Altirra 3.90 released

[Mclaneinc]

It's actually Ctrl P

[pmgraphics]

Thanks for the clarification. Is the Shift+P a typo in the manual, or are the manual screenshots posted on atarimania from a different version of the game?

 

UPDATE: unfortunately something is not working with saved games. as shown the dos2 formatted disk contains the in game save but when trying to restore the game the innkeeper program states no saved game found.

Edited September 5, 2021 by pmgraphics

[Mclaneinc]

Maybe you need to set the disk to R/W as opposed to VR/W

 

Not sure, never used the save parts in games, I prefer a Save state

[pmgraphics]

I tried R/W as well. The only thing that I can save and reload is saving the character after leaving a dunjon when the innkeeper asks if you want to save your character. Even saving the dunjon when the innkeeper asks (after leaving a dunjon) does not load. you get the "saved game file not found" message. I normally use save states, but thought i'd try to be it bit more authentic.

[Mclaneinc]

Unless that Ctrl P is a different save as to the supposed Shift P is?

 

I must look at the key assignments on Altirra's help to see what keys were used for what, seems odd that shift on the PC is not being classed as shift for Altirra..

 

Looked and there's no shortcut using Shift and P, odd that it's in the game's manual, can't imagine it's a mistake. It does mention that it must be the Disk version for that command to work...I presume all the ones I have are disk versions?

 

PS, the saving seems to be a known issue..

 

Also, there's a brown addendum card on Atarimania in the instructions to tell you how to load it and a note at the end saying it's Ctrl P to save and not Shift P, bit of a cock up by them.

 

Can't find an ATX of the game in my collection, but you mention one on a post about the same thing on Atarimania from 2015.

 

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by Mclaneinc

[oo7]

One minor bug POSSIBLY.

 

others test?

 

when in full screen use file explorer to move through multiple subfolders.

 

Full screen file browser starts showing blank folders even though full. Only happens in full screen.

[Mclaneinc]

File explorer?

 

Disk explorer?

 

If it's disk explorer, then here it exits FS mode to a windowed mode and the browser shows all "supported" files. So all fine.

 

Tried Boot Image and load image, and they worked fine..

Edited September 6, 2021 by Mclaneinc

[oo7]

7 hours ago, Mclaneinc said:

File explorer?

 

Disk explorer?

 

If it's disk explorer, then here it exits FS mode to a windowed mode and the browser shows all "supported" files. So all fine.

 

Tried Boot Image and load image, and they worked fine..

Ill make a video after to explain, it has been happening since 2.xx when I got into altirra but consider it not a big deal. This still happens even with fresh files and happens on every flavour of windows.

 

anyway ill make a video and go from there afterward 

[oo7]

Also this happens when you boot image 3 or 4 times in a row and changing folders. Wont happen with one or two tries or staying within same folder

[glurk]

I don't know if this is a bug?  If you have input port 1 - joystick arrow keys set, and you hold down UPARROW, LEFTARROW, RIGHTARROW at the same time, the PC beeps repeatedly....

 

Just a weird thing I came across, happens in all games I tested.

 

EDIT:  No, it's actually my PC that does it.  No idea why...

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by glurk

[Mclaneinc]

Sounds like Sticky keys is jumping in, but you would have an on screen message saying so..

[glurk]

I figured it out, I guess.  I'm using an old IBM Model M keyboard, and it's "N-Key Rollover" is mostly non-existent.  I think with a newer USB keyboard, this would not happen, but I LOVE my old Model M.

 

I was testing some code in Altirra when it happened, so... Senior moment, I guess.  I was actually trying to see what happened when joystick up/down or left/right were held at once.  I suppose a real Atari (and Altirra) will allow that, but my keyboard won't, apparently.

[phaeron]

7 minutes ago, glurk said:

I figured it out, I guess.  I'm using an old IBM Model M keyboard, and it's "N-Key Rollover" is mostly non-existent.  I think with a newer USB keyboard, this would not happen, but I LOVE my old Model M.

 

I was testing some code in Altirra when it happened, so... Senior moment, I guess.  I was actually trying to see what happened when joystick up/down or left/right were held at once.  I suppose a real Atari (and Altirra) will allow that, but my keyboard won't, apparently.

 

Altirra blocks opposing directions on joystick controllers, because it's easy to do on a PC keyboard and some games crash when both signals are asserted when they do things like GOTO STICK(0) to an nonexistent line number.

 

On the real hardware, this case is practically impossible because of the physical design of the joystick, which can't be moved fast enough to trip simultaneous opposing directions even taking switch bounce into account. Electrically, there is nothing that prevents it and a poorly designed joystick or controller other than a joystick can trigger this. One of the easier ways is to plug in a mouse.

 

Many PC keyboards are pretty bad and can only guarantee two simultaneous keys, including possibly Ctrl+Shift+Alt. The reason for this is the classic phantom key problem on a key matrix; two keys is the max that can be guaranteed to be read independently without risking phantom key effects on the keyboard matrix for certain combinations. More will work in some cases, but it's more likely to fail with key combos not usual in normal usage. Newer keyboards aren't necessarily better as they can cheap out here. Better keyboards will be able to handle up to 6 keys.

 

There is a logging channel in the debugger called HOSTKEYS that will echo the raw key up/down messages being received from Windows. This can help diagnose if you are running into N-key rollover issues or if the keyboard is misbehaving (some PS/2-USB adapters will drop key up events when certain keys are pressed together).

