Force Command : kinda like command.com from 1985 (no TIPI required!)

[Omega-TI]

1 minute ago, dgrissom said:

It screwed mine up on the 1.6x to 2.x.  It takes over an hour on a Pi3 and closer to 2 hours on a Pi Zero.

You are better off to back up your TIPI files and do the image upgrade.  Then it is smooth sailing.

 

I never can remember the Wiki location:

https://github.com/jedimatt42/tipi/wiki/tipi-installation

 

Too late for the backup 

Thanks for the link.  I'll print it up before I leave.  I'm currently 70% on the reformat, but I'm going to have to leave in about an hour so it may be this evening before I can get back to it.

[+arcadeshopper]

 
Too late for the backup 
Thanks for the link.  I'll print it up before I leave.  I'm currently 70% on the reformat, but I'm going to have to leave in about an hour so it may be this evening before I can get back to it.

You could have ssh in and got your files off before erasing a Tipi update fail doesn't break everything likely you could have also copied from the file share as well.. Fyi

Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

[Omega-TI]

Just now, arcadeshopper said:

You could have ssh in and got your files off before erasing a Tipi update fail doesn't break everything likely you could have also copied from the file share as well.. Fyi

Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk
 

 

I never tried SSHing in.  too late though.  I'm flashing the SD card now (currently at 73%).  Now comes the more harder to remember parts (I've not done this in a while).

[dgrissom]

12 minutes ago, Vorticon said:

So from a cold start, if I run CALL TIPI("TIPI.FCMD") to start Force Command, with FCMD in the root TIPI directory, the screen goes blank and green and the LED on the FG99 keeps on blinking, but nothing else happens. The Force Command files are in the root directory of my  FG99.

Am I doing something wrong?

Hopefully I understand your question and don't mislead you?

I actually have my "FCMD" in both the FC folder and root.  (The "LOAD" must be in the FC folder.)

I use a CALL TIPI("TIPI.FCMD") or tested with a "DSK0.FCMD" as well. 

Best I can tell, it will only return you to Force Command.  I haven't been able to get it to launch it from the FinalGrom99.

To test. Launch FC from FG99.

Type exit to get out of FG99.

at TIBASIC prompt type the above CALL TIPI.

 

Hope this is useful?

[+jedimatt42]

22 minutes ago, Vorticon said:

So from a cold start, if I run CALL TIPI("TIPI.FCMD") to start Force Command, with FCMD in the root TIPI directory, the screen goes blank and green and the LED on the FG99 keeps on blinking, but nothing else happens. The Force Command files are in the root directory of my  FG99.

Am I doing something wrong?

I never imagined the 'cold start' scenario. The FG99 command I use is not available until after you have loaded a cartridge. When the FG99 is in menu mode, it has a different set of commands...  

 

Pick a cartridge first... Then try. The purpose of the tool isn't for initial loads, but to get back in if the buttons on your finalgrom are far from reach. 

[+Vorticon]

3 minutes ago, jedimatt42 said:

I never imagined the 'cold start' scenario. The FG99 command I use is not available until after you have loaded a cartridge. When the FG99 is in menu mode, it has a different set of commands...  

 

Pick a cartridge first... Then try. The purpose of the tool isn't for initial loads, but to get back in if the buttons on your finalgrom are far from reach. 

Yup works fine if I am already in the FG99 as dgrissom mentioned. It was just a quirk I noticed although honestly it's much faster to just go into the FG99 and pick FC from there

[Omega-TI]

Nothing ever works...

 

Arrrrrgh!  It's not letting me type in anything.  

Since I could not get in with the TI, I even tried Putty on the PC.... still no go.

[Omega-TI]

.... RAT FARTS!!!  If I cannot log in, I cannot grow the partition, then I cannot upgrade to 2.4 like it wants.  If I cannot do that, there's no point on going further.  Maybe tomorrow.  I'm done.

[dgrissom]

Bug or Feature?

 

In the past the FC's "EXIT" command would always seem drop me back to the TI Startup Screen.

