Amstrad CPC WiFi

[Duke]

@myrsky
I pm'ed you sometime ago, not heard back. I am sure we can resolve your issue.

@tvandor
Ok. And thanks for the info about IE. in win 10 (did you try Edge too?). You should all use firefox anyway, its better  
-Nah I may need to address the browser issue next time around.

[myrsky]

@Duke

For some reason i dont receive notifications of new private messages, now is solved, my apologies.

[tvandor]

@Duke


Yeah, I will test Edge and chrome too.
(and vivaldi: my fav browser nowadays)


Let me know if I can help you with additional testing.

@myrsky
I pm'ed you sometime ago, not heard back. I am sure we can resolve your issue.

@tvandor
Ok. And thanks for the info about IE. in win 10 (did you try Edge too?). You should all use firefox anyway, its better  
-Nah I may need to address the browser issue next time around.

[zhulien]

Hi Duke and Zaxon... or... has anyone gotten an M4 wifi card with microsdcard working togethrr with a Zaxon 6128 floppy emulator with usb stick?

[Duke]

Hi Duke and Zaxon... or... has anyone gotten an M4 wifi card with microsdcard working togethrr with a Zaxon 6128 floppy emulator with usb stick?

To use the floppy drive you will need to switch M4 rom off, via |m4romoff. Hope that helps.

[zhulien]

If trying to delete files in the m4 microsd card... it always says amsdos not initialised. What is the cause of that? (seems Utiopia ROM)...


Actually the biggest puzzle is how to get things onto the M4 board without having to resort to much to a PC, or too much with PC Utilities.  Most of my things are on 3" disc, but the 3" A drive is inaccessible with M4 Wifi.  Even as a fake B drive?  Ram drive seems to disappear with M4 also, and both A and C seem to go to the microsd card for some reason.  That was why i hoped the Zaxon floppy B emulator would work with the M4 Wifi card, because it seemed to be that B always complained that drive was missing... 


The thing that is really weird... I can retrieve files over the net from the CPC, but no matter what I do, using the browser to send ROMS to the CPC crashes the CPC 100% of the time.


Still trying to work it out

[Duke]

Yes utopia should be after M4 rom or it'll catch the RSX for |era

M4 replaces AMSDOS, thus no access to disc drives via amsdos firmware commands. Maybe with symbOS you could transfer between floppy disk and sd, once the version with m4 driver is released.

I haven't got around adding the disc functions I wanted yet, there's just been too much other stuff. TFM has kindly provided me with raw disc I/O functions, so it'll come some day.

Lastly you could mount M4 rom after AMSDOS and code a small app to copy stuff from floppy to sd.

As for browser, use firefox. Ie. chrome will ignore my slot paramters so all uploads end in rom 0 (overwriting basic and therefore crashing!).

[Duke]

Ok,I made a quick solution to copy files from floppy discs to microSD with M4.

First change M4 rom slot to be after AMSDOS, ie. pos 8.

Then download below M4ROM.BIN and put it in root of your microSD card.

Now boot up. Amsdos will catch all file I/O functions as normal, cat/dir/save/load etc goes to floppy.

With the new rom there's two new commands:

|fcp,"filename.ext","pathsdcard"    - Floppy copy to copy ie. disc.bas from to microsd root, use |fcp,"disc.bas","/"
|sdir,"args"   - Same as |dir, just it isnt caught by amsdos, so you can catalog files on microsd. Ie. |sdir,"/demos/*.*"

Once done with transferring your files, change M4 rom slot back to 6 or 7.

See picture for example aswell.

[zhulien]

Yes utopia should be after M4 rom or it'll catch the RSX for |era

I will try utopia in 6 and M4 in 5 and see what I get, utopia's |load and |medit are useful for now.

Lastly you could mount M4 rom after AMSDOS and code a small app to copy stuff from floppy to sd.

I did try M4 rom at position 8 and it just crashed my machine (6128plus).  Luckily the Wifi board still worked so i could just set it back to 6 or 7.  The way the current ROM is coded overwriding A and C it seems it is just as compatible in slot 6 or 7.  I do wonder why override C though and not let that go to the RAM Disc because then the RAM Disc would at least survive the reset between switching M4 on and off.  Pitty the RAM Disc wasn't aliased as |M though also as that would have been better than |C - for when we have another dozen drives in future...

