7 replies to this topic

[carmel_andrews]

I have a version of atari800win+ (v 3.1) that has the patch for the built in monitor that allows you to create proper binary (com or exe) files in the MLM

Is there a version of this patch that will work with versions 4b5/6/7 and final or a version of this patch already built into these versions of a800win+

Also, will there be another atari800win+ or atari++ release coming soon...things have gone a bit quiet recently

[Rybags]

The command just outputs raw data, so putting binary file headers, plus an init/run block would be fairly simple. Also, the command outputs the contents of memory as the machine sees it at the time (ie - ROM or RAM depending on PORTB setting).

Example:
W 4000 7FFF Game.dat From monitor

Then, from BASIC, just create another 2 short files.
Header file contains FF,FF,00,40,FF,7F
Init/run file contains E0,02,E3,02 - then 4 bytes (run address lo/hi, init address lo/hi).

For a tape/disk game which has already loaded - typically the RUN address would be contained in DOSVEC (locations $A, $B).
The INIT address would be in 2,3 (tape) or $C,$D (disk) and the boot flags (location 9) indicate which, ie - 1=disk, 2=tape, 3=both

From there, you have 3 files which you have to append. DOS or command-line in Windows can do copy with append.

I was thinking of writing a program which allows converting Save-State files into executables - but they are compressed (just RLE?), so some work would be needed on that.

[carmel_andrews]

Slight prob in doing it that way, the monitor section only allows you to name that file memdump.dat or something like that, i have often tried to call it something else and always comes up as 'memdump.dat, or if call it something else, when you tried and load in that file into the monitor section, it errors saying something like 'cannot find memdump.dat file' or whatever

Also if mem. serves me right, you can only use that memdump.dat with the monitor section of the emul.

that's why i like to use the patch in v3.1 and was wondering if someone has that patch built into these other versions of the emul

i'm not trying to be lazy rybags' just going by what i remember

Edited by carmel_andrews, Fri Apr 21, 2006 7:37 AM.

[Rybags]

You can give the file a different name. You then have to copy it to the directory of one of your Atari "Hard Drives".

To create a binary file, you could just alter memory before and after the section you want to save, put the headers etc. in, e.g.:

To create a binary file which saves a game which loads from $0700 - $3FFF, then inits at $706 and runs at $1280. (in the monitor)

C 6FA FF FF 00 07 FF 3F	 [i]That will create a binary header with start/end of 700/3FFF[/i]

C 4000 E0 02 E3 02 80 12 06 07   [i]Create a block with run and init address[/i]

WRITE 6FA 4007 GAME.XEX   [i]Creates the binary file[/i]

A little bit of work there, but that should create a valid binary file.


I just looked at a Save-State file - they are zipped, so writing a loader would be a bit more complex than I thought.

Edited by Rybags, Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:40 AM.

[carmel_andrews]

These 'Virtual' hard drives that you refer to are only compatible with dos's like sparta and bw dos, they do not work at all with mydos as i have tried several times and cannot get a directory listing of these virtual hard drives using mydos

I think it has something to do with the syntax for the 'H' device that makes it incompatible with mydos (i.e H1/2 etc, instead of 1H,2h etc)...and also atari basic as well (i mentioned this to you in the last PM)

And i don't like sparta or bw dos anyway, i prefer mydos as it gives you most, if not all the features of sparta or bw dos but with the familiar look and feel of atari dos 2x command structure (much easier to understand)

[a8isa1]

carmel_andrews, on Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:14 AM, said:

These 'Virtual' hard drives that you refer to are only compatible with dos's like sparta and bw dos, they do not work at all with mydos as i have tried several times and cannot get a directory listing of these virtual hard drives using mydos

I think it has something to do with the syntax for the 'H' device that makes it incompatible with mydos (i.e H1/2 etc, instead of 1H,2h etc)...and also atari basic as well (i mentioned this to you in the last PM)

And i don't like sparta or bw dos anyway, i prefer mydos as it gives you most, if not all the features of sparta or bw dos but with the familiar look and feel of atari dos 2x command structure (much easier to understand)

I use the virtual hard drives of AtariWinPlus 4.0 with MyDOS 4.53 all the time. It's the only DOS I use with regularity.

Yes, there are big problems.

- Binary load from HD does not work.

- Directory command is tempermental. You can select A-->H:*.* and get a directory but you can't type A-->H: and get a directory. I.E. you must provide a filename or a filespec.

- Copying files does not support wildcards.

Still you can create/read/write files from applications to/from the virtual HD


You are right about SpartaDOS working much better!


- Steve Sheppard

Edited by a8isa1, Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:45 PM.

[Wrathchild]

You may want to have a go with the Atari++ as some patches to its H: handler has been made in the recently out v1.45

[Rybags]

I find they work fine with DOS 2.5.

There's always the option of just copying files to an .ATR.