JavaCPC Desktop available as BETA!

[Bryce]

From my memories of my LQ printer, it went to the next line and continued the rest of the line there... so "A".

Bryce.

[Devilmarkus]

My printer does the same... (But I still need to know more facts)
- how many chars are printed in 1 row (draft) and how many with condensed?
- when you use "mini" function: Is the font half sized or only half height? (Seem to have also a "half height" code)
and so on.... (All ESC codes I only found in French or Spanish... Perhaps someone could translate them to English or German?)

Added a few control codes + You can now also control the weakness for the ribbon!!! 

Here's an actual printer-testpage:
http://cpc-live.com/printout_0.png

My goal is a real printer emulation which makes it also possible to printout hardcopies (graphics)

[Devilmarkus]

Here's a little "mock-up":
http://cpc-live.com/printout_0b.png
With NLQ quality:
http://cpc-live.com/printout_0c.png

So, pleeeeeeeeease help me to figure all controls out

[Gryzor]

Heh... I can't think of a single use for this feature, but it certainly is awesome! So geeky

[Devilmarkus]

Heh... I can't think of a single use for this feature, but it certainly is awesome! So geeky

Why not?
Think: Programs like desktop publishing software or e.g. "Artworx" (link) can now be used as they had been designed for:
To printout the results.

Here's another dump with a new font:
http://cpc-live.com/dmp2000test.png

[Devilmarkus]

Working on proper scaling.
Here you can compare my emulated printout with one I found on g**gle:

 
 

2nd is the emulated output. (Font is still not a exact font)

[Devilmarkus]

Working on a video recording tool to capture cpc-videos:


The output format is .MOV Quicktime video.
384x272 or (in HiRes) 768x544 pixels.
25 or 50 fps!
Chooseable image quality.

Sorry, guys, no sound possible here.
Perhaps I will record YM-file simulteanously while recording...

[Gryzor]

Nice.... but, mov? Who on earth uses the mov format?

[Devilmarkus]

Nice.... but, mov? Who on earth uses the mov format?

Because I did not find any suitable AVI library for Java.
Don't forget: I need to capture the movie picture by picture.

[Gryzor]

Yeah, I get it... but it's a shame. I haven't installed quicktime (or even Quicktime Alternative) in ages... I hate the format!

[remax]

Perhaps  VLC support it, i think so...

[Devilmarkus]

New beta is available!


(Click image to see fullsized screenshot)

Today I uploaded a new and already much more stable version of JavaCPC!
As you can see in the version no. (0.9f) it's the last beta until I'll do the next official release.

You can download your copy here:
http://cpc-live.com/data/list.php?dir=-beta
(The files are sorted by date, so you should be able to find the correct version)

New:
- JavaCPC Paint:
     - TGA images are suported for import
     - Easier method to change colour of pen: Double click on pen in list to the right side of paint or right click on it to change it's ink
     - Small improvements in conversion algorithm and also in EffectMixer.
- Desktop:
     - New desktop apps. like JavaCPC Chat or SubPop Radio
     - Over 3000 Wallpapers available for direct-to-wallpaper-download in Desktop settings (When JavaCPC is registered)

And soooooooooooooooo much more

Please notice:
- JavaCPC Desktop works best with Windows. All external applications like Manage DSK or other commandline based tools don't work on Mac or Linux and also I cannot say how the emulator behaves if you try them.
- You need administrator privileges on your system to let JavaCPC Desktop work properly.
- Registration is ABSOLUTELY free and is not obligatory to use the most important emu features. It's only needed for some "special" applications.
- The menu is already cleared a bit up but still is messy and may not work as you suggest.

Always important:
Please inform me about bugs or problems.
JavaCPC has an internal bug report which may help you:
- Open JavaCPC Console (on desktop)
- Enter command "bug" (without the quotes)
- Fill out the form and send your report
- 2 mails are sent: 1 for me and a copy to your given mail address.
(Registered users don't need to fill out name, mail and security code!)

[Devilmarkus]

As you think, I am not sleeping and will add a GFX-Viewer soon to JavaCPC.

For what is it good for?
Simple:
To hack around in the first 64k of the CPC and find game-sprites.
You can also edit them.
It also allows you to export them to your PC!
(as binary with or without AMSDOS header or as PNG file!)

You can also select a range of sprites and export them all with a few mouseclicks!

I attached 2 screenshots:

[arnoldemu]

May the hag be with you 

[norecess]

You never stop !


Kind respects for your commitment!

[Wanderer]

You never stop !

Yup. He is impressive, isn't he?

[Devilmarkus]

Hehehe thank you!
A test for patching game-sprites:
I edited some sprites for Cauldron (hag and bat), then I exported them as binary.
After this I put the new binaries on the DSK, too.
Then I loaded the gamecode + these new binaries and then I called the game:

[Devilmarkus]

BTW.: Arnold's and WinApe's graphics viewer inspired me here
Where WinApe's has a vertical order for the cells and JavaCPC has a horizontal order.
Also "Screen-like editing" is not possible in JavaCPC.
Here the same sprites shown in WinApe:

[Gryzor]

This sprite catcher would be really nice if it works as great as the screenie shows; never had a decent result with Winape, and every time I've needed a piece of gfx (like for my avatar) I've photoshopped it...

[Gryzor]

Tried it last night on my Atom dual core netbook. A shame it can only handle 9fps (Symbos, desktop). I'll try it on my PC now

[Devilmarkus]

Tried it last night on my Atom dual core netbook. A shame it can only handle 9fps (Symbos, desktop). I'll try it on my PC now

Maybe you have bad Graphics drivers. (Or also some strange soundcards make trouble here)
Also make sure that you run it with admin-rights to allow JavaCPC to write it's config.
JavaCPC runs on my system (Intel P-IV, 3ghz dual core, 2gb DDR ram and 256 mb NVidia Geforce 6800GT) with 50 fps and also
with "Turbo" it runs at ca. 500-600%

You can try my latest compiled beta from today. (I added some missing libraries and also fixed the Tiled Mapeditor.)
It also has a slightly better display routine.

Download as usual here:
http://cpc-live.com/data/list.php?dir=-beta

[Gryzor]

It's not the emulator's problem, but my netbook's. It's got an Atom CPU @1.6GHz, after all - NOT designed to run games or Java apps!

[Devilmarkus]

A question for all coders who use Debuggers:
I today coded many improvements to JavaCPC's Debugger:



New features are:
- You can choose between READ, WRITE or ANY ram (Where you can select RAM bank to show and edit it on the fly)
- Breakpoints list with function to clear them.

When READ ram is selected, you cannot edit it (logical, because it's read-only mem)


Now here's my question:
WinAPE also has a breakpoint list where you can see the type and also edit a condition.
- How does this "condition" field work?
- Is a "condition" or "type" really needed? (JavaCPC stops at a breakpoint you define and fires up the debugger (if was closed))

Your help + suggestions which other features to add, too, are very appreciated here.

Thanks,
Markus

[Devilmarkus]

Here's a test for breakpoints (coming from assembler)

[Devilmarkus]

Another question I have is Z80 assembler related:

Z80 assembler understands (should) IF/ENDIF conditions.

So my question is: What conditions are allowed in IF?
Example: IF a=b (where a=b is condition)
Example2: IF c
Please show me all possible conditions.
(not the mathematic calculations or values but what conditions are possible here)

In rest, I coded many improvements to my Z80 Assembler today:
http://cpc-live.com/assemblertest/

But IF/ENDIF is still not implemented! (They are ignored and the code between is assembled, too, so IF is always true)

Does there also exist ELSE?