First post here. I know this is a strange one. I'm blind, so on my real and emulated Apple computers, I use an Echo II or II+ speech synthesizer with the Textalker software. Textalker loads itself into the language card under DOS 3.3, which means the normal DOS 3.3 trick of loading Intbasic into the language card won't work with the Echo speech. I'm attaching a disk image of games and programs which includes a smaller version of Integer Basic which does work with the Echo since it doesn't use the language card, and is only active when needed. When you want Integer, you just BRUN INTEGER, wait for the > prompt, then you're good to go until you FP, run an Applesoft program, reboot, etc.
My crazy idea the other day, which I have nowhere near the expertise to implement, goes as follows. When a disk boots, it runs code that first loads this smaller version of Integer into memory on the 80 column card, or complains loudly and aborts if one is not present. Then, it patches DOS to hijack the INT command handler/function code. The new INT code, instead of looking for Integer in the language card, copies it from the 80 column card into its proper place in main memory, then runs it. Ideally, this would allow for Applesoft and Integer programs to be run at will, since any time Integer was needed, it'd just yoink it from the 80 column memory and go on.
Any thoughts? Is this even possible, or am I wildly dreaming?
If I recall correctly, the II / II+ 80 column cards only had 2K bytes of memory. Even a small version of Integer Basic is probably larger than that, do you know it's size?
I'm going off of VERY old memories here, others may have fresher and deeper knowledge.
The flaw in your approach is where you say ," copies it from the 80 column card into its proper place in main memory." Intbasic's proper place is at E000-F800.
Do you know where and how much room Texttalker uses? INTEGER BASIC only uses 8K of the Language Card leaving the rest to hold whatever you want. The second 4K bank would be a litlle trickier but could still be used. So perhaps they could both co-exist in the language card.
Another option might be the ROMXe which can instantly switch between Integer , Applesoft, and many other System ROMs.
Interesting!
Well that's a perfect candidate for the ROMXe board. Too busy to do it myself right now, but if you get the ROMXe when it comes out and want to tackle this I'd be more than happy to help. Here's a preliminary draft of the ROMifying tutorial which might give you some idea of how easy it would be:
ROMifying Tutorial