Which little app or tool would you love to have on your CPC?
What would you like to use every day?
I'd love cpm ported to amsdos so it allows cpm programs to run as amsdos ones. A cpm runner for lack of another name, basically |cpmr,"nsweep" for example, it would rearrange the memory to give 63k that, load nsweep into the tpa bank, run nsweep until a ctrl+c or exit where it would display a msg "press space to return to amsdos" and it would simply reboot.
V2 of this would support more than 128k ram to preserve the first 64k or perhaps first 128k ram and return to amsdos gracefully.
Amsdos doesn't support random file access, so you can't "emulate" CP/M in the CPC-OS/Amsdos environment.
Well, this thread is about little apps. Like:
- Take a note
- Check schedule
What would be interesting to you - and makes you to use your CPC? :)
A client for the CPCWiki forum would be awesome.
As the CPC is not in the center of my digital life, I would not see any benefit of an app that supports my real life. But an app that supports the way I interact with the CPC would be cool.
E.g. a minimal and fast "UI" (can be text based) that I can use to quickly navigate disks and mass storage - and execute programs. Maybe including file copy and viewing text files.
A filebrowser.
SymbOS has been my weapon of choice, since it has disk image writing, a decently powerful file browser and plays nice with my usifac2.
Thanks a lot
@Devlin. that's very nice to hear !
I'm gonna go +1 for SymbOS.
I love the fact that I can run an IRC client on my CPC464 with a ZMem and chat like it's 1999!
I have little BombJack 8) .
I use BASIC itself as a usual tool for work. I'll explain with an example:
I had to develop a fast line segment to circle collision routine for my work, so I first made a prototype in BASIC in the CPC because in BASIC you can quickly draw circles and lines and see the results graphically, which is a thing you can't do so immediately in modern development environment.
I also use it as a quick calculator when I have to deal with complex calculations, a lot faster than using the Windows/MacOS/phone calculators and need to add parenthesis, powers, trigonometry, etc. Or as quick dec-hex-bin converter.
CPC BASIC is ready in a fraction of second after switching the power on, no need for opening IDEs, creating projects, etc. It's really good for quick prototyping stuff.
Quote from: eto on 20:27, 05 December 24As the CPC is not in the center of my digital life, I would not see any benefit of an app that supports my real life. But an app that supports the way I interact with the CPC would be cool.
E.g. a minimal and fast "UI" (can be text based) that I can use to quickly navigate disks and mass storage - and execute programs. Maybe including file copy and viewing text files.
Quote from: dodogildo on 21:19, 05 December 24A filebrowser.
That is already there, the M4-ROM for FutureOS. :)
However, I thought about little tools...
The idea of having them ready to go immediately is a good idea of course! :-)
So, a easy-to-use calculator is a great idea! Thanks!
Quote from: GUNHED on 21:07, 09 December 24That is already there, the M4-ROM for FutureOS. :)
How can I start normal (AMSDOS) games and apps from FutureOS?
Quote from: eto on 22:36, 09 December 24Quote from: GUNHED on 21:07, 09 December 24That is already there, the M4-ROM for FutureOS. :)
How can I start normal (AMSDOS) games and apps from FutureOS?
Sorry, let's stay on topic please.
For executing programs using the native OS please refer to the ROM solution for the M4 expansion, there's a thread somewhere in the forum.
Quote from: GUNHED on 22:59, 09 December 24Sorry, let's stay on topic please.
Sorry, I thought you suggested FutureOs in response to my question.
Quote from: eto on 20:27, 05 December 24As the CPC is not in the center of my digital life, I would not see any benefit of an app that supports my real life. But an app that supports the way I interact with the CPC would be cool.
I think it was a dream of all of us, back in the day, once the CPC life was over: having the chance of make our texts o drawings, daily tasks or even programming in a more powerful way. Those ROM programs like MAXAM, Protext or DES made us dreaming when ROM support was not still an affordable option. I still keep that feeling despite the great new apps and OSs.
That idea by ajcasado of a cpcwiki forum client sounds so great!!
Quote from: eto on 08:35, 10 December 24Quote from: GUNHED on 22:59, 09 December 24Sorry, let's stay on topic please.
Sorry, I thought you suggested FutureOs in response to my question.
