The most stupid newbie question ever (probably)

26 July 2015, 23:02

Hi all,

Firstly, I was a major CBM gamer fan - started with a C64 and cassette, added the external FDD, then transitioned onto an A500. Got seduced by PCs eventually and sold the much loved A500 plus games. Now in an effort to reclaim my lost youth, I've got my hands on an A500, an A500+ (both expanded by 512K) and an A600, plus a fair few of the games I loved back in the day.

(I *could* tell the story where I was directly involved in a bid being made for Commodore just before they were going under, but I'll leave that for now).

Anyhow, to cut to the chase, I got myself a Gotek, pre-flashed with the latest Cortex firmware, plus a neat little dongle from KMTech, allowing me to access it as df:1 (and not having to butcher my Amiga case).

Here's the idiot question - and I'll understand if you all yell "RTFM" (I have tried and it's really not clear at all). Bear in mind, although I loved (and still love) my Amiga, I never bothered learning my way around Workbench. So... on booting WB 1.3 and with the Gotek merrily attached to the FDD external port, I can see the Cortex Floppy Emu icon. So I double click on it and the Cortex window opens... with nothing apparently in it. Okay so I can access the Gotek via the CLI (thank God I remember MS-DOS) and load SELECTOR.adf from there - but it strikes me that, if only I had a clue what I was doing, I could make an icon within the Cortex window to access SELECTOR.adf via mouse from within WB 1.3. Oh and yes, I know that with my A500+ and A600, I can force boot directly from df:1 via the both mouse buttons held down thing, but I prefer my A500.

I'd really appreciate some idiot-proof, patient and step-by-step instructions on how to do this no doubt blindingly simple thing. Please be gentle with me!

Arnie · 27 July 2015, 03:59

Type DF1:Selector

27 July 2015, 07:58

Okay, so sadly I didn't understand the above response - it seems to be a way of running selector.adf from the CLI, which I already know how to do.

What I *think* I need to do is to copy an existing .info file (either from a project or a tool, not sure which) and rename the copy selector.info, I then need to change the .info's properties, pointing the path at selector.adf on df:1.

Is that right?

If so, would I be better off having the new .info on my WB floppy (so, pointing it at the target adf on df1? Or should I have that new .info on df:1 already (so, on the USB stick in the Gotek)?

Arnie · 27 July 2015, 18:07

O.K, bit of confusion on both sides I think.

Firstly: Floppy drive devices are referred to as DF0:, DF1: etc

Second: Selector.adf is a floppy disk file (ADF) It's loaded by the Gotek as a floppy disk.

You can copy any tool icon as Selector.info to DF1: and it will run Selector.

The problem here is going to be; how do you boot the Gotek from DF1: using KS1.3? (which doesn't allow for booting off of DF1:) You need to boot from the Gotek to run the adf's from it.

27 July 2015, 18:50

Arnie, thanks for confirming that all I need do is copy any tool icon to df1 and rename it.

As to needing to actually boot from the Gotek in order to run adf's from it, I thought that was down to the program that you're trying to run? My understanding is that some games and/or utilities will only run from df:0 (or whatever the drive first booted from is), whereas others are happy to be loaded and run from df:1?

If the worst comes to the worst, I'll simply crack open my trusty A500 case, disconnect (but not remove) the internal floppy and hang the Gotek externally off the df:0 PCB data and power headers if I must - but I'd rather not if there's another method that'll work.

Arnie · 27 July 2015, 19:30

You can swap DF0: for DF1: by swapping the SEL0 & SEL1 lines on the CIA.

Search this forum for ways to do it.

You do need to boot from the Gotek to be able to load the ADF's stored in the menu. The Selector program on the Selector.adf just organises the menu.

And please stop typing df:0, df:1, it's like your taking the mick.

Bugala · 27 July 2015, 21:16

@DavidinSurrey

"(I tell the story where I was directly involved in a bid being made for Commodore just before they were going under)."

