Asc2Com (MorganSoft)

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File Format
Name Asc2Com (MorganSoft)
Ontology
Extension(s) .com
Released 1989

Asc2Com is a DOS utility that converts a text document to a COM file that, when executed, displays the text in a viewer. It was developed by MorganSoft. It supports a number of different viewing styles and options.

Contents

Discussion

The software was originally in the form of a command-line utility named Asc2Com. Later versions include both a menu-driven utility named Asc2Com, and a command-line utility named A2C.

Depending on the version, and the options used when generating the COM file, it may have a feature (Alt-F or Alt-W) to write the text to a disk file. Run the file, and try pressing F1 for help.

Format details

Compression scheme

Version 2.00+ has an option to compress the embedded text with LZW. Here are some notes on the compression scheme.

Code size is 9 to 10 bits. Special codes:

256 Unused or unknown.
257 Increment code size (from 9 to 10). Seek to the next byte boundary.
258 Stop.

The first dynamic code is 259. The code table is never cleared.

The Asc2Com documentation includes some very minimal information about its LZW format.

Identification

It appears difficult to precisely identify files made by Asc2Com.

Generated files usually contain one of the following ASCII strings somewhere in them:

  • "Com File  Generated by ASC2COM" (Used by older versions.)
  • "Com File generated by ASC2COM"
  • "File made by ASC2COM"

Known exceptions:

  • Compressed v2.01 files contain "ASC2COM  V2.00,COMPRESS".
  • Compressed v2.05 files contain "ASC2COM  V2.01,COMPRESS".

Software

Sample files

Retrieved from "http://fileformats.archiveteam.org/index.php?title=Asc2Com_(MorganSoft)&oldid=49616"
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