Well, it's a general thread for collecting ideas. They can be realized for every CPC-OS of course. :) :) :)
Quote from: MiguelSky on 13:33, 10 December 24Quote from: eto on 20:27, 05 December 24As the CPC is not in the center of my digital life, I would not see any benefit of an app that supports my real life. But an app that supports the way I interact with the CPC would be cool.
I think it was a dream of all of us, back in the day, once the CPC life was over: having the chance of make our texts o drawings, daily tasks or even programming in a more powerful way. Those ROM programs like MAXAM, Protext or DES made us dreaming when ROM support was not still an affordable option. I still keep that feeling despite the great new apps and OSs.
That idea by ajcasado of a cpcwiki forum client sounds so great!!
Yes and Yes!
Time to make some dreams of "back the day" to come true! :) :) :)
Making texts... there we got lots of apps for that... from Protext to FutureTex. However, drawings is a good idea! How could it look like?
Quote from: ajcasado on 20:24, 05 December 24A client for the CPCWiki forum would be awesome.
Wasn't there a standard, so that the same mobile client could access different forums and display them all in the same way on a smartphone?
I think even the CPCWiki forum was compatible with it, but I don't remember anything about it anymore. Does someone remember it?
If that would be possible and there is still an HTTP access (without S), it could be a nice project.
I was also thinking about a Telegram client (which may use a bridge or proxy).
And of course a Wikimedia client, which should be useable for both CPCWiki.eu and Wikipedia.org, yeah :D
I haven't been working on SymbOS network apps for a longer time, but this sounds interesting.
Quote from: Prodatron on 19:29, 10 December 24Quote from: ajcasado on 20:24, 05 December 24A client for the CPCWiki forum would be awesome.
Wasn't there a standard, so that the same mobile client could access different forums and display them all in the same way on a smartphone?
I think even the CPCWiki forum was compatible with it, but I don't remember anything about it anymore. Does someone remember it?
If that would be possible and there is still an HTTP access (without S), it could be a nice project.
I was also thinking about a Telegram client (which may use a bridge or proxy).
And of course a Wikimedia client, which should be useable for both CPCWiki.eu and Wikipedia.org, yeah :D
I haven't been working on SymbOS network apps for a longer time, but this sounds interesting.
Yeah there was one and this forum was enabled for it. Very popular but can't find it now.
Ah yes, Tapatalk!
Unfortunately as a piece of software it was pretty much garbage, exposing the forum to security issues since it didn't rely on an API but rather direct access to the database, and that's why other forums dropped it too. Very sad if you ask me.
Quote from: Gryzor on 19:36, 10 December 24Ah yes, Tapatalk!
Unfortunately as a piece of software it was pretty much garbage, exposing the forum to security issues since it didn't rely on an API but rather direct access to the database, and that's why other forums dropped it too. Very sad if you ask me.
Oh yes ok! Direct access to the database, WTF. Ok, I see, that's crazy and doesn't make sense.
Quote from: Prodatron on 19:55, 10 December 24Quote from: Gryzor on 19:36, 10 December 24Ah yes, Tapatalk!
Unfortunately as a piece of software it was pretty much garbage, exposing the forum to security issues since it didn't rely on an API but rather direct access to the database, and that's why other forums dropped it too. Very sad if you ask me.
Oh yes ok! Direct access to the database, WTF. Ok, I see, that's crazy and doesn't make sense.
I think it was
@Bryce (??) who alerted me to a thread on an Atari forum (either Atari forum or Atari Age?) where they investigated some issues it created - and promptly removed it. We followed down the same path.
@Gryzor, Can the RSS feed be enabled on the forum server? Implementing an RSS client might be a viable path.
Quote from: ajcasado on 20:45, 10 December 24@Gryzor, Can the RSS feed be enabled on the forum server? Implementing an RSS client might be a viable path.
Hmmm I'll check tomorrow morning! Though it's no substitute for a native client, really...
Oh it's already enabled, got to find the link tho
Quote from: Gryzor on 20:55, 10 December 24Oh it's already enabled, got to find the link tho
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?type=rss;action=.xml
Quote from: ajcasado on 01:44, 11 December 24Quote from: Gryzor on 20:55, 10 December 24Oh it's already enabled, got to find the link tho
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?type=rss;action=.xml
Yup, that's the one!
