Ti99Dir version 9.1.a

[F.G. Kaal]

Hi all,

 

I have added three new features or wishes from a few users. This was a process of weeks (4 or 5), not full time but a few hours every weekend and one or two hours almost every weekend, but here it is ...

 

Ti99Dir version 9.1.a is available here: My TI99/4A and Geneve Web Pages (hexbus.com)

and here 

ti99dir91a.zip

 

Added: Number of free sectors of total sectors when viewing the file list of a DSK image (time spend: 1 evening)

 

Added: Command line arguments -I, -L, -R and -S- (time spend: 2 evenings)

• -I<filename.ini> for using an alternative .ini file instead of the default file
• -L<pathname and/or DSK image name> for the file list in the left panel
• -R<pathname and/or DSK image name> for the file list in the right panel
• -S- Disables the splash screen (splash screens are annoying when debugging 🙂 )

 

every command line option is optional.

 

Usage: Ti99Dir.exe [-Ic:\path\myconfigfile.ini] [-Lc:\mytifiles\] [-Rc:\mytifiles\mydskimage.dsk]

 

Also the classic method for starting Ti99Dir is still available (like Ti99Dir pathname or Ti99Dir pathname\diskimage.dsk)

 

Added: Quick view panel for the left or right side (time spend: endless)

The idea of this feature is that the user browses through it's TI-files in one panel and immediately sees the content of the directory / disk-image / harddisk image/ ARC file / picture file / data file / basic program in the other panel.

 

Also added the ti99dir.bat batchfile in the download I use together with TotalCommander (Total Commander - home (ghisler.com)

 

 

enjoy.

 

Fred

Edited November 5, 2023 by F.G. Kaal

[WhataKowinkydink]

Thank you Fred - TI99Dir always has been an excellent tool.

[Bill R Sullivan]

3 hours ago, WhataKowinkydink said:

Thank you Fred - TI99Dir always has been an excellent tool.

Yea, extremely useful along with T-99Hdx!  I prefer to use real TI--99 hardware instead of emulation, except for development.

[firebottle]

Ouch... I guess this new build doesn't work with Windows XP?

[Asmusr]

I tried to use Ti99Dir to rename the internal name of a TI File (where the internal name is different from the host file name), and it seems to work but the result is not saved.

[rgjt]

On 11/10/2023 at 11:02 AM, firebottle said:

Ouch... I guess this new build doesn't work with Windows XP?

It doesn't work for me on XP either. All other previous verisons to 9.1.a do work without any problems. The error says it is not a valid WIN32 application. This is on a 32bit XP SP3 system.

Back to version 8.3.e for the time being.

[Kchula-Rrit]

Then, I assume, it will not work on my Win98 machine, either.  Sigh.  Will have to stay with the older version.

K-R.

[F.G. Kaal]

On 12/17/2023 at 2:55 AM, Kchula-Rrit said:

Then, I assume, it will not work on my Win98 machine

I have commented out all the old "W9xSectorIO" functions because 1998 is now 25 years behind us. This should not be a problem for WinXP users but I don't know for sure, and I can't do any tests for/on old window versions.

 

Here is version 9.2a with WIN98 support enabled again. Hope this helps.

There is also some fix in this versions but I can't remember what. I sort that out later

FYI: The win98 support is mostly there for "Legacy for read/write CF card sectors".

 

Found the changes made in this version: 🙂

Changed: Allow 8 partitions for a IDE hard disk image

Updated : Ti99HdImg32.dll to v2.1.a

Fixed: Memory leaks in vibddrfdr.cpp, EndDialog() does not send a WM_DESTROY where the free() instruction is. Added a function for all these dialogs to free the data pointed to by GWL_USERDATA.

 

 

ti99dir92a.zip

Edited December 18, 2023 by F.G. Kaal

[CLBrown]

On 11/5/2023 at 4:41 AM, F.G. Kaal said:

Hi all,

 

I have added three new features or wishes from a few users. This was a process of weeks (4 or 5), not full time but a few hours every weekend and one or two hours almost every weekend, but here it is ...

 

Ti99Dir version 9.1.a is available here: My TI99/4A and Geneve Web Pages (hexbus.com)

and here 

ti99dir91a.zip 648.47 kB · 52 downloads

 

Added: Number of free sectors of total sectors when viewing the file list of a DSK image (time spend: 1 evening)

 

Added: Command line arguments -I, -L, -R and -S- (time spend: 2 evenings)

• -I<filename.ini> for using an alternative .ini file instead of the default file
• -L<pathname and/or DSK image name> for the file list in the left panel
• -R<pathname and/or DSK image name> for the file list in the right panel
• -S- Disables the splash screen (splash screens are annoying when debugging 🙂 )

 

every command line option is optional.

