xDOS - loader / handler D:

[tebe]

https://github.com/pfusik/numen/blob/master/dos.asx

- installs the D: device like any other Atari DOS
- loads the executable file AUTORUN at startup
- supports the standard DOS 2 file system
- the supported sector size (128 or 256 bytes) is determined at the xDOS compilation stage
- xDOS allows you to read the file by D:
- only one file can be read at a time, but it can be of any length
- xDOS allows you to overwrite an existing file located in one sector
- other operations like reading the directory, deleting, renaming etc. are not supported
- xDOS fits entirely in the boot sectors
- xDOS does not set MEMLO, but it only takes up $0700 .. $097F
- xDOS does not disable the ROM during transmission

 

example 'slideshow.pas' loads MIC, PIC

 

xDos.7z

Edited April 12, 2020 by tebe

[xxl]

xBOOT DOS version

- installs the ? device like any other Atari DOS
- loads the executable file AUTORUN at startup
- supports the standard extended (MyDOS etc.) DOS 2 file system
- the supported sector size (128 or 256 bytes) at once is determined at the xDOS compilation stage
- allows you to read the file by D:
- only one file can be read at a time, but it can be of any length
- allows you to overwrite an existing file located in one sector
- other operations like reading the directory, deleting, renaming etc. are not supported
- fits entirely in the boot sectors
- does not set MEMLO, but it only takes up $0700 .. $097F $480 .. $6ff
- does not disable the ROM during transmission

 

xBootDOS.obx

Edited April 12, 2020 by xxl

[+CharlieChaplin]

Well,

 

to write xDOS into the bootsectors of a diskette one requires a PC and the program DIR2ATR. Would be nice, if there's also an A8 program to write xDOS into the bootsectors (or an xDOS creator program that does this)...

 

Besides, xDOS was/is not a good name, since there already was/is XDOS by Stefan Dorndorf...

 

[xxl]

xBOOT DOS version initializer

xBOOT_Initializer(DOS).xex

[tebe]

xBootDOS example

 

'slideshow.pas' work fine with xDOS and any other DOS, does not work with xBootDOS

 

 

example_xBootDOS.zip

[xxl]

right ($480 is too low for "DOS"),

 

now fixed:

 

xBOOT Dos: $700 - $93B

 

 

xBOOT_Initializer(DOS).xex xBootDOS.obx

[tebe]

much better

example_xBootDos_2.zip

[tschak909]

I see what this is, am curious as to the intended use-case?

 

-Thom

[xxl]

shorter and better version:

 

- set MEMLO to $937

 

 

xBOOTDos.obx xBOOT_Initializer(DOS).xex

[tane]

On 4/14/2020 at 12:23 PM, tschak909 said:

see what this is, am curious as to the intended use-case?

I deduce and understand the following:

• It's a low-memory auto-boot loader for ATR disk files, in comparison with standard DOS disks.
• Usually an ATR requires a DOS that uses a range of memory: $0700 - $1FFF
• xDOS uses $0700 - $937, so you can start using the memory from $938.
• It loads any xex renamed to "AUTORUN".
• It's a bit tricky to create a new disk: You should start with a standard DOS disk, then insert and rename the xBOOT_Initializer(DOS).xex to "AUTORUN.SYS" with AtrUtil . Then start the ATR in Altirra, with read/write (R/W) disk set, that's were the disk is created with xDos. Then with AtrUtil you can delete all files inside, and then insert the required file renamed to AUTORUN.
• Here are 2 disk already created: 90kb and 180kb. Just replace AUTORUN with a new xex with AtrUtil.
• Now, if you don't know in what situation you would require to use the extra memory range from $938 to $1FFF, this topic is not for you (yet) ?.

 

(If there is something wrong in the assumptions, please correct it).

Disk example with river raid - 90kb.atr Disk example with river raid - 180kb.atr

[tschak909]

sigh. I wanted to hear it from @xxl and @tebe ...

