CPCEmu v3.0 (April 2025)

[diesoft]

I like the performance on Android tv (slow soc) with the android version however:
1. I still need a way to use my bluetooth controllers in stead of composite keyboard as a joystick, how to map the keys is key
2. The new setup menu is very difficult to read on tv, font size should scale a bit more to make it readable again.
3. Support for cpc plus models would be nice

Because of the consistent speed on low spec android devices this is certainly one of my favorite cpc emulators on Android.

[Prodatron]

I've tried today the Win-Version (3.0) with Linux & Wine. It seems to work fine, also the V9990 emulation works great. I've also realized that the sdcard "live" emulation is better than under Windows. I never got access to that folder (under Win, but Linux). Transfered data from my real CPC to that folder and run it.
Nice! First emulator with V9990 support. Now a cool programming environment is available.
Next check is SymbOS with V9990.

Even P-modes are emulated, that is really cool!

[Emu]

Even P-modes are emulated, that is really cool!

Thanks! Of course, I wanted to see Flappy Birds running on CPCemu...

I don't remember at the moment, but some features are missing. Wasn't there a second P-Mode? I think that's missing.

[Emu]

Thanks for the hint.

This is the output of the logfile (Win11_64bit, Installation in C:\Program Files (x86)\CPCEmu3.0)

I have released v3.0.1 for Mac and Windows. It should work in Windows 11 now. It was a DLL linkage problem. I had inadvertently imported the Winsock functions by ordinals (which changed between Windows 10 and 11). So, all of my network code called the wrong functions in Windows 11, but nodody told me.

The Dobbertin HD20 should work now, too. The file was not missing, but is created automatically (but in v3.0 the wrong folder was used, so probably it failed). Of course, you need to install the X-DDOS ROM (included) first.

[Emu]

1. I still need a way to use my bluetooth controllers in stead of composite keyboard as a joystick, how to map the keys is key

At least the left stick and the buttons should work in Android out of the box. A hardware keyboard works, too, but currently some keys are wrong or don't work at all.

[Emu]

But CPCEmu always wants to create a mirrored folders system into the root drive (I don't know what the purpose of that is). And this might be the drawback??

Because this way CPCemu can be installed to a read-only location for multiple users (such as Program Files in Windows or /usr/local/bin or whatever in Linux) without interference between the users. It copies all files to a user-specific folder when this user starts it for the first time. The executable stays the same for all users (in the read-only location).

The keyboard layout is also weird. I can't use the bar "|" and I have to use the virtual keyboard.

This is strange and not intended. Which layout have you chosen in CPCemu and which is your hardware keyboard layout? Using a German keyboard and "German" in CPCemu's keyboard layout, AltGr+< should yield the bar. In MacOS with a German keyboard it's alt+7.

[Emu]

Windows 10 works fine, by the way, but only with the standard config. If additional config added it crashes....

Can you send me this cpcemu_V9990.cfg? I assume it has a syntax problem. But of course, a bug is more probable.

[HAL6128]

Thank you for the update!!!!
Installation and starting on Win11 works now. Great. Changing config is also now working.

Still some troubleshooting... hopefully you can fix or give me a hint? Maybe I do something wrong?

My aime is having a (experimental) live M4 folder and a V9990 environment working.

Creating a folder works, but not deleting it (permission issue??).
Also digging into that folder works, but not going back.

[Emu]

I've also realized that the sdcard "live" emulation is better than under Windows. I never got access to that folder (under Win, but Linux).

Which folder? You mean "%APPDATA%\CPCemu\SDCARD"?

Next check is SymbOS with V9990.

As I wrote above, the M4 mass storage version works out of the box. I have no clue why the disk versions (not even the 178 k version) stop at the start menu with the remaining screen being black (but load further if the M4 board is enabled and has SymbOS installed).

Perhaps anybody can give me a hint why SymbOS stops booting there.

[Emu]

This is strange and not intended. Which layout have you chosen in CPCemu and which is your hardware keyboard layout? Using a German keyboard and "German" in CPCemu's keyboard layout, AltGr+< should yield the bar. In MacOS with a German keyboard it's alt+7.

I had suspected it, now I see it from your screenshot. You chose "1:1" layout. Please choose "DE" instead. "1:1" tries to provide the original CPC layout. There, the bar should be reachable by SHIFT+Ü on the German keyboard.

[HAL6128]

I've also realized that the sdcard "live" emulation is better than under Windows. I never got access to that folder (under Win, but Linux).

Which folder? You mean "%APPDATA%\CPCemu\SDCARD"?

Yesss, thanks. This is the folder I was looking for. Didn't know that %APPDATA% is used (and of course it's obvious for windows ).

[HAL6128]

This is strange and not intended. Which layout have you chosen in CPCemu and which is your hardware keyboard layout? Using a German keyboard and "German" in CPCemu's keyboard layout, AltGr+< should yield the bar. In MacOS with a German keyboard it's alt+7.

I had suspected it, now I see it from your screenshot. You chose "1:1" layout. Please choose "DE" instead. "1:1" tries to provide the original CPC layout. There, the bar should be reachable by SHIFT+Ü on the German keyboard.

No, that's the reason why I had to choose 1:1 layout because with the German layout I'm not able to use the bar. With the 1:1 layout I'm able to do that.

