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Classic99 Updates


Tursi

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2 hours ago, TheBF said:

I have downloaded a number of other programs that I use and they all work fine...

It was refurbed by Best Buy and it did a new Windows install when I booted it up first time.

Guess I am on my own. :) 

Also helpful if you give me enough time to log in before giving up... ;)

 

You should not need to give Classic99 administrator rights unless you've stored it in a protected location like Program Files (and then only because it writes it's Classic99.ini in the program folder - I probably need to change that).

 

I wonder if you clicked Classic99.ini instead of Classic99.exe ;) That would require an application.

 

Defender and the like I couldn't say why they are tripping out.

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Apologies.  I did not mean to imply that you should be on call. It was just a quick quip without thinking about what it could mean.

 

I didn't give up.  I just kept poking at it. :) 

 

I first just ran Classic99 while it was in the Classic99 folder in the download folder.

I then dropped it on my desktop to see if that changed anything. Both the same result.

I didn't click the .ini file, but I did try clicking the cartridge DLL and selecting Classic99.exe to run it.

 

It's working now.  I will remove administrator rights and see what happens.  I just did my first update and restart on this thing.

 

 

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Well, as I noted previously, that shouldn't be needed, but whatever makes your machine happy. I develop it on Windows 10 so it's definitely compatible. ;) It's /supposed/ to work all the way back to XP but I haven't tested for a while.

 

Just remember Classic99 can read, write, and modify arbitrary files on your hard drive, so giving it administrator rights is done at your own risk. (Well, running it is at your own risk, but this especially so ;) )

 

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6 hours ago, Tursi said:

You should not need to give Classic99 administrator rights unless you've stored it in a protected location like Program Files (and then only because it writes it's Classic99.ini in the program folder - I probably need to change that).

 

Where do you think you would put it? I personally like emulators (and other programs for that matter) to always store their configuration in the local program folder with the main executable itself. Makes for easy portability and access and just plain'ol simplicity.

 

Just a comment. It's of course your gig.

 

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Historically I have a folder named C:\Programme.DOS on all machines (with ..\Classic99 and many other subfolders)

and I always add full NTFS permission for the logged in user (or a local group) to that (top) folder,

just downwards, without breaking the inheritance from above

 

I start all setup.exe-likes with "Run as Admin", and on problems, the program too

 

Edited by Schmitzi
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I think the user folder is where Microsoft is currently recommending config be stored. I don't plan to get around to it anytime soon. I use D:\Classic99 too.

 

What I did need to get around to was Vorticon's disk corruption bug. For people who refuse to follow developer recommendations and still use disk images for serious work, I've fixed a couple of fairly serious disk image corruption bugs. ;)

 

The new code will also more carefully check that the disk header in sector 0 makes sense before using it - not doing so was one of the issues causing further corruption, as it would fail to see the DSK tag and treat it as a PC99 disk instead (although in fairness, that usually failed too). This means disk images not containing that tag won't read, but I believe that's true on the real TI too...

 

Classic99 399.019

- improve disk image debug
- better testing for valid disk image
- rewrite file creation to fix disk image create/overwrite bug that would corrupt the disk image
- added version to the title bar

 

http://harmlesslion.com/software/classic99

 

Not promising I got them all. I don't use disk images myself and don't consider writing to them to be fully vetted. If you experience problems, please involve me rather than just working around them - it'll help everyone. ;)

 

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30 minutes ago, Tursi said:

For people who refuse to follow developer recommendations and still use disk images for serious work, I've fixed a couple of fairly serious disk image corruption bugs. ;)

 

Not promising I got them all. I don't use disk images myself and don't consider writing to them to be fully vetted. If you experience problems, please involve me rather than just working around them - it'll help everyone. ;)

 

I am not telling you anything you do not already know, but TI Forth users have no choice but to use disk images. I developed fbForth precisely to replace sector I/O with file I/O. I rarely use TI Forth anymore except for the occasional copy from TI Forth blocks (screens) to fbForth blocks files, but I am most appreciative of the access to disk images you have given us. 

 

...lee

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5 hours ago, Lee Stewart said:

I am not telling you anything you do not already know, but TI Forth users have no choice but to use disk images. I developed fbForth precisely to replace sector I/O with file I/O. I rarely use TI Forth anymore except for the occasional copy from TI Forth blocks (screens) to fbForth blocks files, but I am most appreciative of the access to disk images you have given us. 

Sure, but TI Forth users can also use MAME, or Win994A, or JS99er, all of which I am told on a fairly regular basis are much more successful than Classic99. Also, you and Jon both solved that issue with your versions of Forth. ;)

 

I think the pCode guys are kind of stuck too, though...


More seriously, my goal with Classic99 was to try on focus on supporting the features that make sense for future development, much more than past. We're finally getting the I/O devices I was hoping for, which means focusing on working only with the old disk controller only makes software less useful to modern users. The file access mechanism is universal, and was designed to be. I think fbForth is a great project for that reason alone!

