RD's x86 Tools for ATARI 8-BIT & 16/32-BIT Computers

AtariTools-800 BETA VERSION 1.0.0 here
CHAR-Edit + SCREEN-Editor + PM-Editor + GR-Editor
+ TTF ATARI Fonts + 4 PDF docs + samples for the 4 tools.

CRC32 of the 7z file is $FB320B5A, DO NOT USE A FILE WITH OTHER CRC CHECKSUM, IT 'S UNSAFE.
NB : THE PACK CONTAINS NOT-UPTODATE DOCS.

7z archive password is "atari800"

Windows toolkit dedicated to ATARI 400/800/XL/XE/5200/XEGS.
includes Char-Editor/Char-Animator/PM Editor/DL Editor/GR Editor/

Here below, some in-progress AtariTools-800 infos & screenshots :

AT800-2025-11-10 :

I stay on the track.

AT800 is now almost completely purged of third-party libraries.
The last part (TEXT-ICE) is being cleaned up.
This is taking a very long time because hundreds of links needed to be modified
(about 56000 lines of code).

I think it will take a few more weeks (since I'm not working on this exclusively).

During cleaning, I found some fatal bugs in screen-editor and fix-it.

I really want to finish this tool so that I can (finally) continue rewriting
the code for the Phoenix game.

This should be far easier with AT800 (and Wudsn ide/MADS,
which I've had the opportunity to experiment with for intro/score screens).

AT800-2025-01-23 :

Actual AT800 is written in RAD DELPHI 10.1 Architect (Pascal object) and in
recent months, I wanted to port the application under the new RAD compiler
version 12.1, from the Embarcadero (community edition), as usualy, many
problems arose during the reinstallation of the additional libraries that I 'used.

Nothing very complex, but these libraries allowed me to count on very nice
graphic components that the RAD does not offer, it is mainly
the JEDI library (jcl & jvcl).

There are dozens of these graphical components throughout the application
as well as many dependencies between them.

Also when I change the compiler/IDE, reinstalling these libraries becomes
more and more of an obstacle course generating headaches when we should
be focusing on the code, we waste more and more time configuring stupid things.

With each new version it's the same problem.

Also AT800 is being completely rewritten in order to no longer use problematic
third-party libraries (in fact no other libs at all).

Another advantage will be that anyone will be able to directly compile the code
without problem with (free) community-edition when I publish the source code
at some point.

By the way, DEXL (tool for the Atari ST/E) is currently completely cleaned from
these dependencies.

No more headache on that side.

Best wishes for 2025,

Rudy

AT800-2023-01-06 :

-Bug in Left-shift (in 9 colors-char-edit solved) for next release (>1.0.0)
-Not operation removed in 9 colors-char-edit (>1.0.0)

-2c ICE char-editor in 64-bit portage : left char (1st bloc) mixed with right-char
(2nd bloc) provide ICE char (3rd bloc) and display of avalaible colors (4th bloc).
teal color is set for best-viewing during programming sessions, not final color.
combinations are for all 5 major A8-modes used by ataritools-800, ctia & gtia)

AT800-2022-12-21 :

release of 1.0.0 version. Working now on ICE Font-editor portage in 64-bit.

AT800-2022-01-25 :

AT800 1.0.0 64-bit (win64 compatible win7-8-10 & 11) portage is now finished.
Just some review to do.

note : several folders have been removed 'ICE EDITOR, DL EDIT,DISK OPERATIONS &
ATASCII EDITOR' because not operationalized for stable usage.
They will be added as soon each previous folder is in full working order.
Actually some work to do with clipboard color convertion but already usable without
too much headache.

AT800-2021-12-17 :

CHAR-EDITOR part of AT800 in 64-bit mode is done, with enhancements and simplifications.

PM-EDITOR part of AT800 in 64-bit mode is done, with simplifications.

Now re-working on GRAPHICS-EDITOR (big mess) part of AT800.

AT800-2020-01-30:

Start programming 16 HUES (GTIA) & 9 colors txt-modes in CHAR-EDITOR

AT800-2020-01-21:

ASA (not ACX) file format added to Screen-animator part of AT800
this new file format is made to contain charsets, colors, charsets-modes and animation data. The old and already availaible ACA file is for the same purpose but only for 4 color mode (mode 12).

AT-800 V.0.8.8 (2020-01-09) :

SCREEN-ANIMATOR updated, Animation data stack is now see in another window but completely linked with main window commands (in animator part). Added too : tool to directly build a line (data) in the screen constructor (graphics), just a click. Glitch with ATASCII and LINEAR mode fixed. ACA file for animation is stable (test with 30 screens at 50ms).

