Dmitry

"Based on a true story" I only have collisions turned on for balloon one. The reason for the corruption earlier was I was using the same memory area twice, doh! So, VBXE is working fine now, as far as I'm concerned. Now, I just need to really try hard to avoid the temptation to stop working on this and and start a text editor project instead. The reason I find it tempting, is I have the source code to a good 40 column text editor. I have VBXE text working. In my mind, it seems logical that I could potentially port another text editor to 80 column. Why would I do that - because it would support ATASCII character font. When you are writing up documentation about Atari basic programming, source code listing will necessarily include atascii characters since ML strings were common back in the day. But I don't know maybe there is already an 80-col solution for that? I just don't happen to know of one, but I haven't really gotten a feel for all the choices, as yet.

This. I think people seriously overestimate the number of good systems level coders available for things like this. Want to know why there isn’t a version of say Action! that runs on Rapidus and has a VBXE display, try looking in the mirror and asking why *you* haven’t done it. I bet there isn’t ten guys like Drac030 on here and they already have their own pet projects. Then, after you’ve written a few hundred thousand lines of assembly language, you tend to lose a little of the old enthusiasm. I get that lots of people just want to load their multicart and Joust all day, and that’s great. But before you bemoan the lack of a decent version of SPF/PC for the Atari you need to understand that unless somebody *you* steps up and does something, it ain’t going to happen. The days of a commercial software house writing code for this platform are long gone. KMK is busy, you’re going to have to find someone else. And not Rybags either, I think he’s busy too. I think that the "2 devices" are XEP80 and VBXE? XEP80 is a rare find these days, it is not available to purchase. VBXE is still available, for now. So we have at least four devices that I know about, Austin Franklin 80, Bit3, XEP80, and VBXE. The first 3 cannot be purchased, and the last one...is hanging on for now. I guess what I'm saying, the number of HDMI capable 80-column cards we have is zero, not 2. From my perspective, what the community centers around as a standard is important. When I went to buy my ultimate system back in 2016, I spec'd a 256k classic memory upgrade, a rapidus and vbxe. I priced the upgrades at 4 places, and had 2 people do the install. Every vendor told me they weren't going to do the 256k and were going to install a u1mb instead. I could've insisted on a price for what I wanted, but anyway, I'm just sharing, that is how centered this community is on the u1mb. Anyway, I got a bit unlucky because the u1mb and rapidus are not compatible, and my ultimate atari's didn't really work. So this year, 2020, I just buy some 130xe's and price out getting vbxe, rapidus - no memory upgrade. 130xe was purchased for already being at 128k anyway, right. I priced it out at 4 dealers, and to my surprise several of them told me not to get a vbxe, but to go with a sophia instead. Of course, I knew I wanted a vbxe, so I insisted, and I am having a vbxe installed. In that sense, I'm definitely a vbxe fan. But its popularity is going to wane now. There is no device with hdmi output and 80 columns, but there is a device with hdmi output, and its winning mindshare. That's not good news for an 80 column afficianado, imho. oh well, I'm sure we mostly agree, we have to get out there and code, no doubt.

Thanks all it is clear. I don't know if kickC has the equivalent of cc65 passing of x and a registers or not. But I just defined the struct in a header file, which I called ATARI_VBXE and then struct ATARI_VBXE * const vbxe = 0xd640; or, I would do a check and use 0xd740 instead, as the case may be. I didn't run the original program, but I found my port of it, at least didn't really clear the whole vbxe screen memory but left a lot of garbage at the top. So I cleared a section of vbxe memory moved the start of the vidmemory location to the cleared area and ultimately made the text area a little smaller so that my overlay was cleared. I kind of had hoped to do something someone using kickC might find useful, but there is little chance of that, but anyway...so no upload after all. Defeat! lol, well maybe I'll get back to it.

This weeks' update, I waste time on VBXE

ah I'm guessing at somepoint I confused MEMAC control with video control. D640 must be the correct location, not D65E...doh! anyway, nevermind...I will get it turned on in kickC and then post my results. My results will not be optimized at all - but I will attempt to comment each step in turning it on... Edit: p.s. my statement earlier in the thread that the location was not documented - not true. The 2 locations are documented as Dx40 and Dx5E, therefore a search on D640 or D65E fails. one has to substitute x for 6 or 7 depending upon the location vbxe is decoded in atari memory.

P.s. I do understand that D640 and D740 may be chosen depending upon the fx core. I'm just more generically asking why the x and a registers are set here. My assumption is x and y register are set because they are used by the C compiler for the location where it allocates the struct in memory. Hopefully I'm not completely off base, but who knowsю Even if my guesswork is correct, I don't know how you get from D640 to D65E, since VIDEO_CONTROL is the first element in the struct. Seems to be a 30 byte offset to account for.

