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Save game data with MyIde 2 ?


erichenneke

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Is there a way to get games to save data when using the Atarimax MyIde 2 ?

 

When using the MyIde 2, I noticed that when i play a game which saves high scores, etc, it isn't there the next time i power up and load the game again via MyIde 2.

 

Do programs running on the computer ( in this case i use with 800XL and 130XE machines) have the ability to write data to the SD card in the Myide 2?

 

Thanks!

-Eric

 

 

 

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This depends on which type of game you are running on the MyIDE 2.

 

If you are using R16 or ROM files (or you are using ATR files from the FAT32 portion) you will not be able to save. That is pretty normal, since the cart is 'emulating' a ROM cart. As soon as the game is trying to save data, it is executing code that is written for the original hardware (cartridge) and not for the MyIDE 2. The game should be adapted (heavily) to be able to save that data.

 

The ATR compatibility on FAT32 partition is poor and READ ONLY. If you want to use disk images (I do not know what you are trying to do, so that is why I am writing this) ... you should use the Image mode in MyBIOS. That is R/W.

 

If you have AtariMax 1Mbit games that do save hiscore (like the PacMan arcade port) and you want that hi-score-save feature, you can not have this on MyIDE 2 unfortunately. (but also not on The Ultimate SD cart, and also not on The!Cart)

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The ATR compatibility on FAT32 partition is poor and READ ONLY. If you want to use disk images (I do not know what you are trying to do, so that is why I am writing this) ... you should use the Image mode in MyBIOS. That is R/W.

 

Thank you Prowizz, for pointing it out !

That was a conspicuity, I could not explain

myselve.

 

Stefan

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This depends on which type of game you are running on the MyIDE 2.

 

If you are using R16 or ROM files (or you are using ATR files from the FAT32 portion) you will not be able to save. That is pretty normal, since the cart is 'emulating' a ROM cart. As soon as the game is trying to save data, it is executing code that is written for the original hardware (cartridge) and not for the MyIDE 2. The game should be adapted (heavily) to be able to save that data.

 

The ATR compatibility on FAT32 partition is poor and READ ONLY. If you want to use disk images (I do not know what you are trying to do, so that is why I am writing this) ... you should use the Image mode in MyBIOS. That is R/W.

 

If you have AtariMax 1Mbit games that do save hiscore (like the PacMan arcade port) and you want that hi-score-save feature, you can not have this on MyIDE 2 unfortunately. (but also not on The Ultimate SD cart, and also not on The!Cart)

Thanks, after i thought about my question/situation more i realized that having the executable as an .XEX file in the FAT32 partition is obviously never going to work that way.

 

So, i put some games(with save features) as .ATR images into the image space with MyBIOS and it started working as long as it was set to unprotected. Makes sense.

 

However, I have run into one that crashes, and I think it's the same situation like you helped me with one time before! It is an .ATR image that has a compiled Turbo XL program (already compiled and linked to the runtime with linker ) and set up as the AUTORUN.SYS on the image. This image works fine on emulators, and works fine off of a physical floppy on original 800XL or XE hardware with a 1050 drive. Also runs fine over SIO2PC using APE.

 

However, if I put this same image into the image space on MyIDE2 using MyBios it will load for a little while when selected but eventually just freezes requiring a reboot.

 

Could it be a similar situation with the way compiled TBXL programs are organized, similar to how they don't work properly as XEX files through MyIDE2 Fat32 loader either ( at least not without your patches! ) ?

 

Thanks!

-Eric

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Perhaps you should upgrade to MyBIOS 4.9, that seems more compatible.

It's on the atarimax-forum, MyIDE-][ ;-)

 

Be sure not to run programs under MyBIOS that also use the OSRAM (C000-FFFF).

That will surely crash the systems since it runs from that space.

You can check on the emulator if it did, but also emulate MyIDE and see where it freezes...

 

Later,

Sijmen.

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does these mean that any compiled TBXL will be unusable with MyBIOS since the runtime is required to execute it ?

Not with mybios in rom (u1mb). It should work ok then.

If i have time I will check what is going on.

Edited by ProWizard
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Any luck??

