FS-UAE 1.3 Development Series

[FrodeSolheim]

Originally Posted by demether

No, I'm running the 32bit version. I don't know, I remember on winuae that video buffering were slowering the whole thing heavily, maybe some similar options are implied in fsuae causing that lack of performance.

The workbench itself take about half a minute to launch, when it takes 2 or 3secs on e-uae or winuae. Something (probably a hidden option) is slowering it.

You should post your Documents/FS-UAE/Logs/FS-UAE.log file here, so I can check if it is configured correctly and JIT is actually enabled.

[FrodeSolheim]

Version 1.3.7
* Fixed an input event offset problem causing soft reset to be interpreted as quit and disk swapping to be off by one (1.3.4).
* Merged WinUAE 2.4.2beta1 + FS-UAE compatibility patch.
* Patches to respect CFLAGS/CXXFLAGS/LDFLAGS and compilation tools from environment, courtesy of Philantrop.

http://fengestad.no/wp/fs-uae/download-beta

[yesplease]

Hi Frode,
tested the 1.37, everything is fine now. Awesome. Incredible. Wow.

next is
turned on the JIT with the config line uae_cachesize = 8192. What I would expect is that the CPU Powerdrain goes down a Bit. But it seems not to fall down, it's exactly the same.

CPU 48% with and without JIT.

But no big problem for me.

Very happy. ;-)

[FrodeSolheim]

Originally Posted by yesplease

Hi Frode,
tested the 1.37, everything is fine now. Awesome. Incredible. Wow.

next is
turned on the JIT with the config line uae_cachesize = 8192. What I would expect is that the CPU Powerdrain goes down a Bit. But it seems not to fall down, it's exactly the same.

CPU 48% with and without JIT.

But no big problem for me.

Very happy. ;-)

I have only tested JIT in fastest possible mode (A4000/040) and benchmarked with AIBB, where I get 4-5x performance with JIT on, depending on the benchmark.

Some notes regarding JIT - merely enabling uae_cachesize = 8192 is not enough:
* With A500 model (and other 68000 models), JIT is not enabled (JIT is only implemented for 68020+)
* JIT is not enabled in 68020 cycle exact mode.

[yesplease]

I did some experimental research, in a quite demanding game, version 1.02 needed 104% of CPU (in osx this means 100% one core). Version 1.37 needs only 23%. (both settings with Accuracy = 0) Huch, what a great improvement, but this advantage does not come from JIT. This improvement quite blows ones head away. I did everything to disable JIT, but no success to get the old sluggish performance of the 1.02, (what's quite brilliant of course!!!).


Frode, how to see in the logs that JIT is working or not ?

[FrodeSolheim]

Originally Posted by yesplease

I did some experimental research, in a quite demanding game, version 1.02 needed 104% of CPU (in osx this means 100% one core). Version 1.37 needs only 23%. (both settings with Accuracy = 0) Huch, what a great improvement, but this advantage does not come from JIT. This improvement quite blows ones head away. I did everything to disable JIT, but no success to get the old sluggish performance of the 1.02, (what's quite brilliant of course!!!).

1.2 has many performance improvements over 1.0 -But I suspect you have have tested with A1200 mode here, in which case there's another reason too. in 1.0, A1200 in non-cycle-exact mode (accuracy < 1), the CPU was running in fastest-possible-mode. In 1.2, A1200 with accuracy < 1 runs in approximate 68020 speed due to improvements by Toni, so in this case, 1.2 also does less work

Originally Posted by yesplease

Frode, how to see in the logs that JIT is working or not ?

You should see something similar to this:

CPU=68040, FPU=68040, MMU=0, JIT=CPU/FPU=8192.

Also, if you use the A4000/040 model, the CPU will be emulated as fast as possible, and you can run Amiga benchmark software such as AIBB to compare performance with and without JIT. (This is also where JIT is most useful, as reasonable modern computers can easily emulate A1200 in "cycle-exact" mode without JIT).

[yesplease]

Yep, a1200 mode, when i force 1.37 to accuracy=1 I get 59% which is also much less than 104%.

for me on a macmini a minimal cpu use is important for the silence. Anything above 80% lets the fan kick in. Therefore the new technology which has been put in reality by you and toni is an major improvement for this case. So lucky.
If the JIT further reduces the cpu usage even better, thats why I am interested in using JIT anyway.

Another case is mobile laptop usage, powerdrain of 1.37 should be quite ok in accuracy=0 mode to prevent running out of battery too quickly.

[FrodeSolheim]

Sometimes it is fun to implement less important functions, so here is a couple of screenshots of the new theming capabilities.

