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That's where BASIC would mess around while running programs, wouldn't it? In that case no debugging ML routines within BASIC programs for the unlucky?
This does not pose any problem in practice. The two mentioned buffers have a "KEEP CLEAR!" written all over them, not primarily because of MINIMON, but because BASIC and KERNAL already use them at times which makes any data storage there volatile for the intents of most other machine code programs: $0100..$010F is used by the BASIC interpreter during FP->ASCII conversions, the KERNAL uses $0100 up to $013F to keep an error log during tape load operations. The buffer at $0200..$0258 holds the BASIC input line.pixel wrote:That's where BASIC would mess around while running programs, wouldn't it? In that case no debugging ML routines within BASIC programs for the unlucky?
It also does not hold state there that needs to be kept across machine code calls (with the G command) and re-entry (by means of a BRK instruction breakpoint).No worries. At least there's someone who reads the docs and asks questions about an important design decision that went into the construction of MINIMON.Maybe I'm wrong as usual.
At those times, Commodore managed to get an extended licence that allowed for architectural changes to the interpreter, but it's still a Microsoft BASIC. Witness the copyright notice in the C128 start-up screen:Am getting a little light headed trying to understand the BASIC/KERNAL and it fills my heart with silent joy that Commodore fired Microsoft back then.
No worries. I was mainly pointing out what I thought should have been obvious anyway.in another thread, JonBrawn wrote:That was said in jest Mike, not as a serious comment, I'm definitely not going to steal your IP. I'm sorry if I offended or upset you, that wasn't my intention at all.
The I/Ox selects do not go directly over said switch, the switch merely provides an enable signal for the I/Ox de-multiplex/route logic.I've read the MINIMON thread, and it looks like there are the following features:
- A monitor that cleverly avoids stomping on page zero and the BASIC workspace
- A switch to redirect accesses that would have accessed the MINIMON ROM to access an external cartridge
Plus, this freeze reset not only disables BLK5 for a short time (and with that, the cartridge autostart does not commence), it also opens and pulls high the reset line in the direction to the slave cartridge. The cartridge thus is oblivious a reset had happened and retains its state - especially of any registers associated with banking - so MINIMON can inspect cartridge memory in the configuration before the reset happened.
- A button to cause a hard reset
Have I missed anything?
- The ability to cause a hard reset and disable BLK5 "for a while".
By your counting, there's actually a zeroth part - removing the original chips, setting sockets there instead (as is necessary with later VIC-20s, where all chips are soldered in), and testing the VIC-20 still works with the original chips (re-)equipped. My instructions actually count these as parts 1 to 3 though.As far as the VFLI mods are concerned, I've only glanced over that thread and it looks like a hardware + software system. Am I right in believing that the hardware mod is in two parts - first make all of the lower 8KB of memory accessible to the VIC, and second add bank select logic to the color RAM area?
Ah, yes, the off-by-one error. You get that a lot in computing...My instructions actually count these as parts 1 to 3 though.
... and this happened yesterday, just a few days before the Easter holidays.Mike wrote:[...] I'll have to wait until after the Xmas holidays for further commissioning. [...]
You could ask me
Yes, City Bomber, it is on the EXTRA section (F2 from the initial screen to access to this section)With the page-wise ASCII memory display (one of MINIMON's transient tools) I also found a hidden game that appears at $7000 when VICMON at $6000 is activated. This happened to be yet another variant of City Crusher.
For unknown reasons I did not keep a copy of the adjusted version. Anyway, extracting the game made an interesting test case for MINIMON.nbla000 wrote:You could ask me.
Indeed, there it is. I only searched in the cartridge and tape/disk games but missed out this one.Yes, City Bomber, it is on the EXTRA section (F2 from the initial screen to access to this section)
Yes, I operate my VIC-20 with MC and a C64SD most of the time.I'm happy you still enjoy your Mega-Cart along with your MINIMON cartridge.
If you're going to start selling soon, a regular socket will probably be sufficient. How often are people really going to swap out MINIMON? Not very. Geez, I can hardly get 2732s that actually work. I've pretty much given up on 24-pin anything. MINIMON is likely to just stay there forever when I get my copy.
