ACE for Linux,Mac, Windows

[roudoudou]

Small update, working hard on FDC, also there is some curiosity for Basic programmers, an explorer for variables in memory

To access this new module, enter in trace (F7), right click then "Basic Explorer" in the list

You will see integer variables on the left, real vars on the right and strings at the bottom

http://www.roudoudou.com/ACE-DL/

[Prodatron]

Showing the Basic variables is a very cool feature!

[HAL6128]

Very cool, no Utopia anymore necessary:)

[roudoudou]

New release with important bugfix on SnapShot when sharing from other emulators

http://www.roudoudou.com/ACE-DL/

Developpers must get a new version of RASM (same RLE bug) to keep sync  https://github.com/EdouardBERGE/rasm/releases/tag/v2.2

Code Select Expand

- Volume setting is now lowering ALL sounds
- Right-Click on Reset will do Strong Reset (memory, plugins)
- FDC breakpoints (from FDC window)
- FDC Sick mode full rewrite
- FDC ReadTrack EOT flag
- FDC Ready distinction for EME-150/155 and 156/156V/157
- FDC GetID in FM mode (mostly used to get hole index)
- FDC Format in FM mode (mostly for timings and erasing track)
- bugfix ManageDSK file existence test (was skipping last char)
- bugfix Snapshot RLE decoding (was Rasm/ACE only compatible...)
- bugfix FDC sector ID calculations
- bugfix FDC calibration on drive B without drive B
- bugfix Basic Explorer display with huge real values
- bugfix Basic Explorer integrity check


[roudoudou]

New release
http://www.roudoudou.com/ACE-DL/

- Orgams ROM pack upgrade to FF240128
- new registers shortcuts in GOTO popup
- new script in video_stream in order to convert k-frames to PNG
- new snapshot watcher option to automatically reload snapshot on modification
- new zig-zag visualisation in Graphics Explorer
- ACE snapshots backups full FDC+Drive configuration
- FDC new breakpoints for GetID and Weak sector data read
- EDSK huge track skips track-header when building MFM flow (Thanks Lone)
- more interactivity with selection in RAM/ROM Explorer with cursor
- can scroll in Graphics Explorer with PageUp/PageDown
- bugfix Emulator background at correct size when popup asking something
- bugfix Emulator background in debug when using zoom x2
- bugfix FDC SenseInterrupt when seek was terminated but ready lost
- bugfix FDC default when using snapshot
- bugfix ROM chunk compression in snapshot

[HAL6128]

Nice evolvement.

Orgams ROM pack upgrade to FF240128??

[roudoudou]

Nice evolvement.

Orgams ROM pack upgrade to FF240128??

if i did not forget to include it with windows packs
unzip this in the ROM directory
ACE (or Caprice or a Mister) know how to load it properly

[HAL6128]

Just a little question: you are using SDL2 for ACEDL. I have no clue about this: Is there an advantage against the WinAPI? In Grafx2 you are also offering it that version (also SDL1)?
Thanks.

[roudoudou]

Just a little question: you are using SDL2 for ACEDL. I have no clue about this: Is there an advantage against the WinAPI? In Grafx2 you are also offering it that version (also SDL1)?
Thanks.

SDL2 allows me to write the very same code for all platforms. WinAPI is dedicated to windows

[HAL6128]

I created a disk by WinApe (DSK MV CPCEMU format) and inserted it via drag and drop to ACEDL (it's stored in a different folder - not in DSK of ACEDL). Then I changed some files of it. Afterwards (reset and started the emulator again) I realized that the content of disk wasn't changed at all / written to the dsk image.
Did I do something wrong?

[roudoudou]

I created a disk by WinApe (DSK MV CPCEMU format) and inserted it via drag and drop to ACEDL (it's stored in a different folder - not in DSK of ACEDL). Then I changed some files of it. Afterwards (reset and started the emulator again) I realized that the content of disk wasn't changed at all / written to the dsk image.
Did I do something wrong?

no autosave in ACE, use F4 to save media

[HAL6128]

Ah, ok. Then it creates by default a "filenamexxx.dsk" with xxx increasing numbers, right?

[roudoudou]

Ah, ok. Then it creates by default a "filenamexxx.dsk" with xxx increasing numbers, right?

yes, i'm not fond of overwriting the same file, i lost some many DSK with the other emulators (and i do not pretend to do better!)

[McArti0]

And is it possible to have even more range of V Hold, H hold and monitor resolution?

[roudoudou]

And is it possible to have even more range of V Hold, H hold and monitor resolution?

yeah, i can add extra settings for vhold and hhold (30% more)

[HAL6128]

Ah, ok. Then it creates by default a "filenamexxx.dsk" with xxx increasing numbers, right?

yes, i'm not fond of overwriting the same file, i lost some many DSK with the other emulators (and i do not pretend to do better!)

Thank for understanding your workflow / philosophy.

[d_kef]

I was playing around with the Albireo emulation and HDCPM and just found out that the CH376 emulation is not accurate regarding the use of "/" or "\" in a file name.
According to the CH376 documentation you can use either "/" or "\" as the first character of a file name, indicating the root directory.
The use of "/" is recomended but is not mandatory.
You can also verify this with the real hardware, but it seems that ACE's emulated CH376 only undestands "/" and returns #42 (file not found) when using a "\".

d_kef

[OffseT]

I was playing around with the Albireo emulation and HDCPM and just found out that the CH376 emulation is not accurate regarding the use of "/" or "\" in a file name.

It is not related to ACE but to the ch376 library used in the Albireo plugin (https://framagit.org/offset/albireo-acepansion).

