!PtrCopy

I use Ran Mokady’s PtrCopy app. frequently on ROS4 but it doesna
work on ROS5 an’ I’m wonderin’ if there’s any chance of a 32-bit n whajamacallit safe) version.
The app. consists of two modules: PtrCopy + PtrUtils and is in the P.D.

P.S. Ran Mokady is uncontactable – that is to say, Iv’e tried several times without success.

Looking for “Ran Mokady PtrCopy” provides a carbon-copy (except PS line) of this message you posted to csaa in February 2012 (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.sys.acorn.apps/KYnbomnatpE), and a variety of clones of it on scraper sites.
Do you have a link for PtrCopy? If it is PD, is there source?

I see that even ROL’s ProductDB describes it as “Old!”, with no further info…

Do you have a link for PtrCopy?

http://arcade.demon.co.uk/filepages/file36.htm

8 not 32bit items in PtrUtils, 290 instances in PtrCopy application file. Haven’t seen any source, but Armalyser output would probably suffice.

“This software is © 1990 by Ran Mokady. It has been placed in the public
domain, and may be copied used and distributed freely, as long as it is
distributed complete with this documentation file, and with the copyright
message intact.”

Found a copy – ftp://arcade.demon.co.uk/data/022500/023650/023681

It is a small module (could be converted) and a C program that is somewhat less small. This will not be able to be converted (without a lot of aggro) – there are fundamental differences between APCS-R and APCS-32 (see other recent threads) so it would be a hell of a job to convert an old C program working from just its binary.

For what it is worth, attempts to use it (emulated RISC OS 3.70) repeatedly crashed with a malformed message about “GetCharacter already in use” or something along those lines.

What’s it supposed to do? Copy the text at the pointer? If so, look at !Swipe. (That link might be dead, and you might need to use Google’s cache, or Way Back or the like.) !Swipe is almost certainly not compatible with modern OS versions, but I’m pretty sure the source was included. It’s pretty cunning (intercepts Font Manager calls off SWIV, I think) and when I first saw it, I was totally amazed!

8 not 32bit items in PtrUtils, 290 instances in PtrCopy application file. Haven’t seen any source, but Armalyser output would probably suffice.

Following up my own comment, that level of change required is probably at the Sprow “intellectual exercise” point, but with slightly less clear source because it’s an Armalyser analysis.
BUT, from reading the help file it is only interested in System font items. I think there may be more relevant items for current OS use. Steve Fryatts IconClip and Clipboard stuff comes to mind.

!Swipe is ok but is considerably more cumbersome and takes 2 operations to do what PtrCopy does in one.
Perhaps some Basic could be written to make use of the facilities offered by the PtrUtils module?

Perhaps some Basic could be written to make use of the facilities offered by the PtrUtils module?

First carry out the changes to the PtrUtils module.

1. Drop file onto Armalyser and tick the assembly and text options, untick the disassembly option.
2. Click run and save the Analysis file
3. Your choice now:

a Alter the marked instructions from the “not 32 bit safe” version to a plain 32 bit only version and add the extra fields in the header section to include the zero values (pads through to the 26/32 bit flags word) and add the 32 bit flags word.
Tag in an AREA directive before the ORG directive line and throw the result at Objasm – hope it works. If it works create BASIC to use facilities.

b Try harder and contact Ran Mokady asking for the source.
If that works and the source is recompiled, create BASIC to use the facilities.
Edit: oops the original had a b dot which made it bold – not an intentional loud bit.

c Grab a simple BASIC shell with assembler in it and substitute the assembler from Armalyser. You need to remove the | characters and the code label lines need to start with a dot.

d Use something else.

For things as “simple” as this I have altered module extracted code to compile using a hacked BASIC shell. Others I have done via a option a) method. First stage is to become familiar with what you can alter and how.

Sometimes you have to put in a little effort.

The “facilities”:
Module info
===
Generated by : !Verma 0.27 (03 Dec 2008)
Generated on : Tue 01 Apr 2014. 07:41 PM

Title : PointerUtils
Help : PointerUtils 0.03 (20 Apr 1991)

Flags :
Can be started as an application.
32-bit ready : (No)

Services :
Has old style (pre RISC OS 4) service handler.

SWIs :
&423C0 Pointer_GetCharacter
&423C1 Pointer_GetCharacterAtPointer

Commands :
ReadChar

Note: I am not a programmer, I maintain data networks and firewalls for a living¹ I have done scripts in VBS, perl, AutoIT (on PC’s) and knocked up a BASIC item or two to fix a particular problem I had at the time but I still wouldn’t dream of calling myself a programmer.

¹ Recently the technical stuff has not so much back seat as hanging off the rear bumper, too many management items where I’m thinking for other people. If you want a resilient architecture network using Avaya of Cisco switches no problem. The Avaya design stuff I could probably do with a pen and a set of split beer mats.

and throw the result at Objasm

Hmm, having said that, if I’m going to continue on the “intellectual exercise” I really ought to buy a new copy of the DDE. The old Castle version does a partial job¹ on the RPCEmu, the NutPi is fine on the Pi but something that can be used all round might be better.

¹ Hard to tell where the problem lies at times:
Me or some legacy issue in the antique compiler. (RISC OS ARM C vsn 5.52 [01 Nov 2002])

In this case the tools are probably perfectly OK, it’s just the workman.

Try harder and contact Ran Mokady asking for the source.

I emailed all the email addreses Gargle turned up: what would trying harder involve?

what would trying harder involve?

Hmm, you don’t like option a or c?

The BASIC shell and instruction change seems feasible for anyone with a RO machine or RPCEmu install.

Option c costs nothing, option a might require a purchase.

But does !PtrCopy only work with the system font? How useful is that these days? To people still operate the desktop with the system font much? !Swipe can read system font and FM painted strings from the screen, AFAIR.

people still operate the desktop with the system font much?

Well there are at least two of us! :-)

you don’t like option a or c?

I like ’em fine but only (b) is within my capabilities.

I like ’em fine but only (b) is within my capabilities.

I’m sure it’s true.
When someone decides they can’t achieve a target, then they will never achieve that target.