Now, I'll leave these posts for a few hours and then split them to clean the thread.
Quote from: Prodatron on 19:29, 10 December 24Quote from: ajcasado on 20:24, 05 December 24A client for the CPCWiki forum would be awesome.
Wasn't there a standard, so that the same mobile client could access different forums and display them all in the same way on a smartphone?
I think even the CPCWiki forum was compatible with it, but I don't remember anything about it anymore. Does someone remember it?
If that would be possible and there is still an HTTP access (without S), it could be a nice project.
I was also thinking about a Telegram client (which may use a bridge or proxy).
And of course a Wikimedia client, which should be useable for both CPCWiki.eu and Wikipedia.org, yeah :D
I haven't been working on SymbOS network apps for a longer time, but this sounds interesting.
I already created 8bml for cpc to handle and already coded the server side for massaging at 8bitology.net
I also have coded in basic the ability to login and logoff etc in cpc basic, but if anyone wants to make a better 8bml client, I would then wonder how easy it could be to incorporate 8bml output as an option to this forum as opposed to creating a totally new one.
The issue likely would be, how many people would want to use it... so I'd suggest the alternative...
What if a simple few RSXs for AMSDOS... on ROM when wifi comes online, it would tell you you have a new message, perhaps beep. And !emails to list them, !eread to read one !reply to reply to one. !esend to send a new one
Then you have basically instant messaging within basic.
A few additional RSXs later could enable the in-game lobby facilities for locomotive basic
Note: I'd use the 8bitology.net API, not 8bml for the RSXs
Iff Prodateon wanted to code the Symbos API and client and OffserT the FutureOS API i would code the AMSDOS ROM in parallel so we are all on the same page.
Of course PDT and TFM will support any coding approach for their OS. :) :) :)
Quote from: GUNHED on 17:07, 12 December 24Of course PDT and TFM will support any coding approach for their OS. :) :) :)
Yes, Sorry I should have said TFM
Is there a Prestel client for the CPC? Then that program it would be.
Quote from: retro space on 05:12, 13 December 24Is there a Prestel client for the CPC? Then that program it would be.
Wasn't there one in the Amstrad RS232 ROM? Or do I mix things up?
Good idea anyway! :)
Quote from: zhulien on 00:07, 13 December 24Quote from: GUNHED on 17:07, 12 December 24Of course PDT and TFM will support any coding approach for their OS. :) :) :)
Yes, Sorry I should have said TFM
Doesn't matter :) It's all about what we can to for the people using CPCs and related computers. :) :) :)
Update for the comprehensive M4 SD card manager available:
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/programming/futureos-corner/msg252354/#msg252354
Enjoy! :) :) :)
I like SymbOS but I am not a fan of the Windows 95 aesthetics. So if I was the developer I'd change it to make it skinnable (so I can make it look like a copy of FVWM or another Unix/Linux wm with a minimalist look & feel). SymbOS desktop looks crammed and not very inviting to me. If it looked more like Linux and was less crammed I'd probably used it daily
Quote from: salvogendut on 16:21, 26 July 25I like SymbOS but I am not a fan of the Windows 95 aesthetics. So if I was the developer I'd change it to make it skinnable (so I can make it look like a copy of FVWM or another Unix/Linux wm with a minimalist look & feel). SymbOS desktop looks crammed and not very inviting to me. If it looked more like Linux and was less crammed I'd probably used it daily
Thanks a lot for the feedback. I had a look at FVWM...
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/SUSE_5.1_FVWM_screenshot.png)
...butt currently not sure, why this should be less "crammed" compared to the SymbOS desktop.
Maybe you have another screenshot, where it is possible to see, what you are striving for?
Quote from: Prodatron on 23:12, 26 July 25...butt currently not sure, why this should be less "crammed" compared to the SymbOS desktop.
Maybe you have another screenshot, where it is possible to see, what you are striving for?
In that pic you see a lot of icons because there are two docks with icons but normally the left one is absent.
