When you start cramming machine code into the limited 48K memory space of the Apple II, alongside the operating system, your BASIC code, and its variables, memory management can quickly become a nightmare. The Object Module Manager (OMM) solved this issue by creating harmony among the increasing number of machine language programs necessary for fast, efficient 8-bit Apple II applications.
The OMM was the first tool to dynamically relocate active code blocks and their associated data within memory. This allowed you to rearrange code modules on the fly, making the most efficient use of the available space. The OMM also handled the interface with BASIC applications. Instead of calling a fixed memory address, BASIC programs relied on the OMM to locate the necessary functions—eliminating the need to worry about specific memory locations.
Inspired by the object-oriented programming (OOP) trend, the OMM supported message passing. This was essential for its dynamic relocation feature, as modules needed to be aware of when they were moved, especially those that utilized interrupt handlers. A set of messages was created to handle these tasks, including user-defined messages that allowed developers to build intercommunicating modules.
OMM was priced at $39.95 and came with a valuable module called AmperWorks, which added a range of fast, helpful functions to BASIC. Though not as glamorous as other “back-end” tools used by ProLine, the OMM was a crucial evolutionary step. Without it, getting all the powerful features ProLine offered would not have been possible.
Download Object Module Manager
Disk
Download OMM-1.4.2mg (800K Apple ][ 2IMG Disk Image)
Manual
Download OMM-1.4.pdf (317K PDF - 68 pages)
Other Formats
Download OMM-1.4.img (800K DiskCopy image)
Mac IIx Coding Battle Station
At this point, I created most of my Apple II software on a Mac IIx using cross-platform development tools. It cost $5,000 new—which took months of deductions from my Beagle Bros paycheck to payoff.