The following paper describes the format of a tape which is to be run on the FR80. It includes sufficient details to write host software to generate an acceptable tape.
There are two tape decks on the FR80. One is a 7-track triple density deck, the other is 9-track 1600 bpi. at 556 bpi. At ACL, 7-track tapes are written at 556 bpi.
The basic word size on the FR80 is 18 bits. The word is stored on tape as 3 6-bit characters (most significant first). This mode is used on both 7 and 9-track, so, for 9-track, the top two bits of each 8-bit byte are ignored.
Tape records can be variable, up to 340 18-bit words.
Two consecutive filemarks indicate end-of-tape. Single filemarks are used as sentinels by the System (see below).
Each job is separated into 3 sub-jobs. The proper graphics sub-job is surrounded by two accounting sub-jobs, which perform the automatic accounting.
The general job format will be:
Filemark Accounts sub-job Filemark Graphics sub-job Filemark Accounts sub-job
Any number of jobs may be included on one tape. The tape is terminated by two consecutive filemarks.
Each sub-job has the format:
Header record 1 Header record 2 Data records.
The first header record contains the name of the system to be called. The second header record contains commands for the monitor system. These records are described in detail below. Both of these records must be 256 words (or less) long.
This record contains the name of the subsystem, preceded by ***. The code used is 6-bit, described in Appendix 1. This is the only place where this text code is used. The following systems are available:
Different versions of the displayer are required for different options. The four-letter name is interpreted as follows:
MF microfiche camera RF black and white, non-fiche CF colour, non-fiche
O OCRB3 font C GPO font
The two available fonts provide different hardware characters. The first one is designed for mono spacing, and the second for proportional spacing (although both can be used with either option).
First record of accounts program:
Character Octal
word 1 *** 525252
word 2 SYS 233123
word 3 LOG 141707
word 4-end 0 000000
This record provides the monitor control commands required to run the selected sub-system. Each command is stored, one character per word (right justified) using the code defined in Appendix 2, and is terminated by 215 (octal).
One command is required by all subsystems:
GO/ This must be the last command
The remainder are described under their particular subsystems.
This section was a rewrite of Section 5.3 of Technical Paper No 4
The following monitor commands may appear:
This identifies the camera, as follows:
n = 3 35mm n = 4 16mm n = 16 Hardcopy
It is not used for microfiche. If present, it should be the first command used.
TIT/T1C2L1H1,1/username$MC2L1H13,1/FICHE$3 0$M$C TIT/C C5L2H6,1/message
The above two lines (a 215 code follows $M$C) will provide a standard user; readable title on microfiche. The spaces are essential.
The options are:
Hardcopy CAM/16 PULL/3150 X NUM/2 Y NUM/2 GO/ 16mm black and white CAM/4 SPEED/2 GO/
Data of course depends on the subsystem selected. In general, single filemarks can be written in the body of the data (but not as the first item), to be used as markers. However, since this requires operator intervention, the practice is not encouraged. Data records must not be too small (less than 50 words), otherwise they may be interpreted as filemarks.
All data for the accounts program is provided by monitor command. However, the sub-job format requires at least one data record. Hence, one zero record is written, and ignored by the program.
The order code format for data is described below. However, the conventional form of data is as follows:
Leader Frames User Data Trailer Frames
These depend on the camera selected:
Blank Frames Username Frame ID Frame
Blank Frame ID Frame
ID Frame
In the case of hardcopy, sufficient frame advance orders must be given to provide a full physical blank frame, in case X NUM, Y NUM are used.
The 16mm username frame provides the FR80 operators with an easy means of identifying user output. On other cameras, the ID frame itself is readable.
Details of these two frames appear in Appendix 4.
The standard FR80 film orientation is comic. It is advised that all cameras other than microfiche use cine mode, and so have a 221400 order at the start (see later).
Again, these depend on the camera selected:
ID Frame Blank Frame
ID Frame
The ID frame is the same as the Leader Frame, but with more information on it.
Each tape must be accompanied by information (normally a lineprinter listing generated by the job producing the tape) so that the FR80 operators can correctly run the tape.