Could you please send me an ATR that is not working on your MyIDE / MyBIOS. That is easier for me to test, than creating my own .... where I am not sure what I'm looking for.

 

Thanks!

Marius

 

p.s. I am pretty sure we'll work this out; I find MyBIOS still a very compatible alternative of the original rev. 2 xl/xe os... so I don't expect a lot of issues...

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Not with mybios in rom (u1mb). It should work ok then.

If i have time I will check what is going on.

 

 

Could you please send me an ATR that is not working on your MyIDE / MyBIOS. That is easier for me to test, than creating my own .... where I am not sure what I'm looking for.

 

Thanks!

Marius

 

p.s. I am pretty sure we'll work this out; I find MyBIOS still a very compatible alternative of the original rev. 2 xl/xe os... so I don't expect a lot of issues...

Ok, see attached.

 

I created a very simple TBXL program ( just to be sure it wasn't something stupid i was doing in my program itself causing the issue ). All this little stub program does is print a sentence to the screen and then point to the redefined font data also loaded ( POKE 756,168 ).

 

Then I compiled it, then I linked it with the TB Linker.

 

I also appended a binary file with font data (loaded into $A800-$AC00), which is also something I am trying to do in my actual application.

 

I named the resulting executable file AUTORUN.SYS so that it auto runs when the image is loaded.

 

Works fine in emulators. Works over SIO2USB, and works in actual 1050 drive with a 130XE

 

But as you can see, if you put it into a MYBIOS image space slot and try to run it, it freezes up.

 

-Eric

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ProWizard,

 

not sure if the file actually attached to that last post.

 

sorry about that.

 

Here you go...

 

 

 

As expected, it simply works on my Atari 800XL with 4.8.05 MyBIOS (this is R1 version).

 

4.8.0A is probably also working. That is the best and most stable release of MyBIOS. You should try that one, you won't be disappointed.

 

This will (of course) not work on a stock atari without MyBIOS in ROM. You can not do this with MyBIOS loaded from Flash-part of MyIDE 2 cart.

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As expected, it simply works on my Atari 800XL with 4.8.05 MyBIOS (this is R1 version).

 

4.8.0A is probably also working. That is the best and most stable release of MyBIOS. You should try that one, you won't be disappointed.

 

This will (of course) not work on a stock atari without MyBIOS in ROM. You can not do this with MyBIOS loaded from Flash-part of MyIDE 2 cart.

Ok, thanks. But I am keeping all my Atari hardware original. I don't want to modify it.

 

I assume you have a flashable modification in your 800XL that has allowed you to flash the bios to use MyBIOS instead. Is that correct? Does that mean that compiled/linked TBXL programs are doomed not to run as image space images under MyBIOS ?

 

And finally, if I reflash the MyBIOS on my MyIDE2 what benefits will I see? I don't think it (alone) will help with this situation. Correct?

Anyway, i just checked again and the MyBIOS on my MyIDE2 is F2 - 4.8.05.

 

Thanks!!

-Eric

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Ok, thanks. But I am keeping all my Atari hardware original. I don't want to modify it.

 

I assume you have a flashable modification in your 800XL that has allowed you to flash the bios to use MyBIOS instead. Is that correct? Does that mean that compiled/linked TBXL programs are doomed not to run as image space images under MyBIOS ?

 

And finally, if I reflash the MyBIOS on my MyIDE2 what benefits will I see? I don't think it (alone) will help with this situation. Correct?

Anyway, i just checked again and the MyBIOS on my MyIDE2 is F2 - 4.8.05.

 

Thanks!!

-Eric

 

they will run in Space Image, as long as you use a substitute of the original Atari XL/XE os.

 

That is quite normal, and is the nature of how the F-versions of MyBIOS work.

 

Atari RAM is just like money. You can only use it ONCE and not TWICE. The F-versions of MyBIOS (the one you are trying to use) are occupying a certain portion of the Atari RAM. Some people call it shadow ram, other people call it OS ram, and there are more names for this part of the atari RAM. It is RAM that was originally not used, since atari tried to be backward compatible with 48K OS B computers. There are some programs though, designed for XL/XE computers, that do use this RAM. TurboBasic (and the compiler) are an example of a program that uses this RAM. Also SpartaDos (diskversion) is an example of use of this RAM. That is why you can not use SpartaDos diskversion with F-version of MyBIOS.

