X16 SD-card image "launch title" software

[voidstar]

Updated proposed SD ZIP and Emulator compatible img file at the Discord topic.

Feel free to PM me here or DM at Discord if have a suggestion or some "launch worry" title I've missed.

- one exciting (to me) item that is cooking is a possible on-system Pascal compiler


I could still use some help on a UserPort usage example (which I've started to sit down and read those 6522 VIA datasheets a few times, then get end up distracted with "real life stuff" before I can follow through with a complete example). But I know this is something only those with hardware can really help on, so it may just have to come about after more boards get into peoples hands. Information on the "address registers" is here.

https://github.com/X16Community/x16-doc ... ramming.md

Datasheet reference here: https://eater.net/datasheets/w65c22.pdf

[ahenry3068]

Have you reached out to Kevin (TexElec) He had a parallel printer running off the user port in the latest release video.

[voidstar]

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Lots of activity going on as the end of year approaches -- school exams, holiday travel, all while trying to stay warm.

We have a good launch set of software prepared (sample set is in Discord) - but still a few weeks left to prepare more!

- more VIA usage examples would be appreciated, to show GPIO possibilities (but understand this mostly requires hands on the hardware, so we may just need to wait for the larger 1000 before more examples like this become available)

- I still haven't managed to contact the creator of the Pool (Table) Simulator, which no longer works as of R44

[voidstar]

UPDATE #8 available now in X16 Discord. [edit: please use R45 ROM or newer ]

Thanks to all the contributors, lots of great stuff!!

Yeah, I know lemon64 had 50-new-games just in September alone But they've had 40+ years to build that community and very mature development tools. We're just getting started and rapidly ramping up!

Holiday season is here, so lots of travel and family time for most folks. This won't be the last update, but probably no focused update until after the start of the new year. Happy Holidays to all and safe travels !

And if an early release of X16 hardware does happen to come about, we are ready

[pcman902]

I have had a look at week 8 software and i think that the 'launch' app would be run as part of the start up app as to load the SHELL.PRG first then to run //launch seems a bit tedious as every time you need to exit the running app or demo you need to retype the commands over and oveer again.

There was something called Commodore 64 Sales Cartridge ' for the C64 that allowed to demonstrate the capabilties of the computer as shown in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WOL_6l ... cialSkills perhaps something like this could be developed for x16 for exhibitions or demonstrations or just showing off the x16 to friends and family like the wife or girlfriend ro show then the money well spent.

If there are issues with the software is there a way to report them?

Is there a voting system for each of the software included?
Are there links to a place to get more applications or updates like a x16 store?

[ahenry3068]

I have had a look at week 8 software and i think that the 'launch' app would be run as part of the start up app as to load the SHELL.PRG first then to run //launch seems a bit tedious as every time you need to exit the running app or demo you need to retype the commands over and oveer again.

There was something called Commodore 64 Sales Cartridge ' for the C64 that allowed to demonstrate the capabilties of the computer as shown in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WOL_6l ... cialSkills perhaps something like this could be developed for x16 for exhibitions or demonstrations or just showing off the x16 to friends and family like the wife or girlfriend ro show then the money well spent.

If there are issues with the software is there a way to report them?

Is there a voting system for each of the software included?
Are there links to a place to get more applications or updates like a x16 store?

Voidstar's been pretty transparent about how he's putting this together. More discussion happens on the DISCORD than here on the forum. The stuff he posts on the forum is mostly the highlights.

As far as an x16 store. The Downloads section here is as good as it gets right now. Remember this platform is still in it's infancy. I just jumped aboard in April of this year and at least every week something new is posted. Any issues with software can be reported directly to the author on the thread where he posted the program. I've seen most of the developers here be very responsive to fixing bugs. If you want to see where a lot of the action and discussion occurs I would strongly encourage you to join the Commander X16 Discord, there's a link on the www.commanderx16.com homepage

[voidstar]

For those unable to access the Discord, I now have a copy of the WEEK #8A SD distro available here: (edit: 8A is an update from the base #8)

ZIP: (just unzip and run the emulator while in whatever folder you unzipped into)
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0wnpy4zi ... xcpjc&dl=0

VHD: (attach this using the -sdcard command line argument to the emulator)
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/gamgos94 ... eo560&dl=0



We thought about having a first-time-boot-up menu to make those kinds of decisions, like selecting if you prefer to start to shell, basic, launcher, or maybe the startup into the very nice File Manager. But we decided against this, even though it can technically be done (i.e. that it would ask only once, get configured, and not ask again -- but such things can be annoying if users don't yet understand what the options are, or accidentally pick the wrong option, or the first user isn't eventual intended main user).

