Toolset to convert ATASCII files with negative characters (as in Action!, where they do as comment) to/from UTF8 for editing with favourite text editor.

However, inversed chars cannot be entered from keyboard, only from char picker.

In addition a special font:

TrueType/EightBit Atari-Standard.ttf

is needed (and installed in the system) from repository:

https://github.com/a8bit/EightBit-Atari-Fonts/

(for convinience placed here)

Usage: convertatasciitoutf8 [-7]

converts ATASCII files to UTF-8 encoded files, that look the same as on Atari 8-bit. Optional 7 bit mode (-7 option) strips eight bit, making inverse characters not inversed. The files can be edited then, and then backconverted with tool:

Usage: convertutf8toatascii

which converts UTF-8 files with inverse characters encoded - back to plain ATASCII 8-bit files. If eight bit was not stripped, this operation is reversible to previous.

The chinv command changes inverse of ATASCII characters, when inversed characters are stored as unicode codes, and converting plain <128 characters to unicode inversed.

You may use it in vim as a block text filter, for example:

• first select text to be changed and then press
• shift-: and append !chinv, then press enter.

Under the hood it changes all characters from stdin, and when <128 (but 0xa) it outputs them to stdout as unicode inversed, and when in unicode inversed form - outputs back to plain ascii uninversed. Special font EightBit Atari-Standard.ttf must be used to properly display inversed ATASCII characters.

please use those tools as you wish :)

Jakub Husak (11.2023), Poland.

type

make

(make tool and C compiler needed)

and copy them somewhere where the PATH can look into.