 

MyBIOS F version is a replacement OS. This means the internal OS of the Atari is switched off and all the I/O and other OS tasks are handled by this replacement OS. This replacement OS is running in this RAM part.

 

So you can understand what happens as soon as you or the atari is trying to put something else in that RAM. Then the replacement OS is overwritten, and will not work anymore (or it will crash, or it will lead to other unpredictable or unwanted behavior)

 

The F version of MyBIOS is great, but limited. You can do some nice things with it, and for me it has proven some use.

 

As soon as you decide to use a ROM version of the MyBios (the R versions) the 'hidden ram' is again free for use; just like it is with an original Atari OS. So that increases the compatibility rate dramatically. I recommend that!

 

You could decide to buy yourself a syscheck II. That device gives you the facility of an EXTERNAL replacement OS. I have done this too. So I can use MyBIOS R version (the high compatible one) on a 100% stock atari. It's a great combo.

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And finally, if I reflash the MyBIOS on my MyIDE2 what benefits will I see? I don't think it (alone) will help with this situation. Correct?

Anyway, i just checked again and the MyBIOS on my MyIDE2 is F2 - 4.8.05.

 

That will indeed not help you in this situation. But as I wrote in my post above this one, I really recommend MyBIOS in Rom. You'll appreciate that a lot! It will bring you a lot of fun!

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That will indeed not help you in this situation. But as I wrote in my post above this one, I really recommend MyBIOS in Rom. You'll appreciate that a lot! It will bring you a lot of fun!

thanks, that does sound interesting because I don't want to mess with modifying my hardware.

 

So do you use both the Syscheck II ( to enable MyBios as an external OS ) in combination with MyIDE2 then (to read off the CF card)?

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Why not jump over to the atarimax-forum about MyiDE-][ and read all about it.

MyBIOS is specially designed to drive MyIDE.

4.8 is originally compiled for the older MyIDE-1 cartridges

4.9 specific for MyIDE-][

 

I can confirm that syscheck-2 can be used for external an ROM-bios and it has 512k XE-ramdisk on board as bonus :-)

 

Grtz,

Sijmen.

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4.8 is originally compiled for the older MyIDE-1 cartridges

4.9 specific for MyIDE-][

 

I have to admit I did not test your latest versions of MyBIOS, but I must say -for me- nothing beats 4.8 ... it's fast, compatible, and almost bug free, and... backward compatible indeed with MyIDE 1... and although I love my MyIDE ][ interfaces, I keep using my MyIDE 1 interfaces too. They are cute, and do some of the jobs very well too.

 

Do you know btw. a way to add a reset button to the MyIDE 2 cart? That would be awesome.

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I have to admit I did not test your latest versions of MyBIOS, but I must say -for me- nothing beats 4.8 ... it's fast, compatible, and almost bug free, and... backward compatible indeed with MyIDE 1... and although I love my MyIDE ][ interfaces, I keep using my MyIDE 1 interfaces too. They are cute, and do some of the jobs very well too.

 

Do you know btw. a way to add a reset button to the MyIDE 2 cart? That would be awesome.

 

You should try the 4.9 version on one of your MyIDE-][ some day.

I think you will find the improved layout of the HELP-menu and effective support of other software due to the delay-key routine very helpful.

Current beta version is #14 :-)

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Why not jump over to the atarimax-forum about MyiDE-][ and read all about it.

MyBIOS is specially designed to drive MyIDE.

4.8 is originally compiled for the older MyIDE-1 cartridges

4.9 specific for MyIDE-][

 

I can confirm that syscheck-2 can be used for external an ROM-bios and it has 512k XE-ramdisk on board as bonus :-)

 

Grtz,

Sijmen.

does the syscheck2 plug into the expansion port? So there would be (or could be) a syscheck2 in the expansion port and the MyIDE2 cart in the cart port. Is that the way it works?

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