Sample below with 6-chars build phoenix starship for moving simulation (pos 4) in mode 12.

AT-800 V.0.8.7 (2019-12-16) :

CharSet Code-generator updated with 16-shades model & colors with GR.0 mode.

Added too : visualisation of chars from 128 to 255 in generated code (seeing 5th color in mode 4-5Cols
(mode 12)).
(WUDSN/MASM/ALTIRRA 2.90 target).

AT-800 V.0.8.7 (2019-12-13) :

On each CharSet, its own colors displayed.
ACX & NCX files are effective and tested, final description is fixed and is 1042 bytes per item.

AT-800 V.0.8.7 (2019-12-12) :

GTIA 16 shades text-mode is now enabled in Screen-Editor/Animator, including color change & charset change at each line. By now, screen is only dedicated to one mode, as main goal is building and animate a specific text-mode. But (as asked by Romu, Alison & GORF16), the project will support a mixed mode where each line will be in a different modewith specific colors and charset, as DLI can do on Atari 800 machine.

AT-800 V.0.8.6 (2019-12-02) :

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In Char-Editor : new display in the charset-bank : now can see charsets in their respective modes.
Now only edition(free-modify zone) can be switched in the 3 modes.

AT-800 V.0.8.6 (2019-11-29) :
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In Char-Editor : new canvas to load/save charsets, more visual, less faultly handling.
Two buttons removed. Same as view in PM-Editor.

AT-800 V.0.8.5 (2019-11-23) :
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About new load/save format In Char-Editor :

The new *.ACX format is now complete. With this we can save/load with target the monochrome/ 4-5 colors/ 16 shades mode (and future adds, if needed). when saving with charset selected in a particular view mode (in free-modify-charset zone), this is the mode that is recorded. When loading, the folder mode and the free-modify-charset are automatically set. The full information of the ACX file is described thought information icon, as all files used by AT800. The files used are always usable directly by the A8 machines and avoid the complication. The ACS and FNT (envision) formats are already availaible to ensure full compatibility.

ps: information in ACX is just show "as is",not yet definitive. Values can change in mode , I just see/ask if basic-like mode-numbers or ANTIC-numbers is more suitable.

AT-800 V.0.8.5 (2019-11-21) :
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In Char-Editor : Code-generation for MADS/ALTIRRA/WUDSN toolchain, for the 3 CharSet models,
fully operational (monochrome-4colors-16shades).

Adding a combobox to the code-generator module to select witch text mode is wanted.

AT-800 V.0.8.5 (2019-11-20) :
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In Char-Editor : ClipBoard handling fully operational in three txt modes (monochrome-4colors-16shades)

AT-800 V.0.8.5 (2019-11-12) :

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In Char-Editor : palette color (CTIA) for monochrome mode finished and tested with all color constraints for this mode.

AT-800 V.0.8.0 (2019-11-08) :
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In Char-Editor : update of the color selection display in 4 colors and monochrome modes.
In 4-Color & monochrome modes, a selected-color-button is now present and selection of color-register
is just done by clicking on a button and no more a checkbox.

And add an CTIA color selector for the monochrome charset.
As PF2 is directly linked to the PF3 register in this mode, a second color display is added to avoid the logical garbage that can be seen when choosing a PF3 value. So the color selector is for both PF3 and PF2 at once, here.

AT-800 V.0.8.0 (2019-11-04) :
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With Char-Edit 16 shades model :

Load ACS & FNT format dependencies -> operational.
BMP & ClipBoard Snap -> operational.

Working on new formats (ACX & NCX) to include all CharSet models actual & future, keeping ACS & NCS and FNT for compatibility.

AT-800 V.0.8.0 (2019-10-24) :
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Edition part of the 16-SHADES tool, with all MonoChrome/ 4 Colors dependencies -> operational.
To do : bloc copy/ clipboard part/ Charset To Code adaptation for the 3 display modes.

A button linked to the 16-shades mode is added in FREE MODIFY CHARSET to switch the view.
And a new button with a white rectangle inside is added to directly blank a char in the set.

ATARITOOLS-800 (2019-10-08):
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AT800 V.0.7.0 : Adding a 16 shades mode (GTIA) panel to the char-editor.
To do not disturb all building of charset-editor, a panel folder that includes 4c and 16s color models
take in place at the old 4c position.
More information will follow.

a preview screenshot :

4-color CharEdit part :

AtariTools-800 (2019-10-16):
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AT800 V.0.7.0 : update of the clipboard module.
Window is now sizeable, tools moved to left bar and correction of very old glitch (minor).

