#CPCtelera 1.4.2. release

[mr_lou]

Ok, trying to convert my SKS into AKS with the supplied tools using mono, which I apparently had installed. Getting this error

Missing method Show in assembly /cpctelera/tools/arkosTracker-1.0/tools/STKToAKS.exe, type System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox

[mr_lou]

Ok, ignore previous posts.
Apparently you HAVE to load the SKS file into Arkos Tracker and save it from there. 
This sucks for those of us who's using Linux.
But at least it's a one-time operation.

[ronaldo]

Wow, @mr_lou, you seem to be having a chat with yourself . Lucky you are finding the problems and solving them. Maybe you should consider uncrossing them and add some edits on your own findings to let them be useful for others having same problems .

The only thing I've found on your code is that you have to use __at() both in definition and in declaration of the variables. However, I think SDCC may have already warned you about that .

Right now, the only problem with Arkos Tracker is being programmed in C# and not working well under wine or mono. I tend to use a virtual machine with WinXP for that.

[mr_lou]

The only thing I've found on your code is that you have to use __at() both in definition and in declaration of the variables. However, I think SDCC may have already warned you about that .

Yes, I found out about that too. 

I was rather disappointed when I learned Targhan coded Arkos Tracker in C#. Because I know that means I'll never be using it.
Then Microsoft can take their "It's crossplatform - just use an emulator" and shove it.
By their logic, Amstrad games are crossplatform too then.

I have no problem sticking with STarKos on my CPC. In fact I prefer using the real hardware. But it means I HAVE to use a Windows PC if I want to put my music in my CPCtelera games. 
I want a utility that runs on Linux that'll convert my SKS file into the hex data needed for CPCtelera. 

[ronaldo]

I want a utility that runs on Linux that'll convert my SKS file into the hex data needed for CPCtelera. 

Maybe we should ask @Targhan and hope for him having time for such a deal .

[mr_lou]

Maybe we should ask @Targhan and hope for him having time for such a deal .

Last time I spoke with him about something similar (I forget what though), his reply was that he prefers C#, so I doubt he'll make such a tool.

Alternatively, STarKos and its GS tool should be upgraded, but he didn't have any interest in that either last time the topic came up.

[mr_lou]

Trying to fade my title music before the game starts, by using cpct_akp_setFadeVolume(value), but getting this error:

?ASlink-Warning-Undefined Global '_cpct_akp_setFadeVolume' referenced by module 'main'

[ronaldo]

Yes, that's normal. It's my fault not to warn you on the documentation.

Fades are turned off by default on the version of Arkos Tracker included with CPCtelera. This is done to save some CPU cycles and memory, as Fades are used occassionaly.

Right now, there is no easy interface develop por activating these features. They have to be activated by hand. I add to my tasklist an API modification to make this much more simple and straight forward.

The proccess to activate Fades right now is as follows:

   
• Open the file cpctelera/cpctelera/src/audio/arkostracker.s in your code editor
• Find a line which says

Code Select Expand

.equ PLY_UseFades       , 0

   
• Change it by

Code Select Expand

.equ PLY_UseFades       , 1

   
• On the command line, go to cpctelera/cpctelera folder
• Type in

Code Select Expand

make cleanall && make

   
• to recompile CPCtelera Z80 library
  

After following these steps, you should be able to use Fades.

I'm going to include a warning on the documentation, that should have already been there.

[AMSDOS]

Wow, @mr_lou, you seem to be having a chat with yourself . Lucky you are finding the problems and solving them. Maybe you should consider uncrossing them and add some edits on your own findings to let them be useful for others having same problems .

That's always happening on this forum (particularly the Programming Section).

[mr_lou]

Yes, that's normal. It's my fault not to warn you on the documentation.

Fades are turned off by default on the version of Arkos Tracker included with CPCtelera. This is done to save some CPU cycles and memory, as Fades are used occassionaly.

Actually I do recall having read something about that. So it must be described somewhere already. I just couldn't find it again now.

EDIT: It's in the general description of Arkos Player functions.
Arkos Player Manual - . .

[ronaldo]

After 2 months of work, lots of improvements and new functions, CPCtelera 1.2 release is finally out!

This release comes with some very useful new features. In particular, Easytilemaps managing module will be particularly useful in combination with authoring tools (RGAS, Img2CPC) and tileset conversion utility cpct_img2tileset. However, the release includes much more than this. Down you will find the complete list of additions .

Hope you enjoy this release and it helps you create more and better games for our beloved Amstrad CPCs!

