MyArc Extended BASIC II MAME setup

[+hloberg]

As of v2, or so, MAME now supports MyArc Extended BASIC II. I had this on PC99 and really liked it. It uses the MyArc memory card and disk/hd card. the XBII is fantastic. it's much faster that TI XB, sometimes up to twice as fast. It has a whooping 72k of program space and accesses all the graphic capabilities of the TI VDP such as 40 cloumn, hi rez, all the sprites and added character sets. 

below I have set up a zip file that has all you need to run MyXBII. you just add the latest MAME or MESS in the MESS221 directory and modify the TI99-II.bat for the current MAME/MESS names and away you go.

the manuals for the memory, HD, supespace2 are included. BUT, I did put in a copy of the MyXBII programming manual as the only one I have is from the Cyc. (if anyone has a copy they can scan?) I know, it's a bummer. if I can't find a non-cyc manual I guess I'll have to type a short one. but look at the various demos on the disks to get an idea of the capibilities.

the MyXBII boots from WDS1 very quickly. in BASIC you can call the MyArc disk manager by typing CALL MDM. in BASIC and MyXBII you can use the dir by CALL DIR("filespec"). I have 2 HDs installed. It uses superspace 2 and EA is accessible from the menu. also can run TIWv5 from the HD. 

a bit of a quirk in MyXBII is to list by line numbers you type in LIST 1stline,2ndline. you use a comma instead of a dash for some reason. also for some reason I can't get CALL PART to work to create a RAM disk/print spooler as it's written in the manual. since MyArc is bad about errors in their manuals, that's probably it.

MyXBII is 100% compatible with XB IF you keep away from PEEKS and POKES that reference the VDP or GROM.

All in all a really nice system and a nice, what could have been. 

and speaking of 'nice' if this could, one day, become an add on to a real TI99 that would really be nice. all the design is there. the superspace2 is there. an HD adapter is there (TIPI). hard part be creating the myarc compatible memory with the MyXBII ROM installed. maybe it's time I got serious about learning this stuff and build my own?

note: as soon as I can find a MyXBII manual i'll post it to my TI99resources.

 

 

My-XBIIc.zip

[TInaut]

Try http://ftp.whtech.com/programming/Extended Basic/XBII+_Manual_ITA.zip

[+jedimatt42]

47 minutes ago, TInaut said:

Try http://ftp.whtech.com/programming/Extended Basic/XBII+_Manual_ITA.zip

That is the Mechatronics Extended BASIC II Plus, which is basically standard XB + the APESOFT bitmap routines built in. Totally different from Myarc XB II which was a all-assembly language rewrite that utilized their 32k at a time bank switching memory card. 

 

[+hloberg]

On 6/1/2020 at 1:44 AM, jedimatt42 said:

That is the Mechatronics Extended BASIC II Plus, which is basically standard XB + the APESOFT bitmap routines built in. Totally different from Myarc XB II which was a all-assembly language rewrite that utilized their 32k at a time bank switching memory card. 

 

I had the Mechatronics Extended BASIC II Plus back in the day on my 1st TI99 as a kid. oddly, it was/is the only TI99 cartridge I have ever had that completely stopped working. a bit of useless trivia there.

[+hloberg]

doubt i'll ever find someone who has a copy of the manual for the MyArc XB II so I'm working on a booklet of just the differences/enhancements of it from TI XB. 

 

playing with this system it really is/was the ultimate in XB for the TI99. it's almost like a whole different system in performance and graphic usage. but I can see, then, why it never caught on. it would have been a king's ransom for all the equipment you would have to get to make it work. you would need, minimum, a myarc 128 with at least a PEB and one floppy drive. $1000+ in 80s dollars?  so if you wrote any kick-ass games that utilized the MyarcXBII your market would been very small. of course now we can do it software @ 0$. be fun see what can be done with it. 

and as a theoretical, could the memory for the TIPI be modified to look like a myarc 512k and install the ROM in it? yes, it would be a redesign but this is a theoretical.

[+Ksarul]

Actually, I am pretty sure I have a copy of the manual. I'll have a hunt to see if I can dig it up this weekend. . .

[+hloberg]

6 minutes ago, Ksarul said:

Actually, I am pretty sure I have a copy of the manual. I'll have a hunt to see if I can dig it up this weekend. . .

oh! I'll wait then on typing more. if you do just scan to .tiff or .jpg / page. I have the software that will turn it into a .pdf booklet from that.

[blackbox]

Hi there- what I have here in my hands:

Original 242 page Myarc 128kOS Extended Basic Level 4 manual- the first version.

