ZX POKER v 2.0 - May 2000 edition.

Written by Jaromir Krol - http://jaromirkrol.tripod.com,
                          jerryking@poczta.onet.pl

This program allows for easier creating  and  editing of  .POK  files
which contain pokes for cheating in ZX Spectrum games and can be used
by a number of emulators -  visit www.void.jump.org for more on this.
You  use  this  program  at  your  own risk. I am not and will not be
responsible for anything that happens if you use it.

Let's start with inputting the file name to save the pokes to  -  for
example, FAIRLIGHT.POK. You can use paths and long Windows filenames.
If the file exists, the new pokes will simply be added to it. You can
give the name of this file as the parameter for this program.

A BIT ON POKES AND POK FILES:
A poke is a Basic command to change the value of a given memory address. It has
the  following  format:  POKE  address,value.  For  instance, 56325,0 gives the
address  56325  a  value of 0. In this way, you can e.g. cheat in games. :) POK
files  are  a  way  of  using  pokes  in  ZX  Spectrum emulators automatically,
especially  if  you  have  no  access  to  the  ROM of Multiface, which was the
original  "poke'ing" tool for the Spectrum. (For more information on Multiface,
emulators, etc., visit www.void.jump.org). A lot of emulators can use POK files
and  load  them  automatically  with  the  game,  then allowing you to "switch"
particular  pokes  defined in the file on and off. The POK file has usually the
same name as the snapshot/image of the game you want to use it with. Some games
are  already  distributed with accompanying POK files, but not all of them, and
on  the  Net  there  are  many lists of Spectrum pokes listed in the normal way
(POKE  x,y), not as POK files. However, the format of the file may be a bit too
confusing for editing them and adding pokes to them manually - and here's where
ZX Poker can help. :)

ABOUT USING THIS PROGRAM:
All  you  need  to  know in order to use ZX Poker is a poke (or pokes) you want
to  use.  When  run,  the  program  will  ask  you for the name of the POK file
to  edit. If the file doesn't exist, it will be created. If it exists, ZX Poker
will  add new pokes to it. If you don't give any name for the file, the default
one,  ZXPOKER.POK,  will  be  used.  You  may  also  give  the name of the file
as  command  line parameter - e.g. running the program in this way: ZXPOKER.EXE
C:\Emulators\Spectrum\Games\Fairlight.pok (Yes, ZX Poker can use long filenames
and  paths!) When the file is created or opened, you will be asked for the name
of the cheat the pokes will activate (if the file exists, you can also view its
contents  before  -  ZX Poker can display it). You may input, e.g.: "Never lose
energy  on  level  I". The default name is simply "Cheat". After that, you will
be  asked  if this cheat only needs one poke or more to be activated - obvious!
The  first  question  while  editing  the  poke  itself will be about the value
of 128K memory bank, but in 90% of POKs I've seen this is simply set to 0 or 8,
so  you  can  just choose one of those values (the default value is zero). Then
you  will  be  asked  for  the memory address to poke (default - 0 :), and then
about  the  poke  value  (default  is  0,  too). The last question is about the
original  value  of  the  address,  before  it is poked. You can just skip this
if  you  don't  know it - it will be set to the default value of zero. Then you
can continue with other pokes or finish editing and end ZX Poker.
