switch A (the "last card switch") is on when your program executes an R instruction, you can do a "branch on last card" instruction like this: B DONE,A where the branch to "DONE" is taken only if the card reader is empty (i.e., the last card has already been read). Note the "A" d-character. - If sense switch A is off, then the above branch is never taken, and the machine will immediately halt on an R instruction if the card reader is empty. - The sense switches are in the CONSOLE window (press the "Show console ..." button in the EXEC window). The sense switches are settable only after your program has started executing, so put in a breakpoint and press the "Start program" button. Enjoy! -- Ron