I was thinking of something more like this where there is no docks (albeit a tiny small one with 2 or 3 icons is fine) :
(https://i.ibb.co/RkvDbpG5/Debian-FVWM-Motif-MWM-Emulation.png)
Basically there are no icons on desktop unless you minimize an application (the two terminals you see in the bottom left are minimized apps) and all the other apps are accessible using a root menu when you right click on the empty desktop.
But in general if you want some inspiration, Linux has plenty fo interesting GUIS (Windowmaker, AfterStep, XFCE, CDE etc) you can have a look at this website: http://toastytech.com/guis/index.html (http://toastytech.com/guis/index.html)
This is WindowMaker
(https://i.ibb.co/PZFp0NRS/Window-maker-freebsd-screenshot.jpg)
Quote from: salvogendut on 06:29, 27 July 25Basically there are no icons on desktop unless you minimize an application (the two terminals you see in the bottom left are minimized apps) and all the other apps are accessible using a root menu when you right click on the empty desktop.
Ok, so you want to get rid of the taskbar, by...
- replacing the startmenu with a right-click root menu
- and icons for minimized application
The first one is easy to do,
for the second one could be a new feature of the extended desktop.
Having no additional icons on the desktop is not an issue, you just don't define any shortcuts.
I will put this on my todo list, thanks for your input!
Quote from: Prodatron on 17:09, 28 July 25Quote from: salvogendut on 06:29, 27 July 25Basically there are no icons on desktop unless you minimize an application (the two terminals you see in the bottom left are minimized apps) and all the other apps are accessible using a root menu when you right click on the empty desktop.
Ok, so you want to get rid of the taskbar, by...
- replacing the startmenu with a right-click root menu
- and icons for minimized application
The first one is easy to do,
for the second one could be a new feature of the extended desktop.
Having no additional icons on the desktop is not an issue, you just don't define any shortcuts.
I will put this on my todo list, thanks for your input!
Thanks man, I did not mean to criticize your beautiful OS, it's just some personal preference! Oh and we need a big analogic clock! I can't take any OS seriously which does not have a big desktop analogic clock! ;D
Don't you have enough clocks at home? In every operating system I use, first thing I do is remove all desktop gadgets and unnecessary icons, leaving only a few. Desktop is there to be nice for a while during bootup, and then it's obscured by several full-screen programs, and weeks pass before I restart my computer and remind my picture on desktop. Digital clock is on right down corner. :)
I'm fine with Symbos. And that statement is not a result of the posts before... ;)
So I would have two wishes.
An even more improved Ewenterm, preferrably in Symbos.
An PDF "printer driver" for Symbos, the way #Fujinet
offers, so you can download the produced file onto your Laptop and print it with your laser.
Stefan
Quote from: salvogendut on 17:15, 28 July 25Thanks man, I did not mean to criticize your beautiful OS, it's just some personal preference! Oh and we need a big analogic clock! I can't take any OS seriously which does not have a big desktop analogic clock! ;D
I am always glad about suggestions, which could make sense! Having the option to remove the taskbar has been discussed before already, especially since there is the NC100/NC200 port with their limited Y-resolution (and later Spectrum/MSX1 port). So it's good to collect some ideas for this.
Quote from: ZorrO on 07:34, 30 July 25Don't you have enough clocks at home?
Indeed we have enough clocks all around us, but yes, I always wanted to have an analogue clock, just because the Amiga Workbench had it :D And maybe soon there is a new library which makes this more easy to implement, so it will be a good usecase for the new library. Oh and what's about these funny eyes, which are always looking at the mouse pointer :D
Quote from: St-BeidE(DE/GB) on 14:39, 30 July 25An even more improved Ewenterm, preferrably in Symbos.
An PDF "printer driver" for Symbos, the way #Fujinet
offers, so you can download the produced file onto your Laptop and print it with your laser.
Let me check the PDF format again, I was always afraid, that it is too complex for an 8bit machine, but let's see... (Fujinet does it on "hardware" side).
Ewenterm, I wonder, if it will be possible to have a SymShell version with colour support in the future. SymTel is currently B/W only.
