phaeron Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 Looks like it's a problem with the new memory manager and the U1MB emulator. I rewrote the memory manager to use garbage collection instead of alloc-free to prepare for it being able to support caching, but it's collecting nodes from the actively accessed memory chain because of the way U1MB works (it needs to pass writes through to SIDE1 to emulate a particular hardware problem). Try this version: http://www.virtualdub.org/beta/Altirra-2.70-test2.zip http://www.virtualdub.org/beta/Altirra-2.70-test2-src.zip I switched it from double buffering to triple buffering the allocators to fix the problem, but this needs a rethink... probably need to switch from a copying collector to a compacting collector. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fujidude Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Still no extended RAM available with test 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaeron Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 What's your CPU mode and what memory configuration do you have U1MB set to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fujidude Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 (edited) 6502/6502C Ahhhhh..... U1MB was set to stock config. Doh! Sorry. Works fine when set to 1088 Rambo. Edited March 23, 2015 by fujidude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 I was wondering if there has been any provision (or tricks) that would allow an extensive configuration stored "trapped" in the registry to be extracted and put into an .ini file? I don't have a problem backing up or restoring keys to/from the registry, that's not a problem. I want to convert that config into an ini file. Last time I talked about this a year ago more or less, I vaguely recall someone saying to create a blank altirra.ini file. and upon starting and exiting the emulator you'd get a copy of the registry settings exported into the ini file! Can't get that trick working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fujidude Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 I was wondering if there has been any provision (or tricks) that would allow an extensive configuration stored "trapped" in the registry to be extracted and put into an .ini file? I too was wanting that at one time and actually briefly toyed with the idea of trying to write an external program to do it. But when I got thinking more on it, I came to the conclusion that it was really about rescuing some settings that got stuffed into the registry at a time when I didn't know to use the /portable switch. I manually redid the settings and have copied the .ini from previous versions to newer versions. I still start with a fresh .ini when there are much in the way of feature changes that would be differences in .ini structure. But I'm not sure that a tool (internal to Altirra or external) to translate registry settings into an .ini would be any safer when dealing with two versions of Altirra which utilize different registry or .ini settings from one another. In short, I couldn't think of a recurring use case for such a program and decided it wasn't worth my efforts. Especially since I'm an infant when it comes to Win GUI programming. What are your thoughts on actual use cases? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 I wouldn't use it constantly, once in a while to be sure. Maybe it is best to transition away from the registry entirely and just cut'n'paste my way through a set of ini files, before I start making more configurations.. Hmm.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaeron Posted March 24, 2015 Author Share Posted March 24, 2015 Last time I talked about this a year ago more or less, I vaguely recall someone saying to create a blank altirra.ini file. and upon starting and exiting the emulator you'd get a copy of the registry settings exported into the ini file! Can't get that trick working. You couldn't get it working because whoever told you that was speaking bovine excrement. The /portable switch works by swapping out the entire Registry engine below the rest of the emulator with a virtual Registry, so the emulator is always running only on one or the other. It's not impossible for the emulator to use both and copy from one to the other, but right now it simply doesn't have a feature to do so. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 God! I hate that. I suspected something like that'd be the case. That's why I don't use the internet for troubleshooting anymore, not for a long time. Other than tech forms with real developers like this one.. In any case I made the wife make me a script to take the registry settings and put them into a text file. So I'm good for now. Why not think about it for a future feature? For completeness sake, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 You couldn't get it working because whoever told you that was speaking bovine excrement. Damn, you even curse in a technical way, I am now thinking you are a robot from the future (Quick guys, find Sarah Connor and hide her) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fujidude Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 God! I hate that. I suspected something like that'd be the case. That's why I don't use the internet for troubleshooting anymore, not for a long time. Other than tech forms with real developers like this one.. In any case I made the wife make me a script to take the registry settings and put them into a text file. So I'm good for now. Why not think about it for a future feature? For completeness sake, eh? Your wife writes scripts? You are a lucky dude to have a wife that shares your passion for things technical. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 (edited) She's an IT director and has a skill set completely opposite and complimentary to my epically extraordinary excellent expertise in things hardware - if i dare say so.. Edited March 25, 2015 by Keatah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 You have let her have a computer in the kitchen? And what is the first rule of IT!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 (edited) As long as they're micro-controllers in appliances. Edited March 25, 2015 by Keatah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteym5 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Tried 2.6. Having some issues running my cartridge images. Seems to be behaving as if the option key is being held down and not released. I know this is emulating inverted option key for BASIC. But I have some code in the that holds it at a point just in case someone presses a console key to go back to the title screen and does not accidentally restart the game or change an option right away. Guess I have to change to a timeout and if they held down start to go to title and beware not to hold down start too long. The other issue certain executables. Get the 'Bell" constantly ringing when booting a .xex file. Not sure what is causing that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Oh man! I just discovered Altirra and I gotta tell you, this thing smokes any other Atari computer emulator I've ever used. Instead of pulling your hair out over obtuse interfaces and monitor errors, it's just you and the games. And lemme tell you, it is GLORIOUS. This is the way Atari XL/XE emulation should have been from the start. