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Altirra 2.60 released


phaeron

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here's always right-drag if you want finer control over mounting.

Have you tried the side menu (double-click on left)?

>There's always right-drag if you want finer control over mounting.
Huh! You definitively neeed a co-writer or secretary for the docs to keep them up to date. This is a feature I've always missed. And it's there - just not to be found....
>Have you tried the side menu (double-click on left)?
What's that?? You definitively need a co... - I'm repeating myself ;-)
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>There's always right-drag if you want finer control over mounting.
Huh! You definitively neeed a co-writer or secretary for the docs to keep them up to date. This is a feature I've always missed. And it's there - just not to be found....
>Have you tried the side menu (double-click on left)?
What's that?? You definitively need a co... - I'm repeating myself ;-)

 

I knew about the right drag (by accident) but the side menu was a total unknown..

 

If he keeps hiding these things we may have to cut his wages...

 

:)

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Ok I believe I found the bug with the keyboard.

 

1- Start a standard 400/800 48K OS-B machine in Atari Computer - Memo Pad. In windowed mode.

2- Ensure that you have [key press mode] set to RAW. Input->Keyboard->KeyPressMode->RAW KEYS

3- Hold down any alpha/numeric key.

4- Verify it repeats normally at this time. Release it. It stops.

5- Try it again. When it begins repeating, click & hold the right mouse button while hovering over the emulated machine's blue screen.

6- When Windows bongs at you. Release key AND THEN the right mouse button

7- Tick the mouse to move it a bit to the left.

8- Press the left mouse button while still having the pointer on the blue background of the Memo Pad

9- Now it will endlessly repeat forever!

10- To stop it click on another Windows' window. Or ALT-M to maximize/minimize if you started in windowed mode. If you start in full-screen mode, you have to minimize it, then maximize it again. Then it stops.

 

I don't think it has anything to do with entering/exiting debug mode. It also messes up the same way if you are using the [Full raw keyboard scan] too. It is very repeatable following those steps exactly. 5 out of 5 tries. Perhaps others can verify and clarify before a bug hunt consumes the developer! If needed I'll post my configuration file - but I don't believe it is anything exotic or funky.

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Ok I believe I found the bug with the keyboard.

 

1- Start a standard 400/800 48K OS-B machine in Atari Computer - Memo Pad. In windowed mode.

2- Ensure that you have [key press mode] set to RAW. Input->Keyboard->KeyPressMode->RAW KEYS

3- Hold down any alpha/numeric key.

4- Verify it repeats normally at this time. Release it. It stops.

5- Try it again. When it begins repeating, click & hold the right mouse button while hovering over the emulated machine's blue screen.

6- When Windows bongs at you. Release key AND THEN the right mouse button

7- Tick the mouse to move it a bit to the left.

8- Press the left mouse button while still having the pointer on the blue background of the Memo Pad

9- Now it will endlessly repeat forever!

10- To stop it click on another Windows' window. Or ALT-M to maximize/minimize if you started in windowed mode. If you start in full-screen mode, you have to minimize it, then maximize it again. Then it stops.

 

 

 

Now there's a list of things you do all the time :)

 

Just jesting Keatah, excellent bug find!

 

Something to do with the MS repeat key checking system throwing a wobbly into Altirra?

Edited by Mclaneinc
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Just landed on a Turbo freezer thread from 2011 asking about being added to Altirra, you (Avery) said you could add it in but its on top of the to add pile so a long way off.

 

Did it ever get further than that, can't see it on the device list so I presume its on the list or dropped?

 

Just interested..

Edited by Mclaneinc
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Okay, after a lot of poking and fiddling around, I have found a different way to get this issue to happen. It is completely repeatable (yes, pun intended :)).

  1. Hold down 3 keys on your keyboard simultaneously (I used letter keys).
  2. Wait until one of those keys starts to repeat.
  3. Keep holding them down for at least another full second.
  4. Release all keys simultaneously.

At this point you should have a continuously repeating key. If you tap any other key, that key then becomes the one that is repeated. The repeating stops if you switch focus away from the Altirra window. Keep in mind that I have Altirra set not to pause when inactive. So the repeating key stops, but Altirra continues the emulated machine. When you switch focus back to Altirra it behaves normally as expected again. Also note, that I was using "raw" keys. It does not happen with "cooked" keys. With "full raw keyboard scan" I could get it to happen but not as consistently. Als, tapping a different key did not switch to that key as the one repeated like it did with "raw" mode.

