Tiny Launcher 1.0 Released

[mazxim]

A big Thank you, gibs. It's an awasome project.. but still I was wonder, are you planning to use the entire screen? I mean, I have a PAL system, actually for TL I see a kinda of a NTSC like screen adaptation into a Pal one, with the bottom pretty much unused. Also, don't you think should be more correct specify 'OCS' in addition di 'ECS' category, so to have 'OCS/ECS'? :-) Just 2 cents!

[olesio]

@gibs: works perfect. Thanks for all. And like I understand "R" key feature give us maximum memory before launchinbg the game?

[gibs]

@Olesio,

Yes, if you active the RAD, once you have selected your game, Tiny Launcher reset the computer, and boot the game (without using Tiny Launcher at all) with a...Tiny Startup-sequence that just tell just to boot the game

As I said earlier, Loading(R) means Tiny Launcher will use the RAD if it can mount it (=> Kickstart 3.X)

In the earlier version, the RAD was activated if there was No Fast Memory.

In this version, the RAD is AUTO-activated if the Amiga has 1MB of chipram

(but I will set it better in the future).

By this, you can understand that this is the reason why, I don't care using GFX, SND etc in the interface

The only issue with that is, sometime you have to power-off the Amiga (with the power supply).

So when you know that your setup is too limited for launching a game, yes, engage the RAD.



@Mazxim
The use of the 320x256 is on the roadmap.
the video information detect if AGA is available, so I don't have a clue if it is ECS or OCS. I could write xCS.

@Kriz
Thanks

[olesio]

Ok, thank you. I will test latest version on real Amiga for a while.

EDIT: I am after tests and there is one bug. When I copied *.mod files to my CF card and plug in with PCMCIA Adapter I got modules file names in uppercase with uppercase "MOD" extension and Tiny Launcher do not find them. Maybe you can add LowerCase(Extension) when search files or something similar in AMOS. Second thing I must made following startup-sequence on real Amiga 1200 with 3.0 kickstart. If s-s was without these echo I got Suspend/Reboot requester about program called CON and error #80000003. I use Classic WB Lite and under WinUAE there is no such problems. But echo solution have one big minus - it shows requester about close open drawers but Classic WB close all these requester after full load. But ok, I can ignore it. And WHDLoad version of SWOS works fine under 4 MB when after clean boot even without RAD. I must just turn off menu music, replays and saving higlihts.

assign >NIL: T: RAM:
assign >NIL: ENV: RAM:

IF EXISTS S:tl_startup
  execute S:tl_startup
EndIf

LAB LOADTL
set Reply `DH1:TINYLAUNCHER/TinyLauncher.exe`
IF $Reply not eq "5"
  skip LOADTL BACK
Else
  echo "Please ignore error requesters about open Drawers"
EndIf
; ... cut ...

Btw, if anyone know other method to skip this CON error under Classic WB on real Amiga 1200 with 4 MB Extension and kickstart 3.0 please let me know. The suspend button do not skip error and boot of Classic WB is "freezed". Probable it something with CON-Handler for CLI but I do not know how to skip it.

[gibs]

It's not a bug, it's just for a better listing design...
From what I can remember the file must be 25 file length and I ignore everything that is not .mod

I can of course add .MOD or .Mod and .mOd but the original amiga format is "mod.name", so if you have to rename it, just rename it "Name.mod"
So you'll have a better display.

For ClassicWB try to deactivate KingKon...might be in the user-startup

[olesio]

Originally Posted by gibs

It's not a bug, it's just for a better listing design...
From what I can remember the file must be 25 file length and I ignore everything that is not .mod

I can of course add .MOD or .Mod and .mOd but the original amiga format is "mod.name", so if you have to rename it, just rename it "Name.mod"
So you'll have a better display.

Ok, I just have this problem because from unknow reason letters case was changed. I zipped mods under Windows and unziped under Classic WB.

