uIEC/SD fo Dummies

[Jeff-20]

Oh yeah, I remember that thread. I think I dismissed the whole thing as a 64 issue.

[Bacon]

The 1541 Ultimate is great with the VIC 20. I use mine in stand-alone mode since I don't have space for both a C64 and a VIC on the desk at the same time. With JiffyDOS or a DOS wedge in the VIC it's a snap to operate. You navigate the filesystem and mount disk images via the command channel of device 9. When a disk image has been mounted it's accessible from device 8 which is a 100% emulated 1541 drive.

The only minor problem is that it needs 5V to operate. It has a micro-USB port for power (no other USB functionality) so you can power it from your PC's USB port, which is what I do.

[nbla000]

The only minor problem is that it needs 5V to operate. It has a micro-USB port for power (no other USB functionality) so you can power it from your PC's USB port, which is what I do.

I think you may use a Motorola mini-usb charger for mobile phones.

[nbla000]

I resume this thread because I had time to finally tests my SD based drives (FE3, SD2IEC, uIEC3) and I've a small problem with all of them with some slight differences.


From the root I move to a subdir with this command (using FE3 or Mega-Cart EasyLoad wedge):
@ "CD/SUBDIR1"

Now I "mount" a d64 image with this command:
@ "CD:IMAGE.D64"

Now I'm able to load everything from this disk image, perfect.


After a while I wish to move again to the root directory of the SD card but I'm not able to do that, this is the command that I use:
@ "CD//"

This command works great if I'm in a subdirectory of the FAT partition of the SD-Card but seems that doesn't work if I'm in a D64/D71/D81 disk image.

I don't know if is a wanted behaviour or is a sd2uiec firmware bug (tested FE3/SD2IEC/uIEC3 all with 0.8.3 firmware version) but seems a problem to me.

Once you have "mounted" the D64 image you may switch to the root folder by using 2 commands:
@ "CD{arrow left}"
@ "CD//"

The first command "unmount" the D64 image and go to the parent directory (SUBDIR1 in my example), once on the "real" FAT directory, the second command works as expected and move to the root folder.

So the problem is that I'm not able to directly move to the root folder from a D64/D71/D81 image, may I use an alternative way ?

[Diddl]

Once you have "mounted" the D64 image you may switch to the root folder by using 2 commands:
@ "CD{arrow left}"
@ "CD//"

The first command "unmount" the D64 image and go to the parent directory (SUBDIR1 in my example), once on the "real" FAT directory, the second command works as expected and move to the root folder.

So the problem is that I'm not able to directly move to the root folder from a D64/D71/D81 image, may I use an alternative way ?

It is cause this CMD compatibility.

Why it is a problem? If you want to root you simply always send this both commands. In case you have no D64 image mounted, it is no problem cause it works also ...

[Unseen]

I don't know if is a wanted behaviour or is a sd2uiec firmware bug (tested FE3/SD2IEC/uIEC3 all with 0.8.3 firmware version) but seems a problem to me.

Seems to be a case of PEBKAC to me:

CD is also used to mount/unmount image files. Just change into them as if they were a directory and use CD:_ (left arrow on the C64) to leave.

So the problem is that I'm not able to directly move to the root folder from a D64/D71/D81 image, may I use an alternative way ?

No.

[nbla000]

Why it is a problem? If you want to root you simply always send this both commands.

Sorry, my bad English, not really a problem just a question I noticed during my SD-Browser program developing.

Thus I need both commands if I want to root from a disk image, simply because there is not a single command for that... in any case may I suggest a firmware update for this operation ?

I noticed another strange thing...

When the D64 image is mounted and type this command:
@ "CD//"

As said before, nothing happens, the D64 image still mounted but using this command after:
@ "CD{left arrow}"

I will go to the root directory not to his parant, it's right too ?



Another noticed thing, supposing I've mounted a D64 image when I reset or switch OFF/ON the Vic, the FE3,SD2IEC and uIEC3 have a different behaviour, in some case the D64 image still mounted and in some case the device goes to the root:

Code: Select all

--------------------------------
|DEVICE | RESET | POWER OFF/ON |
--------------------------------
|FE3    |  D64  |     ROOT     |
|SD2IEC |  D64  |     D64      |
|uIEC3  |  ROOT |     ROOT     |
--------------------------------

I think it is for hardware differences, the reset button, resets also the uIEC3 and thus it moves to the root, while seems that it has not effect to the SD2IEC (Stand-Alone or FE3 build-in).
On Power OFF/ON, the FE3 build-in SD2IEC contrariwise the stand-alone NKC SD2IEC moves to the root just because it get power also from the VIC.

[Diddl]

Thus I need both commands if I want to root from a disk image, simply because there is not a single command for that...

Yes: it would be possible to make a new command - exit image AND go to root


... and No:
Some drives have partitions, for example the 1581. It must be possible to go to "root" of Image. So goto root is for cuurrent environment.

I think it is for hardware differences, the reset button, resets also the uIEC3 and thus it moves to the root, while seems that it has not effect to the SD2IEC (Stand-Alone or FE3 build-in).
On Power OFF/ON, the FE3 build-in SD2IEC contrariwise the stand-alone NKC SD2IEC moves to the root just because it get power also from the VIC.

SD2IEC and µIEC should do same, but it is possible to set startup options into EEPROM to have it after power on. Maybe this is the difference?


With FE3 you have a SD2IEC without Reset connection. We want this so, because so it is possible to end a game (with reset) without loosing currently selected image.

FE3 itself has two kind of reset. First resets only VIC and other reset CPLD also. Neither does a SD2IEC reset.

[nbla000]

SD2IEC and µIEC should do same, but it is possible to set startup options into EEPROM to have it after power on. Maybe this is the difference?


With FE3 you have a SD2IEC without Reset connection.

I think it's just a reset connection question, the NCK SD2IEC stand-alone has the same behaviour, I suspect also no Reset connection on it, this explains why a Vic reset does not move the SD2IEC to the root while the uIEC3 clearly has a reset connection since red/green leds goes on during reset and it moves to the root after.

[brain]

Some drives have partitions, for example the 1581. It must be possible to go to "root" of Image. So goto root is for cuurrent environment.

This is the reason for the observed behavior. I believe some of the CMD utilities do a "cd//" when starting a command, which would be an issue if you were trying to operate in an image.

I had a thought process around implementing a virtual "mount" command, which would place an image in the root of a partition. If this is implemented, then perhaps the cd// behavior could be modified to move to the root of the partition, regardless of location.

As for reset behavior, You can cut the RESET trace on the daughtercard if you do not want the uIEC to reset to defaults when the machine is reset. I figured cutting a trace was preferable to soldering a wire. Maybe in a future revision, I'll put a jumper block there.

Jim

[nbla000]

Thank you for your explanations.

I prefer to leave things as they are btw since your uIEC has a free switch (sw3), you may use it for a uIEC self reset or a power off when pressed (same as reset) what do you think ?
It may cooperate with your jumper idea so the user may have the maximum of flexibility, for example jumper opened (cut reset line) and switch 3 resets the uIEC or jumper closed (reset line connected) but switch 3 could be used when you wish to reset the uIEC but not the Vic.

PS: Your female 5V AC plug (custom addon) works like a jewels, thanks.