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PCW Printing from CP/M

Started by torrind, 00:02, 24 March 19

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torrind

Hi All,

Apologies for the delay in responding - Just got back from a few days break! Thank you all for the many responses to my initial query. Unfortunately the issue I had with xdrv.fid was a red-herring so apologies for that. xdrv.fid has nothing at all to do with the issues I have with loading 1.15.

I suspect its do to with the fact I too use Gotek drives as per TynH's responses. The test115.dsk provided by Geoff also stalls on track 10 of the lcd display. Interestingly enough, if I advance the gotek to select another .dsk, I get the standard "Drive not ready - Retry, Ignore or Cancel" error. If I then reselect test115 image and select retry, it loads (and this time, it loads xdrv.fid which mine never did! - So thats a positive step anyway. Thanks Geoff)

The correct printer now loads too!  :D

So the only issue i have is why a Gotek drive stalls the load on track 10 and i have to force a retry error to get it to continue....


As always, thanks all,

Darren




GeoffB17

Note to Darren and 'TynH'.

I've had a very helpful reply from John Elliott, with a possible explaination regarding these problems.

He's sent me a copy of an earlier .EMS, referred to as 1.7H (properly 1.07H) which I understand was a special version for a Hard Disk add-on which does support .FID access.

I've changed my TEST DSK image to replace the 1.15 with this version, and I'm running some tests within Joyce, but the initial indication is hopeful.

When I'm OK, I'll post this version here, for you both to try, and see if it removes the problem.

Geoff

GeoffB17

OK, we really need to try on the Gotek, so I attach a new image to be tried.

Note, this version is an older version of the system, so it really applicable ONLY for use with the Gotek.   Anyone using the uIDE with a 'real' PCW with real boot disks should continue to use the existing (later system) 1.15.

Please let me know how this version works for you?

Geoff

TynH

Haven't tried printing but v1.7H seems to boot without any problems:



TynH

So what's the big secret, what do 1.7H and 2.9 do different?
If the Gotek disk emulation isn't 100% accurate there might be a chance to correct this. The Gotek's firmware ,,FlashFloppy" is open source after all, so no harm done in asking the maintainer. Well as long as you know what to ask of course,  ;D


Anyway, great job Geoff and John Elliott!

GeoffB17

The disk was set up to attach to the uIDE.   Do you have that connected.   The screen reports that it has not connected, so if it SHOULD have connected, then there IS a problem??

Otherwise, things look much better.   That screen looks exactly like I got here using Joyce (which does NOT have uIDE!!).

Geoff

TynH

My uIDE is currently sitting on JonB's desk, waiting to be assembled so not connected!  :laugh:




Browsing through
http://www.seasip.info/Cpm/xbiosint.html


but it's a bit late for me to make sense of it all. Dog is now demanding his evening walk too.

JohnElliott

Quote from: TynH on 23:30, 26 March 19
So what's the big secret, what do 1.7H and 2.9 do different?
1.11 / 2.11 added support for the second-generation PCWs, the PCW9256 and 9512+. This means the floppy drive initialisation code was rewritten to probe for the controller and drive types. One of the things it does is turn off the drive motors and repeatedly attempt to sense the drive status until it becomes not-ready. Another thing it tries is to start the drive motor, seek to track 0, stop the motor and see what happens to the 'Track 0' signal. The Gotek might not be emulating what a real drive would do in these situations.

GeoffB17

My information was that 2.9 was working OK for you, but gave rise to the problem with the printer.  Because it was 2.xx, rather than 1.xx. 
The importand difference is between the new 1.7H, and the 1.15.

John explains that the later systems, 1.11 onwards, have some code to allow the system to check the drive at boot stage to see if it's a 3" 180k or a 3.5" 730k, and act accordingly.   Not fully sure HOW the software does this test.   Clearly, this test works properly on the real hardware, and SHOULD work correctly on the Joyce depending on how the system is configured (mine may not be correct), but it SEEMS that the test does NOT work reliably with the Gotek drive.   It may be checking the drive hardware, and not the image.   Not really sure.   This happens because versions 1.11 (and 2.11 onwards, they are the same) are intended to operate on either the 8000 and the 9000 series machines.   Therefore, while the system is booting, it may be confused as to the disk type, and may be reading it incorrectly.  May appear to have completed, but the system in memory may not be complete.

To get the Gotek to work 100%, it would be necessary to work out EXACTLY how the test is done, and this may not be practical.   If 1.07H works fine, then prob not worth it.   I don't think there's anything in the later versions that's THAT important.

I sent JE a copy of the 1.15 we were using, and he's checked that with his archive copy, and confirms that it's the same, so the problem was nothing to do with the 1.15 .EMS.    Other than, we assume, the way the file was being read into memory??

Geoff

TynH

Thanks, that does make a lot of sense!
Probing the hardware like that to determine the drive specs sounds a bit brutal if you ask me. Not surprised if the Gotek doesn't emulate the correct behaviour.
Well it looks like I won't have to move it to drive B now, that's great!




torrind

I can confirm that after booting from TEST107.DSK, it boots perfectly, initialises uIDE and the printer all works perfectly!!  ;D


As always Geoff, thank you for your investigations.


Reading the comments from John, it could well be a 'bug' in the Gotek firmware possibly manifesting itself? who knows!


Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, my initial query has been addressed and I'm about to explore this uIDE stuff.


Happy Days.


Thanks All again!




Darren

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