As for browser, use firefox. Ie. chrome will ignore my slot paramters so all uploads end in rom 0 (overwriting basic and therefore crashing!).

Interesting Chrome behaviour... thanks.  Actually i didn't think they are faults of the M4 board, more I don't think the CPC community is used to making their things work together because in the past we never had such cool hardware.  The same for downloads - what is the point of zipping everything when we download a DSK file that is ZIPped it doesn't really help CPC owners trying to fetch stuff... I guess soon i will need to put an unZIPper that works with M4 onto ROM.

Regarding slots 32-63... in the webserver, i set the starting ROM to 32 and that is it?  I am guessing just the slot numbers don't renumber and in my head I add 32 to each?

As Richard who created X-MEM said, it is a pitty to waste his 32 ROM slots.  Maybe we need to modify CPC startup to scan all 64 ROMs now instead of 32 only.  The 2 boards work really well together otherwise...

Needed:  1. X-Mem RAM Disc aliased to |M and working when M4 ROM is enabled.   2. CPC to scan 64 ROMs on startup if possible.  3. And from the ROMan 2.0 author Syx?  Being able to see files on the SD Card of a M4 board.   4. Zaxon's USB drive B board to work in parallel with M4 card - seems to be some type of ROM conflict, not a hardware one.  5. people to share RAM in a con-conflicting way, and Mouse, and Sound Card... these I believe will come, if adopted though is another thing... can only hope.

[anyf33]

After finishing the SD card support I went back to the network part and added some additional stuff: As the M4 can of course only handle one command at the same time, I had to take care, that inside the SymbOS multitasking environment I don't fire a second command until another one isn't finished. So SD card access and network access shouldn't disturb each other. This is fixed now. Currently it is solved more or less in a rude way (locking interrupts), but I hope I can have a better solution later by using semaphores.

Anyway some more things have been fixed, and here you see, how you can download the CPCWiki.eu mainpage with your Amstrad CPC + M4:

I did a domain lookup with NSLOOKUP just for testing before downloading the startpage with WGET and displaying it with the TYPE command.

There are still some nasty bugs which I want to fix until releasing a new Beta version, but such a release especially for the M4 version should happen very soon.

CU,
Prodatron

I think that SYMBOS with M4 support could be comercial (asking a small amount 5-10 to have m4 support). It could be a good hint for Podatron to continue support for M4. Of cource i dont know what is podatron opinion.
Also i have a question for Symbos : how memory do why need ? 128k or more?

[Duke]

I do wonder why override C though and not let that go to the RAM Disc because then the RAM Disc would at least survive the reset between switching M4 on and off.  Pitty the RAM Disc wasn't aliased as |M though also as that would have been better than |C - for when we have another dozen drives in future...

In a CPC with no AMSDOS rom (slot 7). When booted the lowerrom setup all the firmware calls including the calls at &BC65-&BCA4 (Cassette functions).
So when you do file I/O those functions are called by the system (load/save/cat/run...) these functions will access the casette.
When AMSDOS is present. The CPC initializes as before, scans and inits roms 15-0 (CPC6128) when it comes to AMSDOS rom and jumps to its init function, it will overwrite the Casette functions.
All file I/O gets re-directed to AMSDOS rom. Notice the scan order is 15, 14, 13.. etc.
M4 rom does exactly the same as AMSDOS, if you place it lower than AMSDOS rom, it will replace the Cassette functions.
I don't know how the RAMDISC works, but if it supports basic file I/O, likely it does the same, hooking those functions and doing re-directions to AMSDOS.

Lastly you can put M4 rom in slot 8 or other place, it doesn't crash on my 6128+. Maybe you should erase your romslots.bin and romconfig.bin, if you had accidents with ie. chrome. Or you have other roms installed that doesn't like it.
And using slot 7 is vital to remain compatible with as many games as possible, because a lot do de-init all roms to save memory and then re-init rom 7 to have disc access. This is another problem you would have with using all 64 slots, you'd be using much of the ram for rom work areas and variables.