AtariTools-800 (2019-09-23)(B):
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AT800 V.0.7.0 : GTIA graphics 10 granted too.

note : long time glitch (I had assigned gtia to mode 10, intead of ctia, long time ago) -> corrected

AtariTools-800 (2019-09-23):
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AT800 V.0.7.0: GTIA graphics 9 & 11 problems solved at lunch time, by eating black grapes.

AtariTools-800 (2019-09-19):
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AT800 V.0.7.0 : graphic code-generator (for full picture) (for data only & data & code sample option,
decimal & hexa, WUDSN/MADS/ALTIRRA target).

After a big work on code, the 2 & 4 colors modes (8) are fully fonctional.

AtariTools-800 (2019-09-18):
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V.0.7.0. Test of the graphics code-generator (full picture) -> 320X192X2C granted.

Some problems with GTIA modes 16Shades/16Hues and 9C mode, despite GPRIOR correcty set ($40-$80-$C0),
and working on real stock 800 :-\ perhaps CTIA is set on, I will investigate this further.

320X192X2C test :

Faulty tests:

Mode $F with $26F<-#$40 (same with $80 anc $C0):

with $26F<-#$02 (just to do idiot test, as it should just change PM prior ...):

others 2 colors and 4 colors modes investigation test will follow.

AtariTools-800 (2019-09-05):
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Ataritools-800 V.0.7.0. (not yet released) Test of the charset code-generator (code & sample test included)
with wudsn, all is ok. The code test is a little bit complicated as a custom display-list is made and entire screen
display is generated with centered charset included. But all is write with comments to see how it's works.
I know there is more elegant code to write, but this is done volontary.

added feature : The editor where code is generated is now set with monospaced (consolas) font to have
a good text alignment.

AtariTools-800 (2019-09-02):
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Ataritools-800 V.0.7.0. (not yet released)

next adventure in the code-generator option, as I previously say, the source generated did not want to work
on MADS.
It is now solved (just by chance) : just add a tab space or two before run statement and all is solved.
Strange all the same ...

The faulty part of code is at the left, the fixed one at the right :

AtariTools-800 (2019-08-29):
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Ataritools-800 V.0.7.0. (not yet released)

In the code-generator option of AtariTools-800 0.7.0 (all AT800 tools),
the options make it now possible to generate both the data in code-form as well as data and code,
for directly testing the set on WUDSN IDE/MADS/Altirra ToolChain by copy/paste method.

Some assembling errors still happen with generated code in the MADS editor
while the same source works correctly if it is placed "by hand". Very strange.

Certainly an interpretation of some invisible control characters/tabs, I don't know, investigation is on his way...

The following screenshots are example of Player-Missile Editor in AT800 directly running in the Wudsn IDE ToolChain
(thanks to JAC!/Tebe/ Avery Lee for their excellent work, definitively !)

1/ launch:

2/ Select PM-Editor folder and loading CHESS.4PM file :

3/ Click on "PM >CODE" button and, in the new window, select ASM-HEX-DATA&CODE, finally click on "PM Code Gen. :

4/ Code generated can now be copied into the clipboard with buttons "select all" [select whole text] and "copy"
[to the clipboard] : (note : if text don't change his color with "select all", just do a click on the text-editor-zone
[the object to be selected] and try again.)

5/ After that, go to Eclipse/ Wudsn toolchain and after creation of a test-zone, create an ASM blank file and paste the content of the clipboard into :

6/ Run the whole thing (atari logo button on eclipse) and see the result :

The transformation of AT800 [in windows] for WIN10 continue, removing as much as possible the windows objects (wrist & bells)
to replace them with mine, the main way to avoid incompatibility.
However, AT800 is stable under WIN10 64-BIT, just an error after a screensaver return (error 5 EOS), the replace of some critical objects will finally solve
this problem but not in short time.

Best wishes to all friends, especially those from AtariAge & ADN Area

Rudy

AtariTools-800 (2018-05-15):

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Ataritools-800 V.0.6.7B. (not yet released)

feature 1 -> directly save the CharSet-bloc to BMP file (mono or color Charset, as selected)
feature 2 -> directly save the CharSet-bloc into the windows-clipboard for further use (word,gimp,..)
(I wrote this to use & insert the picture into my source e-documentation to explicit more)

be free to suggest a feature you wish, you welcome.

best wishes

AtariTools-800 (2018-03-22):

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Ataritools-800 V.0.6.7B. (not yet released)

Expanding Player-Missiles draw-tools (PM-Editor) :

1/ Adding the possibility to copy line(s) of a player from a line to another.
2/ Expand all the draw tools with 3 spin edit zones (from line-number to another).
Now It's possible to clear-fill-negate-mirror and copy only a bloc of lines in PM instead
all Player and/or Missile.
Checkbox is checked to process bloc-part only and unchecked to process all Player and/or /Missile.