Hi, all, it's been a few years. Some questions about C. These questions probably aren't about VBXE in particular, so anyone that knows C, that'd be willing to answer the question, you'd be helping me out, much appreciate. This example turns on the XDL processing as follows: // turn on XDL processing vbxe->VIDEO_CONTROL = 0x01; From what I'm reading from other Atari age posts, this will actually turn on XDL processing only if vbxe-->VIDEO_CONTROL is set to the memory location for VIDEO_CONTROL. Sadly, the VBXE PDF documentation only refers to the alias and doesn't mention the location. However, another Atari age user posted the address as : $D65E Indeed, using assembly I was able to turn on XDL processing by writing to that address, so it is my belief this is likely correct. However, when I search vbxetest.c, vbxe.h and vbxe.s I do not see where you've ever mentioned this address, so it is a bit of mystery to me how you set the address. Is it an accurate statement that you actually did not set the address in C? I do notice that you initialize vbxe, here: And that vbxe_detect procedure appears to be written in assembly and referenced by the magic of cc65. For reference here is vbxe.s .export _vbxe_detect .code _vbxe_detect: ldx #$D6 ; try $D640 first ldy #$40 lda #0 sta $D640 lda $D640 cmp #$10 ; $10 = FX core beq fxcore inx ; try $D740 sta $D740 lda $D740 cmp #$10 ; $10 = FX core beq fxcore lda #0 ldx #0 ; no fx core rts fxcore: tya ; move low byte into a rts obviouisly in this code register x is loaded with immediate value $D6, a value that is not really used in this code for anything. So, it's purpose must be for something else. Anyway - how does this code ensure the VIDEO_CONTROL struct, does in fact reside at $D65E?

I usually pop in a game just to look at how it was constructed. But there is one game I play from time to time, which is Donkey Kong. I just eternally love that game, for some reason. What stands out in my mind of the admittedly few games I've played...but I'll toss them out as ideas, Donkey Kong, last year's ABBUC winner The Last Squadron, and a 2010 port called Dr. Mario. After the contest starts maybe I'll jump in and post a score - it'll definitely be very low, that's for sure.

thanks! another mystery solved.

Thanks, but I'm having a mental block CTRL+ESC, then left off the keys, then type 125 Prints literally the numbers 125. Holding down CRTL+ESC for a length of time starts print an inverse down arrow. I hate that I take up all this time or even thread space, but....here I am. So, on the manual, I searched on keyword ATASCII, I didn't find what i needed. Could you tell me the page, I'll just peruse that for a while. Update: CTRL+ESC CTRL+< Prints a "." on the screen. After playign with other key combinations, that seems to access an international characterset. So it seems that I would then need to configure LW to use an atascii character set.... OK, getting closer, I guess, Thanks

Personally I'm not looking for a count of 80-columns software, or things like Visicalc updated, even if that'd be cool. I specifically need a solid code editor, DOS, and one terminal emulator to be at 80-column. VBXE is close. I have LastWord, although I don't use it, as yet. First time I went to use it, the code needed me to print an ATASCII clear screen character. Which I normally type by "Esc ctrl+clear" Atascii $7D....I do that in Last Word, it does nothing. So I search the docs on ATASCII and find instructions like CODE, code, ATASCII Attach code "ATASCI" to key code "code" Which means absolutely nothing to me....but eventually I will ask someone how they are typign atascii characters. Btw, how are you typing atascii characters? BobTerm works with XEP, VBXE has a demo VBXE color ansi terminal. I've got my VBXE cabling going to a scart style connector, then a $40 scart converter taking it to HDMI, and that works great for me. But I rather suspect as folks buy sophia2 for output, they aren't also going to buy a VBXE. Just as I am not going to find the sophia 2 as tempting because I want one output that also supports 80-column. If someone just came out with a solution for both 80-column and direct to hdmi output, then I'd probably buy in. Looking for 15khz crt monitors isn't in my plans.

I see you are on that thread, but I will mention for others, Joey Z posted ANSIVBXETERM.zip under a thread called "Full Color ANSI VBXE Terminal" That was way back in 2014. There is a chance it won't be completed But some have posted using it to contact Dark Force BBS in 80 columns and with color support, so it looks like something fun...I haven't tried it yet, personally. Draco030 wrote a file manager called SpartaDos commander.

All this talk of 80-column cards somehow got me to thinking, I wonder what the Russians are working on? This post is only from a couple weeks ago, so I'm going to assume I'm the first to cross post it. Oh, and I shouldn't have set you up like that, it isn't about an 80-column card....it's just an internationalization of the Atari 8-bit, that I find really cool https://zx-pk.ru/threads/32580-o-russkom-na-atari-8.html I don't think he mentions it in the article, but the download is a zip file, you just delete the "zip" extension it is actually just a renamed atr image. Also, after you run the driver, you are in English. Hit "Select" and you'll switch. sweet, thanks ezswift

I know so many people here learned to solder that it is undeniable that the skill can be acquired. However, speaking as a person that didnt acquire the skill and destroyed quite a few practice machines... there is just no way the skill is limited to soldering. nobody gets it right all the time they have to grab a voltmeter and check for shorts, so the skill is about reading schematics, understanding basic electronics and the art of soldering. even the simplest of upgrades sold here, even one advertised as no soldering will require extensive case modding, like my antonia has laid claim to another destroyed Atari. anyway I just pay the man his money these days. my sophia is being installed by a tech. still.....someday I will pick up the iron again....hehe