This information should include:
Camera required. The following standard names are currently in use:
16 COLOUR 16MM 35 COLOUR 35MM 26 PREC FICHE HARD ONE HARD MANY
If more than one job is present, then all jobs must be for the same camera, and the above information must be provided separately for each job.
The following examples indicate the contents of records written to tape for accounts, leader frames, trailer frames and an actual graphics job. All FR80 words are given in octal, preceded by #.
The reader should be able to decode these records with the information given in this paper.
Leading Accounts Records
#525252
#233123
#141707
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 337 NOPS
#000107
#000123
#000124
#000101
#000122
#000124
#000057
#000107
#000123
#000111
#000116
#000061
#000060
#000054
#000122
#000105
#000124
#000115
#000117
#000120
#000061
#000066
#000054
#000065
#000054
#000061
#000054
#000060
#000215
#000107
#000117
#000057
#000215
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 307 NOPS
#000000
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 339 NOPS
User Job Header Records (35mm Colour)
#525252
#060306
#174040
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 337 NOPS
#000103
#000101
#000115
#000057
#000063
#000215
#000107
#000117
#000057
#000215
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 330 NOPS
User Job Header Records (16mm)
#525252
#062206
#174040
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 337 NOPS
#000103
#000101
#000115
#000057
#000064
#000215
#000107
#000117
#000057
#000215
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 330 NOPS
User Job Header Records (Microfiche)
#525252
#061506
#174040
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 337 NOPS
#000124
#000111
#000124
#000057
#000124
#000061
#000103
#000062
#000114
#000061
#000110
#000061
#000054
#000061
#000057
#000072
#000107
#000123
#000111
#000116
#000061
#000060
#000040
#000044
#000115
#000103
#000062
#000114
#000061
#000110
#000061
#000063
#000054
#000061
#000057
#000106
#000111
#000103
#000110
#000105
#000044
#000063
#000040
#000040
#000060
#000044
#000115
#000044
#000103
#000215
#000124
#000111
#000124
#000057
#000103
#000040
#000103
#000065
#000114
#000062
#000110
#000066
#000054
#000061
#000057
#000101
#000102
#000103
#000044
#000124
#000215
#000107
#000117
#000057
#000215
#000000
User Job Header Records (Hardcopy, 4-up)
#525252
#062206
#174040
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 337 NOPS
#000103
#000101
#000115
#000057
#000061
#000066
#000215
#000120
#000125
#000114
#000114
#000057
#000063
#000061
#000065
#000060
#000215
#000130
#000040
#000116
#000125
#000115
#000057
#000062
#000215
#000131
#000040
#000116
#000125
#000115
#000057
#000062
#000215
#000107
#000117
#000057
#000215
#000000
Leader Frames (35mm and Hardcopy)
#221400
#034001
#210000
#211733
#224733
#234340
#104700
#053273
#204100
#523520
#522517
#507523
#203000
#163553
#204100
#461471
#460466
#501400
#203000
#124505
#053273
#204100
#506503
#506517
#203000
#211777
#042241
#224777
#043060
#111030
#066750
#204100
#507523
#511516
#461460
#203000
#211532
#224532
#114603
#064505
#204100
#522505
#524515
#517520
#463465
#203000
#211276
#224276
#110155
#061151
#204100
#460462
#457460
#467457
#467465
#203000
#107657
#060216
#204100
#461471
#457460
#463400
#203000
#202502
#034001
Leader Frames (16mm)
#221400
#034001
#210000
#222034
#234340
#113137
#062706
#524641
#113137
#063646
#524641
#222034
#113137
#054114
#524641
#113137
#055054
#524641
#211777
#041465
#224777
#041465
#113137
#057023
#204100
#507523
#511516
#461460
#203000
#034001
#211305
#224305
#113273
#056043
#204100
#523520
#522517
#507523
#203000
#161427
#204100
#461471
#460466
#501400
#203000
#121735
#056043
#204100
#506522
