FATWare Updates

[RWAP]

(Copy of discussion from previous forum before being deleted)

Uto:
ATWare is the players firmware, and so probably the most used Firmware that DivIDE will have.

I've tried to contact FATware author with some suggestions but it seems that the e-mail address at FATware 0.12 zip file is not valid anymore, so I will write them here, hoping he read this or someone else can forward them. If any other reader has his/her own suggestions please feel free to reply to this topic Smile

Browser
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Some additional keys would be good:

- Make 6 and 7 be like arrow up and down.
- Make 5, delete and left arrow be "folder up" key
- Make "Edit" be "Home"/"Root Folder" key.

Others
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It would be good if FATWare version is shown on Browser title.

A help screen with all key bindings would be nice.

A POKE interface would be nice too.

An finally, though I understand is the hardest part, the "Save Snapshot" and "ROM Save routine" replacemente would be nice, but yes, I know that requires FAT writing and it's not piece of cake



BloodBaz
PostPosted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:53 pm
Does anyone know whether the FATware source is in the public domain?
(I assume it isn't)


Uto
PostPosted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:36 pm
As far as I know, it is not free software, I can't even find a homepage for the project


rwap
PostPosted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:53 pm
All I know is that FATware is written by BAZE - see http://baze.au.com/divide/

[BloodBaz]

Something that I never knew until Rich pointed it out in his Firmware Selector manual was that FATware will intercept standard LOAD commands and actually load a .TAP file from divIDE.

I thought it was only snapshots it could load but no!

This feature isn't mentioned in the Fatware chapter of the divIDE manual.
Though I would let you guys know...

[RWAP]

OK I will make sure I add this to the DivIDE Plus manual on my website.

There is also no description of how to use the other firmwares - contributions are more than welcome

[BloodBaz]

Talk on the World of Spectrum Forums today suggest that Baze will be releasing the source to FATWARE to the public,
This is great news.

[RWAP]

Yes it is - there is a warning that the latest fix to FATware causes some issues on DivIDE Plus - this will need to be looked at !

[Vapula]

An issue with Fatware on a sinclair +2 (gray) :

Under 48K mode, all is OK
Under 128K mode (out 32765,0), the basic get screwed if you trigger an NMI to select an image. You may still enter commands but they don't get executed...
If you use the OUT 23,32 to enable 128K mode, things go even worse...

Also, on reset, it go to 48K mode by default. It'd be great to have a 48K/128K detection and allow to boot on ROM0 if it's a 128K Spectrum.

[RWAP]

The firmware selector is the tool which allows you to select to start up in 128K mode

Is it just FATware that struggles with the 128K mode in this way? Don't forget that before the DivIDE Plus, the firmwares did not have to worry about 128K mode, except when loading a 128K game! Alas FATware has never been updated to work in 128K mode fully.

[Vapula]

Well, I didn't try DemFir and I limited my +DivIDE tests to the strict minimum as I didn't make the proper partitionning on my CF card.
I only did minimum tests on ResiDOS (I didn't find any need to use it as it's main point in for programming)

Firmware selector can't do more than making the relevant "OUT"... So, it's basically an easier way to get to the chosen mode/firmware, nothing more... The issues seem to be with paging (and maybe firmware)

For a full description, here is what happens

[48K] OUT 32765,0
[resets to 128K mode]
[128K]select Basic
all is correct
[NMI]select a .TAP file
[back to 128K mode]
Enter a command (for example LOAD "")
[enter] -> command displayed on top of screen but not executed
Enter a program line (for example : 10 PRINT "Hello World")
[enter] -> Line appears but not saved in program... LIST gives an empty program for example
-------------SPECTRUM RESET-----------
[48K][NMI] choose TAP file
[48K]OUT 32765,0
[resets to 128k mode]
[128K] Select Basic
[128K]LOAD""
program load perfectly

So, it looks like the NMI screws the RST 8 mechanism of the Spectrum in 128K mode

Computer used : Spectrum +2 (grey)

[RWAP]

I have just tried this on the latest batch of DivIDE Plus - it does appear to be an issue with FATware - although a new version has been released which supposedly overcomes this problem - see
http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/s ... atware+128

This version does not work on the +2A/+2B or +3 unfortunately.

The new fatware can be downloaded from: http://velesoft.speccy.cz/zx/divide/sys ... 06-10).zip

Now all we need is the firmware installer....