We decided it is going to boot up into BASIC. We wanted to ensure that most people get that "starts up to BASIC" experience. It was tough debating on if it should even include the few little helper tips that we did show on that startup. But the following will explain that:

One should make a backup/clone or archive of the SD card. Then from there, the intent is that people will need to actually learn the system. For example, it is very easy to do what you are asking by modifying the AUTOBOOT.X16 if that's how you want your setup to be. But you will have to learn a little bit of BASIC and CMDR-DOS to do so. (//LAUNCH should be thought of as a script more than a program)

Learn a little bit more, and you can define your own ISR where you can press F10 and have it launch into the launcher.

I thought about having the Launcher "keep track" of how many times you ran a title. There are different use cases where that can be useful, to both know things you've tried and enjoyed often, versus things you haven't explored so much yet. But so far this wasn't done for a performance reason (and to focus on other higher priority development, like the thumbnail previews).

The system doesn't have a standard way of connecting to a network. It is capable of doing so, but whether that comes from an upgraded VERA board or expansion card, or an IEC or UserPort solution (such as some FujiNet connection) - we're not there yet. My prediction is by mid-next Summer, we'll have a terminal and hardware support for it. 


As we get closer to firming up when deliveries actually start, I'll find a more formal host for this SD image. The official date is still February, but there is a chance of some boards being shipped early - hence why this package was being prepared, to be ready for that contingency. I've not heard anything formal about "app store" or x16 store at this time.

[voidstar]

as to load the SHELL.PRG first then to run //launch seems a bit tedious as every time you need to exit the running app or demo you need to retype the commands over and oveer again.

Wait, to clarify: you don't need to use SHELL.PRG for //LAUNCH

Ah, I should have mentioned this: on R45 (ROM update 45) there now a "/" command supported by CMDR-DOS to implicitly do a load. You're right, without that, you would need to instead do:
LOAD "/LAUNCH"
(or use the SHELL.PRG as another option)
[ this is good feedback, because I think we can update the AUTOBOOT.X16 to detect the version -- this would be a good excuse to demonstrate how to do that, and provide the appropriate message to users ]

By the way, the reason the startup text is kept brief is because to accommodate anyone who happens to choose using SCREEN 7 22x23 as their startup mode (which is possible to do in the MENU and NVRAM stuff). Of course, such a person is probably going to have replaced their AUTOBOOT.X16 into other things - but that was the ground rule compromise on having any "helper" text at all. The other compromise being anyone that doesn't like it, they can just SCRATCH the AUTOBOOT.X16 out.

The upcoming systems will be delivered with at least R45, so be sure to use that version of the emulator. The on-system ROM update utility is very easy to use. Just depending on the timing of things, Kevin+David will decide if they have bandwidth to manually update past R45 on the upcoming systems.

[voidstar]

Links updated above for 8A update (ZIP and VHD image).

[voidstar]

Things that helped me prepare these:

BEYOND COMPARE (BC). One of the best pieces of the software in the world. I keep a main repo on the PC hard drive, and then manage bi-directional changes on the target SD card used for testing on the X16. (meaning sometimes I'll make changes directly on-system -- like AUTOBOOT.X16 that are tokenized BASIC -- or sometimes on the PC; BC made it easy to manage pushing those changes to keep both structures in sync).


SD-card extender: (I actually got a few of these, and chained them together such that the X16 SD reader ended up right next to my PC)
"JSER Standard SD SDHC Male to SD Female Extension Memory Card Kit Soft Flat FPC Cable Extender 25cm Compatible for GPS Camera"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M22RI5U


And used the following USB card reader, which overall was very reliable at hot-swapping the SD card:
"SmartQ C368 USB 3.0 SD Card Reader, Plug N Play, Apple and Windows Compatible, Powered by USB, Supports CF/SD/SDHC/SCXC/MMC/MMC Micro, etc."
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y1G18KS


For on-hardware VGA streaming/capture, I'm using this:
"VGA Capture Card, VGA to USB Capture Device with VGA Loopout, Mic Input Support HD 720P Video for Gaming, Streaming, Teaching, Video Conference, Live Broadcasting"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJ6P3KTR