RELASE NOTES

New features included in this release:
  * Added new modules: cpct_random & cpct_easytilemaps
  * 3 new fast functions for very easy management of Tilemaps and Tilesets directly.
  * New cpct_img2tileset utility for converting images containing complete tilesets or sprites groups into C data for including directly in projects code.
  * 2 new fast functions for generating pseudo-random byte numbers uniformly distributed.
  * 2 faster memset functions, up to 3 times faster than original cpct_memset (cpct_memset_f8, cpct_memset_f64)
  * New function to set the location of the program stack at will (cpct_setStackLocation)
  * New function for drawing Masked Aligned Sprites using Transparency Tables(cpct_drawSpritesMaskedAlignedTable)
  * Added a transparency_tables header file for easing inclusion.
  * Added a C-script for generating mask lookup tables.
  * Added new examples: Text Software Scrolling, fastmemset, Easytilemaps demo, drawSpritesMaskedAligned demo, ProgramStack demo.
  * Added Img2CPC image conversion tool by Augusto Ruiz.
  * Added new version of RGAS: 1.0
  * Updated SDCC to 3.5.0
  * Movable project folders: they can be moved to different locations on a same hard-disk or even on a different machine without any change (provided CPCtelera 1.2 is installed). They now use an environment variable for linking with framework.

List of improvements and bug-fixes:
  * Added a bug-fix for SDCC __z88dk_callee function binding on tail jumping optimizations.
  * Improved performance for C calls to functions using __z88dk_callee and __z88dk_fastcall new calling conventions included with SDCC 3.5.0.
  * Fixed mixed up definitions for Joy1_Fire1 and Joy1_Fire2
  * Optimized several library functions.
  * Documented functions that use self-modifying code (and will not work from ROM, logically)
  * Split C and ASM bindings for most functions: calls from both languages include their own code without overheads
  * Recalculated timings of most functions with respect to Amstrad's microsecond-rounded scheme.
  * cpct_mkproject checks for valid AMSDOS characters on project names.
  * Fixed a subtle calculation bug in cpct_getScreenPtr
  * Added library cleanup to setup.sh
  * Improved OSX compatibility for the cpct_mkproject and setup.sh scripts

Big thanks
  to all people supporting this project and. special thanks to people who directly contributed to this 1.2 release: @Alcoholics Anonymous, @AugustoRuiz, @ervin, @lachlank, @Octoate, @mr_lou.

Some videos about from the code examples:

[ervin]

Wow, this is a major release!
Congrats @ronaldo - really great work!

[Neil79]

Giggidy! 

[ronaldo]

Last version on github includes a little fix for setup on OSX.

[ronaldo]

There you go, a new release including two little fixes and a new example. Now it works on Mac OSX (setup.sh was failing). Enjoy it

   
• #CPCtelera 1.2.1 Release
• Release notes

And here you are a video with a the new example included: smooth 1-pixel movement on mode 0 .

[EgoTrip]

I cant figure out how to get this working on windows 8.1, what exactly do I need?

[ronaldo]

@EgoTrip: have you read CPCtelera's install instructions? The first step for installing CPCtelera is following them carefully, step by step. Then, if you have any problem or something is unclear, please ask us and will try to help you.

In particular, Windows 8.1 should behave similar to Windows 7. You need to install Cygwin, along with required its software packages (picking them on the packages step, during Cygwin install process), and then CPCtelera.

[EgoTrip]

Cygwin can fuck off.

[McKlain]

Cygwin can fuck off.

No cpctelera for you then.

[ronaldo]

@EgoTrip: Well, then your alternatives are a Virtual Machine with Linux (you can use VirtualBox for that), a Mac (or a Hackinstosh), changing your W8.1 for Linux, or developing a new CPCtelera branch that works directly over W8.1.

If any of the options is not good for you, you can use other alternatives to CPCtelera. We are lucky to have lot of great programmers and plenty of software (Pasmo, SDCC, CPCRSLib, Z88DK, CPC BASIC, etc). You only have to chose the one that works better for you .

[robcfg]

I just installed CPCTelera on my macbook and it's as easy as it gets.

Great setup script, thank you!

[ronaldo]

@robcfg: You're welcome, man . Hope it helps

[AMSDOS]

And here you are a video with a the new example included: smooth 1-pixel movement on mode 0 .

It looks impressive, though was wondering how you tackled the 1-pixel movement?


I can only assume the sprite isn't Encoded.

[AMSDOS]

If any of the options is not good for you, you can use other alternatives to CPCtelera. We are lucky to have lot of great programmers and plenty of software (Pasmo, SDCC, CPCRSLib, Z88DK, CPC BASIC, etc). You only have to chose the one that works better for you .

I'm not very creative when it comes to my programming, and only come up with bits and pieces from time to time, as you probably have gathered. So it's good to go to CPC-Power and find some Type-ins which have been scanned and are online, but no Tape/Disc exists. It's incredible to see how much stuff exists, but isn't available, even though the Source Code is available.

[ronaldo]

It looks impressive, though was wondering how you tackled the 1-pixel movement?

It's done shifting sprite bytes for every movement. You can check the full code of the move1pixel example: it's included with latest version of CPCtelera .