allow truncated lines in char input device files.

1 files changed, 10 insertions, 7 deletions

diff --git a/doc/mdk_mixvm.texi b/doc/mdk_mixvm.texi
index 890bb95..fd0c8ac 100644
--- a/doc/mdk_mixvm.texi
+++ b/doc/mdk_mixvm.texi
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 @c   Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 @c See the file mdk.texi for copying conditions.
 
-@c $Id: mdk_mixvm.texi,v 1.14 2004/06/09 12:56:14 jao Exp $
+@c $Id: mdk_mixvm.texi,v 1.15 2004/06/10 20:47:30 jao Exp $
 
 @node mixvm, gmixvm, mixasm, Top
 @comment  node-name,  next,  previous,  up
@@ -786,12 +786,15 @@ directory @file{~/.mdk}; this location can be changed using the
 Devices of type @i{char} are stored as ASCII files, using one line per
 block. For instance, since the card reader has blocks of size 16, that
 is, 80 characters, it will be emulated by an ASCII file consisting of
-lines with length 80. Note that the virtual machine automatically
-converts between the MIX and ASCII character encodings, so that you can
-manipulate char device files with any ASCII editor. In addition, the
-reader is not case-sensitive, i.e., it automatically converts lowercase
-letters to their uppercase counterparts (since the MIX character set
-does not include the former).
+lines with length 80. If the reader finds a line with less than the
+required number of characters, it pads the memory with zeroes (MIX
+character 'space') to complete the block size.
+
+Note that the virtual machine automatically converts between the MIX and
+ASCII character encodings, so that you can manipulate char device files
+with any ASCII editor. In addition, the reader is not case-sensitive,
+i.e., it automatically converts lowercase letters to their uppercase
+counterparts (since the MIX character set does not include the former).
 
 The typewriter (device no. 19) lets you use the standard input and
 output in your MIXAL programs. For instance, here is a simple 'echo'