WHDLoad problem

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Foebane

and AHI (I think it's called) is important.

...which can also be installed on a "vanilla" Workbench 3.1 setup

Here are the original source files on Aminet that my friend Bloodwych would have used...

In fact anything in ClassicWB can be found / installed on a standard Workbench 3.1 setup; what do you think he used as a base to begin with?

Bloodwych has just put everything together in a nice / easy to install package for all

...much like what I usually try to do with anything I share

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Foebane

The way I see it, my real-life A500 (Screen Gems pack) setup from Christmas 1990 was recreated in one configuration file on WinUAE, and the same for my A1200 Nigel Mansell setup (with HDD) from September 1993 was recreated in one configuration file. I've tried to stick with that simple model ever since. I try and imagine what my dream A4000 configuration would be and go with that for all the high-end stuff (JIT conditions for emulation imposed, of course).

Back then, I would've stuck with floppies or installed the few HDD demos on the IDE drive from floppies, but if I'd later on had an opportunity to use WHDLoad, I would've taken it up and so have been able to store lots of games on the one HDD, and thus one configuration. It's more efficient that way.

Well, not everyone is you

If you're using a real Amiga then you don't have much choice but to use your methodology; with emulation though it's a completely different matter...

...also, don't forget that virtually all emulated game collections use "1 game per configuration file".

There are many advantages when using this method:

a) If some game / demo gets updated you only have to update that one file.
b) As opposed to having *everything* on one .HDF, you don't accidently corrupting something else when just updating that one game / demo.
c) Different games / demos might require different versions of SetPatch / libraries etc. How do you handle that with only one .HDF?
d) Many other reasons I've forgotten about and am too lazy to list right now.

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by DamienD

There are many advantages when using this method:

a) If some game / demo gets updated you only have to update that one file.
b) As opposed to having *everything* on one .HDF, you don't accidently corrupting something else when just updating that one game / demo.
c) Different games / demos might require different versions of SetPatch / libraries etc. How do you handle that with only one .HDF?
d) Many other reasons I've forgotten about and am too lazy to list right now.

a) I can do that easily, just delete the old version and extract the new one in its place.
b) Everything that's on the HDF is extracted from backups from zip archives on the Windows side - if something happened like the HDF becoming corrupt, I could delete it, create a brand new one and have everything extracted onto it within 20 minutes from the zip archives. And if I lose the zip archives, I have an html file with links to all the lha archives, ADFs etc. It's really no big deal.
c) Hasn't happened yet.

Everyone's different, DamienD. This is just my preference.

[britelite]

Originally Posted by Foebane

I watch "high-end" (aka A4000/040) Amiga demos regularly, and AHI (I think it's called) is important.

Name one single demo that actually requires AHI

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by britelite

Name one single demo that actually requires AHI

https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=56883

I thought AHI was for the playback of 14-bit audio, and this demo, I'm sure, uses 14-bit audio in its soundtrack. Please, enlighten me if I'm wrong.

[britelite]

Originally Posted by Foebane

https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=56883

I thought AHI was for the playback of 14-bit audio, and this demo, I'm sure, uses 14-bit audio in its soundtrack. Please, enlighten me if I'm wrong.

You're wrong. 14-bit replay doesn't require AHI, even if AHI does provide a 14-bit mode. And that demo doesn't require AHI.

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by britelite

You're wrong. 14-bit replay doesn't require AHI, even if AHI does provide a 14-bit mode. And that demo doesn't require AHI.

Thanks, Britelite. So basically, it's not needed for them?

[britelite]

Originally Posted by Foebane

Thanks, Britelite. So basically, it's not needed for them?

Nope, some demos might include additional support for AHI, but do not require it.

[meynaf]

Some demos using Digibooster Pro modules may well ask for AHI and refuse to work without, even though i've got no example at hand.
At least, DBPro mods refuse to play without it.

AHI is just some hardware abstraction layer for audio, it has nothing to do with the ability to do 14-bit (programs such as Play16 and Delitracker can do 14-bit audio by themselves, for example).
The problem of AHI is that it is slow for Paula output. But it's just a device and it will not make your system heavier if you have it but don't use it.

[Amiga1992]

Any mod player (Eagleplayer) has a 14-bit mix engine, you don't need AHI to play such modules.

Again, AHI is not *needed*,. but as Damien said, if you *want* it, you can * add* it to any vanilla setup.

[meynaf]

DBPro players *want* AHI. They don't use DT/EP's internal 14-bit engine.

[StingRay]

There definitely are demos which require AHI! I remember at least one Potion demo which didn't work without AHI, I think it was a party version though and the final version was able to run without AHI.

[daxb]

More important is, if you want to use 14bit audio modes, use CyberSound's 14Bit calibration tool.

[ross]

Originally Posted by daxb

More important is, if you want to use 14bit audio modes, use CyberSound's 14Bit calibration tool.

It is a pity that no demo (at least I think ..) loads the calibration table and the sound is not good as it could.
Well, WinUAE comes to help us

[StingRay]

Originally Posted by ross

It is a pity that no demo (at least I think ..) loads the calibration table

And you think wrong. Ours do!

[ross]

Originally Posted by StingRay

And you think wrong. Ours do!

Happy to be wrong!

[StingRay]

;======================================
;| Reads the calibration data if exists,
;| else inits the buffer with std vals
;| output:	d0.l = errorflag (0=ok)
;======================================

SSM_ReadCalibData:
	movem.l	d1/a0-a2,-(sp)
	lea	SSM_CalibData(pc),a2
	tst.l	(a2)
	bne.b	.hasCalib
	tst.b	SSM_SystemFriendly(pc)
	bne.b	.skipFileRead
	lea	SSM_CalibName(pc),a0
	bsr	SSM_ReadFile
	tst.l	d0
	bne.b	.skipFileRead
	move.l	a0,(a2)
	bra.b	.hasCalib

Straight from our replayer code.