 

4 pages for upgrade to Version 2.0 - addition of !@P*, CLS, CHDIR, PWD, RUN CONTINUE, limitations of Graphics Mode 3, change from LIST 10-70 to LIST 10,70 OR LIST 10 70;  notes what is not yet supported and to come;

 

 

 

6 PAGES for changes to version 2.10- includes above plus FREESPACE replaced by SIZE; REAL numbers introduced and use DEFREAL; FILL changed; plus memory maps.

 

One page addendum for Version 2.11, noting addition of 128KOSN for faster reloads; TIVDP to emulate the TIXB VDP mapping for loading Assembly program code; new Demo program DEMO3M; DEF will not support multiple parameters; RUN and OLD will not accept DV80 files;

Do watch which version you have as they do vary.

 

This is one fat manual - I am presently in the middle of the STATISTICS manual and translating a manual for 3D World so if someone else can take on Myarc XB that would be nice!  But if all else fails, I do have it here.
 

[+hloberg]

24 minutes ago, blackbox said:

Hi there- what I have here in my hands:

Original 242 page Myarc 128kOS Extended Basic Level 4 manual- the first version.

 

4 pages for upgrade to Version 2.0 - addition of !@P*, CLS, CHDIR, PWD, RUN CONTINUE, limitations of Graphics Mode 3, change from LIST 10-70 to LIST 10,70 OR LIST 10 70;  notes what is not yet supported and to come;

 

 

 

6 PAGES for changes to version 2.10- includes above plus FREESPACE replaced by SIZE; REAL numbers introduced and use DEFREAL; FILL changed; plus memory maps.

 

One page addendum for Version 2.11, noting addition of 128KOSN for faster reloads; TIVDP to emulate the TIXB VDP mapping for loading Assembly program code; new Demo program DEMO3M; DEF will not support multiple parameters; RUN and OLD will not accept DV80 files;

Do watch which version you have as they do vary.

 

This is one fat manual - I am presently in the middle of the STATISTICS manual and translating a manual for 3D World so if someone else can take on Myarc XB that would be nice!  But if all else fails, I do have it here.

oh, do the additions 1st to the XBII. that I do not have at all.
 

well, I know at least 1 exist. buy the way, if you just scan to .tiff or .jpg and put the pages in a folder I'll be glad to turn it into a .pdf file since I have the software for that. goes for any file. I can do .txt, .doc or whatever files too.

do the additions 1st. @ksarul might have a copy of the manual too. be less work for you.

[blackbox]

First- partitioning as you mentioned it above.  Assuming you are emulating the Myarc 512k ram, the partition command needs three numbers.  The OS is 128, the ram disk is a maximum of 400, and the print spooler is what is left, thus CALL PART(OS,RD,PS) where you can use CALL PART(128,352,32) followed if you wish with CALL EMDK(1) and so on.

 

 

 

First I need to go through my boxes to try and find the addendum for Version 2.12, which I should have!  Then as soon as I have completed the Stats Manual which will go into the Manuals lost and found thread, I will scan in the Addendum pages for MXB and post those here.

 

 

Then we shall see if there is a need to get to grips with the full manual, but that will take ages as we are fully manual here!

 

 

s
 

[etownandy]

3 hours ago, blackbox said:

Hi there- what I have here in my hands:

Original 242 page Myarc 128kOS Extended Basic Level 4 manual- the first version.

 

4 pages for upgrade to Version 2.0 - addition of !@P*, CLS, CHDIR, PWD, RUN CONTINUE, limitations of Graphics Mode 3, change from LIST 10-70 to LIST 10,70 OR LIST 10 70;  notes what is not yet supported and to come;

 

 

 

6 PAGES for changes to version 2.10- includes above plus FREESPACE replaced by SIZE; REAL numbers introduced and use DEFREAL; FILL changed; plus memory maps.

 

One page addendum for Version 2.11, noting addition of 128KOSN for faster reloads; TIVDP to emulate the TIXB VDP mapping for loading Assembly program code; new Demo program DEMO3M; DEF will not support multiple parameters; RUN and OLD will not accept DV80 files;

Do watch which version you have as they do vary.

 

This is one fat manual - I am presently in the middle of the STATISTICS manual and translating a manual for 3D World so if someone else can take on Myarc XB that would be nice!  But if all else fails, I do have it here.
 

Is mailing the material to me an option?  I'd be happy to take the time to scan it and send it back.

[blackbox]

5 minutes ago, etownandy said:

Is mailing the material to me an option?  I'd be happy to take the time to scan it and send it back.

Thanks, an excellent offer, but these are very unreal times and I am "shielded" so no trips to the Post Office- no traveling by bus...  no visitors.....   and so on.  It does give me time to scan more than I used to though.

Last year I lent out some rare SF fanzines for scanning and that worked well- but times have changed.

Keep safe!    s

 

[etownandy]

Completely understand.

