HxC Manager V4.0 released!

[norecess464]

Yo,

Just few words to tell you that a new version of the HxC Manager has been released

 

Changelog of this V4.0:

• User can now edit up to 20 slots (previous version: 15 slots was the max.)
• New UI, removed the old "demomaker style" presentation, now displaying more files on screen (with longer filenames)
• DEL key added to move back to parent folder while navigating
• The manager now skips DSK files when using a HxC SD/Slim device
• The Help page now reports the firmware version + build date of the Manager
• Switched compilation to SDCC 4.2.0 (resulting better Z80 implementation)
• Now compiled using RASM from roudoudou (previous version: Pasmo)
• Now compressed using ZX0 packer (previous version: the good old Bitbuster)
• Smaller binary (11KB) resulting a faster load from BASIC prompt (previous version: 16KB)

More details on my website http://norecess.cpcscene.net/
Feel free to comment here your experience, especially the potential bug reports etc.
And special thanks to @TotO that helped on the testing!
Download link here for convenience purpose (please reach my website instead!): click here. (to use, simply replace the file AUTOBOOT.HFE on your SD Card / USB key with this file.)

[Gryzor]

Noooooo not the demomaker ui!!! 

[norecess464]

Noooooo not the demomaker ui!!! 

Ahah, it's a very interesting topic
Even on a machine like the Amstrad CPC/Plus, there will be always room for improvements with the ergonomic, better visuals, the famous "user experience" as they call it nowadays, etc.

With time, I was worried with the use of the custom font. In some circumstances, it made the reading more difficult.
And the old logo "HxC Manager V3" was taking 3 characters-height, in the end that's better to use that space for something more useful (like displaying more folders/files on screen).

With this version, I tried to be respectful to the native Amstrad workflow. I used the system font (extracted it from the firmware ROM for faster printing on screen), I forced the video MODE to 1, but I did not alter the colors used from the BASIC prompt...

Use this version, I'm sure you will immediately adapt to it and forget the old one

[eto]

AWESOME!

while I loved the HXC manager on my Gotek and very much preferred it over the OLED+rotary solution, I struggled with the font and colors.  

Thanks so much. 

[xesrjb]

Yo,

Just few words to tell you that a new version of the HxC Manager has been released

 

Changelog of this V4.0:

• User can now edit up to 20 slots (previous version: 15 slots was the max.)
• New UI, removed the old "demomaker style" presentation, now displaying more files on screen (with longer filenames)
• DEL key added to move back to parent folder while navigating
• The manager now skips DSK files when using a HxC SD/Slim device
• The Help page now reports the firmware version + build date of the Manager
• Switched compilation to SDCC 4.2.0 (resulting better Z80 implementation)
• Now compiled using RASM from roudoudou (previous version: Pasmo)
• Now compressed using ZX0 packer (previous version: the good old Bitbuster)
• Smaller binary (11KB) resulting a faster load from BASIC prompt (previous version: 16KB)

More details on my website http://norecess.cpcscene.net/
Feel free to comment here your experience, especially the potential bug reports etc.
And special thanks to @TotO that helped on the testing!
Download link here for convenience purpose (please reach my website instead!): click here. (to use, simply replace the file AUTOBOOT.HFE on your SD Card / USB key with this file.)

Ok, I will try...

xesrjb 

[xesrjb]

Yo,

Just few words to tell you that a new version of the HxC Manager has been released

 

Changelog of this V4.0:

• User can now edit up to 20 slots (previous version: 15 slots was the max.)
• New UI, removed the old "demomaker style" presentation, now displaying more files on screen (with longer filenames)
• DEL key added to move back to parent folder while navigating
• The manager now skips DSK files when using a HxC SD/Slim device
• The Help page now reports the firmware version + build date of the Manager
• Switched compilation to SDCC 4.2.0 (resulting better Z80 implementation)
• Now compiled using RASM from roudoudou (previous version: Pasmo)
• Now compressed using ZX0 packer (previous version: the good old Bitbuster)
• Smaller binary (11KB) resulting a faster load from BASIC prompt (previous version: 16KB)

More details on my website http://norecess.cpcscene.net/
Feel free to comment here your experience, especially the potential bug reports etc.
And special thanks to @TotO that helped on the testing!
Download link here for convenience purpose (please reach my website instead!): click here. (to use, simply replace the file AUTOBOOT.HFE on your SD Card / USB key with this file.)

Looks very good...

xesrjb 

[HAL6128]

Thanks for the update!!!Great to see that there's still a development.I like the new visuals and honestly I made the same experience like you having difficulty in reading the font especially when using a smaller screen or LCD & GBS8200.

[genesis8]

As you states SDCC v4.2.0, did you see that v4.3.0 was released in June 2023 ?

[norecess464]

As you states SDCC v4.2.0, did you see that v4.3.0 was released in June 2023 ?

I use the version of SDCC that is available by default in Debian 12 (Bookworm) (stable version) -- this OS was also released in June 2023.
As a general rule in computing, I always pay attention to MAJOR versions. Minor ones, not much.

I remember it had some impacts to switch from SDCC V3.X to SDCC V4.X. It provided some good optimizations yes, but it also brought some (new, surprising) poorly implemented Z80 code. I had to correct this by updating my custom "peephole" file (cf. SDCC's --peep-file option).

The good news is, this effort benefited to both HxC Manager and Sonic GX, so it was a win-win case here to upgrade

[eto]

Works like a charm!

Quick question: Is there a technical reason for a limit of 20 slots? Or is it just usability?

[poulette73]

Testing it means adopting it ! 👌

[norecess464]

Quick question: Is there a technical reason for a limit of 20 slots? Or is it just usability?

Usability first, yes. Too many slots and then you will start losing interest in using slots. Weird approach too, but I also like "20" because it's a round number and it's easy to remember
There is also a technical limit inside the program itself; "20 slots" is the strict max. value we can use on the Amstrad without starting to rely on a slower, more complex implementation relying on multiple "Read/WriteSector" calls (512 bytes length).

[norecess464]

Version 4.1 released!

The changelog:

• crash-fix + new keys for the Amstrad CPC 464 users: Shift+LEFT/RIGHT to select slot, COPY key to assign to current slot
• upgraded from SDCC 4.2 to SDCC 4.3 (provides slightly better ASM code for faster FAT32 parsing)
• does not assume anymore that the AMSDOS ROM is at ROM 7

Click here for download!