Despotik Design by ERE

[TFM]

Just out of curiosity, are you reading disk images through an emulator or anything else?

Using a real CPC. Used HxC software to convert DSK to HFE (is there another way of creating an HFE?).

[TFM]

Yes, I can't see why a HFE could possibly be slower, unless he's using an emulator that doesn't time DSK sector layout correctly.

He's using a CPC. And Jepp pointed out that it may be connected to some waiting times... Targhan (using similar FDC routines) had the same problem first, now this issue is fixed.


What Targhan does is: Read all sectors of a track in their physical sequence, starting with the first sector of a track (very fast).

What TFM does: Read first sector ID, then read all sectors of a track in physical sequence (fastest).

As you see, the differences are minor, nevertheless there are problems with the HFE, not the DSK.

[khaz]

It sounds more like an HxC bug though, not a problem with HFE specifications.

[Targhan]

[ot]

What Targhan does is: Read all sectors of a track in their physical sequence, starting with the first sector of a track (very fast).
What TFM does: Read first sector ID, then read all sectors of a track in physical sequence (fastest).

Sorry, couldn't resist, just like you couldn't . Your method isn't faster than mine. Plus if my memory serves me right, you only read 9 tracks per track, whereas I read 10 sectors per track. So I am faster in this case. Anyway... Just bragging.

[/ot]

[TFM]

[ot]Sorry, couldn't resist, just like you couldn't . Your method isn't faster than mine. Plus if my memory serves me right, you only read 9 tracks per track, whereas I read 10 sectors per track. So I am faster in this case. Anyway... Just bragging.

[/ot]

Haha, ok, then we are both the fastest.    And of course I don't know the detail of your method. I'm sure it great. Running OP on a real CPC proves this for sure. 

[Targhan]

[ot]Well actually, who knows ? The main point, I think, is: as long as you don't miss any sector, even when changing track, this is as fast as you can get with the FDC.[/ot]

[TFM]

Booting TargOS...

Energy Star Alley activated...

576 KB RAM found...

Damn it... Energy crap off... Hyperspeed enabled! 










Sorry, couldn't resist! And sorry for derailing...

[dlfrsilver]

It's no use arguing with someone who thinks they know it all and assumes you know nothing. Besides that he's obviously got it in for WinAPE and would rather criticise with statements such as "when winape just break its teeth down the carpet" than actually provide any constructive comments.

Be constructive ? I'm not a programmer, so it's up to you to check what is wrong in your FDC routines. I can't help you there.


From what you explained, i tried the original DSK with the two others emulators to check and verify about what you wrote. Those are known to have a perfect FDC emulation and handling. Either Sugarbox and Caprice Forever 0.26 make the game in original DSK working perfectly. But not Winape.


what i would advise would be to contact Lone (sugarbox emulator author), or Frederic Corte (caprice forever emulator author).


Frederic has upgraded Caprice FDC part, in order to get a perfect FDC emulation (PS : Dr coolzic Atari ST FDC docs are great too for that).

[andycadley]

You can't have "perfect" FDC emulation with DSK files, because they are fundamentally missing information.

You can have better "guess what goes in the blanks" code, but it literally can't be 100% correct.

[TFM]

.... Either Sugarbox and Caprice Forever 0.26 ....

Hi! Sugarbox is sweet! Likey!     But let me ask you a question. How is the situation with Caprice 3.6.1 for Windows? I guess the Caprice Forever 0.26 had a better FDC emulation!?! But would 3.6.1 work? Sorry, I can't compare at the moment since my laptop is broken and there is no CPC emu on the work computers here. 

[dlfrsilver]

Hi! Sugarbox is sweet! Likey!     But let me ask you a question. How is the situation with Caprice 3.6.1 for Windows? I guess the Caprice Forever 0.26 had a better FDC emulation!?! But would 3.6.1 work? Sorry, I can't compare at the moment since my laptop is broken and there is no CPC emu on the work computers here. 

Caprice 3.6.1 is an outdated version, Caprice forever 0.26 is the newest one.

[dlfrsilver]

You can't have "perfect" FDC emulation with DSK files, because they are fundamentally missing information.

You can have better "guess what goes in the blanks" code, but it literally can't be 100% correct.

well we do agree that quite a number of DSK use approximative data. However, the FDC part must be 100%, as nothing stops it to be.


The guess what goes in the blanks method is indeed use in sugarbox for instance, because otherwise since the FDC part is perfect, some DSK original games would then not be working, exactly like on a real CPC.