 

-Thom

[shanti77]

9 hours ago, tane said:

It's a bit tricky to create a new disk: You should start with a standard DOS disk, then insert and rename the xBOOT_Initializer(DOS).xex to "AUTORUN.SYS" with AtrUtil . Then start the ATR in Altirra, with read/write (R/W) disk set, that's were the disk is created with xDos. Then with AtrUtil you can delete all files inside, and then insert the required file renamed to AUTORUN

dir2atr -md -B xbootdos.obx atrfile.atr directory

 

[xxl]

https://xxl.atari.pl/xbootdos/

 

 

[Atlan_Roland]

Hi xxl, 

i'm using xBootDOS - i appreciate the low MEMLO - for a project i'm writing in Mad Pascal; but i'm now at the limited of the 180k available on a DD disk for the data used.

 

Question:

Is it possible to read data from a second disk with xboot dos (by disk swapping)? 

A short test i did was not successful. (I guess because - as you state on your website - directory reading is not an implemented feature of xBootDOS?)

 

[xxl]

2 minutes ago, Atlan_Roland said:

Question:

Is it possible to read data from a second disk with xboot dos (by disk swapping)? 

A short test i did was not successful. (I guess because - as you state on your website - directory reading is not an implemented feature of xBootDOS?)

should work properly - send me a problematic ATR and I will check what is going on.

[xxl]

maybe you mean this:

4 - read
8 - write
6 - read direcotory (THIS)

OPEN # 1,6,0, "D1: *. *"

in that sense, reading a directory will not work. but if any of the boot sector DOS can do it, I would love to see it ? 

[Heaven/TQA]

hmmm... are those similar to Fox' loader used in Numen?

[xxl]

yes, but there are some important differences, e.g.
xBDOS configures itself to the appropriate density, while Fox DOS at compile time,
xBDOS recognizes all DOS2 formats, eg BIBO, TOP, MyDOS, DOS2.5 - xDOS Fox does not.
xBDOS can write files of various sizes, while Fox's xDOS can only write files of one sector size
xBDOS has the BinaryLoad function, but after reworking the xDOS Fox, it probably has BLoad as well, you can add SPECIAL commands to xBDOS, e.g. there is an example with NOTE and POINT.

xBDOS has autostart for BASIC programs (write a BASIC program to disk and after BOOT it will start by itself - you do not need any additional programs)
this is not an objection to Fox's xDOS, it was just made much earlier and for a specific purpose.

Edited July 1, 2021 by xxl

[Atlan_Roland]

ok,

sorry for the fuss: it must have been a trivial error on my side - the batch script that places the files onto the ATR images .. placed them wrong ?

did some more testing today and my multi disk setup works great!

 

you're the best, XXL!

thank you for xBootDOS!

 

 

 

 

[Heaven/TQA]

4 hours ago, xxl said:

yes, but there are some important differences, e.g.
xBDOS configures itself to the appropriate density, while Fox DOS at compile time,
xBDOS recognizes all DOS2 formats, eg BIBO, TOP, MyDOS, DOS2.5 - xDOS Fox does not.
xBDOS can write files of various sizes, while Fox's xDOS can only write files of one sector size
xBDOS has the BinaryLoad function, but after reworking the xDOS Fox, it probably has BLoad as well, you can add SPECIAL commands to xBDOS, e.g. there is an example with NOTE and POINT.

xBDOS has autostart for BASIC programs (write a BASIC program to disk and after BOOT it will start by itself - you do not need any additional programs)
this is not an objection to Fox's xDOS, it was just made much earlier and for a specific purpose.

Yeah I know that Fox did a base loader for Numen and not for general purpose but was just curious to know.

[Atlan_Roland]

Would it be possible to reference a second disk drive with xBootDos?

 

Like:

XIO(40,1,0,0,'D2:CITY.XEX');   //Mad Pascal 

{ that's the MP procedure interface:
procedure XIO(cmd, chn, ax1, ax2: byte; device: PString); assembler;
(*
@description:
Special command

@param: cmd - command
@param: chn - channel 0..7
@param: ax1 - parameter
@param: ax2 - parameter
@param: device - name of device, example "S2:"
*)
}

 

Had no luck acessing a second drive, the XIO command always references the file on D(1):

 

[xxl]

set the device number before referring to the proc:

 

lda #$02  ; D2

sta $301  ; DUNIT

 

I would do that...

[Atlan_Roland]

Yes, that works! 

Thank you very much