VIC-20 Disk Menu

Basic and Machine Language

Moderator: Moderators

Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

A double post, but, well....

Here it is! V9:
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/vicmenu.html

XMENU News:
I managed to keep all features except "F8 - save program to disk"... The new V9 XMENU works on both unexpaned and expanded vic-20 with the only difference that a maximum of about 93 files can be listed on the unexpanded vic. Note that the old unexpanded menu v6 only managed 46 files before you got "out of memory", so the new XMENU actually manages twice as many files as the old "MENU" did on the unexpanded vic.

QMENU V9 News:
63 bytes smaller. (Old: 751 bytes, New: 687)

MENU and SORTMENU was removed from the package as they no longer are needed.

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

As described here:
http://sleepingelephant.com/ipw-web/bul ... 0&start=45
...I released a version V10 with machine language routines helping to read the directory...

I have now made a second V10 release and added two alternative versions: S-MENU and D-MENU:
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/vicmenu.html

I hope you like them!

As this program now have changed into a ML/Basic hybrid, I will move this topic to the ML section.

I saw that I still have some of the old versions lying around on my web space. Here are the links for them if you want to look at the progress of the program:
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/menu6.zip
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/menu7.zip
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/menu8.zip
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/menu9.zip
Schemas original is still there too (first post in the thread).

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

MENU.PRG is still the same. It's just that I added the two other versions in this new release...

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

I am working on a V11 now... It's more or less ready but I want to test it some first...

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
carlsson
Class of '6502
Posts: 5516
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2004 1:41 am

Post by carlsson »

It starts to sound like the Soviet rocket launch programme. :lol:
Anders Carlsson

Image Image Image Image Image
Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

Well, Sovjet rocket number 11 is still waiting. Seems I come to think of something to alter every morning when I wake up. So when I don't do that, then I will release it...

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

V11 - Get it:
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/menu11.zip

News in V11

The package now includes 4 versions: MENU, X-MENU, S-MENU and E-MENU.

MENU V11
- This one is built on D-MENU V10 (the one that shows the names
while loading the dir). This loading is now faster (9.1 names/second).
And there is help visible for the menu. The menu now starts up on the
first page, unless you used the C= key to break the directory loading,
then it will start up on the last page. The menu is also updated a
little faster. Keys: C= =break dir, cursor up&down to move, space
=next page, F5=dir and return=auto load. Size: 950 bytes. Manages all
144 file names on unexpanded vic.

X-MENU V11
- It's basically the program above plus these X-tra features: F1=help,
D=delete, R=rename, P=print dir and F=format disk. Size: 1431.
Unexpanded limit: 127 names. This is the version I think is best for
the cartridge.

S-MENU V11
- Built on S-MENU V10 but is reduced in size from 857 to 797 bytes.
This is now the only program that doesn't display the file names while
loading the dir.

E-MENU V11
- Same as "MENU" but with adjustments for the VICE emulator or
diskdrives that supports more than 144 files and/or long filenames (up
to 40 characters). But there are some drawbacks. Read more on the
download page.

---


The keys "8" and "1" are no longer used anywhere.

The old V10 version is still available here:
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/menu10.zip

Read more on the download page:
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/vicmenu.html

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

V12 - Get it:
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/menu12.zip


News in V12

* The function keys (F1 and F5) were changed into "H" for Help and "<-" for Dir refresh so that it will work with Programmer's Aid, Super Expander or any other add-on that changes the function keys.

* There is no longer a delay when you refresh the directory in E-Menu.

* Bugfix in E-Menu. It didn't load the directory properly sometimes with little memory available.

* Menu and X-Menu are smaller by a few bytes. S-Menu is the same size and E-Menu is a little bigger, but should not require more memory while running than the old version.

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

V13 - Get it:
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/menu13.zip


News in V13

* X-Menu can now handle all 144 filenames on the unexpanded vic! X-Menu is also 22 bytes smaller.

* E-Menu can now handle more filenames, any lenght of filenames and filesizes of several megabytes.

* Menu and S-Menu were excluded from the package.

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

V14 - Get it:
http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/menu14.zip


News in V14

* The programs are smaller and quicker to start because the machine language part no longer is transfered to the tape buffer first. It was made independent of the running position instead.

* X-Menu is 27 bytes smaller (1379 bytes).

* E-Menu is 28 bytes smaller (987 bytes).

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
User avatar
Schema
factor
Posts: 1430
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:07 am
Website: http://www.jammingsignal.com
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Post by Schema »

Some suggestions! (hopefuly not too nitpicky :wink:)

-It needs a way to change to other drive#s.

As one suggestion, on the IDE64 file manager, this is done with C= and the last digit of the drive number (ie. C=8 for drive 8, C=1 for drive#11, etc). 64HDD can work up to drive #15.

