TXT2COM (Keith P. Graham)

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File Format
Name TXT2COM (Keith P. Graham)
Ontology
Extension(s) .com
Released 1987

TXT2COM is a DOS utility that converts a text file to a COM file that, when executed, displays the text in a full-screen viewer. It was developed by Keith P. Graham.

Later versions include TXT2RES and/or TXT2PAS, special-purpose variants of the software.

Contents

Identification

COM files produced by all known versions of TXT2COM have the ASCII string "TXT2COM Conversion utility" somewhere near the beginning of the file. It's at:

  • offset 3 for v1.0-v1.1
  • offset 5 for v2.0 through at least v2.2 (It's probably not hard to identify the specific version, but that's not investigated here.)
  • offset 14 for at least v2.06

Note: Versions 1.1 through 2.1 all produce files containing the version number "1.1".

If the string is at offset 3, the first 3 bytes of the file are:

  • e9 2f 01 for TXT2COM v1.0
  • e9 38 01 for TXT2COM v1.1
  • e9 d0 19 for TXT2RES.COM from TXT2COM v2.0 and some later versions

Files produced by TXT2RES/v2.06 have "TXT2RES Conversion utility" at offset 3.

Files produced by TXT2PAS/v2.06 have "TXT2PAS Conversion utility" at offset 3.

See also

Software

Some version numbers are guessed, with help from the change log in the README.COM file. The size in bytes of the TXT2COM.COM file is listed for clarification.

  • TXT2COM
    • v1.0?: [1] - size=3757, 1987-06-19
    • v1.1?: [2] - size=3775, 1987-07-21?
    • v2.0?: [3] - size=3938, 1987-07-26?
    • v2.1?: [4] - size=4356, 1987-08-30
    • v2.2 (a.k.a. v2.02): [5] - size=4380, 1987-11-01
    • (v2.03 and v2.04 exist, but haven't been located.)
    • v2.06: [6][7] - size=7772, 1988-08-26

Sample files

  • The README.COM file included with most versions of the software
  • STELTH24.ZIP → CATALOG.COM

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