RXB - Rich Extended Basic

[+Ksarul]

You can already get the current version from Arcadeshopper on an UberGROM board. We'd have to impose on Gazoo to make a file set using the new version once Rich releases it. Then any of us with the capability to setup the ATMELs can make the carts. Once the programmed version of the ATMELs are in general circulation with the loader software installed, pretty much anyone would be able to set one up (assuming they have the capability to burn the PLCC ROMs that are also used).

[RXB]

Just need to finish the documentation.

[Tursi]

 

 

We'd have to impose on Gazoo to make a file set using the new version once Rich releases it

 

... or you could just use the configuration tool that I wrote to build the image, which was the entire point of it. It would take all of 10 seconds to configure RXB for it.

 

Can we please consider (also) releasing the AVRs as they were intended, rather than ONLY as finished products? Everyone is supposed to be able to program these, the software is now out there and no one person need be looked at as the "only" one who knew who to use it. If one of the shops could offer a stock of programmed AVRs ready to go (maybe with the PCB), then more people could have a play.

 

I'll get the training video done and post a new thread to cover how it works, that's probably part of the confusion. Last time I tried I was way overtired.

[+Ksarul]

Sorry, Tursi, that was the point of the second half of my previous comment, but it didn't come out clearly enough now that I read it. The real reason I mentioned the Gazoo method was that he builds them with a GROM header that forces the system to start in the proper banks on the ROM side (and eliminates the uncertainty issue with the 378's startup bank). If the base ATMEL's header also does this (I haven't tested yet, but I've got the chips to attempt a programming test now), that point becomes moot.

 

Many thanks for the entirety of the toolset you built here--it is a fine bit of code!

[Tursi]

The AVR doesn't run TI code (except the recovery, on user request), it's the equivalent of an EPROM. That sort of code just goes into the image.

 

Seems to me we should just ask Rich to put it in RXB itself, since he's polishing anyway. It won't hurt anything. Rich, just have a GPL powerup link that writes to ROM @>6000 (as if you were bank switching, to force the chip to start in the right bank). Why have someone else hack the release when the author's right here?

[RXB]

The AVR doesn't run TI code (except the recovery, on user request), it's the equivalent of an EPROM. That sort of code just goes into the image.

 

Seems to me we should just ask Rich to put it in RXB itself, since he's polishing anyway. It won't hurt anything. Rich, just have a GPL powerup link that writes to ROM @>6000 (as if you were bank switching, to force the chip to start in the right bank). Why have someone else hack the release when the author's right here?

Talk to me like I am not a hardware guy please.

Here are the GPL XML's how do you tell which ROM bank XB is using when a XML is used from GPL?

Really there is no indication of ROM bank selection in GPL that I know of.

***********************************************************
[0060]               *    Equates for XMLs
[0061] 0000          SYNCHK EQU  >00               SYNCHK XML selector
[0062] 0003          SEETWO EQU  >03               SEETWO XML selector
[0063] 0070          COMPCT EQU  >70               PREFORM A GARBAGE COLLECTION
[0064] 0072          MEMCHK EQU  >72               MEMORY check routine: VDP
[0065] 0077          VPUSH  EQU  >77               Push on value stack

99/4 GPL-ASSEMBLER (Pass 3) correct                                   PAGE 0002 
EQUATES EDIT-359
[0066] 0078          VPOP   EQU  >78               Pop off value stack
[0067] 0079          PGMCHR EQU  >79               GET PROGRAM CHARACTER
[0068] 007D          SCHSYM EQU  >7D               Search symbol table
[0069] 007E          SPEED  EQU  >7E               SPEED UP XML
[0070] 007F          CRUNCH EQU  >7F               Crunch an input line
[0071] 0081          CONTIN EQU  >81               Continue after a break
[0072] 0083          SCROLL EQU  >83               SCROLL THE SCREEN
[0073] 0084          IO     EQU  >84               IO utility (KW table search)
[0074] 0085          GREAD  EQU  >85               READ DATA FROM ERAM
[0075] 0086          GWRITE EQU  >86               WRITE DATA TO ERAM
[0076] 0087          DELREP EQU  >87               REMOVE CONTENT FROM VDP/ERAM
[0077] 0088          MVDN   EQU  >88               MOVE DATA IN VDP/ERAM
[0078] 0089          MVUP EQU    >89               MOVE DATA IN VDP/ERAM
[0079] 008A          VGWITE EQU  >8A               MOVE DATA FROM VDP TO ERAM
[0080] 008B          GVWITE EQU  >8B               WRITE DATA FROM GRAM TO VRAM
[0081] 008E          GDTECT EQU  >8E               ERAM DETECT&ROM PAGE 1 ENABLE
[0082] 008F          SCNSMT EQU  >8F               SCAN STATEMENT FOR PRESCAN
[0083]               ***********************************************************

Now if I still had the XB ROM source code I could tell you, but as those were lost in a flood (Hardcopy) and SCSI drive failure (Hardware) I have no idea how to tell.