What would be great is to see it in action, anyone want to post a video to youtube? Software solutions didnt seem great in the past, to me. but given how crystal clear displays have gotten such as a sophia to a 19” dvi monitor, maybe, I have an open mind on it. seems to me, ideally - and nothing is ideal but literally the goal would be -they are fast, readable, take no ram and are universally supported. again nothing achieves that and the comparative question, for me, is how close a solution comes, which I am not really able to gauge as yet. i dont have a feel for the look or operation. i dont use letter perfect, but sounds like to use this that would be the editor of choice? anyway if just collecting cool stuff, i get it from that angle

Well I went ahead and applied for membership. I have enjoyed their contest for years and want to support it. Honestly, I didn't consider membership previous to now because of the language barrier. Obviously my native language is English, but I can read and write fluently in a "foreign" language...but it isn't German and it gives me a headache to look at the website. Because the website is partially german and partially English already, and then additionally has a google translate option - google translates both the german and the english into the target language, so you have the same articles repeated all over the place, and sentences constantly repeated, and the overall effect is it gives me a splitting headache to read the website. But, still love that contest - so I joined, I think they do great work.

oh thanks everyone! @MrFish I should give an update on the COVID. After getting exposed on Christmas day, we all got tested and came back negative. Nobody has gotten a fever or exhibited symptoms. I've very surprised...we were all exposed big time, but somehow didn't get it. I was not expecting this result, but at this point, it has been over a week, so, yes, on occasion I'm told it can take 14 days to exhibit, but anyway, so far so good...optimistic at this point.

just collisions done and I ramble on about assembly

Totally get that. Last time I gave all the money away, but this time, I bought an XF551. I guess with enough temptation they finally hooked me on the free money. OK, this almost sounded political, so I'll bite my tongue. Anyway, good luck on the project, that keyboard does look magnificent.

So nice. I like the matching xegs joystick and the modern white desk too - it really completes the cleanness of the look.

You all remind me that in the late 90s I had a support job where the polling computer ran DOS and had a copy of basic on it. I wrote a pong clone, the kicker was when you pressed the space bar an arm came out and the ball was actually struck with a racket. i had big plans for “The Mean Streets of Hong Pong” but alas the program was discovered and the IT department said the game was responsible for poor polling performance. the source code sitting on the disk, lol. that may not be how computers work but it is how IT departments work. the program was deleted. tragedy.

I've got a machine sent in to Macrorie. As far as the price goes, if you get a better price, great. I figure people do comparison shopping and factor in the price, so little need to discuss it. But what I do find very helpful about having a company like that around is is you can just buy something and they ship it. Or ask questions, and they answer it. That is such a convenience. It's way better than ask someone if they have a few things in stock, they write you a week later to tell you they have communication rules and have decided to answer only some of your question because you broke their invisible rules. This type of eccentricity is sometimes present with some Atari dealers. Another great thing about The Brewing Academy is the working shopping cart. Again, you can just order something and pay for it and they send it. I've been to some Atari websites where they don't have a working shopping cart, they have some kind of weird rant they wrote in the 90's....and thats supposed to help you order somehow. Anyway, to each their own, I say, the more the merrier. I don't have any review of the work yet, but I expect no problems. I will say, so far so good with the ordering process. They are a professional outfit.

Not that I use it, but a quick google search came up with "PC-Basic" which aims to be a clone of GW-Basic from the 80's, including bugs. Supports Windows, Linux, Mac, and more. http://robhagemans.github.io/pcbasic/download.html I tried it just now, wow....I've got GW Basic on my Mac I even typed in a quick program and saved it. the documentation explains it saved the bas file to my home folder. Or on windows: On Windows, this is usually a folder with your user name, located under C:\Users\. You can find this folder in Windows Explorer by typing %USERPROFILE% in the address bar.

I'm probably not helping, because i cannot specifically answer your question. But as it happens, I typed in the Ian Chadwick Demo for accessing Antic 130xe extended memory just a few days ago..over Christmas break. It uses regular Atari Basic. It was kind of fun, that is, typing from a magazine again. In my case, i was examining the Basic, to implement what I needed to do in Assembler. And I found that I just had to look at the code, it was obvious enough from the demo how it works. Which, I cannot say the same from reading the article. I found the article to be completely incomprehensible, I think it really misdirected by talking about logical addresses that have no importance at all - it just seems to me that was the writing style in the 1980s. I finally just had to ignore the article. But the code is clear, poke portb give the cpu access to the bank, write your data. Poke portb again, give antic access to read the written data, addressing never changes, just the active bank. And I even found another article, that basically said don't try to use extended ram, unless you have Basic XE! Wow! It's no wonder it didn't catch on more, those magazine articles were highly influential.

same. I would like to learn that too