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Post by xahmol on Jan 8, 2023 16:21:49 GMT
Ah, just realised that you of coirse want physical disks as you want to distribute the old school with physical disks. In that case, to create 1571 disks, use proper disk copy software that can use 1571s. I happen to like NibCopy ( csdb.dk/release/?id=165755 ) as it is very able to copy also protected disks, and it is able to copy 1571 dual sided disks as well. But of course there are many C128 native disk copy options out there.
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warty
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Post by warty on Jan 8, 2023 20:38:04 GMT
UII+ seems good, but is there some way to actually use it in C128 mode?? Why would you want to write to a real disk if you have an UII+? You can just use the mounted image. But if you really want to copy to a real disk, consider this: - The UII+, provided you are at the latest firmware (3.10c at the time of writing), can emulate 1541, 1571 and 1581 drives. You can set drive type in the UII+ menu. - If you want to use double sided disk images for 1571 drives, the proper file extension is not .d64 but .d71. If you mount a .d71 image, the UII+ automatically switches to 1571 emulation even if it was set to 1541 mode. - For copying the .D71 image to a real disk, you need to use software that is actually able to copy to dual sided 1571 formatted disks. So using a C64 mode cart probably does not help you here. They will just assume the .D64 to be a single sided 1541 disk, and will write therefore also only one side. So please use a disk or file copier that is actually able to write to 1571 formatted disks. But again, having an UII+ cart means you should really never need to bother with physical disks again. Using the UII+ in VDC mode however needs some extra work as stated above. And yes, you really SHOULD ethernet connect your UII+, if only to be able to reach the menus in VDC mode. Also, as you seem to be on a C128D as I am, the Device Manager ROM is really essential if only because it enables you to shut up your internal drive by software. Just by selecting the correct option in the Device Manager ROM boot menu. This prevents your internal drive automatically claiming drive ID 8. Which is an issue as many software can only run from 8 or even do not allow to have other drive IDs active. Let me know if I can help you further with your UII+. I use it on my C128D and C128DCR on daily basis, as said also for software development. And myself cannot imagine doing that anymore without the UII+. Myself mostly use 1581 drive emulation by the way with corresponding .D81 disk images for development. (by the way also curious by your statement that .D64 images on the UII+ USB can be big. AFAIK a .D64 image is always the same size, 664 blocks, the size of a 1541 formatted disk. If it is larger, it is not a valid .D64 image. So curious what tool allowed you to create a bigger than 664 blocks .D64. If you want to have bigger disks, use a .D71 which corresponds a 1328 blocks two sided formatted disk by a 1571, or a .D81 corresponding a 3160 blocks 1581 formatted disk) Thanks for all the info. I've read some, and have to do some firmware updating and also get the Device Manager ROM. I am probably wrong about the d64, it was also my assumption too that it was just 1541 sized. I probably drew the wrong conclusion when the c64 cart copy utility said "disk full" while copying the mounted d71 disk to internal drive 8. OTOH, what I did was take exactly the same content and put it onto a d64 image using the VICE utility, and nothing complained about it. directory listing seems to show it all, but I guess I don't know if it's all really there. In any case, I've never got the UII+ to do anything but start up in c64 mode, so I'll update and see if that lets it work in C128 mode. And I agree, if I can get the image to mount as d71 in C128 mode, I'm all set except for that happy time when it's time to make physical disks for distribution.
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Post by xahmol on Jan 8, 2023 22:02:15 GMT
If your UII+ starts up in C64 mode almost for sure that is because you have set it up to load a C64 cartridge. Any c64 cartridge will indeed boot up in C64 mode just like the real physical version of that cart would. So first try disabling any cartridges in the UII+ menu. In C128 mode the Device Manager ROM is basically the only cart you need 😉 Am using 2.0 alpha builds myself by the way. If you are interested in those: they are distributed via the Facebook DMRom testing group. Main difference with 1.99 is a file browser on boot. See video demo.
And see it here in action to launch the .d81 image of my own Careers game for C128 VDC:
But sorry for getting this thread off topic.
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warty
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Post by warty on Jan 9, 2023 1:33:42 GMT
2.0 looks great.
