I wrote BASTUTOR many years ago. I was learning Mallard Basic, written by Locomotive Software and bundled with every Amstrad PCW (except the PcW16) and wrote BASTUTOR to reinforce my understanding of the language. Using the utility "Flipper " I was able to jump between the Basic screen and word processor; If I was unsure about a point I could try it out, then immediately transfer my findings to the word processor. This is much easier to do today on PCs .
BASTUTOR was written for the PCW8256 and PCW8512. It originally covered four sides of a CF2 disc and was later converted to a single CF2DD (720K) disc.
If you would like a copy of BASTUTOR you can download it as a zipped file ( 248 KB )
Download BASTUTOR (248KB)
Having downloaded and unzipped BASTUTOR into a folder, it has to be converted into a form for use with the PCW or with the PCW emulator JOYCE, by John Elliott. (See the Emulators section on this site.) This can be done with the utility 22DISK which can be downloaded free from several sites. Clicking below will take you to one. You will, of course, need Mallard Basic. If you don't have it try SD Micros who now own Locomotive Software.
Download 22disk (22dsk1441.zip 227KB)
Using 22disk to prepare a Bastutor disc in CP/M format.
Having unzipped 22disk into a folder click on the file CMENU which brings a menu up on the screen with 9 options numbered 0 - 8.
Choose option 1) Set CP/M Diskette type - press enter to see discette types. I chose AMSD for the PcW9256, PCW9512 etc.
Choose option 2) Set CP/M Diskette drive - I chose A:
Choose option 5) Format a CP/M diskette - Place a 720K diskette in the PC's drive; check that your choice of format is shown then press key G to format in CP/M. leave the disk in the drive.
Choose option 4) Copy Dos file(s) to CP/M -type the path to the BASTUTOR files eg C:\unzipped\bastutor\*.* and all the files will be trasferred to the disk in the PC's drive. Transfer is shown on screen.
You now have a CP/M disc with BASTUTOR which can now be run on a PCW or on JOYCE. 22DISK provides a useful interface between Dos and CP/M and can prove useful in other ways.
Bastutor
As I remarked before Bastutor was written for the PCW8256/8512 If it is used on another model some parts of BASTUTOR become invalid, for example those sections on the keyboard and dot matrix printer. However, enough will remain to give a thorough grounding in Mallard Basic.
To use BASTUTOR, load Mallard Basic then at the prompt type RUN "tutor" After that just follow the menu's. If you're using JOYCE you'll find that F5 works to control scrolling of text just as on a PCW. That's all, I believe.
Ron King