USIfAC II, technical problems & support [MERGED with Plus-related posts from original thread]

[ikonsgr]

Thanks, and b3 to b0 are used for selection of internal registers? Right?

Actually is b8=1 (b8=0 is for motor control and it's ignored), and if b0=0 you read main status register, if b0=1 then you read/write data register

[GUNHED]

Thanks, I asked because I had this information about reading:

inp(&fbd5) : get currently selected dsk image slot
inp(&fbd8) : get USIfAC ROM NUMBER
inp(&fbdd) : get serial speed code
inp(&fbde) : get USB mode state (1=enable, =disable)
inp(&fbdf) : get FDC emulation state (1=enable, 0=disable)

[mdal]

I hope I am on the correct thread this time.

Recently received the new board and start learning its functions!!! 

I printed the case as described in the relevant topic  USIfAC II:Convert a PC or USB stick to Amstrad HDD,access dsk's,and many more! (cpcwiki.eu) from the thingiverse repository (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4974135) board doesn't seem to exactly fit 

Specifically I had to do some filing in one corner (see picture attached red circle) for the PCB to sit flat inside the case.

Did you have face sth similar?

[ikonsgr]

@mdal, everything about 3d cases is created by "3rd party", personally i don't mess with 3d printing, so i'm afraid i can't help on such matters...

[Audronic]

@ikonsgr

Hi John

The ULIFAC That I have has some problems.
Its at the point where if I Issue |SW The Machine Crashes.
I was Able to Get 1 Rom installed BUT as soon as I Turned the Power Off and On again it was GONE.
Also When I Issue |rom It flashes something on the screen for a few Microseconds "Unreadable"so I cannot use the |Rm command

Can you supply the Code for Me to Flash The PICs so I can eliminate the possibility that the Problem May be there ?
I have had a look around and cannot find a link to the files to flash

Thanks

Keep Safe

Ray

[GUNHED]

Did you switch the RAM into ROM mode after Flashing? Yes, probably you did, but I got no better idea. 

[Audronic]

@GUNHED 

Yes I Did using |sw and or the Ram/rom Switch

I am about 5 days into looking ay this ULIFAC .
I think Most of the other features appear to work.
Its Just the Installation of the ROMS and their ability to be Retained after Power Down.
I have asked for the Files to re Flash the PICs 
I am at the Moment looking at putting Replacements for the 2 74xxx IC's on the Board
I am not sure that I Have any.

Thanks for the thoughts

Keep safe

Ray

[ikonsgr]

Its at the point where if I Issue |SW The Machine Crashes.
I was Able to Get 1 Rom installed BUT as soon as I Turned the Power Off and On again it was GONE.

This is normal, mind that Rom board function on ULIfAC works with sram memory not eeprom, so you can't power off Amstrad and retain rom. So, if you power off Amstrad, any rom installed in the SRAM chip is gone! However one solution to do that, might be to use the external power supply for ULIfAC (remove power jumper cap if you do so), so because ULIfAC will not power off when Amstrad powers off, you might be able to "Cold boot" Amstrad using pre-installed roms directly.

Also When I Issue |rom It flashes something on the screen for a few Microseconds "Unreadable"so I cannot use the |Rm command

Most probable you tried to use |ROM on rom/dual mode. Rom configuration utility can be used ONLY on default 512K RAM mode as this is the mode to install and configure roms. Obviously you can't configure/change setup roms while in rom/dual mode as in these modes roms are active! So, if you want to install and configure roms, you do it using the default 512K RAM mode, you just press ram/rom button to swap between RAM mode and rom/dual mode.

Can you supply the Code for Me to Flash The PICs so I can eliminate the possibility that the Problem May be there ?
I have had a look around and cannot find a link to the files to flash

I'll send them to your email 

[Audronic]

@ikonsgr 

Thanks John

The reply was VERY helpful

I will do some more tests and see how it goes

Thank

Keep Safe

Ray

[charger73]

Hi
Now, I also have a problem with some ROM's with my UliFac Board.
I like to install the ORGAMS Assembler ORGAMS. (Strange Name, but the Tool is very cool  ) This tool contains 4 ROM's:
·        ORGAMS.ROM: Base Rom place in any rom position 1 to 15 (or up to 31 with the proper firmware).
·        ORGEXT.ROM: Expansion Rom placed at any rom position 1-127.
·        MONOGAMS.ROM: Monitor placed at any rom position 1-127.
·        BRICBRAC.ROM: Additional additional Rom at any position 1-127.
The ROM's are stored on the Stick. In 512kb Mode, I like to load the ROM with:

¦MROM,"ORGAMS.ROM",1
(i have tried almost every ROM slot)

The CPC chrashes immediately (during loading!) How is this possible? The ROM is not switched on...
Any info's, help would be nice..
Thank you
Tobie

PS: with the WinAPE Emulator this tool works fine..