For ClassicWB try to deactivate KingKon...might be in the user-startup

I solved my problem. Some CON process under Classic WB and >>>MY REAL<<< Amiga 1200 do not like set command. Redirection to NIL: and all is ok.

LAB LOADTL
set >NIL: Reply `DH1:TINYLAUNCHER/TinyLauncher.exe`
IF $Reply not eq "5"
  skip LOADTL BACK
EndIf

[olesio]

@Gibs: one more question. Can you explain exacly where: tlgecs or tlgaga or tldecs or tldaga empty files should be - if I want to jump to specified list on startup? I placed file in DH0:S or in DH1:TINYLAUNCHER/S and filename was TLDECS in uppercase or even tldecs in lowercase, but TinyLauncher do not jump to this list at start. I asking because I downloaded all KGWHD Scene Demos Packs and want to make preview with beer day after tomorow, but switching to demos screen and to ECS/AGA section is a little bit annoying for me ;/ And SnoopDos do not show references to check this files. Do you leave s:tlXXXX constans in code but delete all calls to them or something?

[gibs]

Well...As I have changed a large part of code in the last version (No more Systemcheck and assignement) , the "jump" feature is broken at the moment

[olesio]

Ok, so maybe add sixth option to config screen which allow choose default screen: none (shows Game ECS/AGA), Game ECS, Game AGA, Demo ECS, Demo AGA. And my another suggestion for config screen. If entered path is not empty after pressing 1/2/3/4/5 user should have possibility to modify it. And after pressing bacskpace it can remove latter or Delete Key may remove whole path. Because sometimes you can rename one subdirectory and your path was a little bit long so you do not need to type again. I know user do not type path to often, but think about it. And one more thing. All character keys like C/I/M/R should work also when caps lock is on. Because I entered path from capital letters and have suprised when R key or other was not activated.

[pmc]

gibs: running TinyLauncher without amos.library in the libs: directory causes a crash == lame

Why not just check whether the library opened OK and, if it didn't, output an "amos.library not found" error or at least just end the program cleanly?

Would be much nicer I think.

Also I notice the size of the .exe is gradually creeping up and up with all these new features being added - maybe time for the size optimised asm version?

[olesio]

Originally Posted by pmc

gibs: running TinyLauncher without amos.library in the libs: directory causes a crash == lame

Why not just check whether the library opened OK and, if it didn't, output an "amos.library not found" error or at least just end the program cleanly?

Would be much nicer I think.

I wrote about that above. Some clearly error message should be nice. Anyway, size of TinyLauncher.exe is not so big maybe it can be crunched. And probable for gibs writing in AMOS is easier than in pure ASM.

[gibs]

@pmc

Do you know a way to avoid that ?
At the time we were using floppy, so the game, demo, etc was delivered in the floppy. I don't think you can do a "Hello World" without the Amos.Library
If I knew it was possible I would have done it.

For the size, a "Hello World" takes 12kb one compiled. The code of Tiny Launcher is about 96ko, +2500 lines, +2400 instructions, about 30 functions, 2 loops (for the 2 menus), 50kb of samples.
The code is pretty optimized, I looked at it yesterday to improve it, it's going to be difficult.

Doing Text Manipulation in ASM nowdays is suicide or you have time to loose as the launcher is fast enough and wouldn't be faster in ASM coded by me!
Back in the days, I did some ASM 68k in the past but nothing extraordinary.
I'm agree it's more insteresting to do it in ASM, but as you may know nowdays I'm more known as musician than a coder.
At the begining I did Tiny Launcher for me :

I saw a interesting menu on a CDTV compilation and I wanted to use it for doing my own. Unfortunately, everything was builtin, it was impossible to use it. So I did Tiny Launcher on the same way.
Some people were interested in it. Then Jim had a project called "x-bench" in which I was beta tester/musician. We had the alpha version, but then Jim has disappeared from the Amiga community for a long time, we had any news.
That's life, maybe he had some problems.
People were still contacting me about Tiny Launcher, that I was unable to deliver (because again the database was built in). So I gave them instead the Jim's email, twitter, homepage etc as I don't wanted to spread the alpha version which wasn't my propriety.