[Duke]

Also that just gave me a simple idea.

When you type |tape, the CAS_* functions will be overwritten so it directs back to the original tape functions, if you do |disc, amsdos is present, it will catch it and overwrite the CAS_* functions so they direct to disc. If I remove the |disc rsx from M4 and add |M4 (re-overting cas_* again), this could be an easy method to switch between disc and sd.

[CraigsBar]

I can confirm that symbos does indeed allow access to the floppy drives, so when prodatron releases the m4 storage/WiFi version I see no reason why copying won't work.

[CraigsBar]

I will try utopia in 6 and M4 in 5 and see what I get, utopia's |load and |medit are useful for now.

I did try M4 rom at position 8 and it just crashed my machine (6128plus).  Luckily the Wifi board still worked so i could just set it back to 6 or 7.  The way the current ROM is coded overwriding A and C it seems it is just as compatible in slot 6 or 7.  I do wonder why override C though and not let that go to the RAM Disc because then the RAM Disc would at least survive the reset between switching M4 on and off.  Pitty the RAM Disc wasn't aliased as |M though also as that would have been better than |C - for when we have another dozen drives in future...

Interesting Chrome behaviour... thanks.  Actually i didn't think they are faults of the M4 board, more I don't think the CPC community is used to making their things work together because in the past we never had such cool hardware.  The same for downloads - what is the point of zipping everything when we download a DSK file that is ZIPped it doesn't really help CPC owners trying to fetch stuff... I guess soon i will need to put an unZIPper that works with M4 onto ROM.

Regarding slots 32-63... in the webserver, i set the starting ROM to 32 and that is it?  I am guessing just the slot numbers don't renumber and in my head I add 32 to each?

As Richard who created X-MEM said, it is a pitty to waste his 32 ROM slots.  Maybe we need to modify CPC startup to scan all 64 ROMs now instead of 32 only.  The 2 boards work really well together otherwise...

Needed:  1. X-Mem RAM Disc aliased to |M and working when M4 ROM is enabled.   2. CPC to scan 64 ROMs on startup if possible.  3. And from the ROMan 2.0 author Syx?  Being able to see files on the SD Card of a M4 board.   4. Zaxon's USB drive B board to work in parallel with M4 card - seems to be some type of ROM conflict, not a hardware one.  5. people to share RAM in a con-conflicting way, and Mouse, and Sound Card... these I believe will come, if adopted though is another thing... can only hope.

Multiple mouse solutions exist already. My favourite is the albireo, which provides microsd card storage as well as a USB controller. I hope that this is the next card @Prodatron supports in Symbos, at least a mouse on the USB socket the serial port and microsd would be interesting but far from urgent... Is there really a need for multiple hard drives in symbos?

Craig

[zhulien]

I can think of multiple ways to try patch amsdos.  One is for greatest compatability with games for 1 device and maybe that is ok for a startingpoing... but which device? Perhaps a user preference... then maybe devices can patch amsdos when selected eg. |m could patch for ramdisc when selected |sd could patch for sd if not configured as |a.  Amsdos is legacy so... maybe the other devices can override the repatching of amsdos for amsdos when |a or |b is chosen... they can all of course be logical names not physical if we only consider 1 configured device trying to catch the greatest game compatibility.  Or... maybe a central drive manager where devices can register a name and patch and those names are registered as rsx upon reset... again can be configured too...

Note. Patch roms could be custom by people creating one based on the hardware they have. Sort of like the install option of xmem.  Then someone with amsdos ramdis zaxondisc and m4 can have all 4 working together with a configured default device.

If we extend the drivemanager rom to have a capability function... eg. Retuns if the device supports folders trackdisc sectors formatting etc then we can query them and future software can adjust... we can make a 512kb megarom readonly disc if nothing better to do... just take a folder of files you want on roms and click a build and burn function... well... anything can be done almost i mean...

When i get mcp running with ram management that will be nice... but i think disc management is best with custom user built roms for greatest compatability outside the user chosen default device/drive.