[Emu]

Creating a folder works, but not deleting it (permission issue??).
Also digging into that folder works, but not going back.

I can reproduce it, but only in Windows. On the Mac, these steps work. Probably, I did not manage to test all plaltform-specific code. Smells like a v3.0.2. If it's not that urgent (you could delete the folder from the Windows host) I would like to wait a few hours, because there will be further bug reports for sure, now that Windows 11 works.

[HAL6128]

Next check is SymbOS with V9990.

As I wrote above, the M4 mass storage version works out of the box. I have no clue why the disk versions (not even the 178 k version) stop at the start menu with the remaining screen being black (but load further if the M4 board is enabled and has SymbOS installed).

Perhaps anybody can give me a hint why SymbOS stops booting there.

Just an assumption, it's a memory emulation / config topic. 
If I choose different memory layout (e.g. dk'tronics) and 512kB than nothing happens (black screen) after booting SymbOS. If I choose 576 kB then I see at least one second, the boot screen then memory garbage. With the vortex memory expansion only black screen.

[Emu]

different memory layout (e.g. dk'tronics) and 512kB than nothing happens (black screen) after booting SymbOS. If I choose 576 kB then I see at least one second, the boot screen then memory garbage. With the vortex memory expansion only black screen.

Which SymbOS version? M4 or disk?

By the way, I was _not_ able to reproduce the |CD problem. Can you try to CD into the M4 folder and back? Does "TEST" still exist on the Windows host?

[Emu]

Which SymbOS version? M4 or disk?

I can reproduce it with the M4 version. Strange, indeed. I would like to know how a real CPC behaves, e. g. with 384k RAM.

[Emu]

With the vortex memory expansion only black screen.

I assume this would effectively be 128k, because SymbOS cannot use Vortex expansions as far as I know.

Still, SymbOS 4.0 should run on 128k, right?

I tried SymbOS 3.1. It does not start with 128k or 512k, either. Sounds improbable that just 576k would work, doesn't it?

[HAL6128]

different memory layout (e.g. dk'tronics) and 512kB than nothing happens (black screen) after booting SymbOS. If I choose 576 kB then I see at least one second, the boot screen then memory garbage. With the vortex memory expansion only black screen.

Which SymbOS version? M4 or disk?

By the way, I was _not_ able to reproduce the |CD problem. Can you try to CD into the M4 folder and back? Does "TEST" still exist on the Windows host?

The M4 version.

[HAL6128]

different memory layout (e.g. dk'tronics) and 512kB than nothing happens (black screen) after booting SymbOS. If I choose 576 kB then I see at least one second, the boot screen then memory garbage. With the vortex memory expansion only black screen.

Which SymbOS version? M4 or disk?
By the way, I was _not_ able to reproduce the |CD problem. Can you try to CD into the M4 folder and back? Does "TEST" still exist on the Windows host?

The folder is also created on the real drive...
The same behaviour also with the M4 folder

[HAL6128]

With the vortex memory expansion only black screen.

I assume this would effectively be 128k, because SymbOS cannot use Vortex expansions as far as I know.

Still, SymbOS 4.0 should run on 128k, right?

I tried SymbOS 3.1. It does not start with 128k or 512k, either. Sounds improbable that just 576k would work, doesn't it?

Yes, SymbOS runs with 128k (limited, but it runs).

[HAL6128]

By the way, the new GUI system is very handy (on PC), if you want to change the config.
Haven't used the Debugger Monitor yet.

[Emu]

I fixed the |ERA bug with directories. However, I still cannot reproduce the |CD,".." problem.

Regarding SymbOS: Have you tried it in Windows and Wine? How did you set it up? Did you use live or image mode? Are there many files (including those in subfolders) in your SDCARD folder?

Just as a motivation and to prove that it works fine for me I've included two screenshots.

[diesoft]

1. I still need a way to use my bluetooth controllers in stead of composite keyboard as a joystick, how to map the keys is key

At least the left stick and the buttons should work in Android out of the box. A hardware keyboard works, too, but currently some keys are wrong or don't work at all.

Ok, will retry. At the moment it only seems to have the fire button A (using 8bitdo controller) mapped to the <enter> key..

[Prodatron]

I fixed the |ERA bug with directories. However, I still cannot reproduce the |CD,".." problem.

Regarding SymbOS: Have you tried it in Windows and Wine? How did you set it up? Did you use live or image mode? Are there many files (including those in subfolders) in your SDCARD folder?

Just as a motivation and to prove that it works fine for me I've included two screenshots.

Looks great, thanks so much @Emu !
I have to wait until tomorrow until I am back home and can try it.

[Emu]

Happy Easter everyone!

Looking for the reason why SymbOS runs only with >=576k of RAM, I found a special egg. The bank switching of RAM pages/banks beyond the actual RAM size was wrong. Of course, this can be (and obviously by SymbOS _is_) used to recognize the RAM size.

I have fixed this. Now SymbOS runs with 128k and, e. g. 512k. This is also true for SymbOS 3 when started from disk (with M4 board disabled).

Unfortunately, SymbOS 4.0 still does not start from disk (stops at the basic start menu). And, still, if the M4 board is enabled, it does correctly start from disk (obviously loading some missing things from the M4 SD card).