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How to Make a TAP file with EightyOne
First download Eightyone version 43c so we are using the same version.

A tap file is simply a series of data chunks that emulates a real Jupiter Ace tape on your computer. see TAP file format for more details.

To make a tap file we need some code in the EightyOne's memory. Below is an AceForth word message which will be in the dictionary that will be saved to a tap file.


AceForth word message which will be in the dictionary  that will be saved to a tap file
Next, select the destination of where EightyOne should send any file you would like to save to tape. From the OPTIONS menu choose TAPE > DESTINATION > TZX Manager. Make sure its ticked. This selects where EightyOne will SAVE to.

From the OPTIONS menu choose TAPE > DESTINATION > TZX Manager. Make sure its ticked.
From now on any Ace dictionary saved from the memory will managed by the TZX Manager.

To show the TZX Manager window from the TOOLS menu make sure the TAPE Manager is ticked and the TZX manager window will appear.


Your screen should look like the one below now with the TZX window in view.

TZX Manager window on the left
Next type SAVE nnnn - n being the name of the dictionary file. In this example we are saving all the AceForth words in the memory as a dictionary called test

Your file is now in the TZX Manager window, you can see two blocks of code. The header and the data blocks which make up the dictionary file called test.
Its the same as a tape recording [if you could see the tape].




TZX Managers window, you can see two blocks of code. The header and the data blocks which make up the dictionary file called test

Now from the TZX manager we can create a TAP file and save it to your hard disk. On the TZX Managers tool bar select the SAVE to disk icon circled in red in the image below.


SAVE to disk icon circled in red

A SAVE AS window will open asking you for the location to save the TAP to and a file name, in the example I have used the name Ace_Test.

Make sure you select the correct extension .TAP - select from the Save as type drop down list



The click the SAVE button and your new TAP file to your hard disk. In this example we had an AceForth word called Message. We then saved the dictionary to the TZX Manager as you would if you were saving it to a normal cassette tape, this dictionary was called test. From the TZX Manager we saved the Ace_Test.tap to your hard disk.

The .tap file can be reloaded by selecting from the OPTIONS > TAPE > SOURCE > TZX Manager. This selects where EightyOne will load from.

Click on the folder icon circled in red below, in the TZX Managers tool bar and navigate to your tap file you wish to load using the OPEN file window, select your .tap file and click the OPEN button. Your tap file is now in the TZX Manager ready for you to enter the Load nnn command which will load the dictionary to EightyOne's memory. I hope this has been of some help to you!