[+chue]

I thought I had the manual, but what I have is actually for Myarc Advanced Basic.  If anyone wants that I can upload the pdf.

[+9640News]

4 hours ago, blackbox said:

Hi there- what I have here in my hands:

Original 242 page Myarc 128kOS Extended Basic Level 4 manual- the first version.

 

4 pages for upgrade to Version 2.0 - addition of !@P*, CLS, CHDIR, PWD, RUN CONTINUE, limitations of Graphics Mode 3, change from LIST 10-70 to LIST 10,70 OR LIST 10 70;  notes what is not yet supported and to come;

 

 

 

6 PAGES for changes to version 2.10- includes above plus FREESPACE replaced by SIZE; REAL numbers introduced and use DEFREAL; FILL changed; plus memory maps.

 

One page addendum for Version 2.11, noting addition of 128KOSN for faster reloads; TIVDP to emulate the TIXB VDP mapping for loading Assembly program code; new Demo program DEMO3M; DEF will not support multiple parameters; RUN and OLD will not accept DV80 files;

Do watch which version you have as they do vary.

 

This is one fat manual - I am presently in the middle of the STATISTICS manual and translating a manual for 3D World so if someone else can take on Myarc XB that would be nice!  But if all else fails, I do have it here.
 

Is there any chance you have the V2.10 diskette?

 

Beery

[blackbox]

12 minutes ago, BeeryMiller said:

Is there any chance you have the V2.10 diskette?

 

Beery

Sorry Beery, just 2.12 - I expect I did what everyone else did and threw the old ones out (well, repurposed them perhaps).   After 2.11 I sent in a huge bug list, and 2.12 was essentially a bug-fix release- so no addendum to find.

regards   s
 

[+hloberg]

27 minutes ago, chue said:

I thought I had the manual, but what I have is actually for Myarc Advanced Basic.  If anyone wants that I can upload the pdf.

what is that? is it another variation on TIXB?

[blackbox]

You could say it was a more advanced Myarc XBII - but not for the TI99/4a, rather for the Myarc Geneve Computer, which I think may now be in the MESS emulator.
 

[+mizapf]

Not in the emulator, but we have it on disk images.

[+9640News]

6 minutes ago, blackbox said:

You could say it was a more advanced Myarc XBII - but not for the TI99/4a, rather for the Myarc Geneve Computer, which I think may now be in the MESS emulator.
 

Myarc XBII V 2.10, 2.11, 2.12 worked with the Myarc 512K card and included a module that was just an 8K cartridge.  With Myarc XBII, it also included the Eprom that setup in the 8K memory of the module a loader to load the 128KOS file and the subsequent XBII files.  It was written in assembly language and was faster than TI Extended Basic and allowed more program space.

 

11 minutes ago, blackbox said:

Sorry Beery, just 2.12 - I expect I did what everyone else did and threw the old ones out (well, repurposed them perhaps).   After 2.11 I sent in a huge bug list, and 2.12 was essentially a bug-fix release- so no addendum to find.

regards   s
 

Just a FYI, 2.10 was the only version I know that worked with the Pro'99er BBS.  V2.11 and V2.12 did not work with it as there was some kind of issue with the CALL LINK statements.  Been trying to find 2.10 for years and haven't found it yet.

 

Beery

 

 

 

 

[+9640News]

12 minutes ago, mizapf said:

Not in the emulator, but we have it on disk images.

Michael, several topics in this thread, so not sure who you answered.  Are you saying there is a V2.10 of Myarc XBII someplace you know about or was your reply to someone else?  

 

Beery

[+mizapf]

@blackbox said it was "now in MAME emulator", but MAME does not include programs. If we have it, it is also available for the real Geneve. I'm not sure whether I mixed it up with ABASIC, though.

[+hloberg]

1 hour ago, blackbox said:

You could say it was a more advanced Myarc XBII - but not for the TI99/4a, rather for the Myarc Geneve Computer, which I think may now be in the MESS emulator.
 

oh, I know it as ABASIC. should have figured that one out.

 

[+hloberg]

FYI:

I can create similar packages like the MyXBII MAME/MESS package for the Geneve, P-Card, ti99-8 and ti99-2, if anyone is interested. for that matter, I think I have enough stuff for a Tomy Tutor package as well (need check up on manuals).   I already have them stored and without any Cyc stuff in them so they be easy post.

[+9640News]

57 minutes ago, mizapf said:

@blackbox said it was "now in MAME emulator", but MAME does not include programs. If we have it, it is also available for the real Geneve. I'm not sure whether I mixed it up with ABASIC, though.

Myarc XBII is separate from Advanced Basic for the Geneve that Myarc also developed.  Myarc XBII does not run on a Geneve.

 

Beery