 

[oo7]

On 9/6/2021 at 5:55 AM, Mclaneinc said:

File explorer?

 

Disk explorer?

 

If it's disk explorer, then here it exits FS mode to a windowed mode and the browser shows all "supported" files. So all fine.

 

Tried Boot Image and load image, and they worked fine..

so here are videos, proper behavior windowed mode.

 

odd behavior that i can always duplicate full screen mode.

 

 

fresh download of altirra first time on this not my machine

 

proper windowed https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0s41XNKRTj4Gjc-156fWeLFWw#IMG_9165

 

Broken full screen https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0xJAXHe5FxEi0CGAPVsM4YOSw#IMG_9166

 

this has been a bug in the full screen browser for altirra as far back as i can remember.

 

happens 100% of the time on any machine once folders are more than 1 deep.

 

 

[oo7]

@phaeron

in full screen it seems you coded your own browser, is it possible to maybe bring in the windows browser like windowed mode?

[Mclaneinc]

Tried to replicate the problem with the directories being empty, but had no luck, it all just kept on working.

[scotty]

10 hours ago, glurk said:

I figured it out, I guess.  I'm using an old IBM Model M keyboard, and it's "N-Key Rollover" is mostly non-existent.  I think with a newer USB keyboard, this would not happen, but I LOVE my old Model M.

 

 

I love the old model M keyboards as well, but they have gotten way too expensive.   Find a good mechanical USB keyboard with BLUE switches in them.   While it is not identical, It is very, very close to the model M.   Wife and I both have one, as well as one for my laptop for when I travel.

 

[oo7]

46 minutes ago, Mclaneinc said:

Tried to replicate the problem with the directories being empty, but had no luck, it all just kept on working.

every machine i walk up to even randoms at work if i get the atarionline.pl collection unzip with fresh altira it happens 100% of the time in altirra after 1 or 2 loads.

 

 

If my collection is less dirs like fandal it does not happen.

 

[oo7]

ill try and remember and do a better recording when im home. been super busy, but for sure on any windows machine i can cause this to happen 100% with a fresh install of altirra no setting except for hitting alt+enter to go full screen

 

been this way since i started with altirra in 2.xx and never said anything and probably should have.

 

 

Its not a big deal but for sure something is not liked by his full screen browser. maybe the extra deep paths. 

 

see in this case its going to c:\use\desktop\arch\letter\game name

 

 

if i put them to lets say c:\a8\letter\

 

then no problems

 

 

[Keatah]

I duplicated your problem. And the temporary "solution" seems to be tickling the mouse scroll wheel to make them visible.

 

Yes, this occurs when using the built-in file browser. Seems to work alright when you do not have to scroll down to get to the final folder containing the images.

 

Try something like "F" or "M" for example. And pick something you had to scroll down to get to. When nothing appears, tickle the mouse wheel or <UP ARROW> key.

Edited September 7, 2021 by Keatah

[Mclaneinc]

Well done that man, I tried for an age but it just was ok. Hopefully there's enough info for Avery to trace it. Mind you, I don't have that many pathed drives as the video shows. Perhaps there's a boundary level to paths in Altirra?

 

But then again, what do I know

 

PS @oo7, were we playing during working hours, that looked very like an office

Edited September 7, 2021 by Mclaneinc

[phaeron]

Just a scroll issue, it'll be fixed in next version.

 

4 hours ago, oo7 said:

@phaeron

in full screen it seems you coded your own browser, is it possible to maybe bring in the windows browser like windowed mode?

 

No, the Windows UI doesn't work in exclusive full screen mode, thus the custom UI. If you want to use the Windows UI, then you need to use borderless mode instead.

 

[oo7]

4 hours ago, Mclaneinc said:

Well done that man, I tried for an age but it just was ok. Hopefully there's enough info for Avery to trace it. Mind you, I don't have that many pathed drives as the video shows. Perhaps there's a boundary level to paths in Altirra?

 

But then again, what do I know

 

PS @oo7, were we playing during working hours, that looked very like an office

Lol yes but i wasnt really breaking any rules lol. Remembered I promised I would show the bug so did it there quickly lol. 

[oo7]

4 hours ago, phaeron said:

Just a scroll issue, it'll be fixed in next version.

 

 

No, the Windows UI doesn't work in exclusive full screen mode, thus the custom UI. If you want to use the Windows UI, then you need to use borderless mode instead.

 

its not really an issue for me anyway been living with it since I first started using altirra heavy a long time ago. Just figured I should report it in case its gone un noticed since this emulator is so polished and under heavy development by you.

 

 

thanks for noticing it

[oo7]

5 hours ago, Keatah said:

I duplicated your problem. And the temporary "solution" seems to be tickling the mouse scroll wheel to make them visible.

 

Yes, this occurs when using the built-in file browser. Seems to work alright when you do not have to scroll down to get to the final folder containing the images.

 

Try something like "F" or "M" for example. And pick something you had to scroll down to get to. When nothing appears, tickle the mouse wheel or <UP ARROW> key.

Thank you for replicating and thanks for the advice.

 

on my normal setup on day to day use it doesnt effect me to be honest but I started thinking that this bug is so old and never seems mentioned, maybe I should mention it in case its just never been noticed.