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Pearls in ROMs (Part 1 - serious)

Started by TFM, 23:10, 06 March 12

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TFM

Dear Friends of the CPC!

Here you get the ROM pearls for you CPC and your MegaFlash. Team FutureSoft (Bryce, Tolkin and TFM) have used all their archives (well, up to now at least a part of them...) to bring you a wonderful collection of ROMs. And the best is that it is all free! [nb]We just charge you with your soul, but you don't need it anyway[/nb]

You can directly install these ROMs using the ROManager for FutureOS. [nb]Ok, this suxx! But to be honest I made that collection for myself, but it's so nice, that I decided to share with everybody[/nb]

This is part 1, which means it contains serious ROMs.[nb]Explicit stuff maybe later ;-)[/nb]

There may be (sooner of later) a part 2, which contains ROMs with Games and other stuff.

Enjoy!
TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

Bryce

How about a list of what ROMs it contains?

Bryce.

Gryzor

Quote from: zip contents
ROMs on Vortex disc
===================
- ALPHA100.ROM - Some tools
- ARCS-160.ROM / Press "1" after Reset to start into CPC-OS (all ROMs active)
- BCPL-100.ROM - BCPL Programming language
- COMMST-1.125  / Software for Amstrad Serial Interface
- COMMST-2.125 /
- CPM-1   .ROM  / Provide a ROM based CP/M Plus with enhanced features
- CPM-2   .ROM /
- CPM-3   .ROM  / Accessory ROMs for ROM based CP/M Plus: - CP/M Accesory Rom Ver. 2.30. Commands: NSWEEP, FORMAT, PCW, RUN, UNERA, D
- CPM-4   .ROM /                                          - DragonBreed Rom Ver. 1.01, Commands..: ECHO, ED, GOTO, IF, PATCH, XFORM
- D-DOS--2.00  / Can manage up to four floppy disc drives
- DES1    .ROM  / Hold Space after Reset to omit Autostart
- DES2    .ROM /  DES can switch to FutureOS transiently by using |FDESK command of Future OS ROM
- DISCOLO1.ROM  / The famous copier tools. One is the file ROM, the other is the Disc-Copy ROM
- DISCOLO2.ROM /
- DOSCPY13.ROM - Copy files from and to MSDOS discs
- HXC25   .ROM - Patched to have a Checksum!
- KNSROM  .ROM - Utilities
- KSERIAL .ROM - ROM based Utilities for a Serial Interface
- MAXAM114.ROM  / MAXAM Assembler with / without Text-Editor
- MAXAM150.ROM /
- MERGE107.ROM - Mail Merge for Protext ROM
- OCP1    .ROM   / |ART command will start Advanced OCP Art studio
- OCP2    .ROM  /
- OCP3    .ROM /
- PHELP111.ROM - HELP System for Protext ROM
- PROTEXT .ROM - Protext ROM in Version 1.22
- RAM-DISC.ROM - Dobbertin RAM disc provides 444 KB RAM drive C (access, use RSX |C)
- RODOS215.ROM  / Two versions of RODOS, new DOS written from Scratch
- RODOS219.ROM /
- SNDTRK-1.ROM  / Soundtrakker ROMs and Player
- SNDTRK-2.ROM /
- SOFT-BRN.127 - Software to manage the ROM-RAM-Box and the create ROMs
- SPELL110.ROM - Spell Checker for Prowort ROM
- STK12-1 .ROM   / Starkos, all three ROMs needed. No Checksum
- STK12-2 .ROM  /
- STK12GEN.ROM /
- TIME-ROM.110 / Needs Dobbertin SmartWatch for some commands
- UTOPI125.ROM - Utilitie ROM, not compatible to all other ROMs
- VARADOS .ROM - Patched to have a Checksum!
- XDDOS210.ROM - Excellent DOS, use |HELP or |HELP,rom-number commands for more information




Nice! Thanks for the collection. However, wouldn't this be more suited to the wiki itself, rather than the forum?

Bryce

They are all (I think) already available in the wiki in the ROMTable: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/ROM_Table

Bryce.

Pentagon

For all the people who cant read Vortex Format or need that collection in Amsdos Format, i have converted it to standard Amsdos Format at 4 discs

Kindly Regards
Tom / Pentagon

TFM

Quote from: Gryzor on 12:46, 07 March 12
Nice! Thanks for the collection. However, wouldn't this be more suited to the wiki itself, rather than the forum?

My pleasure! Yes, right, but I intend to add two or three more ROMs. Then I'll put it in the Wiki.

Quote from: Bryce on 12:54, 07 March 12
They are all (I think) already available in the wiki in the ROMTable: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/ROM_Table

Check again, start with letter "A"  ;)
TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

Bryce

Well they SHOULD be on the ROM Table page! Why are you hogging them at home, when we could have them available in that list? :D

Bryce.

Gryzor


TFM

Quote from: Bryce on 20:36, 07 March 12
Well they SHOULD be on the ROM Table page! Why are you hogging them at home, when we could have them available in that list? :D

Bryce.

Well, honestly... TIME! You guys from the islands are all TIMELORDs, and all I have is this one:


Dalek - EXTERMINATE!

