FORCE COMMAND: By Jedimatt42 (Disk Operating System)

[+arcadeshopper]

With Force Command you can load up the TI Extended BASIC cartridge directly from DOS by typing: FG99 BASICG.

(I have the program in my FinalGROM root directory.)

 

At any rate, I was wondering if any of you gurus out there could figure a way to tweak the Extended BASIC to bypass the cartridge menu screen and have it go directly to the XB command prompt? If we could do that...

 

pretty sure Tursi has a patched version, he used to use for a bbs.. memory may be wrong

[+InsaneMultitasker]

I have heatwave's XB cartridge dump set up like this. I believe it is as simple as editing the power-up address to match the cartridge start address, though it has been some time (8 years?) since I set things up.

 

I don't know what happens during these cart loads but seems to me a if there is a way to modify the cart header during the load process (either by FC or FG software) a command line flag to auto-start the cart would be a better, generic solution. (this would be similar to how the beta-test version of the TI interpreter for the Geneve handles it)

[Omega-TI]

That would be so neat, simply typing "LOAD BASIC" from the Force Command DOS prompt and instantly being in XB!

The trick (probably not gonna happen) would be having it pop directly back to DOS upon exiting BASIC.

 

If anyone turns up a copy of said version of XB, PLEASE send it my way!

[Omega-TI]

 

pretty sure Tursi has a patched version, he used to use for a bbs.. memory may be wrong

 

Tursi? Tursi? Are you reading this thread?

[Tursi]

pretty sure Tursi has a patched version, he used to use for a bbs.. memory may be wrong

Nope, I had a patched BOOT for the Horizon RAMDISK that auto-ran an EA#5 program. I was not a fan of XB loaders back in the day

 

But we know the steps to auto-boot a cartridge these days, especially one that already has GROM, nobody else can do it?

[+arcadeshopper]

Musta been Tim grin

 

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

[Tursi]

Well, based on Tim's suggestion, here's the patched XB to autostart. Seems to work at least in emulation. It's just patching two bytes in the GROM file (make bytes 4-5 match bytes 6-7, and the first program will autostart).

 

autobootXB.zip

 

As for returning to Force Command on exit, I have not had a chance to see how Force Command is loaded, but you'd basically replace the BYE function. (It might be possible to also catch FCTN-= with a clever interrupt hook, but that's more iffy). That one WOULD be a little trickier.

[Omega-TI]

Well, based on Tim's suggestion, here's the patched XB to autostart. Seems to work at least in emulation. It's just patching two bytes in the GROM file (make bytes 4-5 match bytes 6-7, and the first program will autostart).

 

autobootXB.zip

 

As for returning to Force Command on exit, I have not had a chance to see how Force Command is loaded, but you'd basically replace the BYE function. (It might be possible to also catch FCTN-= with a clever interrupt hook, but that's more iffy). That one WOULD be a little trickier.

 

So cool Tursi! THANKS! On 'Real Iron' it loads just fine by typing, 'FG99 TIXBG' (I shortened the name for testing). We're 1/2 way there!

When typing BYE in XB or even doing a hard reset FCTN = or ALT F12 if just restarts BASIC and takes you back to the command prompt, so a power cycle on the console is required.

[+RXB]

That would be so neat, simply typing "LOAD BASIC" from the Force Command DOS prompt and instantly being in XB!

The trick (probably not gonna happen) would be having it pop directly back to DOS upon exiting BASIC.

 

If anyone turns up a copy of said version of XB, PLEASE send it my way!

LOL RXB has CALL BASIC or CALL XB or CALL EA

 

By the way as they are GPL DSR based you can used them from any prompt too.

 

OLD BASIC or OLD XB or OLD EA

 

At any EA prompt you can type XB or BASIC or EA

 

Wish granted since RXB 2000

Edited May 22, 2019 by RXB

[Omega-TI]

As for returning to Force Command on exit, I have not had a chance to see how Force Command is loaded, but you'd basically replace the BYE function. (It might be possible to also catch FCTN-= with a clever interrupt hook, but that's more iffy). That one WOULD be a little trickier.

 

Replacing the BYE command would certainly work for me. I'm actually starting to get excited again. The past few days on the TI have been like a dream come true, I can almost taste the success on this. Being able to jump in and out of BASIC and the DOS environment was always something we took for granted on a PC and the TRS-80, on the TI is like a luxury.

[jedimatt42]

Force Command isn't loaded. It runs out of cartridge space. I've planned to write an EA5 loadable tool to trigger the FinalGROM99 to switch to the FCMDG image.

 

As for switching right into XB or another cartridge, I can read cart headers and go there after instructing the FG99 to do the cart load. My code that interacts with the FG99 is hoisted up into expansion RAM.

 

Saving 2 keypresses, and the 2 that trigger the most 4A nostalgia, is low on my priority list.

 

[email protected]

[jedimatt42]

BTW

 

Switching to BASIC on a TI is usually only 3 keystrokes.

 

FCTN=, <space>, 1

 

[email protected]

[Omega-TI]

Saving 2 keypresses, and the 2 that trigger the most 4A nostalgia, is low on my priority list.

 

 

I understand, but I actually am going somewhere PRACTICAL and USEFUL with this, if the IN and OUT can be accomplished seamlessly.

[+InsaneMultitasker]

 

So cool Tursi! THANKS! On 'Real Iron' it loads just fine by typing, 'FG99 TIXBG' (I shortened the name for testing). We're 1/2 way there!

When typing BYE in XB or even doing a hard reset FCTN = or ALT F12 if just restarts BASIC and takes you back to the command prompt, so a power cycle on the console is required.

Ah, so the cartridge is persistent when loaded from (into?) the FG99? I was thinking it was a one-time shot until a restart. Can you load an alternative cartridge or flush the cart from the XB command line? Just a thought.

[Omega-TI]

Bumped for Sinphaltimus.

[Omega-TI]

Ah, so the cartridge is persistent when loaded from (into?) the FG99? I was thinking it was a one-time shot until a restart. Can you load an alternative cartridge or flush the cart from the XB command line? Just a thought.

 

Yeah, it's only a one time shot until a power cycle or another cartridge is loaded over it. If you load EA/5 programs, and quit them, you'll be back in FC/DOS if you load a cartridge with the FG99 command it'll take over.

[jedimatt42]

Ah, so the cartridge is persistent when loaded from (into?) the FG99? I was thinking it was a one-time shot until a restart. Can you load an alternative cartridge or flush the cart from the XB command line? Just a thought.

 

search hear for the heading 'Reloading' https://endlos99.github.io/finalgrom99/ - you can write assembly code that (re)loads an alterative or dumps back to sd card.

 

[email protected]

[Omega-TI]

On 5/21/2019 at 9:56 PM, Tursi said:

autobootXB.zip
33.12 kB · 9 downloads

As for returning to Force Command on exit, I have not had a chance to see how Force Command is loaded, but you'd basically replace the BYE function. 

Yes!  Replacing BYE with DOS or even leaving the name the same and simply loading Force Command from the FinalGROM would be awesome.  This would make my upcoming retirement years much more enjoyable.  

 

I've never been an assembly language programmer, old dog/new tricks sort of thing, but I have dabbled in Extended BASIC, and that, coupled with TX80 allows me to do what I want without bugging anyone.

[Omega-TI]

I have to wonder, did Jedimatt have some dark help when he was ironing out the kinks on the early versions of Force Command?