 

Usage: Ti99Dir.exe [-Ic:\path\myconfigfile.ini] [-Lc:\mytifiles\] [-Rc:\mytifiles\mydskimage.dsk]

 

Also the classic method for starting Ti99Dir is still available (like Ti99Dir pathname or Ti99Dir pathname\diskimage.dsk)

 

Added: Quick view panel for the left or right side (time spend: endless)

The idea of this feature is that the user browses through it's TI-files in one panel and immediately sees the content of the directory / disk-image / harddisk image/ ARC file / picture file / data file / basic program in the other panel.

 

Also added the ti99dir.bat batchfile in the download I use together with TotalCommander (Total Commander - home (ghisler.com)

 

 

enjoy.

 

Fred

Hi Fred,

 

I'm a big fan of your software... it's a godsend and I've been using it extensively since I first discovered it, some time (and a number of revisions) ago.

 

I've been using the new version for a while, too, but hadn't been aware of the command-line options you mention above, so I decided to test them out today.  Unfortunately, at least in my case, things aren't working well.  I suspect this is a bug.

 

I appended my shortcut command path to read as follows.  Note, all my PC-based TI software is along the general path this is found in, on my "D" drive.  My TI software, however, is all on my "S" drive, one of the paths going to my Synology Diskstation NAS ("S" for "software").

 

This is the path I'm using.

"D:\Virtual Machines\TI-99-4A\Ti99Dir\v9.1a\Ti99Dir.exe" -L "S:\__TI-99-4A\Software (TI-99-4A)" -R "S:\__TI-99-4A\Software (TI-99-4A)"

 

I added the quotes to the "L" and "R" bits after the first attempt, without them, failed, by the way.  It helped with the "R" panel, but not with the "L" panel.

 

So, with the exact path above (I just copy-and-pasted that from the shortcut properties, directly)... I don't get the expected result.  The left window still opens to whatever I was on most recently.  See the attached screenshot.

 

So, I'm curious if you have any idea why this isn't working for me?  It seems, from what I can read here, to be working for other folks, right?  Maybe the "left pane" code can't recognize the drive path?

[F.G. Kaal]

On 12/18/2023 at 5:56 PM, CLBrown said:

but hadn't been aware of the command-line options you mention above

Hi CLBrown,

 

The code for left and right panel is all the same.

See also the Ti99Dir help file: "If only one directory or file name for the left or right panel is defined then both panels will display the same information"

this means that if you do this:

"D:\Virtual Machines\TI-99-4A\Ti99Dir\v9.1a\Ti99Dir.exe" -L "S:\__TI-99-4A\Software (TI-99-4A)"

or this

"D:\Virtual Machines\TI-99-4A\Ti99Dir\v9.1a\Ti99Dir.exe" -R "S:\__TI-99-4A\Software (TI-99-4A)"

both panels should display the same information.

 

I stumbled at a problem with spaces in the command line parameters yesterday, I will look into this.

 

[jrhodes]

Any chance of making a Linux version of this please?

[WhataKowinkydink]

4 hours ago, jrhodes said:

Any chance of making a Linux version of this please?

Yes, a Linux version would be nice, but I've never had much issue with it running under WINE.

[Kchula-Rrit]

On 12/18/2023 at 2:03 AM, F.G. Kaal said:

I have commented out all the old "W9xSectorIO" functions because 1998 is now 25 years behind us. This should not be a problem for WinXP users but I don't know for sure, and I can't do any tests for/on old window versions.

 

Here is version 9.2a with WIN98 support enabled again. Hope this helps.

There is also some fix in this versions but I can't remember what. I sort that out later

FYI: The win98 support is mostly there for "Legacy for read/write CF card sectors".

ti99dir92a.zip 653.28 kB · 17 downloads

Just found your posting.

 

Thank you for doing this!  If you need someone to be your Win98 "guinea pig," I will be happy to do so.  Just let me know what to do, how to do it, and so on.

 

I also realize that my Win98 system is on "borrowed time," and that Darth M$ will no longer allow you to compile Win98/XP compatible programs.  When that sad day comes, or it gets to be too much hassle for you, I can run it under Wine, like WhataKowinkydink said.  In the meantime, I am quite grateful to you.

