News From Capricegp2x

[semyaza]

:lol: Thanks. It all means nothing to me anymore. I used to be really good at z80 assembler when I was a kid but now I wouldn't even know where to begin. Well actually that's a lie as for some reason my old Z80 Assembler language book is sitting on my bedside table.

One other thought is could it be possible to have the virtual keyboard wrap around so when you are on the the far left then go left again the cursor goes to the right. Just for fun I started writing a small BASIC program, Amazing how much I remember , but 'typing' on the keyboard was a bit cumbersome.

Also how could I save to a disc. Do I need a blank disc image?

 

[KaosOverride]

One other thought is could it be possible to have the virtual keyboard wrap around so when you are on the the far left then go left again the cursor goes to the right.

Also how could I save to a disc. Do I need a blank disc image?

The virtual keyboard could be updated in that way, I will think about it

The DSK saving is nor supported, just because the disk image is loaded into memory, and all changes are made in memory. I would need to reverse all the DSK load function because Caprice doesn't have a function for saving...

On the other hand I have many problems with those "random hangs" in the menu. I have made some tests and looks as if something is worng in the "Disk load" menu which corrupts something somewere. Maybe I did something very wrong, I must review all the code, especialy the poiters, that are the thing I most hate and get confused with, in C....

Well, the mode 2 is ok now, I have not uploaded it because I0'm taking a little time more to check the menu Also I'm going to disable the TAPE menu. Is useless until tapes work again...

 

[rygar73]

What about a save snapshot function?

 

[KaosOverride]

Yeah, I think I launched the idea of using the same virtual keyboard to generate the characters for the snapshot save option, but as I said I was giving more priority to some bugs at the menu.

And because of that I have tried to fix those bugs and the one of the broken mode 2.

Try this fix!!!!

http://www.axis.org/usuarios/djkaos/files/CapriceGP2x.rar <<<---UPDATED Apr 262007

Please make intensive use in "load DSK, make CAT, make RUN"XXXX, RESET, change DSK, make CAT...." or whatever sequence hanged the emu

 

[Rivroner]

No problems now Kaos
Even i can go out to the menu of gp2x with no problems
Thank you

I have tried to write mode 2 and keyboard is corrupted but no hangings.

Ahora te lo explico mejor en gp32spain, que mi inglés es muy cutre

 

[KaosOverride]

Strange, mode 2 was supposed to work I have seen mode 2 working nice in my own GP2x!!!

What version string does appear at the first line of the boot screen? "W.I.P. 6 with VKeyboard!"

Anyone more has tested the "fix try"?

 

[Rivroner]

Sorry Kaos, it was my fault, mode 2 is working but lock ups problems are still there

 

[KaosOverride]

It's ok, thak you for the testing

About the hangs, I have found some problems with endianness when reading data form the tape file in "word" blocks through a pointer... Maybe this could happend also in other parts of the menu or even the in the PSG code regarding those games with sound problems...

EDIT: I have updated the testing executable in the rar 4 post abobe this one, noticeable "news" are the deactivation of the TAPE menu, and the adition of a submenu for snapshots, like DSK, TAPE and settings, so a future (and now visible) save function will find it's place. For now, bothh snapshot options just load (one loads and returns to emulation and the other just loads and returns to the menu). Also I have added a command line argument for reenabling the first style icon menu, with the emulation screen on back, just run the emu like CapriceGP2x.gpe --screenpause. This makes 3 command line arguments for playing arround, with --nogp2xmenu for just exiting form emu to shell (very usefull for runing the emu for debuging from a tlnet session, to catch all the text messages!! and also to make the aplication friendly to 3º party GUI's) and --nosound (A classic!!)

I hope to erradicate those nasty hangs soon!!!!!!!!!

 

[KaosOverride]

EDIT: I have updated the testing executable in the rar 4 post abobe this one, noticeable "news" are the deactivation of the TAPE menu, and the adition of a submenu for snapshots, like DSK, TAPE and settings, so a future (and now visible) save function will find it's place. [...]
I hope to erradicate those nasty hangs soon!!!!!!!!!



No one has tested that executable?

 

[KaosOverride]

Another recompilation with changes in the makefile. I hope it now becomes rock solid h34r:

http://www.axis.org/usuarios/djkaos/files/CapriceGP2x.rar <<<---UPDATED Apr 26 2007

Feel free to stress the executable and comment here the results!!!! Thnks!!!