26 July 2015, 23:02	#1
DavidinSurrey Posts: n/a	The most stupid newbie question ever (probably) Hi all, Firstly, I was a major CBM gamer fan - started with a C64 and cassette, added the external FDD, then transitioned onto an A500. Got seduced by PCs eventually and sold the much loved A500 plus games. Now in an effort to reclaim my lost youth, I've got my hands on an A500, an A500+ (both expanded by 512K) and an A600, plus a fair few of the games I loved back in the day. (I could tell the story where I was directly involved in a bid being made for Commodore just before they were going under, but I'll leave that for now). Anyhow, to cut to the chase, I got myself a Gotek, pre-flashed with the latest Cortex firmware, plus a neat little dongle from KMTech, allowing me to access it as df:1 (and not having to butcher my Amiga case). Here's the idiot question - and I'll understand if you all yell "RTFM" (I have tried and it's really not clear at all). Bear in mind, although I loved (and still love) my Amiga, I never bothered learning my way around Workbench. So... on booting WB 1.3 and with the Gotek merrily attached to the FDD external port, I can see the Cortex Floppy Emu icon. So I double click on it and the Cortex window opens... with nothing apparently in it. Okay so I can access the Gotek via the CLI (thank God I remember MS-DOS) and load SELECTOR.adf from there - but it strikes me that, if only I had a clue what I was doing, I could make an icon within the Cortex window to access SELECTOR.adf via mouse from within WB 1.3. Oh and yes, I know that with my A500+ and A600, I can force boot directly from df:1 via the both mouse buttons held down thing, but I prefer my A500. I'd really appreciate some idiot-proof, patient and step-by-step instructions on how to do this no doubt blindingly simple thing. Please be gentle with me!

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27 July 2015, 03:59	#2
Arnie R.I.P Smudge 18-08-16 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Leicester/UK Age: 66 Posts: 3,968	Type DF1:Selector

27 July 2015, 07:58	#3
DavidinSurrey Posts: n/a	Okay, so sadly I didn't understand the above response - it seems to be a way of running selector.adf from the CLI, which I already know how to do. What I think I need to do is to copy an existing .info file (either from a project or a tool, not sure which) and rename the copy selector.info, I then need to change the .info's properties, pointing the path at selector.adf on df:1. Is that right? If so, would I be better off having the new .info on my WB floppy (so, pointing it at the target adf on df1? Or should I have that new .info on df:1 already (so, on the USB stick in the Gotek)?

27 July 2015, 18:07	#4
Arnie R.I.P Smudge 18-08-16 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Leicester/UK Age: 66 Posts: 3,968	O.K, bit of confusion on both sides I think. Firstly: Floppy drive devices are referred to as DF0:, DF1: etc Second: Selector.adf is a floppy disk file (ADF) It's loaded by the Gotek as a floppy disk. You can copy any tool icon as Selector.info to DF1: and it will run Selector. The problem here is going to be; how do you boot the Gotek from DF1: using KS1.3? (which doesn't allow for booting off of DF1:) You need to boot from the Gotek to run the adf's from it.

27 July 2015, 18:50	#5
DavidinSurrey Posts: n/a	Arnie, thanks for confirming that all I need do is copy any tool icon to df1 and rename it. As to needing to actually boot from the Gotek in order to run adf's from it, I thought that was down to the program that you're trying to run? My understanding is that some games and/or utilities will only run from df:0 (or whatever the drive first booted from is), whereas others are happy to be loaded and run from df:1? If the worst comes to the worst, I'll simply crack open my trusty A500 case, disconnect (but not remove) the internal floppy and hang the Gotek externally off the df:0 PCB data and power headers if I must - but I'd rather not if there's another method that'll work.

27 July 2015, 19:30	#6
Arnie R.I.P Smudge 18-08-16 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Leicester/UK Age: 66 Posts: 3,968	You can swap DF0: for DF1: by swapping the SEL0 & SEL1 lines on the CIA. Search this forum for ways to do it. You do need to boot from the Gotek to be able to load the ADF's stored in the menu. The Selector program on the Selector.adf just organises the menu. And please stop typing df:0, df:1, it's like your taking the mick.

27 July 2015, 21:16	#7
Bugala Registered User Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Haapamäki Posts: 202	@DavidinSurrey "(I tell the story where I was directly involved in a bid being made for Commodore just before they were going under)."

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