I did the upgrade of firmware, I had a very old version on there. It had been a few years since I used it, and I think what was happening was it would come up, but I'd never get a cursor. Reading that first page you shared, I learned I could hit the reset on the cartridge, and it would continue through to a ready cursor. I was able to mount a d71 and use it in 80 col mode no problem.
I see 9 overlays loading in your game... did you do that with cc65? jealous of music.
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Post by robertb on Jan 9, 2023 4:33:29 GMT
AFAIK a .D64 image is always the same size, 664 blocks, the size of a 1541 formatted disk. A .D64 image will always create a disk with 664 blocks, but the image itself is not 664 blocks, e.g., you cannot save a .D64 on a 1541 disk, because the .D64 is too big (has more blocks... about 680 blocks, IIRC) than what the 1541 disk can handle. Back in the day, I had to save my .D64's on 3.5 inch 1581 disks. Truly, Robert Bernardo Fresno Commodore User Group - www.dickestel.com/fcug.htmSouthern California Commodore & Amiga Network - www.portcommodore.com/sccanApril 15-16 Commodore Los Angeles Super Show 2023 - www.portcommodore.com/class
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Post by xahmol on Jan 9, 2023 5:18:53 GMT
2.0 looks great. I did the upgrade of firmware, I had a very old version on there. It had been a few years since I used it, and I think what was happening was it would come up, but I'd never get a cursor. Reading that first page you shared, I learned I could hit the reset on the cartridge, and it would continue through to a ready cursor. I was able to mount a d71 and use it in 80 col mode no problem. I see 9 overlays loading in your game... did you do that with cc65? jealous of music. Yep. All in CC65 using C code with some assembly for time sensitive VDC routines, memory copy between the RAM banks and the interrupt routine for music. Runs with 8 KB shared lower memory to have the memory banking routines always visible. And it loads mermory overlays in parts of the memory that are not usable by native CC65 to have code in, copied in on demand. That way I could make full use of both memory banks. Plus VDC memory. All sources public at github.com/xahmol/careersAlso my other VDC using programs are there: VDC Screen Editor for creating text screens github.com/xahmol/VDCScreenEditDMBoot, a boot menu using UII+ and Device Manager ROM: github.com/xahmol/DMBootLudo game: github.com/xahmol/ludoand if you want Device Manager ROM version 2, join this Facebook group and ask permission for entry: www.facebook.com/groups/c128dm
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Post by xahmol on Jan 9, 2023 5:21:35 GMT
AFAIK a .D64 image is always the same size, 664 blocks, the size of a 1541 formatted disk. A .D64 image will always create a disk with 664 blocks, but the image itself is not 664 blocks, e.g., you cannot save a .D64 on a 1541 disk, because the .D64 is too big (has more blocks... about 680 blocks, IIRC) than what the 1541 disk can handle. Ah, so saving the image, not the contents? Why would you want to do that? But then I understand, that does not work. Just copy the disk after mounting, not the image itself.
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Post by robertb on Jan 9, 2023 6:31:00 GMT
Ah, so saving the image, not the contents? Why would you want to do that? Back in the day, there was no method to directly run a .D64 from the Commodore (well, without JiffyDOS). You had to download the image via modem (ah, the good, old days of 2400 baud on the C128DCR) onto the 1581 disk. Then with the use of a program like D64it or D128it, you could convert the .D64 from the 1581 to a real disk on a 1541 and then run the real disk! Truly, Robert Bernardo Fresno Commodore User Group - www.dickestel.com/fcug.htmSouthern California Commodore & Amiga Network - www.portcommodore.com/sccanApril 15-16 Commodore Los Angeles Super Show 2023 - www.portcommodore.com/class
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Post by xahmol on Jan 9, 2023 6:55:18 GMT
ok, makes sense. Never had a modem with my Commodores, so would not know. I just swapped physical disks in the school yard 😉 Never had an 1581 either. Feels really like a luxury to have that much room and that speed on D81 images with the UII+ 1581 emulation.
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warty
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Post by warty on Jan 10, 2023 1:05:43 GMT
Good news: a gent from the Foenix community is sending me a SD2PET he wasn't using at the moment. Should get here in time to take it in to Ray's shop this weekend and hopefully test out Lich King on a real B128!
VICE emulator is generally very accurate (except VDC), but OTOH, not many people use the B128 emulation I imagine, so there could be something that works differently.
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