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                       Mon  12-13-1993  22:59:44

     Saw the December 1992 issue of PC Computing and a "Hot Tip" that
     converted a regular binary GWBASIC program to a ASCII file. I sent
     them this one saying that their "Hot Tip" was lukewarm... <sigh> as
     usual I was ignored even though BINARY.BAS is really and truly a
     genuine "Hot Tip."

     BINARY.BAS does something that no other program (that I know of)
     does.... it will convert a ** protected ** binary saved GWBASIC
     program to ASCII.

     There are three modes of file save in GWBASIC:

     1.   Normal binary
     2.   Protected binary
     3.   Ascii

     The protected binary saved GWBASIC program can be run but can not
     be EDITed or LISTed so you can't see how the program works.  The
     authors of these programs have SAVEd these programs using the
     command:

     SAVE "FileName.BAS", P

     The only way I know how to "break the code" is to make a dummy file
     containing Chr$(255) alone, load the protected program, load that
     dummy file and then the protected program will be in memory and can
     be LISTed or copied as ASCII.

     The accompanying file BINARY.BAS will do the above.  I included a
     program called TEST.BAS that displays nice colored geometric
     patterns in color. Most folk who run the program TEST.BAS would
     want to see how it draws all those interesting lines and colors.

     TEST.BAS is PROTECTED. It was SAVEd as a binary protected program
     and can not be LISTed, EDITed, or SAVEd in ASCII.  Using
     BINARY.BAS, you can convert TEST.BAS to an ASCII format.

     You have to have the file GWBASIC.EXE to run this program.

     So, by the numbers:

     1. LOAD TEST.BAS by typing:

          GWBASIC.EXE TEST.BAS  {Enter}

          a.   Try to LIST, SAVE, or EDIT TEST.BAS
          b.   You fail...
          c.   Type SYSTEM {Enter} to EXIT the program

     2. LOAD BINARY.BAS by typing:

          GWBASIC.EXE BINARY.BAS {Enter}

          a.   Follow the instructions on the screen.


     John De Palma on CompuServe 76076,571