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BasicXL on SpartaDos X 4.48


Jaystainbrook

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Hi everybody, I'm hoping somebody can help me configure Spartados x 4.48 to run with basic XL.

 

I'm using a stock 130XE with the Super SpartaDos X cartridge I bought from Bits of the Past. My Basic XL cart is an early orange one (not basic XE).

 

I'm using a custom config.sys that looks like this:

 

USE OSRAM

DEVICE SPARTA

DEVICE SIO

DEVICE ATARIDOS

DEVICE ULTIME

 

I've tried lots of other options including USE BANKED and USE SPARTA OSRAM. I've tried no using DEVICE ULTIME or DEVICE ATARIDOS and every possible combination of these. When I go to the cart I can type in a basic program all day long, but any attempt to save or load causes the drive to spin forever and the computer to lock up.

 

Any suggestions? Anybody running a similar setup?

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Not too familiar with BasicXL, but it very likely wants to use the OS RAM for itself. Try changing that first line in your config.sys to:

 

USE BANKED

 

But, then you will only have 3 extended banks left for Ramdisk (48K) and may conflict with programs that want all 4 stock 130XE banks.

 

EDIT: Duh, sorry missed that you already tried that. Do you have the same save problems when saving to RamDisk, vs real floppy, vs other types of disks?

Edited by Nezgar
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Car /I didn't make any difference.

The RAMDISK is a good idea. I wasn't running one before, but it unfortunately didn't make any difference either. although now I'm getting the "CAR" memory save when I go to DOS. SpartaDos is so cool.

There's references to BASIC XE in the SpartaDOS X manual and even a section on how to run it. I assume if that runs then BASIC XL must too. I figure it must be an incompatibility specifically with the Super Cart.

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After some more experimentation, I think BASIC XL locks up anytime it tries to use the SpartaDOS kernel. I have a serial printer and attempts to list a program to "DCOM1:" also cause it to freeze. This device works just fine in other programs including the imbedded BASIC.

 

I guess I'll have to use a different basic. Darn, that orange cart just looks so awesome.

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I would not recommend using SDX 4.46, it is old as hell, and not compatible with the programs on the current revision of the Toolkit.

 

As of 4.47 there was a ground up rewrite of the ext memory management routines and new programs on the Toolkit use it, so there is little chance they would work with 4.46. Please upgrade to a later SDX revision.

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SpartaDOS X 4.48 6-03-17 8:42:05

Build: SIDE2, not pass-through

"Not pass-through", while the cartridge _is_ a pass-through one. No marvel then why your BXL does not work: the wrong SDX build is flashed into the cartridge. Please reflash it with the "Supercartridge" build and check again.

 

The correct build will still say "SIDE2", I think, but also "pass-through" (and this is essential).

Edited by drac030
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

okay, super spartados x cart... from bits of the past.... I have two with 4.47 21-2-2016 after putting it back with modified user areas...

am i confusing something? could be? since we were talking about super spartados x cart all thread long, I referred to it lovingly with simple nickname abbreviation of 'Super' I'll assume there is something called a super cart.. like an ultimate cart etc... the omission didn't seem like it would have derailed the train but I guess it did....

 

unless your thinking of a SIC! cart which in super inexpensive cart... which I don't have who know how many carts are name with super in it....

Edited by _The Doctor__
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I have a number of the super sparta dos x carts all came with 4.47 and later I upgraded 2 of them to 4.48 and 4.49 but they broke some games, cleared screens when using other than 40, and no longer played nice with my Atarimax SIO2PC usb version.... so am I to understand I can't roll the upgraded 2 carts back to something more useful like the others as it won't be in the archive? on the project page?

Edited by _The Doctor__
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okay so I boot up the superspartadosx cart and it indeed said 4.47 and I went into basic... then I returned to dos and typed car... car took me into express! cart just fine... exit program back in dos... car back in express select cartridge above express and pack man worked alas back man had no exit function so I reboot.... I try some other cart fun... switching library on off etc... and it seems to behave... so I plug express back in... drop to it's dos shell.. it gives the expected D1: prompt and I exit back to express... all good... so now the plot thickens because in theory 4.47 does not do pass thru?

Just for giggles I do xver... it says side2 no pass thru...

I now slap an ultimate cart on the stack...

4.47 car boom I am in Ultimate select maxflash 4.49b image.... bzzzzzt sure enought 4.49b pops up.... I prolly should try some others but so far it's working...

Edited by _The Doctor__
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SIDE2 build (which was used to program Bits-of-the-past Supercartridges) does not contain code which can correctly handle the pass-through cartridge port. This code was left out because SIDE2 does not contain a pass-through cart port.

 

This means that it may accidentally work with some cartridges as long as you do not try to do file I/O while in the cartridge... and especially as long as it is not an OSS-supercart, which is banked, and therefore the system has not only to be able to switch it on and off, but also after switching it back on to be able to restore the correct configuration of the banks.

 

When the code which does that is not there, you will run into mysterious trouble like OP did.

Edited by drac030
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Got it... tried other stackables..... depending on oss scheme they either work, work partially, or out right fail....

 

So if I beg pretty please... what are the chances of 4.47 with the improved car: pass thru moved over to it....

 

basic xe failed miserably on the stack... and since I still like more than 40 and use atarimax sio solutions with real drives and a mio it to date was the only version that worked with everything until I just now tried basic xe.... so you are correct, it depends on the OSS cart. hit or miss....

 

My everyday drivers are.... 130xe's with standard and memory upgrades, 1 with meg mio, 1 with black box, one with myIde, all have, one 1050 or 810, an XF, and indus, and one modified drive happy/bit etc, capped off with an atarimax ape sio2pc usb version, 2 real printers, one virtual, and only one has the 850 or prconnection on it depending on what we are doing.... 4.47 was the only one that played nice.... but since the two with 4.47 were always doing telecom/internet of some kind and and needed stable I/O it wasn't used with basic XE, the last one had 4.49 in it basic XL cart worked on that and I had no idea that they would be a problem. I thought we had tested all that with 4.47 but clearly it was missed or the test rig wasn't set up or skipped it.... oh well... any how I'd wish for 4.47 with pass thru tossed in I will check the other super carts and see if they are correct... they may well be missing the proper version....

 

and of course I forgot to mention all are NTSC...

Edited by _The Doctor__
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