 

Could you explain what you guys want from me?

[+Ksarul]

Rich, this would be part of your GPL power-up header. All you have to do is somewhere (preferably before you make any ROM calls), include a bit of code that does a WRITE to >6000. Once it does that, the Bank Switching hardware is initialized properly for your module--as it is now set to the proper space. I hope this helps.

[Gazoo]

Rich, this would be part of your GPL power-up header. All you have to do is somewhere (preferably before you make any ROM calls), include a bit of code that does a WRITE to >6000. Once it does that, the Bank Switching hardware is initialized properly for your module--as it is now set to the proper space. I hope this helps.

 

It would be better to include it in the GPL code that executes once RXB is selected from the menu, and before the XB GPL interpreter is accessed.

 

Rich, the reason this is needed is that the ROM in the cartridge is not limited to just 2 banks like the XB cartridge. There are 64 banks of Rom and theoretically the Rom could power up in any one of them. If it doesn't start in one of the first 2 banks where the XB Roms are, XB locks up. Just add a write to c>6000 early in the GPL startup code for RXB. It won't hurt any other devices to do so, and will help insure the cart works properly.

 

For the RXB cart I sent you, I copied the 16k of Rom 32 times to fill the rest of the 512k Rom chip so that wherever it started would be ok, and once it bank switched it would end up staying in the first 2 banks.

 

Gazoo

[Tursi]

Gazoo's got a good point, if you aren't using ROM headers anywhere on the cart (which for an RXB cart you would not need to).

 

When I did the demo cart for Chicago in 2013, I actually did two changes - a powerup routine so the multicart menu would appear, and a startup link so that RXB would work right. But the code is simple - assuming the RXB ROMs are on the first select bank, you just need this:

 

 

  * Set bank to top of ROM
 ST @>6000,>00

 

(My syntax is probably wrong, I still haven't been usng the GPL assemblers, just doing it by hand, but Gazoo's explanation is probably more clear anyway.)

 

SInce this is just for an RXB cart, there's no need to have the powerup link.

[Gazoo]

Dennis said, "Golly Geerom Mr. Wilson! Tursi and Gazoo agreed on something!"

[RXB]

Gazoo's got a good point, if you aren't using ROM headers anywhere on the cart (which for an RXB cart you would not need to).

 

When I did the demo cart for Chicago in 2013, I actually did two changes - a powerup routine so the multicart menu would appear, and a startup link so that RXB would work right. But the code is simple - assuming the RXB ROMs are on the first select bank, you just need this:

  * Set bank to top of ROM
 ST @>6000,>00

(My syntax is probably wrong, I still haven't been usng the GPL assemblers, just doing it by hand, but Gazoo's explanation is probably more clear anyway.)

 

SInce this is just for an RXB cart, there's no need to have the powerup link.

Ok I see no problem I can do this.

By the way you were right.

 

ST @>6000,>00 should be DST >0000,@>6000

 

But a much more compact command to do the same thing would be for ROM bank choice is:

START  DCLR  @>6000

This is only a 3 byte command unlike DST that would be a 5 byte command.

Edited March 1, 2015 by RXB

[RXB]

RXB DEMO B

 

Edited March 24, 2015 by RXB

[RXB]

RXB DEMO C

 

[RXB]

RXB 2015

 

Here is the zip package.

 

 

RXB2015.zip

[atrax27407]

I have encountered a serious problem with RXB 2015 (installed in my HSGPL card). I am attempting to load an XB program from MENU on my HRD16. The process worked flawlessly in RXB 2012/REA 2011. When I try the same with RXB 2015, I get a honk and a "Syntax error" message. It appears that RXB is NOT setting a proper XB environment when installed in my HSGPL card. It does appear as a GROM entry in MENU, though. Ideas? Or does anyone have a GRAMKRACKER version of RXB2012/REA 2011 that they could download?