Steals all my time and therefore it took me that long. Good excuse, he? *Duck und weg*

TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

TFM

Alright, finally finished the first Vortex disc, download it here (it part of the MegaFlash archive now):

http://www.colorado-boys-muenchen.de/users/futureos/files/MF_ROManager.zip

Some of these ROMs are not in the Wiki yet. (And I had no time to care about it yet). But feel free to do that by yourself  ;)

So with some luck I'll be able to create a second ROM disc too including Games and other nonsense but funny stuff.
TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

steve

TFM/FS's download is 407.34KB whilst Pentagon's download is 121.51KB, why are the file sizes so different?

TFM

Quote from: steve on 22:25, 08 March 12
TFM's download is 407.34 KB whilst Pentagon's download is 121.51 KB, why are the file sizes so different?

- Because Pentagon cares more about his weight

- Because I added eight new ROMs  ;D

- I added some CPC specific virus

- Because the DSK is now part of a bigger archive including the ROManager which you need to get that stuff in your MegaFlash

Guess that's it!  :)
TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

steve

#12
Quote from: TFM/FS on 22:41, 08 March 12

- Because Pentagon cares more about his weight

- Because I added eight new ROMs  ;D

- I added some CPC specific virus

- Because the DSK is now part of a bigger archive including the ROManager which you need to get that stuff in your MegaFlash

Guess that's it!  :)

Quote from: Pentagon on 13:04, 07 March 12
For all the people who cant read Vortex Format or need that collection in Amsdos Format, i have converted it to standard Amsdos Format at 4 discs

Kindly Regards
Tom / Pentagon


This suggests that the 2 files had the same contents.
P.S I now think that yesterday TFM/FS's file was about 306KB which is still nearly 3 times the size, is that just because a different disk format was used?

TFM

Well, the disc format is not the reason here. Rather the compression. I just used RAR creating a ZIP folder.

But what really counts is the CPC side of life:
Therefore - honestly - I really prefer to have all my Ulilities and Tools ROMs on a single disc instead of having the need to search on four different sides for a particular ROM.  ;)

cu. TFM
TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

steve

I'm still confused as to why a compressed file is larger than an uncompressed one but nevermind, do any of the DOSes decompress RAR files "on the fly"?

Pentagon

Hello Steve,

i used a very high compression with Winrar and Winrar ZIP. Both Files should have the same content from 06.FEB/2012. Its easier to compress more Files with small parts then one with a larger File.

As TFM wrote before, the most important thing is the same content.

QuoteTherefore - honestly - I really prefer to have all my Ulilities and Tools ROMs on a single disc instead of having the need to search on four different sides for a particular ROM.

Sure no problem, but a lot of people cant read Vortex Format at real CPC engine, so i just thought i can do a favour and converted it. We are glad to get your generous Rom Pearls, but really if you include that great disk to your Megaflash Manager Archive, you also should add simple Amsdos Format too. I know a lot of users who really just can read simple Amdos. If you own a 464 with a DDI-1 Drive and a megaflash, then you are able to convert and run the 464 Megaflash Rom Manager but you cant read the Vortex Disc, cause the necessary Rom to read out is hidden in the DSK  ;D

So i would suggest to include all kind of formats and if you like i can do the conversion from Vortex to Amsdos for you, if you release the next ROM Pearls. Thank you anyway for the great work and the Rom Manager. I am still excited to get the next version of 1.44 and hope to get the Flash Chip Init Protection On / Off.

Cheers
Tom / Pentagon



Bryce

How is the compressed larger than the uncompressed? There are 40 ROMs x 16K, so the uncompressed size would be at least 640K. Of course, if they are on a disk image that needs to be at least 700K the uncompressed file would be even bigger.

Bryce.

Pentagon

#17
But the compressed isnt larger then the uncompressed. TFM compressed his 700K Vortex DSK to 400 Kb with WinZip or Winrar i think.
I compressed mine to 120Kb with WinRar in Zip Mode.

So both files are not larger then the uncompressed. Maybe i missunderstood something.

Both uncompressed files do have the same size +/- 20kbytes

Cheers
Tom / Pentagon

Bryce

I badly phrased my post, it was actually questioning steve as to what made him think that the compressed one was larger.

Bryce.

steve

TFM/FS said in one of his posts that the files were compressed, his file was larger at 306KB, pentagon said his 121KB file was in AMSDOS format, which I thought  was intended to go straight onto an AMSDOS disk, my misunderstanding was in thinking that his file was created to copy straight to 3" disk and therefore uncompressed.

TFM

Quote from: Pentagon on 07:27, 09 March 12
Sure no problem, but a lot of people cant read Vortex Format at real CPC engine, so i just thought i can do a favour and converted it.

Sure. And sure people will appreciate your work :)  Since this forum is more international less people will use Vortex format compared to Germany alone. And it's no gain to see XDDOS on a disc you can't read  ;)

Quote from: Pentagon on 07:27, 09 March 12
... if you include that great disk to your Megaflash Manager Archive, you also should add simple Amsdos Format too.

Well in case of the MegaFlash people can use ROManager for FutureOS which can read Vortex format. So no problem here.