If i had a rs232 interface, i'd try to hook it to my 'retroPi' style newsticker:
https://github.com/JeffJetton/retrofeed
Quote from: salvogendut on 16:21, 26 July 25I like SymbOS but I am not a fan of the Windows 95 aesthetics. So if I was the developer I'd change it to make it skinnable (so I can make it look like a copy of FVWM or another Unix/Linux wm with a minimalist look & feel). SymbOS desktop looks crammed and not very inviting to me. If it looked more like Linux and was less crammed I'd probably used it daily
Yes, that's a general problem of using windows, they just limit the screen and soon it gets crammed / chaotic. It's better to use complete screens which can be swapped imho. :)
Quote from: salvogendut on 06:29, 27 July 25Quote from: Prodatron on 23:12, 26 July 25...butt currently not sure, why this should be less "crammed" compared to the SymbOS desktop.
Maybe you have another screenshot, where it is possible to see, what you are striving for?
In that pic you see a lot of icons because there are two docks with icons but normally the left one is absent.
I was thinking of something more like this where there is no docks (albeit a tiny small one with 2 or 3 icons is fine) :
(https://i.ibb.co/RkvDbpG5/Debian-FVWM-Motif-MWM-Emulation.png)
Basically there are no icons on desktop unless you minimize an application (the two terminals you see in the bottom left are minimized apps) and all the other apps are accessible using a root menu when you right click on the empty desktop.
But in general if you want some inspiration, Linux has plenty fo interesting GUIS (Windowmaker, AfterStep, XFCE, CDE etc) you can have a look at this website: http://toastytech.com/guis/index.html (http://toastytech.com/guis/index.html)
This is WindowMaker
(https://i.ibb.co/PZFp0NRS/Window-maker-freebsd-screenshot.jpg)
Actually the first picture looks pretty cleaned up. That reminds me of Caruh the Multitasking for FutureOS - however with far different resolution. :)
Quote from: FruityFrank on 17:27, 31 July 25If i had a rs232 interface, i'd try to hook it to my 'retroPi' style newsticker:
https://github.com/JeffJetton/retrofeed
well there is ULIfAC which has an RS232. I have used it to connect to a Unix server using EWETERM. You could totally hook it up to a Pi using a USB to RS232 cable
Quote from: Prodatron on 23:34, 30 July 25I am always glad about suggestions, which could make sense!
I could totally give you a ton of ideas, for example something which SymbOS could benefit from is the concept of 'virtual desktops'. In Unix and Linux you can have multiple desktops (they are visibile one at a time, so you need to switch from one to another etc) and in this way you can have multiple apps running in different desktops without them all occupying one single limited desktop real estate. This would probably skyrocket the memory requirements though
Quote from: salvogendut on 20:31, 31 July 25Quote from: Prodatron on 23:34, 30 July 25I am always glad about suggestions, which could make sense!
I could totally give you a ton of ideas, for example something which SymbOS could benefit from is the concept of 'virtual desktops'. In Unix and Linux you can have multiple desktops (they are visibile one at a time, so you need to switch from one to another etc) and in this way you can have multiple apps running in different desktops without them all occupying one single limited desktop real estate. This would probably skyrocket the memory requirements though
That's also a nice feature, and shouldn't be so hard to implement as well. It won't use more memory, as windows in SymbOS are "object" based, not "bitmap" based (they don't store backgrounds or content as bitmaps, everything is stored as objects).
I was thinking about this some years ago, I should raise it on the todo list again...
Quote from: Prodatron on 23:34, 30 July 25Quote from: St-BeidE(DE/GB) on 14:39, 30 July 25An even more improved Ewenterm, preferrably in Symbos.
An PDF "printer driver" for Symbos, the way #Fujinet
offers, so you can download the produced file onto your Laptop and print it with your laser.
Let me check the PDF format again, I was always afraid, that it is too complex for an 8bit machine, but let's see... (Fujinet does it on "hardware" side).
Ewenterm, I wonder, if it will be possible to have a SymShell version with colour support in the future. SymTel is currently B/W only.
Argh...damn, you're right.
Well... it could work on hardware side, if processed
by RSF3? Maybe Hans has an idea?
Stefan
Quote from: St-BeidE(DE/GB) on 22:09, 31 July 25Argh...damn, you're right.
Well... it could work on hardware side, if processed
by RSF3? Maybe Hans has an idea?
I will meet him in 1 week again, I wonder what's his opinion about it!