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) Yes it's remarkable isn't it? Back in the late 1970's I was laughed out of a lunch conversation by a bunch of stodgy old IBM engineers. I told them I wanted a suitcase that could hold and play ALL my video games AND all my favorite arcade games so I could take them to school with me. I might have still been in diapers even.. And today I bet those engineers are flipping in their graves. For all practical purposes I can put it all on a 1cm X 1cm silicon crystal! Edited March 26, 2015 by Keatah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiggle Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Hello Phearon, Yes, I am very admire of your excellent work ! I do ! I see you are writing a new version 2.70 on ward. That is good. But a tiny tiny really tiny missing. Why can't you try on 1400XL and 1450XLD prototypes to get work on 2.70 or newer version. 1400XL or 1450XLD has not been implementation yet ... Too much difficultly and complex ? For an example , missing special ROM on internal floppy drives, missing ROM for voice/sound ? I know coding into Emulator can be complex codes like millions codes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 What I appreciate a lot with emulators is how well they interface with modern displays like the latest OLED and other LCD TV sets. All you need to make sure is that your PC will connect to them. And I like emulators' abilities to adjust resolution and color palettes. Something you can't tweak to perfection on the old consoles. Having grown up a 9" and 14" b/w and then later a 13" color Trinitron and 25" Zenith Chromacolor seems very restrictive now. Oh back then it was indeed glorious! for the 9" and 13" were MINE to do with as I pleased. I also logged time with a 5" Trinitron. Still, sometimes, despite the expansive and high quality sets of today I still prefer sitting up-close with my face in the screen. One other thing, it is important for emulators to start having the ability to upscale even more than what we're getting now. With 4k and 8k displays on the market we'll need it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Oh man! I just discovered Altirra and I gotta tell you, this thing smokes any other Atari computer emulator I've ever used. Instead of pulling your hair out over obtuse interfaces and monitor errors, it's just you and the games. And lemme tell you, it is GLORIOUS. This is the way Atari XL/XE emulation should have been from the start. Yes that, can you imagine the pile of hardware you'd need to equal all the features in Altirra? And once the features get refined and finished you have 100% reliability. No need for screwdrivers and contact cleaner, no need for searching for replacement capacitors and connectors and power supplies. No intermittent cartridge slots. No fading plastic, no keyboard issues, no tear-down cleaning sessions. No fear of damaging anything really. If you fuck something up you can just start again with a fresh .ini file. And if you do break your host hardware you can do some curbside cruising or splurge at Wal-Mart or BigBox and you're in business again. It's like the systems have been de-rezzed in Tron and their essence flies around inside another computer. I wrote a religious sermon on this, but won't post it for fear of getting kicked off. But I can tell you that almost every day I look upon my emulation collection with amazement and reverence. That it is actually here! It was something I dreamed about many-a night while reading my astronomy and space books. We'd imagine going on the space shuttle on a deep space voyage. And we'd have a real arcade set up in the cargo bay and all that. In reality I had to settle for consoles, cartridges, controllers, and a crt. All stuffed under the mattress which was partly propped up at a 45 degree angle and sides closed off with those 70's bean bags and covered with a tent. And playing Star Raiders in my modern day chillout space lounge is always a special experience. Really great times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) Hey Avery I found a tiny bug you might gotta fix. When I take a screenshot or load a disk image, and exit after I'm done playing the game, Altirra saves the .ini in that directory that was last accessed by the emulator itself. Thus putting my precious settings elsewhere! Wouldn't it make sense to save the .ini file in the directory that altirra resides in? Where it was loaded from at least? Or do I have a messed up .ini file? Made a fresh one, no change. What I did discover is that if you specify the entire pathname of the .ini file as part of the /portablealt:<filename> switch it will work: altirra /portablealt:"C:\ProgramFiles\1_classic_system_emulation\a800\test.ini" Or if I do a desktop shortcut.. "C:\Program Files\1_classic_system_emulation\a800\Altirra.exe" /portablealt:"C:\Program Files\1_classic_system_emulation\a800\Altirra270TestConfig5.ini" Then the .ini file gets put back where it is "supposed" to be. Or specified to be. Is that by design? I was just caught by surprise when I changed some video options and they weren't sticking. And my <images> folder gained a .ini file! I believe the docs should mention a full & complete path to the .ini file is needed. Or optional, but highly recommended, or else.. Edited March 26, 2015 by Keatah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaeron Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 Ooooops... let's fix that. http://www.virtualdub.org/beta/Altirra-2.70-test3.zip http://www.virtualdub.org/beta/Altirra-2.70-test3-src.zip Other changes: Fix for emulation bug with IR mode 2 lines taller than 8 scan lines. PIA interrupt emulation fixes. R-Verter emulation Hold-option fixes. The problem was that the emulator watches for the self-test ROM to activate to know when the console buttons have taken effect, and AltirraOS didn't do so because it doesn't have a ROM checksum routine. Added in a quick PORTB blip to fix that, and added a timeout to the emulator side too for good measure. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grevle Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 (edited) Thank you for this great update . Does the impoved windowed Vsync lock also apply when using DirectDraw ? im not able to test my CRT emu setup at the moment since my gear is stashed away for some time. Edited March 27, 2015 by BioFreeze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 You know, I think the Atari 8-bit and 5200 emulators should be split into two separate programs. I realize the hardware is similar, but if you play a 5200 game while Altirra is in XE mode, things get screwy real fast. It'd be better to have two different emulators- one for the PCs and the other for the 5200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 Don't do 5200 games in xe mode. Just configure it correctly. Should be easier than ever with the now-good .ini support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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