gozar Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Are there any BBSes that run under SDX? I have an MyIDE+Flash that is working well with SDX and the myide.sys driver. I don't really have any use for it, so I thought it might be cool to set up a BBS. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 (edited) I have been wanting to do that for years. All the BBS programs I found are very picky about the DOS. If I remember correctly, even Express Pro and TCP/IP Express only run on disk based Sparta. I found the TARDIS BBS written in TurboBASIC written by Synthpopalooza here (search for it). It has a funky clock routine that must be removed and replaced, but it has possibilities. It does compile without errors (you may need to change it a little, I forget now). Combine that with the fact that compiled TB allows you to run other CTB files from disk, then you can create a door system. Games, any kind of module you can think of. All you'd need to do is find a protected memory area that doesn't get wiped out when the runtime loads another CTB program, or even save a small file to the HD called CURUSER.DAT to remember the current user's parameters. Chain off to the next module, and have that module re-run the BBS when it's done. As I said in the beginning, I have been wanting something like this for years, but have never found the time (yet) to do it. If anyone would like to help, please do. Thanks. Edit: This especially interests me because I am a fan of Doctor Who. Edited January 18, 2016 by Kyle22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthpopalooza Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 (edited) I may have another better version of ATARDIS on my floppy disks downstairs ... will have to check. But then there's the matter of converting it to ATR which I have no idea how to do with my SIO2SD. I wrote this in the late 80's/early 90's, and it seems to work in local mode (you need two floppy drives) ... but I never got it to quite respond to external people calling the BBS and eventually gave up on it. Which was a shame ... it uses NOTE and POINT to allow for threaded message bases (like on the old Color 64 BBS system which I quite liked) and the interface is deliberately inspired by the old PC WWIV BBS systems (of which I was a big fan). I had even managed to hack PC ANSI and PETASCII support into it, tho I am not sure if it really even worked. Also, I have been a long time Doctor Who fan since the 80's. My old BBS handle was Dr. Who VII (because McCoy was the current Doctor at the time, and remained so while the program was in limbo from 1989 until 1996). Edited January 18, 2016 by Synthpopalooza 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I don't have an SIO2SD, but my laptop has an SD card slot. Could you simply save the files to an ATR on your SD, then put the SD in a Windows machine and copy the file? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthpopalooza Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Well, it's a matter of copying from my 1050 to the SD card. Haven't figured that part out yet. Anybody got any ideas? Also, found the clock routine I used. I have posted it on the ATARDIS BBS thread, here: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/149119-atardis-bbs-beta-version/?p=3418141 I hope this is of some help! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 As I said, I have no SIO2SD, but it seems to me that you could mount an empty ATR on it as D1: and have a 1050 set as D2: and simply copy the files. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roydea6 Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Are there any BBSes that run under SDX? I have an MyIDE+Flash that is working well with SDX and the myide.sys driver. I don't really have any use for it, so I thought it might be cool to set up a BBS. Any ideas? http://atariage.com/forums/topic/217539-ice-t-xe-276-released/?p=3090553 ICE T is a good choice for SDX and compatible with MyIDE.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I have the code for bb65, which must run under SDX, here: http://github.com/tschak909/ataribbs I want to actually redo the whole thing, to be just different executables that run along a common spine, as it does not need to be in memory all the time. The main reason I haven't continued work on it, is because I do not know how I could realistically make it a multi-user BBS. If anyone has a trick that can work with emulated Ataris, let me know. I provide the code as a basis that others can work on, maybe collaborate with... but it is, to my knowledge, the ONLY BBS that requires SDX, as it relies very heavily on linear byte oriented access of index and messaging files, for example. -Thom 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthpopalooza Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 As I said, I have no SIO2SD, but it seems to me that you could mount an empty ATR on it as D1: and have a 1050 set as D2: and simply copy the files. Doesn't work though. D2 is not seen, probably because it's the first in the daisy chain, and I can't chain anything after the SIO2SD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gozar Posted January 19, 2016 Author Share Posted January 19, 2016 I guess I'm going to try to get my copy of BBS Express Pro running first. Since I'm still learning about running a BBS, I figure I would be a lousy beta tester for anything else. Years ago I purchased a bunch of software and equipment from a person that used to run a BBS, so I have licensed copies of BBS Express Pro from 2.1 up to 4.0b. I've been trying to get 4.0b running, but even after I get everything set up it complains about a missing file, CMDPATH.DAT. I know it's there, in the D1:Pro> directory. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 In PRO 2.1 my CMDPATH.DAT is in D1:>Pro My file looks like this: 1-------- In SySEDIT, make sure your Drive PArameters > Command is also set to D1: Again this is my setting in 2.1a. I don't have any expertise with 4.0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UNIXcoffee928 Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 .... The main reason I haven't continued work on it, is because I do not know how I could realistically make it a multi-user BBS. If anyone has a trick that can work with emulated Ataris, let me know.... -Thom Did multi-user BBSs exist for the Atari, at all? I don't remember. I do remember some Apple II BBSs had that functionality. Maybe take a look at some Apple BBS code. I don't remember if C64 BBSs had it either. What was the history of multi-user BBSs, on 8-Bit systems? - How well does the Atari 850 handle multiple modems? - Did you consider attempting to make it work on top of a modified variant of LUnix or GeckOS? (to take advantage of a multitasking OS)? Interested in hearing more about this, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Well, certain people, like SJCarden took heavily customized versions of BBS Express! and chained them to Atari 8-bit machines with what are essentially PBI bus multiplexors...can't exactly DO that, here... maybe phaeron or SJCarden could shed some light on this. -Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UNIXcoffee928 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Well, certain people, like SJCarden took heavily customized versions of BBS Express! and