This library is also used in Oricutron and was mainly developed for Jede's OS (on Oric) and UniDOS (on Amstrad CPC). It clearly does not support all the ch376 features. For instance, low level USB or mass storage raw sector are not implemented at all, and some other command sets are missing. Some of them might be added later or not (they are still on the todo list), but don't expect this library to become full ch376 compliant.

But well, this feature does not sound that complexe to add. 
I will update the plugin (a new plugin release was planned btw).

[d_kef]

I was playing around with the Albireo emulation and HDCPM and just found out that the CH376 emulation is not accurate regarding the use of "/" or "" in a file name.

It is not related to ACE but to the ch376 library used in the Albireo plugin (https://framagit.org/offset/albireo-acepansion).

This library is also used in Oricutron and was mainly developed for Jede's OS (on Oric) and UniDOS (on Amstrad CPC). It clearly does not support all the ch376 features. For instance, low level USB or mass storage raw sector are not implemented at all, and some other command sets are missing. Some of them might be added later or not (they are still on the todo list), but don't expect this library to become full ch376 compliant.

But well, this feature does not sound that complexe to add.
I will update the plugin (a new plugin release was planned btw).

Alright! That's lightning fast response!
But...
I've just discovered that also writing to CP/M image files is not working. 
I'm not using raw sector commands.
For writing I'm using:
cmd_set_filename
cmd_file_open
cmd_byte_locate
cmd_byte_write
cmd_wr_req_data
cmd_byte_wr_go
cmd_file_close
 
The commands are accepted and I'm getting a success response but no data written to the .img file.
I can share code and binaries if needed.

d_kef

[OffseT]

But...
I've just discovered that also writing to CP/M image files is not working.
I'm not using raw sector commands.
For writing I'm using:
cmd_set_filename
cmd_file_open
cmd_byte_locate
cmd_byte_write
cmd_wr_req_data
cmd_byte_wr_go
cmd_file_close

I guess you are using a sequence which is different from both Jede's OS and UniDOS that is not be emulated by the current ch376 library. Could you please open a new topic dedicated to Albireo ACEpansion plugin with additional information about the programming sequence you are using? I could have a look at it when I have time. It might not be a big deal to fix it.

[Prodatron]

For instance, low level USB or mass storage raw sector are not implemented at all

No pressure, but it would be nice if you could put exactly this on your todo list

[roudoudou]

a last version before the end of the month
http://www.roudoudou.com/ACE-DL/

Code Select Expand

- breakpoints configuration no more in configuration menu but from breakpoints window
- no more Reset with F12 from trace (use HUD or CTRL-F9 like outside trace)
- new plugin MultiPlay MX4 (only mouse support on port A)
- new Interrupt break
- new command line option to open any window at any position (run with -h for detail)
- now can save media from trace via F4
- Interrupt routines highlighted on screen (Winape like, see misc options)
- FDC multi-tracks and multi-head features support
- FDC permissive timings reduced (some productions need at least a timeout)
- now there is only 3 directories for media, export or private data
- bigger work interval for vHold/hHold in Monitor settings
- Basic Explorer display proper real values with negative exponent
- save/restore Disassembling, RAM/ROM and Graphics Explorer windows positions
- bugfix FDC ET0 on unformatted track
- bugfix Gotek drive forced rotation

[d_kef]

Here are a couple of possible bugs and a suggestion.

• The value of option 'Hide mouse cursor when captured for Mouse emulation' is not saved in the config file when the emulator is closed. 
• When entring a breakpoint in F8 - Breakpoint configuration, the keypresses used to change the address are also appearing in the CPC screen.
• When entring a breakpoint in F8 - Breakpoint configuration, the address cannot be changed. The value resets to 0000 when enter is pressed. This happens in Ubuntu 22.04. In Windows 11 it works ok. In previous releases it used to work.

When using F1 to eject - reinsert the floppy it seems that the floppy disc is cached. I think it would be better to reload the disc on reinsert so that you can see any changes that happened in the meantime.

d_kef
 

[roudoudou]

Here are a couple of possible bugs and a suggestion.

• The value of option 'Hide mouse cursor when captured for Mouse emulation' is not saved in the config file when the emulator is closed.
• When entring a breakpoint in F8 - Breakpoint configuration, the keypresses used to change the address are also appearing in the CPC screen.
• When entring a breakpoint in F8 - Breakpoint configuration, the address cannot be changed. The value resets to 0000 when enter is pressed. This happens in Ubuntu 22.04. In Windows 11 it works ok. In previous releases it used to work.

When using F1 to eject - reinsert the floppy it seems that the floppy disc is cached. I think it would be better to reload the disc on reinsert so that you can see any changes that happened in the meantime.
d_kef
 

The breakpoint module was neglected since a long time, i'm currently improving the overall module, there will be presets like Winape, ability to choose Read/Write/Read&Write for Memory and IO, ...

Thanks for the "hide" value, i will add it for next release

[roudoudou]

Code Select Expand

- SCP reliability with strange format, empty tracks, asymmetrical sides (thanks Lone)
- Dandanator can load .rom files as well as .des files (same structure, only the name...)
- hide mouse cursor with Multiplay mouse
- 'hide mouse' setting added to saved configuration
- FDC Version accurate timings
- FDC extra-pooling management
- enforce page location with memory breakpoints from RAM/ROM Explorer
- ability to toggle overscan in trace mode (reset display)
- new setting Read/Write for Memory and IO breakpoints
- new shortcut M to change Access mode for a selected breakpoint in the list
- new presets for IO breakpoints
- bugfix regressions in breakpoint edition/activation
New release!