Now it only seems do that after a cold start initial entry into Force Command from FG99.

Now most of the time I return to FC after program execution.  THAT is very DESIRABLE.

 

Is there an easy way to exit back to the FG99 menu short of a FG99 button reset?

An "fg99 exit" would be an elegant answer? (I guess exit could be an FG99 *.bin?)

 

BTW:  A simple XBASIC Dummy program works well to get me to XBASIC now I can type "xb bye" and am at a XB > (prompt).

 

Jedimatt, Am having a blast!

 

[dgrissom]

34 minutes ago, Omega-TI said:

.... RAT FARTS!!!  If I cannot log in, I cannot grow the partition, then I cannot upgrade to 2.4 like it wants.  If I cannot do that, there's no point on going further.  Maybe tomorrow.  I'm done.

So it only stinks a little?

 

Works fine if you use  SSH Terminal (Putty or Tera Term work.) on your PC?

 

If using Telnet from FC my keyboard doesn't respond as well.  I get a connected.

a response:  SSH-2.0-OpenSSH.....

Jedimatt: Is telnet hosed?  --It could be me as I don't use it very much yet?

[Omega-TI]

I'm not home now but I tried SSH and TELNET with putty from my PC as well with no joy.

[+jedimatt42]

4 minutes ago, Omega-TI said:

I'm not home now but I tried SSH and TELNET with putty from my PC as well with no joy.

 

Let's move this back to the support thread for TIPI.. 

[+jedimatt42]

14 minutes ago, dgrissom said:

So it only stinks a little?

 

Works fine if you use  SSH Terminal (Putty or Tera Term work.) on your PC?

 

If using Telnet from FC my keyboard doesn't respond as well.  I get a connected.

a response:  SSH-2.0-OpenSSH.....

Jedimatt: Is telnet hosed?  --It could be me as I don't use it very much yet?

 

Telnet is port 23... this looks like the response you'd get from port 22

[Omega-TI]

11 minutes ago, jedimatt42 said:

 

Telnet is port 23... this looks like the response you'd get from port 22

Yeah, I used port 23 just like the documentation stated.  I'll start over again when I get home as time allows with a new install from a different SD card.

I'll use the support thread for all future communication on this topic.

[dgrissom]

Just now, jedimatt42 said:

 

Telnet is port 23... this looks like the response you'd get from port 22

Omega-TI, That was me on 22.  I read that in the wiki after the fact. 

Yep, It wuz jest a usur errer!  ?

For me, it works fine when I follow the wiki instructions!  -- I had already expanded the sd image.

Although (and off tipi topic), I still prefer ssh from my pc as it is faster and in full color!

[+Vorticon]

So a couple of observations using the XB loading feature of FC:

• The particular XB roms have to be in the root directory of the FG99. It would have been nice if FC was able to search subdirectories within FG99 to look for the files. It's the same issue with the fg99 command. This could be problematic as all the modules would have to be placed in the root directory of the FG99 with the resulting organizational mess...
• The environment variables needed to be set up for XB loading to work (I use RXB 2015) do not appear to be retained between cold starts and thus will need to be re-entered for each instance. Is there a way to change that? Otherwise, the XB function seems to be working as it should. Awesome!

[+arcadeshopper]

So a couple of observations using the XB loading feature of FC:

• The particular XB roms have to be in the root directory of the FG99. It would have been nice if FC was able to search subdirectories within FG99 to look for the files. It's the same issue with the fg99 command. This could be problematic as all the modules would have to be placed in the root directory of the FG99 with the resulting organizational mess...
• The environment variables needed to be set up for XB loading to work do not appear to be retained between cold starts and thus will need to be re-entered for each instance. Is there a way to change that? Otherwise, the XB function seems to be working as it should. Awesome!

This is a fg limitation not FC.

Put them in AUTOCMD

Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

[+Vorticon]

11 minutes ago, arcadeshopper said:

Put them in AUTOCMD
 

 

What do you mean by that?

