Date   : Sun, 12 Dec 1999 21:01:21 +0000
From   : Tim Strong <tim@...>
Subject: Mode 7 file

If anyone could help with the following I would be extremely grateful!

I have a 200k file that I created on my BBC many years ago using a
package called Commstar (by Pace). The file is a log of a session spent
one night on Prestel / Micronet 800 (A UK Viewdata service.)

If I use *TYPE to try and redisplay the contents of this file, it hangs
the machine (or emulator) very near the start. As far as I understand,
the file shouldn't contain any strange characters as the log was created
by "buffering" screen contents (i.e. normal mode7 stuff.)

I have tried *TYPE'ing on pcBBC/BeebinC/WinBeeb and several other
emulators, all of which produce the same result. This leads me to
believe that perhaps the session logging function in Commstar was flawed
when it came to redisplaying the file contents. 

Of course, it is more likely that my memory has failed me and that I am
missing something very straightforward. Does anyone remember doing a
similar thing with Commstar in the past? 

Alternatively, does anyone have a simple program for stripping out
control codes on a BBC and writing out to a different file, or will I
have to re-learn BBC BASIC?! (Frustratingly I could easily do this on a
PC but can't get the file into a readable ASCII format!)

The file contents are of great sentimental value to me and I would
dearly love to be able to read it again (Last night of Shades on
Micronet 800)

I await your comments with interest, Many thanks.

Tim Strong
Email         - Tim @ Strong.Org
Http://       - WWW.Tim.Strong.Org