HxCCPC 6128plus + SymbOS + HxC

[AlexD]

Hello all,
I'm very glad to see that there is still a CPC community around the net
I came back to CPC recently, extracting my 6128+ from underground, and was eager to install and test SymbOS !
I also have a HxC (USB version) to replace the floppy drive and access much more easily to all the floppy images available over the net.
So... games and demos do run perfectly on the hardware, very nice after all these years!!!
However, I tried to run SymbOS and got some problems :
the OS start but when I arrive on the desktop, no background image is displayed and none of the menus enables me to launch anything : the menus does react (open, display submenus etc.) but no related applications are launched (e.g. the conterol panel).
I tested SymbOS with WinAPE and it works. So my question :
did someone successfully used SymbOS with a CPC 6128+ and HxC ?
I know that there is a USB and SD version of the HxC and that it is not possible to write with USB version, however I doubt that it can be the cause of my problems...
Any clues?


     Alex.


P.S. : I also tested the 512Ko XMEM extension which run perfectly, but no effect on SymbOS, same problems...

[TotO]

Hello Alex,

The SymbOS path is A:\ by default on the floppy image.
I suggest that you have ran it from the B:\ drive, so the desktop picture and other programs are not found.
By the way, the desktop icons are shortcuts to applications that are not all on the floppy... (need to use the extra application dsk)

The X-MEM is seen w/o problem.

[CraigsBar]

Hi Alex, and welcome.

I guess @TotO answered already but here goes. The newest releases of symbos allow the use of the hxc sd card as mass storage, you can then use this as the hard drive to store all the apps etc on and have a disc image to boot from. I've tested it and it works very well. It is however not yet in the main release. If you check the symbos thread you will find the posting from @prodatron with the latest dsk image attached.

Craig

[Prodatron]

Hi Alex,

the OS start but when I arrive on the desktop, no background image is displayed and none of the menus enables me to launch anything : the menus does react (open, display submenus etc.) but no related applications are launched (e.g. the conterol panel).
I tested SymbOS with WinAPE and it works. So my question :
did someone successfully used SymbOS with a CPC 6128+ and HxC ?

What's happening, when you double-click on an icon? Do you get an error message? Did you try Start -> Run -> Browse and switch between Drive A and Drive B?

[AlexD]

Hello TotO and all,
thanks for the quick answers!
Well HxC is configured as DS0, which I suspect is equivalent with A ?
How to check whether I am running on A or B and eventually change that ?


By the way I also flashed the 4 ROMs of SymbOS on the XMEM and run SymbOS from them (|SYM) but result is the same... is that "normal" behaviour?


    Alex.


P.S. : I get no error when clicking on an ICON. Nothing happen when I click on Start->run->Browse

[CraigsBar]

Hi Alex. Even when launched from Rom symbos needs a disc in drive a with the config on it. Does the hxc "grind" or "chirp" when symbos boots? Pop in the virtual symbos dsk file in the hxc and boot from Rom.

[AlexD]

Hi,
there is absolutly no noise emited by HxC, even when SymbOS is loading...
By the way, I plugged the HxC card into the internal disc drive with a home (but not my home...) made cable, may the problem come from here?

[AlexD]

SOLVED !
Actually I had to configure HxC on DS1 and not DS0, don't know exactly why but no it works pretty well !
Anyway thanks very much for your very reactive and helpful responses!
CPC rulez

[CraigsBar]

SOLVED !
Actually I had to configure HxC on DS1 and not DS0, don't know exactly why but no it works pretty well !
Anyway thanks very much for your very reactive and helpful responses!
CPC rulez

Excellent news. I know @Prodatron will really appreciate another Symbos Plus machine tester. Did you download the HXC SDcard mass storage driver? I have been testing this on my 464plus (I have a full symbiface on my 6128plus) and I really like the solution, Mass storage with no additional outlay on hardware.


I hope you enjoy your stay here, Remember to try out some of the new plus only games (Frogger, Rick Dangerous 128+, Deathsword) and some of the many ports and colour hacked games, start here (Cybernoid Plus is excellent!!) http://cpcrulez.fr/GamesDL_hack/index.php


Craig

[Prodatron]

SOLVED !

I am glad that you solved it and that it's working now!
If you want to try the HxC direct access version, which can read/write the SD card directly as a FAT32 storage including "unlimited" space and subdirectories, just ping me!

[AlexD]

Hello,
actually I own the USB version of the HxC so I guess it's not possible to test what you are talking about ?
@[size=78%]CraigsBar : [/size][/size][size=78%]Ok for the games ! [/size]
[/size]

[Prodatron]

Hello,
actually I own the USB version of the HxC so I guess it's not possible to test what you are talking about ?
@[size=78%]CraigsBar : [/size][size=78%]Ok for the games ! [/size]

TBH I am not familiar with the USB version. But it would be strange, if the direct access mode istn't working here. I will ask Jeff/search in the HxC forum:
HxC Floppy Drive Emulator • Index page

[AlexD]

I will check for that indeed, I have to find the development version of SYmbOS you were talking about.
By the way, is there a SymbOS version dedicated to CPC+ ? I mean one that would be able to display more than 4 colors... ^_^
ok it would also be a problem of RAM size but... my XMEM is feeling quite empty now

[TFM]

Oh, check out the ROM section. There are lot's of ROMs (different OS, Utilities, Games etc.) in the Wiki. 