 

To that end, read access made sense, but I didn't really want to spend the time debugging write access, or apologizing for corrupt disk images. ;)

 

As long as Classic99 runs Super Space Acer, it has met its goals. ;)

 

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So now I've done plenty of debugging write access and apologizing for corrupt disk images... ;)

 

Classic99 399.020

 

- disable the DAC buffer overflow warning during overdrive
- return PRG for program type in disk file type identification debug
- add sector bitmap debug to disk images (probably temporary)
- rewrite the cluster output routine to fix corruption of output fragmented files

 

Highly recommended to upgrade if you ever save on image disks - another file corruption issue fixed.

 

This one has been pretty well exercised, but be aware I haven't tested the extreme failure cases of disk full, directory full, or cluster list full. They should work in theory, but if you are going to rely on them then test them yourself. ;)

 

https://harmlesslion.com/software/classic99

 

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Tursi,

 I know half of being a brilliant programmer is tricking the computer or compiler, in to doing that thing, that you want it to do.

 I think I'm making pretty good progress at learning Classic99.

 Yesterday, I was trying to use the configure program that comes with PrEditor, where you can change the key strokes for certain functions.

 I was trying to get CTRL-Q to be quit, but the only thing it would see was the Q key, which isn't very helpful.

 I know there is one level of complexity in the smart IBM keyboard, doesn't map to TI's KSCAN routine.

 Then, there be a whole other level of complexity, when you deal with programs like fasterm, that did it's own CRU scans to create a keyboard read.

 I'm betting, that's what configure is doing, it's own hardware keyboard reads directly from the 9901, but I might be wrong.

 Is there a way I could try to 'shim' in something like a CNTR-Q combo?

Thanks,

Dano

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If I'd actually any kind of skill, maybe my words would mean something. ;) This is not aimed at you, just general grumbling.

 

There is nothing about software development that should involve tricking the computer or the compiler. If you are trying to be more clever than your tools, then eventually, your tools won't be able to help you debug the crap your wrote... It's a bad attitude that too many people have, and I'm personally tired of always being called to fix it. 

 

Anyway, on to your issue, I don't have source code to PREditor nor do I use it, but a quick test shows that Classic99 can tell the difference between Q and Control-Q, so the issue probably lies in PREditor. The PC remap is no big deal, both keyboards have a control key, and control has no special meaning on the TI, so the map is pretty direct.

 

In short, without deep diving into the assembly code, there's nothing I can do. Is there anyone still offering support on that editor?

 

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there are a lot of ways to read the keyboard..  emulators emulate what they think is necessary to make the computer work.. they aren't the real hardware and we regularly find things that aren't "completely emulated"

 

if you want an emulator that is closer to the real hardware, try MAME ..   ymmv  no refunds  please keep your hands within the vehicle at all times   void where prohibited

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Actually, since that came up twice today, I think I'm just going to close all support for a while. The answer for the next couple of months is "use MAME". It's not fair that I invest hundreds of hours debugging problems for everyone - half the time they turn out to be issues in the original software and not the emulator. Send your questions to  Mizapf for a while. ;)

 

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soapbox/

Hey guys, don’t dump on Tursi in his own thread, please.  IMO, if you’re the only one having the issue, it’s your system.  Try something else, or reload your system.  :) 

 

I never have had any issue with Classic99, and I use it from time to time to test things.  Mike has put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into his product, so it’s not good to bite the hand that feeds the community with an excellent TI emulator.

/soapbox

 

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:music:

...If you think I'm impolite ...go see Cal!
...Al is not your pal ...go see Cal!

 

If you want a price that's right and you need it overnight...
...go see Cal! ...go see Cal! ...go see Cal!

 

If you need your car fixed right, not by a guy whose ...not too bright!
...go see Cal! ...go see Cal! ...go see Cal!

 

      P.S. Say hi, to his dog Spot, for me.;)

 

             ...go see Cal! (on YouTube)

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50 minutes ago, Tursi said:

Actually, since that came up twice today, I think I'm just going to close all support for a while. The answer for the next couple of months is "use MAME". It's not fair that I invest hundreds of hours debugging problems for everyone - half the time they turn out to be issues in the original software and not the emulator. Send your questions to  Mizapf for a while. ;)

 

Tursi I think Classic99 is amazing. You have given this old guy endless hours of pure enjoyment.

 

Thank you

 

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Tursi,

 

I agree with many others that Class99 is amazing! It's my go-to TI-99/4A emulator.

 

I understand where you're coming from as I used to be a developer and moved to the network stuff as a career choice. And one of the reasons is similar to what you're experiencing.

 

So, just know that there are plenty of us who very much appreciate all you do and have done with this!

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