 

[virusx]

Thank you Kaos for this Emu. I was waiting for an update and here it is!

 

[KaosOverride]

Well, just some stability fixes for testing. I have been loading dsk's and dsk's, touhing many configs from settings and exiting, re-runing the emu, and appears ok... but I want to know if someone has troubles...

I think I have to revise with patience all the menu system. I hope I finally find the bug.

Things I'm working now=

-Save SNAPSHOT
-On-the-fly ROM load
-Fix the default RAM to 128K, not 576K, because some snapshots failed to load (thnks Antiriad!!)
-More functions for the file loader (Use triggers for jumping pages, mantaining the stick pressed continues to advance from file to file)

All this is work in progress. Is not in the updated executable

I will upload the 128K RAM fix because it's done and its a bit critical, just gime me some minutes

EDIT:
http://www.axis.org/usuarios/djkaos/files/CapriceGP2x.rar <<<---UPDATED Apr 26 2007
Only the 128/512 initial setting fixed to 128, 576 selectable from menu... No new features. Please, keep on testing the menu finding ways to crash CapriceGP2x!!!!

 

[semyaza]

Excellent work .Thanks. I will have a play tonight and tomorrow lunch time.

 

[KaosOverride]

Hi!

New update of the WIP, 7th attemp (Althought the executable shows WIP6 because I forgot to change it!)

Just some little trys, CPC's RAM is now static (No more mallocs and deletes) and minior optimizations with the menu system (Don't use the "Save snapshot function... It's just trash for now... I didn't disable it)

I'm without Internet at home for a long time, so updates and general evolution should be slow.. sorry

Just sources
Binary + working data directory

Mi intention is to know if this update ends the hangs exiting the emu (And any other hang using normal functions of the menues)

Thanks!

 

[semyaza]

You must have read my mind. I was just looking for cpc news. I'll try and give it a go tonight. You posted at the wrong time with all these new entries for the contest to play with

 

[virusx]

KaosOverride for president!

 

[b._.o._.b]

You posted at the wrong time with all these new entries for the contest to play with

There's never a wrong time for a Capricegp2x update. I think we can handle it

Good news Kaos, thanks for the update!

 

[semyaza]

Well what a pain in the ass. My missus decided after over a year after getting my gp2x for my birthday that she would get addicted to battlejewels :rolleyes: . So I didnt get to look at caprice till late.

Anyway, yes it does seem to hang on exit. But this seemed random. I tried as many combinations as I could but couldnt get it to do it all the time. I noticed that some times when going to caprice's menu and then going back to the cpc screen a dot appeared in the bottom right quarter. Again I couldnt repeat this. I'll have to give it a good go again later.

I tried out a few games; Driller, Doomsday Blues, Solomons Key, Starquake, Starglider...and more. All ran ok with no problems as such. There still seems to be sound issues, Solomons key is the worse. It sounds like the music is playing in time to screen refreshes, or something like that. Hard to explain.


I think I tried to explain this in a post ages ago. Not a priority but I came across a CPC emulator in the GBA which I cant find anymore. It worked in a weird way. You would use a combination of shoulder buttons and the A,B buttons to bring a part of the keyboard up. So you would do one combination and get 'qwerty', another 'uiop'. Something along those lines. It was such a long time ago but it stuck in my head. It made using the keyboard easier and quicker. I played Hitchhikers Guide adventure game on it and it was easy.

I have also just been looking around and came across pspcap a cpc emulator for the psp and it uses some kind of keyboard mapping system. Which would be good for games like elite and driller which use loads of keys. Otherwise only joystick games would work the best.

But yeah. Excellent work. Thanks.

 

[KaosOverride]

hank you very much for the try. I was blocked because of that hangs and don't make many changes in other features. I think I have some bugs with my toolchain with mallocs and closing files (that's why I have moved into fixed configuration, because the config file get unclosed...)

I have some mallocs in ROM configuration so testing with a new toolchain and maybe using static ROM instead of malloc-ating it will give more stability

Also not having internet at the new house is a pity, updates will get slower, sorry

 

[semyaza]

HI KAos. Hows internet access coming along?

I have given things a good go over the last couple of days. I still cannot find a pattern to get things to crash. Apart from the sound issues everything seems to work perfectly. I have started taking a look at some adventure games I used to have, or still have actually. Jewels of Darkness collection, Time and magik collection and The Pawn (which I never owned). All excellent...except I can't save yet though . Ah well. I can wait for that.