Cassettes - AMSTRAD cpc 6128 User Instruction

Part 2: Cassettes
If you wish to use a cassette unit connected to the system, (as described in part 2 ofthe
Foundation course), a number of the BASIC commands will operate differently when
the computer is set to cassette operation by the command I TAP E. Various software
messages and prompts will appear on the screen which are not seen during normal
disc operation.
NOTE - If your cassette unit's FAST-FORWARD and REWIND switches operate
under remote control, then it will be necessary during these operations to either
remove the REM (remote) plug from your cassette unit, or to type in I TAP E : CAT
in order to activate the cassette motor. Pressing
[ESC]
cancels this operation.
Unlike discs, filenames on cassette do not have such strict rules concerning their
form. They may be up to 16 characters long, and may contain embedded spaces and
punctuation marks. In some instances, they may be omitted altogether.
The following list describes the differences in the operation of each of these BASIC
commands. Descriptions of the commands themselves will be found in the chapter
entitled 'Complete list of AMSTRAD CPC6128 BASIC keywords'.
CAT
You will be instructed:
Press PLAY then any key:
.... whereupon you should press the PLAY button on your cassette unit, followed by
one of the keys on the computer. The tape in the cassette will start turning, and the
computer will display the names of each of the files that it finds (in sequence) on the
cassette.
Each of the blocks of a file will be displayed, followed by a single character which
indicates what sort offile it is:
$
is an unprotected BASIC file
%
is a Protected BA£IC file
*
is an ASCII file
&
is a Binary file
The computer displays:
Ok
.... at the end of the line if it has read the file successfully, indicating that the file
would have loaded into memory, had the computer attempted to do so.
The CAT function will not affect the program currently in the computer's memory.
Using Discs and Cassettes
Chapter 4 Page 11