AtariTools-800 (2018-03-21):
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Ataritools-800 V.0.6.7B. (not yet released)

A bug in generation assembler code in PM area is fixed.

In re-writing parts of code, it was copy-pasted from missiles handling to players handling with wrong results, of course. now fixed and tested.

AtariTools-800 (2017-02-15):
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Ataritools-800 V.0.6.6. (not yet released)

1/ load/save finished
   The file is *.ACA format -> can contains from 1 up to 32 charsets with associated colors,
   DLI info and animation data (file format full described in info area of AT800 .

2/ -full test of animator with little basic anmations loops.   Stage granted pefectly.
    -The charset animator is dynamic, you can switch between mono-colors during animation process
     (dual mode real-time animation)
    -choose a part only of whole data to animate, ...
    -Animation of selected line of data in StringGrid element to see where animation is.

Will add a delta-line function to avoid elements already presents in data and save memory on Atari 800.

stringgrid counterpart of the text animator :

-generation of char-screen with single click on StringGrid data line.
-Each cell of DataGrid is X,Y,CHARCODE byte-triplet structure, corresponding to one char element.

AtariTools-800 (2017-02-13):
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Ataritools-800 V.0.6.6. (not yet released)

1/ Import/ Export finished.
2/ Working on load/ save animator file (70% finished)
3/ Animator working in linear & atascii mode

Working on code generator to add option to produce asm code that can be copy-paste directly to
wudsn ide -> assemble & see result.

AtariTools-800 (2017-02-07):
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Ataritools-800 V.0.6.6. (not yet released)

1/ Parenthesis : load, save and alert/ advertissement dialog boxes reprogrammed for us/uk language only.

Before that, French/ Dutch or German text could happen in buttons, .. due to IDE/Compiler defaults sets.

2/ Data editor fully operational, now working on import/export (CSV) options.

next stage is animate processus with timer.

AtariTools-800 (2017-01-12):
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Ataritools-800 V.0.6.6. (not yet released)

debugging data editor of the screen animator (in char mode).

This part add capabilities to simulate animation in text-mode (4-5 colors or monochrome) in cooperation with the char-editor/ screen builder.
Thats mean that simulator can animate with dli and 32 charsets options of the screen-builder and a precise timer to debug the flow of data.
All data compatible Atari 800 of course.

data based on 2 models : X,Y,CHARCODE and OFFSET,CHARCODE, convertible.

Best wishes to the new year for all Atarians all over the world.

AtariTools-800 (2016-07-26):
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Ataritools-800 V.0.6.6. (not yet released)

minor fix & add

Fix : the Magnify option of GR-EDIT. In Magnify window, cross is now really centered on pixel all the time.

Note : don't forget that mouse speed can be also down in GR area for precision.

Add : Add [To help programmer] hardware & shadow register information on 4col/2c display in CHAR-EDIT

AtariTools-800 (2016-03-24):
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Ataritools-800 V.0.6.5 is ready to download.

Several glitches found and solved.

A little add to help programming with code exportation :

Edit a screen as is, uses normal ATASCII data (code of CharSet Chars) ideal in BASIC but not the same
thing in assembler.

AT800 in V.0.6.4 and above add a button that convert ATASCII-screen into LINEAR-screen at clicking
(click again replace in original ATASCII).

After convert ATASCII to LINEAR, just click on "screen > code" button and generate code as usually.
Then, copy paste the text part wanted to your favorite asm editor.
Back to screen-edit, don't forget to be care of the mode you are to avoid unexpected problems
(mix of LINEAR/ ATASCII).

V.0.6.4 (not on line yet)

Now you can directly use code as

...
LDY #VALUE ; num of char(s)
LDX #$00
BCL : LDA DATA_ADR,X ; load a char (from start to end)
STA SCREEN_LOCATION,X ; store char (start to end)
INX ; inc location
DEY ; dec counter
BNE BCL ; loop until Y=0
...

AtariTools-800 (2016-01-06):
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HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! (I expect that ..) TO ALL ATARI FELLOWS AND RETRO GAMERS/ PROGRAMMERS.
A new year begins and lots a work to do. I expect numerous projects for ATARIs Computers & consoles.

PS: It's a long time availaible -I read that- but I just discovered WUDSN-IDE theses days, configure and do some tests with MADS/ ALTIRRA and I really enjoy it ! (sure, you can imagine ..)
I will explore this and must thanks Peter DELL for the work.