Then I went sick for 3 days and I have decided to work on Tiny Launcher.
The 1st reason was that I have created a thread here on x-bench named "Nobody will beg Francko anymore" (for his launcher) and I was feeling like people were begging me Tiny Launcher. So I was feeling bad

A few days after the first release, Jim has delivered the alpha, and is now working again on it. That's cool. His 1st idea was to do a workbench replacement. I told him it would be cool to support whdload. So I hope that it will not end as a Tiny Launcher clone because it would mean that we have spent twice the time for the same project and as you may know, for the Amiga it's better to be efficiently.

Well all that just to say that I would like to work on music soon.

The next version of Tiny Launcher will be 180kb and will have a much better improve, I mean very fast display routine. Maybe it's time to find a new name...something like "Amiga Retro Launcher".

[olesio]

Beer and chips prepared. IconX Scritp to execute demo by demo prepared and I'm ready to watch But Gibs, please think about my suggetsion with startup screen option on config Window. Name is ok, but you can change it if you want, but what about extension of onw scripts. Maybe leave first name. Sometimes original is better Cheers guys Mmmmmm... cold beer %)

[gibs]

As the weekend is close...here is the 1.8beta

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1566495/Tiny...auncher18b.exe

-1st I haven't changed the speed but improved the display routine.
you can slow down by pressing "+" if it's too fast.

-Then you can use to "P" to switch to PAL/NTSC (320x200/320x256 to be exact)

-Added Vicky samples

[pmc]

Originally Posted by gibs

Do you know a way to avoid that ?

I had a quick read through the AMOS Pro Compiler manual. It says you have two choices:

1. put the amos.library in your libs: directory

or

2. use the INCLIB option when you compile your AMOS program into an executable.

The problem with option 2 is that it just includes the library into your program code which makes your program 50Kb larger.

There is no description of how to check to see if the library is in your libs: directory so it looks like you can either make your program 50kb larger or just take the risk that sometimes it might crash if the library isn't there.

[gibs]

I knew I could include it (without inclib) that tips is good to know, even if I don't think I'm going to use it

I would prefer to do a setup, but for 2 files it's useless

[olesio]

@gibs: please look at this video: http://olesio.eu/output.avi - I have I/O error and I do now know why and how to fix it. Please fix that by yourself if it is code fault and please also add startup screen oprion in config screen - like I hint you in post above. Btw, video was recorded under WinUAE and in the same time old TinyLauncher.exe (latest version 17) works fine. Thank you in advice for help.

[gibs]

@olesio ok I'm going to check that, but it seems that it fail reading a file.
oh I think I understood.

This ine should work : http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1566495/Tiny...uncher18b1.exe
It is lib-free

@pmc in the end I think that I'm going to include the lib, it won't affect the memory consumption as it is needed to run the program.

[olesio]

Originally Posted by gibs

@olesio ok I'm going to check that, but it seems that it fail reading a file.
oh I think I understood.

This ine should work : http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1566495/Tiny...uncher18b1.exe
It is lib-free

I have the same error as in movie from link above. And error is caused probable when we launch TinyLauncher18b1.exe from disk mounted as directory, when launching from hdf it is ok. Can you fix that because I like to launch my Clasic WB under WinUAE from directory - not from hdf. And try to add start screen selection on config screen in next version, if it's possible. Thanks.

[gibs]

oh I know about that since the beginning, and it's not about TinyLauncher but I have lot of progs that hang on a HF diretory. and I don't know have a clue on how to fix that. Tiny Launcher is for real Amiga FS.

Maybe it's a problem r/w sync ? I don't know if you can fix the speed in a harddrive directory.