[RXB]

I have encountered a serious problem with RXB 2015 (installed in my HSGPL card). I am attempting to load an XB program from MENU on my HRD16. The process worked flawlessly in RXB 2012/REA 2011. When I try the same with RXB 2015, I get a honk and a "Syntax error" message. It appears that RXB is NOT setting a proper XB environment when installed in my HSGPL card. It does appear as a GROM entry in MENU, though. Ideas? Or does anyone have a GRAMKRACKER version of RXB2012/REA 2011 that they could download?

The issue may be the address that MENU is using to start the XB cart. It should always be >633B and I have run into this before.

Funnel Web LOAD starts XB at a erroneous address and so does BOOT.

 

Do you know what address MENU starts GROM in XB at? I got FW LOAD and BOOT to work with RXB but they still do not start properly.

Both BOOT and FW LOAD do not initilize the RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR and do not load the proper values for several math functions as it skips these per the erroneous address used.

 

I hope MENU does not use yet another goofy address.

Edited March 24, 2015 by RXB

[atrax27407]

I don't think that is the issue. Everything worked flawlessly when I was using RXB 2012/REA 2011. The problem appeared when I loaded RXB/REA 2015.

[atrax27407]

If you happen to have the GRAMKRACKER files of RXB 2012/REA 2011, and could upload them, I would greatly appreciate it

[RXB]

If you happen to have the GRAMKRACKER files of RXB 2012/REA 2011, and could upload them, I would greatly appreciate it

Included in the package is RXB GRAM that has the files used to load into GRAM KRACKER and the files used to make a Classic99 RXB 2015 Cartridge loaded with USER cart option.

[atrax27407]

I need to "step back" to the RXB2012/REA2011 package until I can figure out why RXB2015 won't load XB programs from the Horizon (HRD16) MENU program. I need the GRAMKRACKER files for that earlier package so I can convert them for use on my HSGPL card.

[RXB]

Gazoo's got a good point, if you aren't using ROM headers anywhere on the cart (which for an RXB cart you would not need to).

 

When I did the demo cart for Chicago in 2013, I actually did two changes - a powerup routine so the multicart menu would appear, and a startup link so that RXB would work right. But the code is simple - assuming the RXB ROMs are on the first select bank, you just need this:

  * Set bank to top of ROM
 ST @>6000,>00

(My syntax is probably wrong, I still haven't been usng the GPL assemblers, just doing it by hand, but Gazoo's explanation is probably more clear anyway.)

 

SInce this is just for an RXB cart, there's no need to have the powerup link.

When GAZOO needs a version with DCLR @>6000 I can put it in the code for his hardware version of the RXB 2015 cart if he makes any.

[RXB]

I need to "step back" to the RXB2012/REA2011 package until I can figure out why RXB2015 won't load XB programs from the Horizon (HRD16) MENU program. I need the GRAMKRACKER files for that earlier package so I can convert them for use on my HSGPL card.

 

Ok here are the GRAMKRACKER files, you can use Ti99Dir to turn them into DISKIMAGE or tiimagetool

RXB 2015 GRAM.zip

[Tursi]

When GAZOO needs a version with DCLR @>6000 I can put it in the code for his hardware version of the RXB 2015 cart if he makes any.

 

it's your choice, of course, but it won't hurt the code and I would think it would be nice to have a single version of the binary out there?

[atrax27407]

Rich,

 

You misunderstood (or I wasn't clear), I need a GRAMKRACKER copy of RXB2012/REA2011. I don't need RXB2015 since it doesn't work in my system.

[RXB]

Rich,

 

You misunderstood (or I wasn't clear), I need a GRAMKRACKER copy of RXB2012/REA2011. I don't need RXB2015 since it doesn't work in my system.

LOL they are both GRAMKRACKER versions and both are the same code except for some slight additional code in RXB 2015,

 

other then that they are IDENTICAL. The ROMs are exactly the same and GROM 4 only had 25 bytes changed.

 

The RXB 2015 files are saved in GRAMKRACKER format. Gazoo may be able to help you if the problem is the HSGPL card.

 

You can also get RXB (any version) from the AtariAge:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/153704-ti-994a-development-resources/

Edited March 26, 2015 by RXB