Bill R Sullivan

Once again Lee is RIGHT on target.

What Lee Stewart said. Trust me it's very straight forward. You'll be glad when you do! RetroBill (FDOS)

I think I got the basics, but in my case, I have an 80K GramKracker that I use frequently, and as you may already know, I don't do hardware modifications any more, as I can't even "touch type" doing software development (TIB+ & X4th99), so I would have to pay someone to do all the necessary TI console modification. Any, and all better suggestions welcome. RetroBill (FDOS), the old guy

I also have a Foundation 128K card, not upgraded to 512K, but does have the Myarc DSR chips. I haven't used it in years, but may do so as soon as I have my PEB up running again.

My SNUG TI-99/4P has 1MB of 16 bit SAMS on the SGCPU card, that's why I would prefer 16 bit SAMS in my TI-99/4A. i use >4000 for paging.

Actually, it should be switchable for 8 bit and 16 bit, so that software can be written and tested on the same TI-99/4A!

However, those of us with a SNUG TI-99/4P system would appreciate 4 banks of ROM (should be write protected RAM) for our TI-99/4A systems, so it will be easier for us to write programs that work on both systems.

Waiting for one with the case, and wondering if it will block the no/off switch on the beige TI-99/4A?

Thanks I needed that! LOL RetroBill (FDOS)

Thanks very much for your words of encouragement, and if I have such an encounter, I will take you two upon your offer to help me with X4th99. RetroBill (FDOS)

Thank you for your very kind words. Over the years I've been in and out of my TI hobby including the late '80's and early '90's that I spent doing Forth+ for MDOS due to the two 9640 Geneves (GenMod, PFM 512K and 2 x 2MB Memex cards). Sure glad that confusion factor is GONE now, but it did inspire me to do X4th99; mainly for my SNUG TI-99/4P, as after the move I've not found either of my two small 1MB SAMS cards, yet. All my best two you and the others in your efforts to help GDmike! RetroBill (FDOS)

This reply is mainly to Lee and "The BF", as their replies have made me realize just how much I would have to do to make all my established methods work in fbForth. Plus the fact that I will also be using these methods for my SGCPU in my SNUG TI-99/4P system which has a 16 bit 1MB SAMS! My 80 year old brain can't deal with this change no matter how much help you guys give me. I even considered just retiring from my TI hobby, but then considering all the time I spend in my now tiny "Man Cave" due to COVID19 lock downs I would surely end up in the psycho ward for the duration of my life. I can only apologize for taking up your time and diverting the mainline conversation for my sake. I will just go to my corner and think only X4th99, as it is only intended to keep my mind functional during these hectic times of the Corona Virus and it's mutations! Extremely crazy old guy, RetroBill (FDOS)

Lee, truly amazing! Maybe I should consider dropping X4th99 development and just use fbForth, provided I can easily learn how to use your memory manager! RetroBill (FDOS)

So what's the final word on this GramKracker project?

I use both of mine, one has an 240GB SSD; it's the one with 8GB RAM and Linux, so extremely fast, the other only has 4GB RAM, but has a 320GB HDD, but Linux Mint only requires 2GB RAM and 32GB HDD for excellent operation.. One or the other is always connected to my local network via Dell docking station and 4 port K/V/M as previously described in PM.

Mike, I see that your laptop is a Dell. which model specifically? I have two Dell laptops, one is a Latitude E6430 and the other is a Latitude E6420. Both run Linux Mint Cinnamon.

X4th99 is not ready for release, as I have one more major utility to add, but it will take some time, as I can't get to it until after I release a minimal TI Basic Plus (TIB+), and I still have a few clean ups to do on it.

Sorry, it's taken me so long to get back to you, but I just finished going through the F18A DIY thread first. Very interesting stuff, so did you build yours yourself or did you purchase both? in any case, I still think you should do your project in forth using the TI forth assembler (SAMS required) or just programming forth words with HEX code, so you can test immediately! TF may be a problem also, as it resides in the two RAM banks; which I use in X4th99 for new Library development code. I would recommend Lee's FBforth, as I checked it out last year, and it's really good, but nobody makes better use of 1MB SAMS than my X4th99 for 1K buffers and Libraries, as you can allocate from 8 x 1K buffers up to 8192! Libraries are 4K up to all available SAMS memory! I have tested block buffers up to 8192, but I have only tested the Library capacity up to available SAMS memory when 8192 1K buffers are allocated. Libraries can only use forth words in Xforth99 SAMS paged core memory and the 8K of standard memory available in X4th99. I can already see your jaw hit the floor! How can I use SAMS in all these ways? Right? Well, that's my secret. RetroBill (FDOS)

Me, myself and I don't understand why you didn't do it in forth to begin with, as you can use the TI forth assembler in SAMS or better yet, just do short AL words, as needed, in forth using HEX code! Quick and easy, as you can use your method to test immediately, and learn as you go. One more question; where did you get the F-18A's? I bought mine years ago, and didn't think any more were made as a replacement was planned.

Hi Mike, this is your extremely old buddy RetroBill (FDOS) checking up on you. I've scanned through your AL coding attempts; so very boring, as you minimise your time reading manuals believing you'll figure it out as errors occur. Fortunately, you get lots of help here on AtariAge. You do accomplish a lot, just very slowly. I also noticed that you have a Win 10 laptop, and two F-18A TI-99/4A's that you installed yourself. Putting the TI back together was the hard part for me, as I also have two TI--99/4A's, both with USB keyboard, so my two TI-99/4A consoles work on my 4 port KVM using common monitor and PC wireless keyboard. However, you don't seem to have your old Geneve back, yet. Do you still intend to do so, and complete MDOS Forth+ as agreed?

My ForTI card is missing one sound chip. Does anyone have one to sell? RetroBill (fdos)

Yes, unfortunately, it's on a 720K diskette, and I don't currently have a PEB system up and running, yet. It may also take some time to find, as I haven't bothered to sort them, yet.

We don't celebrate New Year's, but I do wish everyone who does, a Very Happy New Year. Starting with your New Years Resolution List! May it be your best ever, and last through the whole year of 2022. RetroBill (fdos)

Yes, the CHARA1 file header has become an obvious flaw to deal with for those of us just now learning about it. Thanks for your assistance.

Just as I thought, if fbForth is used, then fonted can be used to fix the bad headers of existing CHARA1 files, until I'm ready to create my own CHARA1 files. My thanks to all you very helpful TI'ers on AtariAge. No wonder I have such a hard time staying away when I'm suppose to be "packing" my TI hobby stuff to move or ship! ?