Quote from: Pentagon on 07:27, 09 March 12
I know a lot of users who really just can read simple Amdos. If you own a 464 with a DDI-1 Drive and a megaflash, then you are able to convert and run the 464 Megaflash Rom Manager but you cant read the Vortex Disc, cause the necessary Rom to read out is hidden in the DSK  ;D

Sure, right, the 464 is a problem here. The more your help is appreciated.

Quote from: Pentagon on 07:27, 09 March 12
So i would suggest to include all kind of formats and if you like i can do the conversion from Vortex to Amsdos for you, if you release the next ROM Pearls. Thank you anyway for the great work and the Rom Manager. I am still excited to get the next version of 1.44 and hope to get the Flash Chip Init Protection On / Off.

Cheers
Tom / Pentagon

Well, honestly, my "excuse" would be "real life", but to copy ROMs to Amsdos DSKs should not be too time consuming. Maybe I call it "real life distractions"  ;)  I'm a bit busy for today, but I hope to catch some scattered ROMs together later (have to look at a lot of old DSKs).

I'll attach the "status of the day" version of ROManager 1.44. But I'm sorry to say this is just the FutureOS version. Reason: Some features must be checked before I can move on to the Amsdos version. I don't want to work at both at the same time. So this is work in progress. Functions "Protect Flash" and "Init Flash" are NOT tested!!! The documantation is on disc though (and updated). The file to start is called "-R." and source is on disc too (no ROMs though).

TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

TFM

Attention: Please DO NOT use the "Protect Flash" and the "Init Flash" options. They are under construction and corrupt (todays result) the Flash chip. The 1.44 is still WIP.
TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

beaker

Quote from: Pentagon on 13:04, 07 March 12
For all the people who cant read Vortex Format or need that collection in Amsdos Format, i have converted it to standard Amsdos Format at 4 discs

Kindly Regards
Tom / Pentagon

Sorry, I am a bit new to this still and need some help. I downloaded this version and all the roms seem to be 16k so are probably headerless and the basic version of rom manager doesn't like it when I try to load the rom. How do I go about putting back the header or is there something else I need to do? I tried a quick search of the wiki but couldn't see anything; is there a dummy's guide someone can point me to?

TFM

#23
Quote from: beaker on 23:57, 14 March 12

Sorry, I am a bit new to this still and need some help. I downloaded this version and all the roms seem to be 16k so are probably headerless and the basic version of rom manager doesn't like it when I try to load the rom.

That's right. But deleting the headers saves 20% space on the disc :) You can just (means easily) use the ROManager for FutureOS - because this version only works with headerless ROMs :-)   (See three postings ago for the link). But don't use "Init Flash" or "Protect Flash" functions, they are under construction!
TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

Pentagon

#24
I dont know why just FOS can handle those roms. The basic version should be able to do the same things like the FOS version. Its a bad taste to be forced installing FOS to have all features.
Its not very professional to cut down the basic version to minimal. Its possible to code same features in Basic, wich you add to FOS. There is no reason to prefer just the own system and keep behind the other users who cant use FOS or dont want to use FOS. Maybe you can add the missing features for all other users too? Or is there any serious reason why people should use FOS to handle headerless roms? I dont think so and whoever dont like FOS should be able to use the same features you coded for FOS. That would be very nice and professional.

Now he need to convert the great Rom Pearls collection by hand and thats not nice and friendly just to prefer one (the own) system. Its just vortex , its just FOS. What about all other users who cant install FOS or dont like to use? Do you still keep them out of goodies? Are they just users 2nd class behind?

First i thought you forgot the amsdos users and usual CPC Users. But i think its your politics just to code the "goodies" for FOS and keep the simple to Basic. Its possible to do that for both systems. Please think about that and maybe you can give the same features to all users in future? Basic / FOS / Amsdos / Vortex its all a kind of good will to do.


Here is a simple untested code to convert the headerless ROMS back to Header.

Its not tested, but it should work:

Convert this to Data Codes (for Example at &3F00):

LD HL,$4000
LD DE,$4000
loop:
CALL $BC80  ; CAS IN CHAR
LD (HL),A
INC HL
DEC DE
LD A,L
OR H
JR NZ,loop
RET

add following Basic Code

10 REM ------ HEADERLESS-ROM CONVERTER ------

20 MEMORY &3EFF
30 DATA xxxxx (Add the Data Codes from Above Code)
40 FOR N%=0 TO anz bytes-1
50 READ A;POKE &3F00+N%,A
60 NEXT
70 INPUT "ROMNAME:",rom$
80 OPENIN rom$:CALL &3F00:CLOSEIN
90 INPUT "NEW NAME:",neu$
100 SAVE neu$,b,&4000,&4000
110 PRINT "ROM saved"


Thanks a lot for accept criticial voice too and dont hate me for my open words. Its a discussion forum and there are lots of people out there, who cant waste 4 slots of a rombox / megaflash to use FOS. The usual / normal user have an unexpanded system with amsdos and every expansion should work fine with supporting all possible features like the FOS version can handle.

Kindly regards
Tom / Pentagon



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