For assembler code generation, AT800 will match this toolchain as soon as I can write code seriously.

Best to all again.

Rudy

Adding a linear format directly to charset/ ScreenEdit for using with MAC/65 more easily (without data convert at code generation stage)

ex. code ATASCII=32 -> LINEAR=0, ect.
founding and fixing some glitches.

AtariTools-800 (2015-10-22):
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V.0.6.2 on line
Simplification for file loading/saving, suppression of "are you sure to load, .." messages, several optimizations.
Not finished DL part again due to health issues theses last 7 months.
Thanks for friends support.

AtariTools-800 (2015-03-09):
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DL-Editor rewritting begins today.

AtariTools-800 (2015-03-04):
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!!! Important Change !!!
Dmitry, a mail correspondant, point my attention on mismatch in file saving/loading, some days ago (working but if you don't fill well the names and extension, don't work correctly...). So I'm doing a large review on load/save in tools and changes are already made and tested for CHAR-Editor & SCREEN-Editor.

I'm just looking this lunch time for PM-Editor & GR-Editor. Too, I try to simplify interfaces (as following fig. screenshot from SCREEN-Editor) witch was now just a file-dialogbox with full use of file-type and no more "screen-editor disk-operations" in another window.

Option effective in version 0.6.1 and upper

AtariTools-800 (2015-03-03):
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Adding a transfer option between GR-EDITOR & CHAR-EDITOR in same time than solving the bug in CLIPBOARD transfer (into CHAR-EDITOR)
After taking a bloc-sprite into GR-EDITOR (in 2 & 4 color-modes) insert it into a charset (see following fig. screenshot example).

Option effective in version 0.6.1 and upper

AtariTools-800 (2015-02-16):
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GR-EDITOR (Tool 4 from AtariTools-800) rewritten. V.0.6.0 availaible in download.
The pack include EXE application, 4 PDF (0.6.0 is for GR-Editor), test files samples and some ATARI TTF fonts files).

The crc32 validity code is $bc5b4c67 and can be tested with excellent www.febooti.com freeware crc checker.

AtariTools-800 (2015-02-06):
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GR-EDITOR (Tool 4 from AtariTools-800) is near to be completely rewritten and published in V.0.6.0 version (with bugs fixes from Bug report list).

Just to rethink/ rewrite UNDO-REDO functions, look again for AtariArtist format picture and doing PDF doc (already started).

THIS YEAR I WILL DO MY BEST TO GO TO ATARI CONVENTION 2015 (AC2015) NEAR PARIS (FRANCE) !!!

AtariTools-800 (2015-01-12):
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Adding a screen-selector to GR-EDITOR (in 0.6.0 release)
This screen-selector handles any graphics resolution any color model

Up to 100 screens.
Possibility to save/ load up to 100 pictures in a single file (*.AGM).

Information (i) window must be updated with new file (AGM) specifications
(This file as others in ataritools-800 is designed to be very simple and to be used directly directly with the atari-8bit machines).

AtariTools-800 (2014-11-13):
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Some screenshots of GR-editor in fast test process after code change
(...seems to be ok but I know the Murphy's law very well).

Now CTIA(128) and GTIA(256) are handled in their respective graphic modes.

AtariTools-800 (2014-11-04):
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AtariTools-800 V.0.6.0 begins. Start rewritting GR-Editor today.
Now 11 gr. modes support (8 CTIA & 3 GTIA)

AtariTools-800 (2014-10-23):
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AtariTools-800 V.0.5.0 release with PM-Editor enabled.

This is the 3rd tool being rewritten and activated.
Note that several addons will be done, but after final release. The final release is now the main goal, even if I must
remove [temporary] several options. It will come back later.

AtariTools-800 (2014-10-16):
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AtariTools-800 V.0.5.0 soon with PM-Editor enabled, just finishing to write code generator for PM-Editor & pdf documentation.

AtariTools-800 (2014-10-06):
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AtariTools-800 V.0.4.0 release with 2-Tools (CHAR-Editor & SCREEN-Editor), completely rewritten and fully operational.
the 7z achive contains EXE, PDF documentation with screenshots (22 pages) and samples for the two tools.

The 2nd tools to be rewritted is SCREEN-Editor witch is a text editor in monochrome & color with DLI possibilities
and uses the Charsets & associated colors from the previous tool (CHAR-Editor)

Load ACS & FNT format dependencies -> operational. BMP & ClipBoard Snap -> operational.

Load ACS & FNT format dependencies -> operational.
BMP & ClipBoard Snap -> operational.