[Audronic]

@charger73 

The only roms that I was to Install were the Roms that were 16k (Without header) and that was very Intermittent ?

That may help

Keep Safe

Ray

[ikonsgr]

@charger73: Roms must be in standard 16KB (e.g. 16384 bytes) binary form, no extra headers should exist. (note also that roms with headers, usually indicate that they are made for Amstrad plus -classic example are cpr files- so they might not function properly on Standard Amstrad cpc models)
I've checked the 4 orgam roms and all seem to include headers, so what you need to do is to remove the first 128bytes of each rom file (i'm using this very good and free hex editor to do it).
I've already done that for orgam.rom (attached file), this should work ok.

[charger73]

@charger73: Roms must be in standard 16KB (e.g. 16384 bytes) binary form, no extra headers should exist. (note also that roms with headers, usually indicate that they are made for Amstrad plus -classic example are cpr files- so they might not function properly on Standard Amstrad cpc models)
I've checked the 4 orgam roms and all seem to include headers, so what you need to do is to remove the first 128bytes of each rom file (i'm using this very good and free hex editor to do it).
I've already done that for orgam.rom (attached file), this should work ok.

thank you John. Now it works.
great support!

[ikonsgr]

thank you John. Now it works.
great support!

Are you preparing something "good" with it? 

[poulette73]

Are you preparing something "good" with it? 

Orgasm is always "good" !
... sorry i couldn't help it   

[ikonsgr]

Orgasm is always "good" !
... sorry i couldn't help it   

Creative orgasms using orgam... 

[GUNHED]

org AMS

[Audronic]

Hi All

a simple way to load up some ROMS for the ULIFAC
Unzip the file to the root of your USB Stick and run " AUTO.BAS"
This will install 2 roms.

|ROMAN
|P

Have fun with it

Keep Safe

Ray

[poulette73]

ROMAN 2.0 is a great tool for managing roms.
I've been using it for quite a while for my FlashGordon romboard.

And there are 2 ways to use it:

• either assign the .ROM file to a location defined in a romboard (ULIfAC, FlashGordon, others).
• either launch it directly from its Basic launcher, only when you need it. The result is the same, but the advantage is that you don't block a slot in the romboard for storage.

To use the file launcher occasionally, there's the attached DSK.
Launch by RUN"DISC

Or by this little Basic launcher :

Code Select Expand

10 LOAD "ROMAN.ROM",&C000
20 CALL &C040

[ikonsgr]

Hi All

a simple way to load up some ROMS for the ULIFAC
Unzip the file to the root of your USB Stick and run " AUTO.BAS"
This will install 2 roms.

|ROMAN
|P

Have fun with it

Keep Safe

Ray

What exactly are these 2 roms?

[Audronic]

Hi John

Ok

ROMAN2NH.rom is a Program that informs of the rooms that are loaded It can be called by " |ROMAN "
PTEXT122.rom is Protext Word Processor that allows me to look or Write text files it can be called by " |P "

The simple basic program allows me to load these rom in about 1 second, it is based u[pon one of YOUR example programs.
I just thought some other members would like to have play with the program to customise their own Roms for the ULIFAC

Keep Safe

Ray

[bolton80]

Hi all. I need some clarification regarding the File Manager. The ULIFAC instructions states File Manager can handle up to 1000 files and 25 folders.

Does this mean up to 25 folders, and you can have additional subfolders within each of those?

Also, is it 1000 files in total, or per directory?

I'm guessing when I try to go into a folder and the CPC freezes, that's when I've gone past the maximum, but want specifics so I can organise my files.

[ikonsgr]

Hi all. I need some clarification regarding the File Manager. The ULIFAC instructions states File Manager can handle up to 1000 files and 25 folders.

Does this mean up to 25 folders, and you can have additional subfolders within each of those?

Also, is it 1000 files in total, or per directory?

I'm guessing when I try to go into a folder and the CPC freezes, that's when I've gone past the maximum, but want specifics so I can organise my files.

The limit is only for the current "level" you are, for example, if you are in root directory, you can manage up to 1000 files or folders. If you go inside a sub folder then same limit applies for the total files+folders in this subfolder.
 Apart from this, there is a limit of 27 characters,for a path of a file. This practically means that you can have up to 3 subfolders (8 chars max for each subfolder + '/' character), although it can be more, if folder names are smaller.

[bolton80]

Thanks @ikonsgr .
That's useful. Now I have the problem that a lot of my directories are not showing as <DIR> and I'm having to press 1 to make them accessible. I've gone to Properties on the folders on my PC and checked, "Ready for Archive" is NOT checked. What else could be causing the directories not to show correctly?

[ikonsgr]

If check box "Ready for Archive" is black (partially enabled) then try to "clear" it completely. Also uncheck the "Read only" attribute, maybe this causes the problem to remain.