RAM expansion cross-talk issues (split from: Bitshifter's Z-code interpreter)
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RAM expansion cross-talk issues (split from: Bitshifter's Z-code interpreter)
Okay, I tried playing ZORK on my real NTSC VIC-20 today.
The RAM was provided by the Mega-Cart (32+3K).
The drive was a uIEC (Jim Brain) device 10.
The game would load well, display the title message, then an error message and RETURN PROMPT. Once it said ERROR 04, another time ERROR 01.
Here's a pic: After hitting RETURN at that ERROR4 [<RETURN>] prompt the VIC would do a soft reset.
The RAM was provided by the Mega-Cart (32+3K).
The drive was a uIEC (Jim Brain) device 10.
The game would load well, display the title message, then an error message and RETURN PROMPT. Once it said ERROR 04, another time ERROR 01.
Here's a pic: After hitting RETURN at that ERROR4 [<RETURN>] prompt the VIC would do a soft reset.
Music I've made with 1980s electronics, synths and other retro-instruments: http://theovoids.bandcamp.com
- Bit Shifter
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Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
That's a pity
Error codes 1 and 4 indicate, that's something wrong with the story file.
1 is for bad (z-code) operand and 4 for bad (z-code) opcode.
On real floppy drives, I would guess, it's a read error, but on SD2IEC this shouldn't happen.
Unfortunately I have no real VIC and do all testing with VICE and true drive emulation and this version ran fine with no errors.
Currently I tested the interpreter with ZORK-I, ZORK-II, ZORK-III and ENCHANTER and all worked fine.
Here are some new disk images.
Now I need more testers in order to get a hint, whether it's a bug in the interpreter, corrupt datafiles or some problems with the specific hardware configuration.
P.S.: New features: the function keys f2,f4,f6 and f8 may be used to change colors and track/sector display.
Error codes 1 and 4 indicate, that's something wrong with the story file.
1 is for bad (z-code) operand and 4 for bad (z-code) opcode.
On real floppy drives, I would guess, it's a read error, but on SD2IEC this shouldn't happen.
Unfortunately I have no real VIC and do all testing with VICE and true drive emulation and this version ran fine with no errors.
Currently I tested the interpreter with ZORK-I, ZORK-II, ZORK-III and ENCHANTER and all worked fine.
Here are some new disk images.
Now I need more testers in order to get a hint, whether it's a bug in the interpreter, corrupt datafiles or some problems with the specific hardware configuration.
P.S.: New features: the function keys f2,f4,f6 and f8 may be used to change colors and track/sector display.
- Attachments
-
- zork.zip
- (223.8 KiB) Downloaded 126 times
Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
Would the fact my uIEC is set to device 10 instead of 8 be a problem? I didn't see any attempt to access Drive 8, though.Bit Shifter wrote:That's a pity
Error codes 1 and 4 indicate, that's something wrong with the story file.
Music I've made with 1980s electronics, synths and other retro-instruments: http://theovoids.bandcamp.com
- orion70
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Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
I can answer this question: yes, definitely . I tried TNT's products with drive 9 in 2016, and couldn't get past the adventure intro. So you should stick to device 8 instead. Unfortunately, I cannot test Bit Shifter's version, because my current setup is a C64 with GEOS (configuring a new MPS1000 printer).ral-clan wrote:Would the fact my uIEC is set to device 10 instead of 8 be a problem? I didn't see any attempt to access Drive 8, though.Bit Shifter wrote:That's a pity
Error codes 1 and 4 indicate, that's something wrong with the story file.
- Bit Shifter
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Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
No, the device number isn't a problem.ral-clan wrote: Would the fact my uIEC is set to device 10 instead of 8 be a problem? I didn't see any attempt to access Drive 8, though.
The program uses the device number, that was used to load the program.
But I think, I found the issue: The program scans the whole story file and reads track and sector information and stores them in tables.
This enables direct access to a sequential file. On "true drive emulation" and probably even more on real drives, this leads occasionally to timeouts, because the programs reads only the two bytes of track and sector link per block and then skips to the next block causing lots of head movements.
