RPM on a Dandanator

[Strike4711]

Hi all,
After I couldn't get DskTest to work on my CPC, I tried RPM.
Loaded the ROM version as well as CDT file, that I converted from a dsk file, to my Dandanator.
Both attempts have been without success.

How do you guys work with RPM? 
Anybody tested it successfully with a Dandanator?

Thanks

[poulette73]

Hello,

I'm not sure if a program loaded into the Dandanator can access the floppy drive through the FDC.
Generally, snapshots loaded in Dandanator regardless of their origin (DSK, CDT, SNA) do not allow you to read floppy disks, such as loading the levels of a game.

But what do you have like Amstrad, is it a CPC 6128 ?
If so, why not use the file version of RPM v1.1 ?

[Strike4711]

Greetings,
I have tested with a Schneider CPC 664 and 464. I thought that RPM or DskTest can be used with the Dandanator like the ROM diagnostic tools from Noel.
BTW ... Noel has shown how to use DskTest in one of his videos. 
How do I use the file version?
I only know the dsk and ROM version.

[poulette73]

What I call 'file version' are the files present on the DSK. 😉

Copy the files to a real 3" or 3"1/2 floppy disk, or use any device with a USB mass storage that can read a DSK image (Gotek drive, M4 Board, USIfAC II, ULIfAC, RSF3, Albireo, etc.).

And simply starts with RUN"RPM.BAS

[poulette73]

Oh sorry... I forgot that RPM v1.1 also exists in ROM version. 👍

ps: but you can't use it like the ROM diagnostic because it's not a lowerrom.

[SerErris]

@Strike4711 I am not sure I do actually understand what you are trying to do.
The DskTest disk has two files, so that would not work with a Dandanator put into ROM, same is true for CDT - this is probably not going to work, as it will not load the second part.

I am not familar with RPM, not sure what it does, and also not sure what you actually want to achieve.

Also what "File" version of dsktest are you referring to?

Regarding dandanator and ROM - dandanator is not a upper ROM box. So it is not a way to load an upper rom in any way. It does load cartridges, that actually boots the computer (so runs as a replacement of BASIC?). I am not 100% sure what dandanator is actually doing in normal operation. However for diagRom it is replacing the Firmware with the ROM from the dandanator slot. So it replaces the lower rom completely and that most likely will not allow the dsktest to operate. I am pretty sure that you can only use it as an upper rom with any number other than 0 or 7. But afaik the dandanator cannot work as an upper rom.

But I can try to create a dandanator snapshot for it (may take some time). The main issue is, that you need to load it in an emulator and then create a snapshot of it, that you then can run from the dandanator. But I am still not sure if the dandanator would allow to load any upper rom (AMSDOS).

[SerErris]

Here is the dsktest as a rom for dandanator. However it will delete the whole dandanator and it works in retrovirtualmachine ... I could not test it with a real CPC though.

Also it checking the dsktest tool itself, it seems it does NOT use any ROM from CPC. It actually overwrites the whole RAM from $8000-$FFFF with 03 as initialization and that is exactly the point where the snapshot starts.

Maybe that works for you

[Strike4711]

Thanks guys for your quick and detailed reply.
I will try the ROM version from SerErris. 
lt has at least a different file size than the one from TFM.

"Copy the files to a real 3" or 3"1/2 floppy disk".
Means according to my understanding that I have to connect the 3" drive to my Windows machine and copy via an Emulator?
That would be a new challenge 

[poulette73]

"Copy the files to a real 3" or 3"1/2 floppy disk".
Means according to my understanding that I have to connect the 3" drive to my Windows machine and copy via an Emulator?
That would be a new challenge 

That's not at all what I said... 

Before copying the files onto a 3" or 3"1/2 floppy disk, you must be able to read the DSK from a USB mass media : Gotek drive, M4 Board, USIfAC II, ULIfAC, RSF3, Albireo, etc....

[poulette73]

Okay.

I created a rom for you with DSKTest v0.1.47b for the Dandanator.
You will find the rom attached.



And here's a video that I just made with this ROM, on my CPC 6128.
I did the test and accesses the internal 3" drive well (in my case 299.9 RPM)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Wut4prxbkkZK5m5fDmGVett9dDcztJa9/view

[SerErris]

Now we have two dandanator roms. 

[Strike4711]

Thank you so much, I will try it.

[poulette73]

Now we have two dandanator roms. 

Yes 

Mine was created with real hardware Dandanator, and tested with success on a real CPC (without using emulators or snapshots)

[SerErris]

Without a snapshot? How did you import the two files into the dandanator?

[poulette73]

With official Dandanator Windows Java app.

Very user friendly... you only have to drag & drop files (DSK, CDT, SNA).
The application itself manages the creation of the snapshot (and loads the game/or application up to the main menu).

You don't need to take snapshots with Dandanator, nor do you need to use with emulators.

Look at the official documentation. 

[SerErris]

So it actually only loads the dsktest.bin file and then if anything is loaded after that, would fail. 

I did not understand the dsktest application and what the two files do, if they depend on each other, or what they are for.

But if the second file would be required, that would fail to load.

That is why I have the snapshotted version - if it ever would have loaded it, it would already be part of the snapshot. 

But yes understand what you did here :-)

[poulette73]

I'm not here to teach you how the Dandanator works...
Especially since you don't have one.

But yes: the Dandanator is capable of loading several files before creating its final snapshot for a game or program.
And read several files contained in a CDT or a DSK (BAS file, SCR screen, and BIN main program)

It would be completely stupid to use an emulator when you have a Dandanator... !

But please, stop the hypotheses, theories, and speculations if you don't know this interface!
We are going to stop this stupid competition of the one who thinks he knows better than the other.
Totally off topic. End of debate.

[SerErris]

I'm not here to teach you how the Dandanator works...
Especially since you don't have one.

But yes: the Dandanator is capable of loading several files before creating its final snapshot for a game or program.
And read several files contained in a CDT or a DSK (BAS file, SCR screen, and BIN main program)

It would be completely stupid to use an emulator when you have a Dandanator... !

But please, stop the hypotheses, theories, and speculations if you don't know this interface!
We are going to stop this stupid competition of the one who thinks he knows better than the other.
Totally off topic. End of debate.

Seriously ?

I do have a dandanator. But anyhow you do not get my point and it does not make any difference.

[poulette73]

Seriously ?

I do have a dandanator.

Yes seriously. 
Quite simply because you said that you were not able to test this on a real Amstrad...
And it worked by emulating the Dandanator in Retro Virtual Machine....

Next time: be more explicit in your words !

[SerErris]

You just interpreted it. I just did not have the time to set the hardware up.