ULIfAC:Usb Mass storage,WiFi, 512KB Ram/32XROM Board/256K Ram+16X Rom Board!

[MoiCJarod]

I downloaded somewhere as a zip file.
It works very well. I dont know what binary or cpr.
Attached the zip file.
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Edit: I also ad some ss but i cant see them. Maybe it's because we have the best internet connection in the world

Ok, working on my CPC 464 on 256k+ 16x rom. And wow ... hard to play ...

And ... what is "ss" ?

[MoiCJarod]

(btw all of this info is mentioned in user's guide too: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/x1cad8kzzsugn1razoy74/ULIFAC-User-Guide_v5.pdf?rlkey=x14349neqsmxum5xmhuwyo82f&dl=0 )

Of course, I should have rtfm ... 

[unay]

I downloaded somewhere as a zip file.
It works very well. I dont know what binary or cpr.
Attached the zip file.
[/url][/img]

[/url][/img]

Edit: I also ad some ss but i cant see them. Maybe it's because we have the best internet connection in the world

Ok, working on my CPC 464 on 256k+ 16x rom. And wow ... hard to play ...

And ... what is "ss" ?

Screen Shots, while loading and playing.
Maybe its my phone, tomorrow i'll try to edit on a computer.

[MoiCJarod]

Ok, I am again in a weird configuration ...

Config.txt enabled, I am in 256+16x Rom mode. Doing a |fm, selecting a dsk file, and then the computer reboots twice and some pixels are lighted on the screen, the CPC is hung. (same occur if I |mg, "....DSK" then |fdc).

Other thing : can't launch |rom rsx, temporary message shown : "No RAM/ROM board present, or switch to". 

[ikonsgr]

Config.txt enabled, I am in 256+16x Rom mode. Doing a |fm, selecting a dsk file, and then the computer reboots twice and some pixels are lighted on the screen, the CPC is hung. (same occur if I |mg, "....DSK" then |fdc).

Most probable this is a bad/copy protected dsk image. There is also a chance for this to be  a CP/M image, which usually executes directly by giving |CPM at prompt.
If you try to "CAT" such CP/M image, you might get the weird behavior you described.

Other thing : can't launch |rom rsx, temporary message shown : "No RAM/ROM board present, or switch to". 

Rom configuration utility works ONLY in default 512K Ram expansion mode (obviously because you can't change "on the fly" rom setup while roms are in use, as in Dual RAM/ROM or 32x Rom board modes!). Again ,this is mentioned in User's Guide too 

[ikonsgr]

Hmmm, this begins to be very interested:  "officially"  cpr cartridge rom games were meant to be for Amstrad PLUS models only, but as  some very skilled game developers seem to have a particular fond for using "roms only" , it's very satisfying that ULIfAC can load two of the most famous "cartridge rom only" games, that also work on Amstrad CPC: Alcon 2020 and Hyperdrive! 
I've also successfully load "Space moves" using a 512k cpr rom cartridge, although this is available in dsk format too...
Anyway, since now ULIfAC seem to be able to load cartridge games too, i'm thinking of developing a small windows utility that will take a cpr file as input and give you a folder with the BAS loader and roms in required format, ready to use!
This will make the hole procedure of trying cpr files with ULIfAC "piece of cake" for anyone! 

Btw, i wonder, apart from Alcon 2020 and Hyperdrive, are there any other "cartridge only" games that support Amstrad CPC too?...

[MoiCJarod]

Most probable this is a bad/copy protected dsk image. There is also a chance for this to be  a CP/M image, which usually executes directly by giving |CPM at prompt.
If you try to "CAT" such CP/M image, you might get the weird behavior you described.

It was dsk files that I mounted successfuly before ... maybe my usb stick that is slowly dying ? Well, I will see this tomorrow.

Anyway, since now ULIfAC seem to be able to load cartridge games too, i'm thinking of developing a small windows utility that will take a cpr file as input and give you a folder with the BAS loader and roms in required format, ready to use!

+1 

[eto]

I have iram640 which is onboard solution for ram. Ulifac is disable the iram ınfortunatly. Maybe @ikonsgr has solution for that...

What do you mean with ,,disable the iram"? The iram640 should never be disabled unless you are using the disable switch. 

It should have priority over any external RAM expansion. 

[ikonsgr]

The only way to boot normally is to simply rename the file as config.txt.old for example 

Okay, that is what I do from my computer. A way to do it on the CPC ? There seems to be a ùren rsx, but I don't know how to use it.

Well, although CH376 usb host module doesn't support renaming of files, i forgot that i developed the RSX command |UCOPY to copy files between different directories with extra argument of renaming  the destination file!
So in order to rename config.txt (and stop auto rom mounting upon booting CPC) you can create a small basic program with only one line:
10 |UCOPY,"config.txt","/","conf.txt":|DEL,"config.txt"
You can save this as, say, "dc.bas" in order to rename config.txt faster by giving a simple: run"dc
Then you can also have the opposite procedure in order to restore auto rom function:
10 |UCOPY,"conf.txt","/","config.txt"
You can also save this as "rc.bas" and use it by giving a simple: run"rc

[unay]

I have iram640 which is onboard solution for ram. Ulifac is disable the iram ınfortunatly. Maybe @ikonsgr has solution for that...

What do you mean with ,,disable the iram"? The iram640 should never be disabled unless you are using the disable switch.

It should have priority over any external RAM expansion.

When i get the iram, first thing i'd try to see 1mb+ of ram.
I load Symbos and look the ram it was not 1024k. But i dont remember that i use ulifac as an 512k or 32x rom.
As i dont need 1mb of ram, i dont try again. But i'll try again with Amstrad Diagnostics.

