[LispM] World Files

[Dave Richards]

For an odd bit of entertainment, I have been attempting to decypher world
files.  (I have an Ivory/XL1200.) Based on information available in
i-sys/sysdef.lisp and netboot/world-substrate.lisp I have made some
progress.  I have, however, hit a wall and am looking for some inspiration.

When the FEP loads and boots a world, it must read the world file into
memory, build an environment for it and, eventually, vector to it.  It
appears that the definition of this "environment" is not readily obvious
from the source code.  It appears, for example, that the function QLD is the
initial entry point inside the LISP world (although how we get to that
function is unclear to me).  Also, the world file describes both wired and
un-wired regions of memory.  How the unwired page table is communicated to
the code within the world and where it should be located is equally not
obvious.

Has anyone tinkered around at this level, and would be in a position to
provide some hints?  I am trying to understand the FEP -> World protocol.

	Thanks!

	Dave