I had to check the STATUS variable and repeat the block read command for timeouts. This seems to solve the issue.
Attached are the zork images with the new version of the interpreter for the VC20 (VIC-20).
- Attachments
-
- zork.zip
- (216.81 KiB) Downloaded 129 times
- orion70
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Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
Sorry if I mislead by reporting an old issue with a different interpreter.
- Bit Shifter
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Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
Never mindorion70 wrote: Sorry if I mislead by reporting an old issue with a different interpreter.
Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
Hi Bit Shifter,
I downloaded the new version of Zork you posted on the previous page (Feb 26). I noticed right away you've changed the colour scheme to a red border, etc.
Unfortunately, I still get the Error 01. Here's a screenshot:
I downloaded the new version of Zork you posted on the previous page (Feb 26). I noticed right away you've changed the colour scheme to a red border, etc.
Unfortunately, I still get the Error 01. Here's a screenshot:
Music I've made with 1980s electronics, synths and other retro-instruments: http://theovoids.bandcamp.com
- orion70
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Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
And you're drive 8 now, are you?
Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
No, I'm still using Jim Brain's uIEC as Drive 10.orion70 wrote:And you're drive 8 now, are you?
My drive 8 is a real 1541, which is turned on.
If I can figure out how to, I'll copy it to a real floppy and see if it works from Drive 8.
Music I've made with 1980s electronics, synths and other retro-instruments: http://theovoids.bandcamp.com
- Mike
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Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
Bit Shifter already pointed out, that his interpreter can cope with a device number not being 8; it defaults to the drive the interpreter was loaded from.orion70 wrote:And you're drive 8 now, are you?
You can use d64trans for this:ral-clan wrote:If I can figure out how to, I'll copy it to a real floppy and see if it works from Drive 8.
http://sleepingelephant.com/ipw-web/bul ... 65&start=7
Mike wrote:1. To write a *.d64 to disk, give its full name (including the extension) on the source device, and '#' as file name on the destination device. The target must have been formatted beforehand.
Code: Select all
SRC DEV.? 10
FILE? ZORK1.D64
DST DEV.? 8
FILE? #
Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
Hi Mike,
I'll give d64trans a try. The only think I don't know how to follow, according to your instructions on the other thread, is to write protect the source drive, as it's a SD-card device.
I'll give d64trans a try. The only think I don't know how to follow, according to your instructions on the other thread, is to write protect the source drive, as it's a SD-card device.
Music I've made with 1980s electronics, synths and other retro-instruments: http://theovoids.bandcamp.com
- Mike
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Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
Normal sized SD cards have a small switch on their side where you can set them to write protect.ral-clan wrote:I'll give d64trans a try. The only think I don't know how to follow, according to your instructions on the other thread, is to write protect the source drive, as it's a SD-card device.
In any case, write protecting the (removable) media in the source drive during copy operations has always been good practice. It prevents facepalms when the user got source and target drive the wrong way round.
Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
Okay, I got it transferred over to an actual floppy, and loaded it on my 1541.
Unfortunately, this time it gave me an ERROR 04.
I wonder if I'm initiating things correctly. I'm using the MEGA-CART and doing a "normal reset", and choosing the option VIC 32 +3K.
Maybe I have some bad RAM?
Unfortunately, this time it gave me an ERROR 04.
I wonder if I'm initiating things correctly. I'm using the MEGA-CART and doing a "normal reset", and choosing the option VIC 32 +3K.
Maybe I have some bad RAM?
Music I've made with 1980s electronics, synths and other retro-instruments: http://theovoids.bandcamp.com
- orion70
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Re: RAM expansion cross-talk issues
You can change sd2iec's device number at any time if you wish to try every possible combination:
But I guess it's a matter of RAM glitches anyways
Code: Select all
OPEN1,10,15,"U0>"+CHR$(8):CLOSE1
OPEN1,8,15,"XW":CLOSE1