[Prodatron]

I will check for that indeed, I have to find the development version of SYmbOS you were talking about.
By the way, is there a SymbOS version dedicated to CPC+ ? I mean one that would be able to display more than 4 colors... ^_^
ok it would also be a problem of RAM size but... my XMEM is feeling quite empty now

You can download the DSK of the w-i-p version here:
SymbOS with HxC Direct Access FAT32 support
CPC+ support is currently deactivated due to problems with the SYMBiFACE II, but I will probably switch it on again in the next major version. SymbOS CPC is limited to 4 colours inside the Desktop Manager, unfortunately a resolution of 160x200 isn't that feasible for a GUI.
It's not a problem to fill your XMEM ram, just start as many apps as you like at the same time 

[HAL6128]

@Prodatron: Is it possible to switch to Mode 0 within SymbOS just for an (fullscreen) application and then switch back to the original mode/desktop?

[Prodatron]

@Prodatron: Is it possible to switch to Mode 0 within SymbOS just for an (fullscreen) application and then switch back to the original mode/desktop?

Yes, you can deactivate the Desktop Manager and handle your own 16K screen directly. Then you can return to the GUI. Currently this is done by the 3D star screen saver (mode 0) as well as by the SymShell CLI (fullscreen, mode 2).
Please note, that SymbOS is not stucked to its GUI. SymbOS is probably known as being a GUI OS, which isn't really true, as the desktop manager is only one part of it like X-Windows was a part of Unix. I was always thinking about a textshell-only version without GUI, which would be quite cool, too

[AlexD]

By the way, could you indicate some material/tutorial to start writing applications for SymbOS ? The link for the windows editor is broken.

[TCMSLP]

I have still to get SymbOS working on my 464.  First I tried booting from a 3.5" floppy;  it starts booting up (displays the initial loading screen) until the point where I assume SymbOS takes over and tries to hit the disk directly.  As it's a 3.5" disk it's using Parados and a non-standard format.

I then switched to the HxC but I don't even get as far as the above.  It starts loading then I think either hangs or reboots (I forget which).

This is a cost-reduced CPC 464 with 64Kb expansion, DDI-1 clone (both mk1 and mk2 tried) and a blue HxC (rev B? No LCD).

On a different note, does SymbOS have any sort of terminal (rs232) program?


Steve
TCM/SLP

[Prodatron]

The actual developer documentation files can be downloaded here:

http://symbos.de/download/20140830-V21/doc-develop.zip

"SymbOS-#Overview.txt" is the index for all files. You can first read "SymbOS-Applications.txt". The *.txt files describe the functions of the different modules of SymbOS. The *lib* files can be used for the API. "SymbOS-Template-EXE.asm" is a template for an application.

You can also download the application source codes here (folder _Sources):

http://symbos.de/download/20140830-V21/symbos-apps.zip

Have a look at e.g. "App-Calc.asm" to see, how an application is built.
In any case you will probably need WinApe to assemble a SymbOS application, as the integrated assembler of this emulator supports the generation of the relocator table for SymbOS.
Feel free to ask any question!

[Prodatron]

I have still to get SymbOS working on my 464.  First I tried booting from a 3.5" floppy;  it starts booting up (displays the initial loading screen) until the point where I assume SymbOS takes over and tries to hit the disk directly.  As it's a 3.5" disk it's using Parados and a non-standard format.
I then switched to the HxC but I don't even get as far as the above.  It starts loading then I think either hangs or reboots (I forget which).
This is a cost-reduced CPC 464 with 64Kb expansion, DDI-1 clone (both mk1 and mk2 tried) and a blue HxC (rev B? No LCD).

I am afraid that the 64KB ram expansion is not fully 6128-compatible, so some Ram-configs are not supported (SymbOS requires #C4-#C7, #C1 and #C2). With TotOs X-MEM memory expansion it's working fine on the 464. In SymbOS the disc isn't accessed until you already see the desktop, so it doesn't seem to be a problem with the disc format. But anyway SymbOS doesn't support non-standard CPC formats. Data, System and PCW format is supported as well as FAT12/16/32. So if you like to use huge disc sizes with up to 720KB you can better use MS-DOS discs, which can be exchanged with the PC, too.

On a different note, does SymbOS have any sort of terminal (rs232) program?

I started SymTel some years ago, but as development of the SymbiFACE 3 and SymbOS stopped for several years, it hasn't been finished yet. As the next SymbOS version will include network support in any case, SymTel will be completed as well.

[TFM]

For CPC side... Which hardware to you plan to use for network support?[nb]sorry for offtopic, but of interest.[/nb]

[Prodatron]

Regarding the CPC I am currently focused on the Minibooster: Octoate had the idea to attach an ESP8266 WLAN Module to it, which is able to handle the TCP/IP functionalities via AT commands. There was a discussion about the ESP8266 in the Enterprise scene as well. This will probably be the choice for the CPC if there is no WizNet W5100 project (which is used by the Denyonet Ethernet card for the MSX) or something similiar coming up. The W5100 would be a very elegant ethernet solution, but for me the most important thing is just to get the CPC online in a modern way.

[TFM]

That sounds good. Let's hope we get a nice solution for CPC soon. I don't mind to have an intelligent chip on the card doing most of the work. 

[TotO]

Regarding the CPC I am currently focused on the Minibooster: Octoate had the idea to attach an ESP8266 WLAN Module to it, which is able to handle the TCP/IP functionalities via AT commands. There was a discussion about the ESP8266 in the Enterprise scene as well.

If that can help you...


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