[eto]

I have iram640 which is onboard solution for ram. Ulifac is disable the iram ınfortunatly. Maybe @ikonsgr has solution for that...

What do you mean with ,,disable the iram"? The iram640 should never be disabled unless you are using the disable switch.

It should have priority over any external RAM expansion.

When i get the iram, first thing i'd try to see 1mb+ of ram.
I load Symbos and look the ram it was not 1024k. But i dont remember that i use ulifac as an 512k or 32x rom.
As i dont need 1mb of ram, i dont try again. But i'll try again with Amstrad Diagnostics.

The iram640 only has 640k. 

It should work like this: The ulifac RAM will be mute with the iRAM installed. It also won't be added to the internal iRAM RAM. Only the bright side: you should have 640k and ROM.

Only if an external RAM exceeds the iRAM or uses the ports above the first 512k it will be used. 

But I only have tested it quickly with the Ulifac myself and did not try all configuration modes. I'll do that when I'm back from vacation if you experience a different behavior than the expected one.

[Audronic]

. But i'll try again with Amstrad Diagnostics.

Do you have a link to the "Amstrad Dignosics ' Please

Keep Safe

Ray

[unay]

. But i'll try again with Amstrad Diagnostics.

Do you have a link to the "Amstrad Dignosics ' Please

Keep Safe

Ray

There is cdt, dsk, cpr and rom files on it.

CPCRULEZ > AMSTRAD CPC > > APPLICATIONS > DIVERS > AMSTRAD DIAGNOSTICS

[ikonsgr]

I just finish the "CPR LOADER" Utility: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/w6m03heu5it4725lc147x/CPR_LOADER.zip?rlkey=4qi2c7v2naldfwawanhdp9fpk&dl=0

You cannot view this attachment.

As promised, the procedure is super fast and easy: You only need to select a CPR cartridge file, and you will instantly get a folder with all required roms and the basic loader ("Start.Bas") for direct loading of the game using a ULIfAC board!
Feel free to try it and report for any other cartridge game that load successfully 

Also i've placed both Alcon 2020 and Hyperdrive Games into a newly created folder for CPR Games:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/vz39brfnmrdec5re7qe9k/AN7_TrLy66oihVsLMh-73vo?rlkey=9lvihkyg5l40lsmainn5vaprr&dl=0
Both game folders were created using the CPR Loader utility.
Any further successfully load cartridge games will be placed in this folder.

[unay]

Is this work with only cpc compatible cartridge games or plus/gx4000 games can be run on a regular cpc?

[ikonsgr]

Is this work with only cpc compatible cartridge games or plus/gx4000 games can be run on a regular cpc?

plus/gx4000 games that use the extra hardware/features (most notably sprite engine, or dma access) can't load on Amstrad CPC, obviously because it lacks the required hardware to do it 
Also, as already noted, the cpr cartridge files were meant to be for "plus only" machines, as only plus models had the required cartridge slot, and the cpr files were designed to emulate cartridge slots on emulators (as dsk images were emulating real floppy disks). Νevertheless, in recent years, a few game developers designed "cartridge only" games, that DONT use the extra hardware features of plus machines, thus be able to load even on standard CPC equipped with a rom board (like dandanator, M4, ULIfAC).
Still, apart from ALCON2020 and HYPERDRIVE i'm not aware of any other "cartridge only" games that are "CPC compatible"... 

[MoiCJarod]

Hello all,

I tested other USB sticks and it seems to work better.

Some quick results I had today (mostly for ikonsgr)
- the "OUT &EF00,72" command only works when in 512k mode, was unable to get back to 256k+16x mode when in 32x mode (ok, ok, ikonsgr, it may be written in the manual ... I Know  )
- the |rom rxs is working in 32x mode too (it at least shows what I think it should)
- when pressing reset after having launched ALCON, it launch it again (it maybe a feature ?). I have to cold reboot to be able to do something else on the CPC.
- |r is super !!
- your advice to create .bas files to install/uninstall roms is super !!

But after having launched Alcon, once again, dsk file opening problems with pixels lighten ... I have to go back to 512k mode, put an "OUT &EF00,72" , then go back to 256k+16 and now the dsk are mounting properly and the games are launching ...

Well good night to all ...

[ikonsgr]

- when pressing reset after having launched ALCON, it launch it again (it maybe a feature ?). I have to cold reboot to be able to do something else on the CPC.

Yes, because reset button just resets the rom cartridge, so obviously the game begins from the start . If you want to return to basic, you have to press the RAM/ROM button instead (and sometimes reset button afterwards) and you will get back to default 512k ram mode.

- |r is super !!

isn't it? And to think that some people even replace the roms in cpc 464, just to get this feature (easy passing string arguments to basic commands) 

But after having launched Alcon, once again, dsk file opening problems with pixels lighten ... I have to go back to 512k mode, put an "OUT &EF00,72" , then go back to 256k+16 and now the dsk are mounting properly and the games are launching ...

no need to give OUT commands, after pressing ram/rom button and getting back to 512k mode (from CPR cartridge mode), just give: |6128 and CPC will reboot in "CPC 6128" mode, where you can access dsk images without problems   

[unay]

The iram640 only has 640k.

It should work like this: The ulifac RAM will be mute with the iRAM installed. It also won't be added to the internal iRAM RAM. Only the bright side: you should have 640k and ROM.

Only if an external RAM exceeds the iRAM or uses the ports above the first 512k it will be used.

But I only have tested it quickly with the Ulifac myself and did not try all configuration modes. I'll do that when I'm back from vacation if you experience a different behavior than the expected one.

Yeap, as you said Amstrad Diasgnostics shows only 512k upper ram too.