Edited by fujidude
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On a completely side tangent.... I noticed the following interesting results from some different BASICs:

BASIC			5*5	5^2
=====================	===	===========
Atari BASIC rev. A	25	25.00000008
Atari BASIC rev. B	25	26
Atari BASIC rev. C	25	26
Altirra 8K BASIC 1.46	25	25.00000008

I understand that the exponentation on the Atari will yield different results than the equivalent in long division. What I didn't know, was that Atari changed it after rev A., and that Altirra mimics Atari rev A instead of the latest Atari rev c.

 

PS: Looks like Atari had that part working better in rev A since the result is much closer to accurate than revs B & C.

Edited by fujidude
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Hi Avery, we know you for Altirra and Virtualdub but any chance of giving us a bit about you, No, I'm not asking for address security alarm number and visa card details, just a bit about how you got into the Atari, what you do full time (not company detials) and just a little background. It would be just nice to know about the guy who writes such a wonderful emulator.

 

I did have one look around and found an Avery Lee at EA, if that's you then you are a hero to my daughter for working on The Sims (between that and Animal Crossing she's addicted to them) but its most likely not you..

 

Don't worry I doubt we have an stalkers in the forum, well now that Carmel does not post :) (Just jesting Carmel)

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No, key repeat in Altirra 2.60 works correct on my Windos 8.1 notebook.

 

And in the BASIC versions I get other results than you:

In BASIC rev. C, PRINT 5^2 displays 25

In Altirra-BASIC 1.46, PRINT 5^2 displays 24.9999993

I suppose, that Atari programmed a rounding mechanism in rev. C when both arguments have no fraction part.

 

I'm extremely satisfied with Altirra. Especially the configurable keyboard shortcuts are useful, e.g. for quick switching BASIC on/off, PAL/NTSC, input maps, quick save state or cycling the mounted disk images when playing adventures.

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http://www.virtualdub.org/beta/Altirra-2.70-test27.zip

http://www.virtualdub.org/beta/Altirra-2.70-test27-src.zip

 

  • Debugger: Added sw (search word), sa (search ATASCII), si (search INTERNAL).
  • Audio output path now switches from 44.1KHz to 48KHz if the mixer is running at that rate on Vista+ systems. This lowers CPU usage slightly.
  • 64-bit build now also has optimized GTIA and artifacting routines and runs closer to 32-bit build in speed.
  • Accurate sector timing mode adjusted for enhanced density disks.
  • Added code to force keys up when a modal menu or sizing loop begins.

The issue with menus blocking key ups has been there for a while, but it's now fixed. The other issue with holding multiple keys is likely a classic N-key rollover issue and will require a different change. The issue is that most keyboards can only reliably detect two keys down at once and will do weird things beyond that; keyboards differ in how they behave beyond that and whether Ctrl/Shift/Alt are part of the matrix. It sounds like some keyboards are sending key downs without corresponding key ups, which is not good.

 

Regarding the ^ operator, most BASICs implement exponentiation via x^y = b^(log_b(x) * y). The roundoff errors arise from the logarithm and exponentiation operations, and that's why you get slightly off numbers with integers. The Atari's use of decimal floating point means that more small numbers are prone to this. Atari BASIC revision C uses a questionable rounding hack to make these look good, but it also introduces big errors in other cases, particularly with replacement math packs. I'm not in favor of such a hack and also don't want to reverse engineer Atari BASIC's hack, so Altirra BASIC just gives straight 10^(clog(x) * y).

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Indeed, I turned off Fast FP math pack option and 25^2 under revision C yielded 25. So, that means I should either try to use Altirra BASIC generally, or turn off the accelerated math stuff. I won't use rev. A (or B).

 

I think I'll stick with Altirra BASIC. It seems to definitely be product improved over Atari BASIC in the same 8K space.

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Interesting about the keyboard info phaeron. I'm not sure how this may or may not tie in with what you were saying but the keyboard I use says this as part of it's product description:

 

100% anti-ghosting with 122 key rollover on USB

Every keystroke translates into accurate gameplay—even when multiple keys are pressed. There’s no signal degradation, and it keeps up with you, no matter how fast you play.

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