-Can the two status lines at the bottom be condensed into one? That would give an extra line for files, and the "<-=DIR and SPC=" should be on the Help screen anyway, to keep all the help info in one place.

-The help screen is hard to read, can the text be aligned better?

-Would it be possible to make it use both the Function keys and letters for commands? I prefer using the function keys personally, and when this program is on the utility cart, it would be the first thing used anyway. Or at least it would be before the programmer's aid or other carts are active.
User avatar
Schema
factor
Posts: 1430
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:07 am
Website: http://www.jammingsignal.com
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Post by Schema »

Also,

Ultimately I would love to be able to use this program along with 64HDD or Jim Brain's uIEC. However, these support subdirectories, so you would need a way to identify directories and switch into them.

On both 64HDD and uIEC, directories are type DIR instead of PRG. Maybe these can be represented in a different color and DIR for the filesize? Also on 64HDD only their names always start with $ (i.e. $GAMES)

Changing directories is quite easy, @CD:<DIR> for 64HDD, or @CD/<DIR> for uIEC. I asked Jim if he could make his compatible with the 64HDD, but haven't heard back. So you could send this string when RETURN is pressed on the name of a DIR.

Would all this be possible?
Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

Some suggestions! (hopefuly not too nitpicky Wink)

-It needs a way to change to other drive#s.

As one suggestion, on the IDE64 file manager, this is done with C= and the last digit of the drive number (ie. C=8 for drive 8, C=1 for drive#11, etc). 64HDD can work up to drive #15.
I don't know... I would probably never use it myself... I think it's easy enough to just change the disk...
-Can the two status lines at the bottom be condensed into one? That would give an extra line for files, and the "<-=DIR and SPC=" should be on the Help screen anyway, to keep all the help info in one place.
The reason I did that was to save memory. Displaying SPC=PAGE: <nr> takes less memory than displaying "PG: <nr>" and also showing the info SPC=PAGE on the help screen. And all H=HELP, XXX FREE and SPC=PAGE: won't fit on one line.
-The help screen is hard to read, can the text be aligned better?
It's made that way to save memory.
-Would it be possible to make it use both the Function keys and letters for commands? I prefer using the function keys personally, and when this program is on the utility cart, it would be the first thing used anyway. Or at least it would be before the programmer's aid or other carts are active.
I don't like function keys for the reason that it's hard to remember what they do without looking at the help. With a letter key, you have the first letter in the function's name. Using both letter and function keys would take much more memory as they would have to be added both to the IF statements and to the help.
Ultimately I would love to be able to use this program along with 64HDD or Jim Brain's uIEC. However, these support subdirectories, so you would need a way to identify directories and switch into them.

On both 64HDD and uIEC, directories are type DIR instead of PRG. Maybe these can be represented in a different color and DIR for the filesize? Also on 64HDD only their names always start with $ (i.e. $GAMES)

Changing directories is quite easy, @CD:<DIR> for 64HDD, or @CD/<DIR> for uIEC. I asked Jim if he could make his compatible with the 64HDD, but haven't heard back. So you could send this string when RETURN is pressed on the name of a DIR.

Would all this be possible?
Yes... If you take over the development! ;) I have done everything I can to hold down the size of the program so that all 144 files can be handled on the unexpanded vic20. And that is still just possible with disks having an average filename size of 9 characters or less! Adding just half of your suggestions would quite drastically decrease the number of filenames possible to handle on the unexpanded vic... But you are welcome to do whatever you like with the program. It's yours from the beginning (even though non of your code probably is left ;) ) and you are welcome to take over it again. I think I'm quite finnished with it...

One nice thing if you want to develop it futher, is that the ML won't be destroyed when you edit the program. You can do any changes and then just save it ,8 like normal. You can even use Programmer's aid to renumber it! (But not the search command for some reason, nor renumbering it with a c128)....

You could maybe let the ML part remain in the cart to make room for some of your suggestions. That would save around 80 bytes.

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

You could also put the help separately on the cart (and just start it with a sys) to save memory..... Or you could run the whole program in rom to have all the ram available for variables/arrays. That would work if you switch back to the ram basic memory on the last line, with for example POKE44,PEEK(46). But if the cart still should be switchable, then you would need one basic version for block 3 and one for block 5 (because of those basic line links), and then size would still be a problem....

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
Boray
Musical Smurf
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 10:47 am

Post by Boray »

Btw, if 64HDD or uIEC supports filenames longer than 16 characters or more than 144 files, then you should probably build your version on E-MENU instead of X-MENU...

/Anders
PRG Starter - a VICE helper / Vic Software (Boray Gammon, SD2IEC music player, Vic Disk Menu, Tribbles, Mega Omega, How Many 8K etc.)
Post Reply