---
type: workflow-guide
source: E07-S01 disk builder and E07-S02 launchers
---

# Editor and Compiler Workflow

Nova128 does not link the editor and compiler in memory. A development disk is
edited in one emulator session and compiled in another, strictly in sequence.
`scripts/prepare-disk.ps1` (E07-S01) copies `../vim/work.d81` to a disposable
image without ever writing the source; the launchers below add the two
sessions.

## Sequential rule

Never attach the same disk image writable to two emulators at once, and never
edit an image while a compiler session still has it open. VICE buffers DOS
writes, so a second session can read a half-written directory or overwrite the
first session's changes. The launchers enforce this with a session lock in the
image's folder (`.newlang-session.lock`); the lock holds the owning process and
its kind, and a lock left behind by a dead process is replaced automatically.

## Editor session

```text
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File scripts\launch-editor.ps1
```

- Autostarts `../vim/vim128.prg` in `x64sc` with the disk image attached as a
  true drive.
- Copies `../vim/vim-improved.d81` to `build/newlang-edit.d81` first, so the
  editor never opens the source image.
- Waits for `x64sc` to exit, then waits until the image can be opened
  exclusively (the image has flushed) before returning.
- Verifies the source image's SHA-256 is unchanged.

Use `-EditorPrg` and `-SourceImage` to select another editor build or disk.
`-LimitCycles` and `-Screenshot` are for automated checks only; they end the
session early.

## Compiler session

```text
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File scripts\launch-compiler.ps1
```

- Rebuilds `build/newlang-dev.d81` from the clean source copy with
  `prepare-disk.ps1` (unless `-SkipPrepare` is given), injecting
  `build/n128c.prg`.
- Autostarts that compiler PRG in `x128` with the development image attached.
- Waits for `x128` to exit and for the image to flush before returning.

`-CompilerPrg` selects another compiler PRG. The launcher reports a missing
compiler program, source image, or VICE tool before starting anything.

## Recovery

- **Lock reported as still owned**: close the named session's emulator window
  first; if the process is gone, the launcher replaces the stale lock.
- **Image still locked after the emulator exits**: wait for the DOS write to
  finish; the launcher retries for 30 seconds before failing.
- **Source image changed**: stop and inspect `../vim` with `git status`; the
  launchers only ever copy from it.
- **Wrong editor or compiler build**: pass `-EditorPrg`/`-CompilerPrg`
  explicitly rather than editing the defaults.

## Limits

Autostart loads the program from the host file system, not from the disk; the
disk stays attached for the session's own file access. Physical C128 testing
and the full edit/compile/run walkthrough belong to E07-S04 and E08-S06.