#506517
#203000
#211777
#04J755
#224777
#041224
#115065
#062713
#204100
#507523
#511516
#461460
#203000
#211220
#224220
#116514
#061735
#204100
#522505
#524515
#517520
#461466
#203000
#211117
#224117
#114603
#060401
#204100
#460462
#457460
#467457
#467465
#203000
#114463
#060073
#204100
#461471
#457463
#462400
#203000
#202501
#034001
First Leader Frame (4-up Hardcopy)
#221400
#034001
#034001
#034001
#034001
User Job (Colour)
#214000
#400400
#234740
#400500
#100000
#042664
#537777
#075216
#224323
#211400
#212540
#117777
#060040
#204100
#501502
#503504
#505506
#203000
#034001
Trailer Frames (35mm)
#210000
#211733
#224733
#214000
#600001
#234340
#104700
#053273
#204100
#523520
#522517
#507523
#203000
#163553
#204100
#461471
#460466
#501400
#203000
#124505
#053273
#204100
#506503
#506517
#203000
#211777
#042241
#224777
#043060
#111030
#066750
#204100
#507523
#511516
#461460
#203000
#211532
#224532
#114603
#064505
#204100
#522505
#524515
#517520
#463465
#203000
#211276
#224276
#110155
#061151
#204100
#460462
#457460
#467457
#467465
#203000
#107657
#060216
#204100
#461471
#457460
#463400
#203000
#110155
#057264
#204100
#461471
#457460
#463400
#203000
#110453
#056331
#204100
#440440
#466400
#440523
#505503
#523400
#203000
#202502
#034001
#034001
#000000
Trailing Accounts Records
#525252
#233123
#141707
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 337 NOPS
#000107
#000105
#000116
#000104
#000057
#000065
#000054
#000060
#000215
#000107
#000117
#000057
#000215
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 327 NOPS
#000000
#000000
BUFFER FILLED WITH 339 NOPS
FR80 Standard Frames
The character set used for the first header record (octal)
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
0 A B C D E F G
1 H I J K L M N O
2 P Q R S T U V W
3 X Y Z
4 Sp ! " # $ % & '
5 ( ) * + , - . /
6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
7 8 9 . ; < = > ?
See FR80 Manual, Figure 7.5.
See Technical Paper No 1
Each region is specified in absolute FR80 raster positions as (XMIN,YMIN,XMAX,YMAX):
(a) Top Bar (filled in region using vector family command)
(5727,9670,10657,10150)
(b) Bottom Bar (filled in region)
(5727,6220,10657,6700)
(c) Username Region containing 6 characters
(5727,7699,10657,8520)
Each character is output in a 821 × 821 square. The username is output in CINE mode.
The basic data on this frame is preserved as standard in picture files within the FR80. Two frames are provided: one for 16mm, and one for the rest.
Picture 65 16mm Picture 66 other cameras.
The variable deta must be generated by program, to fit into the following slots.
| Number | DX | DY | XMIN | YMIN | XMAX | XMAX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host program name (eg SPROGS) | 7 | 475 | 475 | 2496 | 5819 | 5819 | 6293 |
| Host machine name (eg 1906A) | 7 | 475 | 475 | 2496 | 10091 | 5819 | 10565 |
| FR80 Program name (eg FRFO) | 7 | 475 | 475 | 10565 | 5819 | 13888 | 6293 |
| Username | 6 | 1584 | 1185 | 4632 | 11752 | 11752 | 13888 |
| Job name | 12 | 227 | 346 | 6531 | 10565 | 9853 | 11040 |
| Date (10/01/75) | 8 | 190 | 190 | 4205 | 8809 | 5724 | 8999 |
| Time on (11/18) | 5 | 190 | 190 | 4015 | 8334 | 4964 | 8524 |
| Time off (11/42) | 5 | 190 | 190 | 4205 | 7860 | 5154 | 8050 |
| Time used (540 sees) | 8 | 190 | 190 | 4395 | 7385 | 5914 | 7575 |
This table applies to all but 16mm. For 16mm ID frame. multiply each value by 0.4166667 and add 4779 to all X,Y coordinates.
The values for Time off and Time used will only be present in the trailing ID frame. Otherwise. both frames are the same.
Time on and Time off measure elapsed time of job on host machine.
Time used measures mill time in seconds or minutes. Minutes are used if the time is greater than 600 seconds.
See page on Image Sizes.