Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!newstop!sun!imagen!atari!portal!cup.portal.com!Chris_F_Chiesa
From: Chris_F_Chiesa@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: BASIC Programs...
Message-ID: <28811@cup.portal.com>
Date: 12 Apr 90 02:35:29 GMT
References: <9004100703.AA10160@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 28

Dang Portal, no headers or automatic "include marks"... I have ot add this
stuff myself in 'vi'... barf barf...  

Anyway, Chris Hamman recently posted:

> Does anyone know how to restore the VNT (Variable Name Table) to a BASIC
> program which has had it removed, so that the program can be executed by a
> RUN "D:...." and not loaded and listed by a LOAD "D:...."?

I've done this by using a "sector editor" to rebuild a bogus VNT at the 
beginning of the tokenized BASIC disk file.  A little finagling is required
sometimes to make sure that your bogus table doesn't overrun the space
allocated to it in the file; one good reason for automating the process
would be to make a new copy of the file, in the process adjusting the VNT
space to fit "nice" variable-names.  And you can't get back the original 
names, of course; I end up with variables like "AAA," "BBB," "CCC," etc.

> I have an old program that I would like to work on again, and it has been a
> long time since I have worked with this method of "security."  Is there a
> program out there that will allow me to reload the BASIC program so that I
> can restore the program to workable state?  If so, does anyone have it?  what
> is it?....

There probably IS such a thing, but I don't have it.  I could probably WRITE
it though. :-)

Chris Chiesa
   Chris_F_Chiesa@cup.portal.com