chained them to Atari 8-bit machines with what are essentially PBI bus multiplexors...can't exactly DO that, here... maybe phaeron or SJCarden could shed some light on this. -Thom - So, that was the only instance of an Atari multi-user BBS? - What about multi-user BBSs on other (non-Atari-based) 8-bit platforms... how did they do it? Clearly, you first need the hardware... does the Atari 850 interface support more than one modem attached, and does it support simultaneous usage? I know that the four serial ports were very specific in their functionality. Also, If you can hook up more than one modem, will it still support all transmission speeds reliably? - Has anyone ever used an MPP modem plugged into the joystick port & a modem plugged into the Atari 850, simultaneously? After that, it comes to driver support. Once you know that you can use more than one modem with the physical hardware, then all of this could be eased, if you have an OS that multitasks, which is why I suggested making a special, stripped-down version of LUnix or GeckOS that's only purpose is to run such a multi-user BBS. I'm interested in learning more about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Z Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 - So, that was the only instance of an Atari multi-user BBS? - What about multi-user BBSs on other (non-Atari-based) 8-bit platforms... how did they do it? Clearly, you first need the hardware... does the Atari 850 interface support more than one modem attached, and does it support simultaneous usage? I know that the four serial ports were very specific in their functionality. Also, If you can hook up more than one modem, will it still support all transmission speeds reliably? - Has anyone ever used an MPP modem plugged into the joystick port & a modem plugged into the Atari 850, simultaneously? After that, it comes to driver support. Once you know that you can use more than one modem with the physical hardware, then all of this could be eased, if you have an OS that multitasks, which is why I suggested making a special, stripped-down version of LUnix or GeckOS that's only purpose is to run such a multi-user BBS. I'm interested in learning more about this. The 850 supports only one full duplex connection at a time. In theory, it might be possible to support multiple users on a BBS using the 850 though. You would need to have buffered modems with flow control of some kind (probably would need to use software flow control) and switch between the two modems on the 850 in a time-slice manner. Just run the modem's phone line connection speed at least 2 times slower than the 850 serial connection and you might be fine. Of course, multiple users in this case would likely have a very noticeable slowdown for each user, from if they were just on by themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 BBSes on other platforms? Simplest answer?(a) multi-port serial cards attached to MODEMs (b) network shared resources. -Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UNIXcoffee928 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 BBSes on other platforms? Simplest answer? (a) multi-port serial cards attached to MODEMs (b) network shared resources. -Thom Well, then, can you, or can you not use an MPP 1000E modem attached to the joystick port while using a Hayes modem attached to the Atari 850, provided that the appropriate R: handler is in HATABS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 sigh. I want a solution that will allow me to run multiple emulator instances. -Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UNIXcoffee928 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 For that matter, could you program two to four MPP 1000E modems to be used with the four joystick ports on the 800? They were not meant to be used this way, but who knows? The MPP 1000E is 300 bps, but can do 450 bps if another MPP is calling it. I don't know if the POKEY and 6502 are fast enough to handle more than one, however, if you are programming only for an emulator, maybe you can use all four joystick ports effectively with virtual modems hooked into them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UNIXcoffee928 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 sigh. I want a solution that will allow me to run multiple emulator instances. -Thom Can you clarify what you are trying to do? You can run multiple instances of the emulators as is... That is a fairly inelegant solution, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 (edited) maybe 1 modem through pbi, 1 modem thru sio, 1 modem thru joystick port.... all ports would be run at highest possible speed with flow control and serial buffers.... the modems can be set at whatever baud you feel like but must also have flow control on....rush commands enabled from callers to Atari so you can dump the buffer should they change their mind and want other things to look at... I only have one phaser serial buffer left...but is still works.. That always seemed to be fine for people with error correcting modems that were set up correctly.. although those who did not or those who had bad phone lines....the buffer spent alot of time dumping it's contents and refilling itself... never a good thing when that happened.... Edited March 8, 2016 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox-1 / mnx Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 > SDX... BBS Professional "requires" Sparta-Dos 3.3. If shows a warning at start if you are using another version, requiring a press on the START button to continue. I tried to run the BBS with Sparta-Dos 3.2GX and didn't notice any problems. Don't think SDX will be a problem as long as you stick to the disk-based rules, like max. files and directories and only up to 16MB partitions. > Multiple modems... If you have a Black Box or MIO, using it's R: device, it may be possible to edit the ROM of an 850 and change the R: into M: or something like that. Same story with multiple 850's. If the XL/XE can keep up is a different story. One has to just try. > Multi user BBS Pro! is multi user but it requires a MUX set-up. With it you can have up to 7 slave Atari's, each which it's own R: solution. The master Atari is the one with the (hard-)disk and the clock. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marius Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 I tried to run BBS Pro! ON SDX, but the R: handler was not found, although it was there for sure. Perhaps it is an easy fix? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I tried to run BBS Pro! ON SDX, but the R: handler was not found, although it was there for sure. Perhaps it is an easy fix? I would hope so. You should ask Konrad about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox-1 / mnx Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 I tried to run BBS Pro! ON SDX, but the R: handler was not found, although it was there for sure. Sparta-Dos uses different hooks into "D:" (compared to DOS 2.5) and the Black Box itself also hooks into hatabs. Just to be sure... if you use both, try with the US doubler mode disabled for "D1:" in the BB menu. This may be completely unrelated but it did at least break the earlier versions of APETIME so it's worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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