Your programs Rock!

K-R.

Edited December 21, 2023 by Kchula-Rrit

[Gary from OPA]

i had some issues with 9.1a working on windows 8.1 64bit, i should test to see if 9.2a fixes the startup errors.

[Kchula-Rrit]

2 hours ago, Kchula-Rrit said:

Just found your posting.

 

Thank you for doing this!  If you need someone to be your Win98 "guinea pig," I will be happy to do so.  Just let me know what to do, how to do it, and so on.

 

I also realize that my Win98 system is on "borrowed time," and that Darth M$ will no longer allow you to compile Win98/XP compatible programs.  When that sad day comes, or it gets to be too much hassle for you, I can run it under Wine, like WhataKowinkydink said.  In the meantime, I am quite grateful to you.

Your programs Rock!

K-R.

Looks like Darth M$ has struck!  v9.2A does not work with (my) Win98 system.  v8.2a works.  Stock Compaq Presario 5630, if that matters.

K-R.

[F.G. Kaal]

17 hours ago, F.G. Kaal said:

-L "S:\__TI-99-4A\Software (TI-99-4A)"

Aha ... you have space between the option switch (-L) and the argument ("S:\..."). That is not how it is described in the help file. 

For now use (inclusive the "" because you have a space in your path): "-LS:\__TI-99-4A\Software (TI-99-4A)" or just the classic method "S:\__TI-99-4A\Software (TI-99-4A)" this also still works.

 

I am going to fix this because I want the program to accept both, thus -L ARGUMENT and -LARGUMENT but I forgot about this in the previous version

 

Fred

Edited December 21, 2023 by F.G. Kaal

[Kchula-Rrit]

Forgot to mention the error message I got a little "box" with:

The [pathname]\TI99DIR.EXE file expects a newer version of Windows.

Upgrade your Windows version.

 

Underneath that is a confirmation thingie with the word OK in the middle.  When I picked OK I got another "box" with:

[pathname]\Ti99Dir.exe

A device attached to the system is not working.

and another OK.

I do appreciate all the effort.

K-R.

Edited December 21, 2023 by Kchula-Rrit
fixed error message

[+Vorticon]

Win 98 eh? Damn... While I do maintain an old Pentium machine with Win 98 installed, it's strictly to play legacy PC games.

All the modern TI tools and emulators function happily under Wine in Linux.

[CLBrown]

20 hours ago, F.G. Kaal said:

Aha ... you have space between the option switch (-L) and the argument ("S:\..."). That is not how it is described in the help file. 

For now use (inclusive the "" because you have a space in your path): "-LS:\__TI-99-4A\Software (TI-99-4A)" or just the classic method "S:\__TI-99-4A\Software (TI-99-4A)" this also still works.

 

I am going to fix this because I want the program to accept both, thus -L ARGUMENT and -LARGUMENT but I forgot about this in the previous version

 

Fred

Fascinating.  I assumed that this complied with standard formatting style as used in Window, Linux, etc.  Window or Linux "command line switches" always REQUIRE a space there, so naturally that's how I did it.   I've never seen any instances of command line switches that don't require a space between the switch and the switch argument.   Well, until now, that is!

 

So, please do implement this as soon as it can fit into your schedule.  I suspect I'm not the only user who might get tripped up by this! 

 

That said...  I've never used this before, and so while I'm not gaining the workflow efficiency the new switch options can provide, I'm not losing anything beyond my already familiar workflow.  Just let us know once it's done.  👍

[F.G. Kaal]

1 hour ago, CLBrown said:

Fascinating.  I assumed that this complied with standard formatting style as used in Window, Linux, etc.

I have seen so many standards over the years 🙂

It is fixed for the next release of Ti99Dir and that will be soon.

[CLBrown]

9 hours ago, Vorticon said:

Win 98 eh? Damn... While I do maintain an old Pentium machine with Win 98 installed, it's strictly to play legacy PC games.

All the modern TI tools and emulators function happily under Wine in Linux.

I have several OOOOOLD PCs... one which still runs Win3.11 for Workgroups, natively, one which runs Win98SE natively, one which runs BeOS 5.1, and one which runs Redhat 7.2.  Those are all in storage at the moment.  I have a WinXP machine sitting next to my main machine in my office, in regular use (as I have a number of packages which run perfectly on XP which don't run, or don't run correctly, on anything later).