[+arcadeshopper]

5 minutes ago, Vorticon said:

What do you mean by that?

sorry was in a meeting and typing on my phone so couldn't cut and paste

 

https://github.com/jedimatt42/fcmd/wiki/Commands

Special file: AUTOCMD - First drive will be scanned for existance of AUTOCMD. If present it will run.

Changes when AUTOCMD is found:

• startup banner is suppressed.
• initial tipibeeps sound is suppressed.

SO if you want something entered every time FC runs, make a script file called AUTOCMD and put those commands in it. 

 

Greg

 

[+Vorticon]

Sorry for all the pestering, but I am actively learning the TIPI ecosystem...

Why does the copy command not support a *.* parameter in order to be able to copy the contents of a disk in one shot?

[+arcadeshopper]

Just now, Vorticon said:

Sorry for all the pestering, but I am actively learning the TIPI ecosystem...

Why does the copy command not support a *.* parameter in order to be able to copy the contents of a disk in one shot?

I know he has copy wildcard (probably just *) on the roadmap but not sure if he's gotten to it yet.  

 

Greg

[+Vorticon]

Just now, arcadeshopper said:

sorry was in a meeting and typing on my phone so couldn't cut and paste

 

https://github.com/jedimatt42/fcmd/wiki/Commands

Special file: AUTOCMD - First drive will be scanned for existance of AUTOCMD. If present it will run.

Changes when AUTOCMD is found:

• startup banner is suppressed.
• initial tipibeeps sound is suppressed.

SO if you want something entered every time FC runs, make a script file called AUTOCMD and put those commands in it. 

 

Greg

 

Ah got it! 

I still think however that environment variables should be saved by the OS on the TIPI without the need to create a script file. 

[+arcadeshopper]

3 minutes ago, arcadeshopper said:

I know he has copy wildcard (probably just *) on the roadmap but not sure if he's gotten to it yet.  

 

Greg

 

he has wildcard in M 

 

 

 

[dgrissom]

Just now, Vorticon said:

What do you mean by that?

Create a text file named AUTOCMD with your favorite editor.

You can create one with Notepad and remove the .txt.  (Not my favorite way, but it works.)  

I use EDIT40 by adding it to my TIPI and type "load EDIT40"  (it is also a bin that you can add to your FG99).

type in FC command.

echo something

cfmount ...

see the wiki for an example:

and topic:

Force Command - User's Sample Scripts/Menus/Support Programs

on copy command:

Use a single * as a wildcard.  COPY TIPI.BAT.*  TIPI.FOO   COPY TEST* TIPI.FOO will copy all files with TEST.

You may have to preface with CRU:  "1000.TIPI.BAT"

When you return to TIPI. It always runs AUTOCMD if it is present.

Here is my current AUTOCMD:

cls

width 40

ver

echo Type 'help' for commands.'

echo 'call <BAT>' to run Batch/Scripts.'

echo ==================================

echo Current Batch/Scripts:

echo ----------------------

echo BAT=BATCH Directory echo ED=Starts EDIT40

echo SSAV=Extended BASIC Screen Saver

echo NET=Show NET apps Menu'

echo ==================================

echo Directory: echo ----------
XBMOD=SXBG

XBADDR=25458

dir /w    

tipibeeps

END:

 

 

[dgrissom]

32 minutes ago, Vorticon said:

Sorry for all the pestering, but I am actively learning the TIPI ecosystem...

Why does the copy command not support a *.* parameter in order to be able to copy the contents of a disk in one shot?

Let me know if I can help! (although Arcadeshopper is usually faster!) 

 

I've been heavily beating on Force Command for several weeks.  I am just a user!  Trial and error and with Jedimatt and Arcadeshopper's help, I am becoming proficient.

 

The scripts/batch files are the Force Command's forte!   (Officially is it a script?, batch?, command file?;  I never know what to call them? ? )

Besides AUTOCMD, a simple "call  TIPI.XXX" script file and neat things happen.

 

IMO, the "Zoom TI-99ers Pandemic 4A Club" is a great place to get feedback on this stuff.  Matt's demo of the 'XB' jump-started me in using it!