Now that make an interesting project idea... driver standard for cpc... diver types thst can be in 1 or more roms or coexist but are standarised based on their purpose... i might start that project with memory being the first candidate and perhaps drives next or in parallel... and mice and audio... that is more elegant than me taking over the system with mcp... let mcp just honour the users configured drivers...

[Livingstone]

I think I'm late, I wish again to see another list to sign up.

[Duke]

I think I'm late, I wish again to see another list to sign up.

I do still build them. Now I just buy small quantities of components to not end up with a waste pile.
Anyone in need just send me a private message, with your email address and what connector type you want.

[Prodatron]

I think that SYMBOS with M4 support could be comercial (asking a small amount 5-10 to have m4 support). It could be a good hint for Podatron to continue support for M4. Of cource i dont know what is podatron opinion.

Thanks for the nice offer, but I don't want to make SymbOS commercial. M4 support is nearly finished - the SD card of the M4 was running during the whole weekend during a Retro computing exhibition 100% stable - so there will be a release soon.

Also i have a question for Symbos : how memory do why need ? 128k or more?

SymbOS requires 128K as a minimum, in this case you have about 32K free for applications. That's not that much if you want to have the full multitasking experience. So a memory expansion is recommended (e.g. the X-MEM).

[Prodatron]

I can confirm that symbos does indeed allow access to the floppy drives, so when prodatron releases the m4 storage/WiFi version I see no reason why copying won't work.

Yes, you have full floppy access in SymbOS when using the M4 as well, so you can transfer all data between Amsdos discs and the FAT32 SD card of the M4Board.

My favourite is the albireo, which provides microsd card storage as well as a USB controller. I hope that this is the next card @Prodatron supports in Symbos, at least a mouse on the USB socket

There is no choice at the moment, an Albireo USB mouse driver is really required, if you replaced the SYMBiFACE II with the M4Board, X-MEM etc...

[CraigsBar]

Yes, you have full floppy access in SymbOS when using the M4 as well, so you can transfer all data between Amsdos discs and the FAT32 SD card of the M4Board.
There is no choice at the moment, an Albireo USB mouse driver is really required, if you replaced the SYMBiFACE II with the M4Board, X-MEM etc...

I have replaced my symbiface with an m4 etc... So I really hope to see an albireo mouse driver soon

I wonder if I should sell my 2 symbifaces with the lower ROM boards? Anyone interested. BTW, one needs a battery replaced.

[SOS]

Technical question:
I have copy some files/directories from my PC to the SD-Card, example:
"Computing with the Amstrad 1988"  (Directory)
"Misc Group Demos" (Directory)
"Odiesoft Games - Reaktor (1988)" (File)

The "CAT" on my Amstrad shows me:
"COMPUT~1"
"Misc Group Demos"
"ODIESO~1"

I am suprised of "Misc Group Demos" - why the Amstrad don't display "MISC G~1"?

[Duke]

Technical question:
I have copy some files/directories from my PC to the SD-Card, example:
"Computing with the Amstrad 1988"  (Directory)
"Misc Group Demos" (Directory)
"Odiesoft Games - Reaktor (1988)" (File)

The "CAT" on my Amstrad shows me:
"COMPUT~1"
"Misc Group Demos"
"ODIESO~1"

I am suprised of "Misc Group Demos" - why the Amstrad don't display "MISC G~1"?

Taken straight from the manual
"File system
===========
Filenames will be displayed in 8.3 format for compatiblity. Directories will display in full name if less than 17 characters. If longer short directory names will be used. When displaying a directory/catalog, directories will have a > character infront of the directory name."

[SOS]

Taken straight from the manual

Oh mann 
So I must drink a very BIG cup of coffee (or need eye-glasses)

Thanks Duke!!!

[TFM]

Well, who the heck reads the manual! 

[CraigsBar]

None of my hotel customers. Obviously the master allocations do no transfer when the software has the "transfer master allocations" parameter set to 'N'.

The really worrying thing is that that particular case was open for 6 months before it came to me.... And I solved it in 2 seconds...

Gotta love being Level 2 support.