 

My main machine remains Win7.  I've resisted "upgrading" to Win10/11 because that means giving up too much functionality.  I do have a couple of Win10 laptops and two Win11 mini-PCs, so I've worked with both "newer" versions, and while they're generally OK if "modified" (replacing the "new shell" with a more functional one, and replacing the ridiculously ineffective "Windows Search" with an actual, functional search utility, mainly), I still prefer working on Win7.

 

The biggest annoyance with Win11?  The "truncated right-click menu" BS.  A few folks figured out a way to fix that to provide the "more options" option... what we used to see anytime we right-clicked...  by default.  But Microsoft "fixed" that, so that it's now impossible to get to a full right-click menu without multiple clicks now...  (sigh).   Quite a pain in the posterior if, say, you're trying to rename a bunch of files...  just for one example.

 

Win98SE worked marvelously, overall, but its memory issues were its main defect (there are patches out there today which fix all of those, however, so my Win98SE machine can access far, far more memory than the arbitrary limit Microsoft imposed back in the day...  as much as the addressing scheme OUGHT to be able to address, in fact.)

 

WinXP I haven't really missed... but it still runs things nothing else I've tried can run properly, and several of those are things I frequently need to get access to.

 

Win7 is about perfect, IMHO...  and most of my older software runs nicely on it inside of virtual machines of various types.  Except for things designed specifically for XP... especially anything designed to run in XP which used 3D graphics acceleration or audio acceleration.  If a VM became available which actually properly emulated those...  my XP machine could be retired, just as my Win3x and Win9x machines have been.

 

The Redhat machine is necessary for all those old Linux games I bought back in the day, which won't run on more modern distributions as far as I can tell.

 

And I keep a BeOS machine around because I absolutely adore BeOS's design and philosophy, and really wish it had been the success it ought to have been (it's a fascinating, if dismaying, story about how Microsoft did a bunch of technically illegal things to drive Be out of business, and never got called on the carpet over doing so.)

 

And, of course, I still keep my TI machines around...  but they're not for doing anything productive, just sort of a hobby.  Two TI-99/4As... both the same hardware revision but one with the "slider" overlay card holder, and the other with the "inset" overlay card holder... otherwise, as far as I can tell, identical.   The older one's keyboard JUST failed, a few days ago, and my attempt to fix it myself seems to have failed (sigh).  So, trolling Ebay to see if I can find a passable-quality keyboard, or an old "non-working" one with a decent quality keyboard I can scavenge.

[F.G. Kaal]

Hi all,

 

Ti99Dir version 9.3a is here.

 

Added the possibility for viewing TiArtitst Slides, Instances and Fonts. I myself didn't knew these existed ... never used TiArtist, but these kind of files were brought to my attention by MikeV (thank you mike).

 

 

Als fixed the command line issue, a space between a switch and argument is now also allowed i.e.:

 

Ti99Dir -Lc:\path -Rc:\path

or

Ti99Dir -L c:\path -R c:\path

 

are both oké. Always use "" around the argument if it contains spaces i.e.: -L "c:\my path".

 

 

And what happened with version 9.2a: Well ... that version was ready for release but I have added those TIA files first.

With version 9.2a (and newer) it is possible to view and create IDE images with a maximum of 8 partitions.

 

ti99dir93a.zip

 

Enjoy

Fred

 

[MikeV]

Hi Fred,

 

This is a really, really great addition to an already very useful program. Thanks for the hard work and continuing to support the TI community.

[Gary from OPA]

8 hours ago, F.G. Kaal said:

Hi all,

 

Ti99Dir version 9.3a is here.

 

Enjoy

Fred

 

Sadly, I can't unpack this one. I had no issues with your previous builds, but this one quickly sends my windows 10 into a spin cycle, and deletes the .zip and .exe inside. So not enjoying this release.

 

[+OLD CS1]

34 minutes ago, Gary from OPA said:

Sadly, I can't unpack this one. I had no issues with your previous builds, but this one quickly sends my windows 10 into a spin cycle, and deletes the .zip and .exe inside. So not enjoying this release.

 

No apparent reason for that...

 

The link:

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/url/835d47cb91ad00bc2a1057c72507b2273b690f4a5ee62f1906a9d543ea0ad49a?nocache=1

 

The file:

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/6820191e6a7de179aa89d259b3770d582285f88ab1ae00c615db0cc7a0aec7e1?nocache=1

 

Although ONE scanner detects something:

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/07446f493bca78d9cf444cf98d907fb25cebb40df277b3ea669b0553070c48d1