drac030 Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 (edited) DLT are happy to present a new release: SpartaDOS X 4.43. http://sdx.atari8.info As stated previously, there are no killer new features: the 4.43 is basically an improved and cleaned up 4.42. There are many changes all around the place, and not all of these are visible to the user: there are some internal improvements which facilitate future developments. It is not that the development team has done almost nothing since the previous release. Just to give a clue, 837 days have passed since the 4.42 announcement, and CVS statistics say, that well over 400 source updates (commits) have been done since. To be specific, by strange coincidence, the number of commits is 443. This makes an average rate of 0,53 commits a day, i.e. once in each two days there was a change in the code. Unfortunately, As always, not everything has been done which needs to be done. We decided, though, that the release should not be delayed anymore. The things which remain to fix will be fixed in subsequent versions. Also, the period of 4.43 development was definitely too long - we hope that subsequent versions will be released not less often than once in 6 months. The detailed list of changes (and todos) is available as a plain text file whatsnew-443.txt. The file lists changes relative to SpartaDOS X 4.42. The size of the file is near to 17 KB. A brief overview of most important things is given below. DLT would also like to thank all people who helped to release this version, that is: cooperating coders for coding and ideas, hardware guys for help, betatesters for bug reports and suggestions, authors of tools for the tools, and also users for feedback. Special thanks go to GoodByteXL, who was working hard and patiently on the excellent and detailed SpartaDOS X User's Manual (Note: the release version of the manual is not yet uploaded, it will get uploaded soon; the PDF available on the page is a beta-manual). == Most important news in SpartaDOS X 4.43 == * New Toolkit disk with additional utilities * Improved hardware compatibility: SpartaDOS X now works on SECAM Ataris (equipped with FGTIA). * Improved backward compatibility with SpartaDOS 3.2 and AtariDOS. * Improved backward compatibility with 400/800 OS. * Improved handling of AtariDOS/MyDOS disks. * Improved compatibility with MAC/65 cartridge. * Improved fast I/O driver for the California Access 2001 floppy drive (thanks to sup8pdct) * SIO routines have been optimized to support transfers at higher speeds. * "High" density added to the list of available densities in the Formatter. * VBXE support: directory colorizing may be activated VBXE 80-column console. Also the formatter will cooperate with VBXE driver to avoid interference with 80-column VBXE display. * Quite a few bugfixes all around the place. Most important extensions to internal functions: * It is now possible to read the Help key or Shift/Ctrl+key combos via U_GETKEY routine. * MALLOC is now able to automatically align memory blocks to page boundary. * U_LOAD is now able to automatically align binary blocks to page boundary (the SDX binary header defines an additional flag for that). * New error condition: 183 Environment full (cure that by loading ENV.SYS) Have fun. Edited April 10, 2011 by drac030 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 (edited) Many thanks for this. I know you call this a progressive update, but reading the "whatsnew" file, there have been many important, forward-thinking changes. I regard SDX as probably the greatest ongoing software project for the A8. Keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to these six -monthly updates. Oh... I have a feature request already. ENGLISH programming docs! I take it the PDF manual is being fixed... Hmmm.... where's SDX Customizer? Edited April 10, 2011 by flashjazzcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Can't wait to check this out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookt Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Excellent news, huge thanks to all involved. Oh I second the request for English language programming docs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trub Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Hmmm.... where's SDX Customizer? Will be released in a couple of hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drac030 Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 I take it the PDF manual is being fixed... Hmmm.... where's SDX Customizer? We will get everything uploaded soon, including the customizer. It is not 100% ready because it is hard to synchronize everything among several people who have various other things to do outside the Atari world. As for English programming manual, we simply lack manpower to translate 90 pages into English. I may try to do that in my spare time, but it is not going to take shorter time than a month, perhaps. I will also need assistance from native speakers to clean up my Mazovian dialect of English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Heh... I understand all this takes time. Sorry to pester you. Just copied the toolkit to the HDD... fun times! As for English programming manual translation: I'm offering my editorial services. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 As for English programming manual, we simply lack manpower to translate 90 pages into English. I may try to do that in my spare time, but it is not going to take shorter time than a month, perhaps. I will also need assistance from native speakers to clean up my Mazovian dialect of English. I can help edit / clean up any translated docs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Thanks for a GREAT DOS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookt Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 As for English programming manual, we simply lack manpower to translate 90 pages into English. I may try to do that in my spare time, but it is not going to take shorter time than a month, perhaps. I will also need assistance from native speakers to clean up my Mazovian dialect of English. I can help edit / clean up any translated docs. More than happy to offer any assistance I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trub Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Hmmm.... where's SDX Customizer? SDX Imager (customizer) is now available for download. Be aware that it is designed for special/advanced purposes like adding extra files to the CAR: device. Users of flashjazzcat's myIDE driver can use it to replace the default CONFIG.SYS with a custom one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Released ARCLOCK.SYS on CAR: still doesn't recognize my RTC... had to patch up the other driver I was using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trub Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Force loading the ARCCLOCK driver with /F switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Thanks Trub: I'll give it a whirl. It's so long since we tested the developmental versions, I guess I've forgotten everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 (edited) I get a broken link when looking for the beta user manual : http://sdx.atari8.in...-443-manual.pdf Frank Edited April 10, 2011 by Frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Same here - I just assumed they were still working on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drac030 Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Ups. Link fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 (edited) Hmmm.... where's SDX Customizer? SDX Imager (customizer) is now available for download. Be aware that it is designed for special/advanced purposes like adding extra files to the CAR: device. Users of flashjazzcat's myIDE driver can use it to replace the default CONFIG.SYS with a custom one. We're having some worrying issues with this. I experienced the CONFIG.SYS file moving from the beginning of the ROM image when adding files yesterday, and a tester today complained that the RC1 MyIDE driver was causing the system to hang on boot. After I got him to send me the MyIDE+Flash ROM, I inspected it and could find no trace of CONFIG.SYS nor any reference to MYIDE.SYS, even though he had added both files to the ROM Just checked... the imager has gone through a rather sneaky minor revision update since Trub sent it to me. Better try the latest one on his site, folks Nope... still doesn't work for me The imager seems to move CONFIG.SYS around in the ROM following edits, judging by what I see in a hex editor. I did eventually find CONFIG.SYS (I was using a lowercase text search - Doh!), but it wasn't where I expected it to be. I guess we need to try a modified image without the MyIDE driver in order to isolate the problem. I aplogize in advance if I've wrongly laid the blame on the imager. Edited April 11, 2011 by flashjazzcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russg Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 (edited) I have SpX 4.20 cart. It has a socketed 4.20 chip in it. How would I upgrade it? I'm thinking of burning it on a MaxFlash 8mbit cart? I guess I'll download and see what I learn. ...Oh, I didn't check the URL. I see it is quite complicated to upgrade to 4.43, a 128K chip and a add on board and lots of soldering and wires. I think I'd go MaxFlash rather than trying the upgrade. Edited April 11, 2011 by russg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I have SpX 4.20 cart. It has a socketed 4.20 chip in it. How would I upgrade it? I'm thinking of burning it on a MaxFlash 8mbit cart? I guess I'll download and see what I learn. ...Oh, I didn't check the URL. I see it is quite complicated to upgrade to 4.43, a 128K chip and a add on board and lots of soldering and wires. I think I'd go MaxFlash rather than trying the upgrade. Please note that if you get an 8Mb cart, it is not compatible with the R-Time8. The advantage is that there is space for all of the MAN files(documentation). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trub Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 An updated revision of SDX 4.43 (version number kept, but dated 11.04.2011) is now available for download. Please update ! The changes cover SIO.SYS switches not working, new hardware platforms (SicCart! and IDEPlus 2.0) and drag-and-drop feature of the imager. Just checked... the imager has gone through a rather sneaky minor revision update since Trub sent it to me. Better try the latest one on his site, folks absolutely ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 MyIDE driver problems appear fixed by these amendments. Thanks Trub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr-atari Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 1 Just a short question if SpartaDOS X 4.43 supports densities higher then 512 bps? Let's say if the percom-drive reply says: 1024 bps, does sparta work with this? 2 This command do not work and I need them to support the internal MyIDE-BIOS. SIO.SYS /A 3 I'm missing the image for my atarimax_1mb_ide, also this one I need for my internal MyIDE-BIOS. Later, Sijmen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drac030 Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 1 Just a short question if SpartaDOS X 4.43 supports densities higher then 512 bps? Let's say if the percom-drive reply says: 1024 bps, does sparta work with this? No. There are no plans to make SpartaDOS work with physical sectors of this size. 2This command do not work and I need them to support the internal MyIDE-BIOS. SIO.SYS /A See message #21 of this thread. 3I'm missing the image for my atarimax_1mb_ide We don't have this hardware, so you have to wait until flashjazzcat releases the image he is preparing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 This command do not work and I need them to support the internal MyIDE-BIOS. SIO.SYS /A See message #21 of this thread. I already told him about the bug fix last night but he claimed at the time it still wasn't working with the IDE "BIOS". It appears he has it fixed now, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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