Current theme features:
* Override background colors.
* Override sidebar background images.
* Override bitmap font.
* Override menu icons (close, volume, etc).
* Override menu text color (headings and normal items).
* Option to set the color to fade to when exiting FS-UAE.
* Ability to specify an overlay image (such as the one created by Ambermoon).
* Can also set FS-UAE options such as shaders and scaling options, for instance useful to set scaling options to make the screen fit an overlay image.
* Theme options can also be used without a creating a theme (just specify in regular .fs-uae config file).

A quickly put together theme to blend in with the Ubuntu 12.04 window theme (showing off custom colors and custom image resources):



Here is a screenshot showing off the image overlay function, here with the brilliant bezel created by Ambermoon (with slightly modified background to blend in with the Ubuntu window theme):



Themes todo:
* Specify custom images and positions for on-screen leds (for floppy leds etc).
* Option to set a background image to be rendered instead of the default wall + floor effect.
* Option to control the perspective effect, including possibility to disable it (so menu will open on top of Amiga display instead).
* Support bundling a custom/bundled shader inside the theme directory.
* Also read themes from Documents/FS-UAE/Themes, so it is easier to install / unpack custom themes not bundled with FS-UAE.

Now, I said it wasn't important, but it is a bit fun

[nexusle]

WOOOOW!!!

Frode, you're absolutelly a genie!!

Looking forward to see much more cool features! Hope you'll not be hijacked by Apple and have no time to continue FS-UAE

[Foul]

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

Sometimes it is fun to implement less important functions, so here is a couple of screenshots of the new theming capabilities.

Current theme features:
* Override background colors.
* Override sidebar background images.
* Override bitmap font.
* Override menu icons (close, volume, etc).
* Override menu text color (headings and normal items).
* Option to set the color to fade to when exiting FS-UAE.
* Ability to specify an overlay image (such as the one created by Ambermoon).
* Can also set FS-UAE options such as shaders and scaling options, for instance useful to set scaling options to make the screen fit an overlay image.
* Theme options can also be used without a creating a theme (just specify in regular .fs-uae config file).

A quickly put together theme to blend in with the Ubuntu 12.04 window theme (showing off custom colors and custom image resources):



Here is a screenshot showing off the image overlay function, here with the brilliant bezel created by Ambermoon (with slightly modified background to blend in with the Ubuntu window theme):



Themes todo:
* Specify custom images and positions for on-screen leds (for floppy leds etc).
* Option to set a background image to be rendered instead of the default wall + floor effect.
* Option to control the perspective effect, including possibility to disable it (so menu will open on top of Amiga display instead).
* Support bundling a custom/bundled shader inside the theme directory.
* Also read themes from Documents/FS-UAE/Themes, so it is easier to install / unpack custom themes not bundled with FS-UAE.

Now, I said it wasn't important, but it is a bit fun

nneeeedddddddd !!!!!! the second

ps: i'm using Kubuntu,so the colors/gradiant are blue

[clebin]

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

Themes todo:
* Specify custom images and positions for on-screen leds (for floppy leds etc).

That second screenshot looks stunning!

How about custom images to show when those drives have disks inserted? (it might look a bit funny if the drives are empty but the LEDs are flashing) Or am I taking it too far?

Chris

[FrodeSolheim]

Originally Posted by nexusle

Looking forward to see much more cool features! Hope you'll not be hijacked by Apple and have no time to continue FS-UAE

I don't know why that would stop me, but I suppose it is irrelevant, as I have not been approched by Apple ;-)

Originally Posted by clebin

That second screenshot looks stunning!

How about custom images to show when those drives have disks inserted? (it might look a bit funny if the drives are empty but the LEDs are flashing) Or am I taking it too far?

No, I think that's a good idea

I already implemented the led-loading function yesterday (here one of the original Ambermoon bezels and DF0 led active):


And Ambermoon has kindly allowed me to use the bezel to create and distribute FS-UAE themes with the bezels. He might even create a version with 4 floppy drives when he has time

I'll ask if he is interested in making a rendering with inserted floppies. I will implement the (inserted floppy overlay) feature anyway, as it is little extra work, and could be useful for other custom themes.

Originally Posted by Foul

ps: i'm using Kubuntu,so the colors/gradiant are blue

I have asked Ambermoon if he is interested in making a rendering with transparent background. If so, I would implement a function where you can specify a custom background to be rendered first (for instance a blue one).

[Foul]

Excellent !!!

[ascp]

THANKS for bringing an up-to-date Amigaemulator to Linux!

[FrodeSolheim]

Version 1.3.8:

• New option “texture_filter” to force nearest filter (for pixel-perfect mapping in combination with scaling options).
• New option “theme” to specify the name of the theme to load.
• Themes can override sidebar background images.
• Themes can override menu icons (close, volume, etc).
• Themes can override bitmap fonts.
• Themes can include overlay images (with position) to display when floppy drives have activity (when floppy drive led is enabled).
• Themes can include overlay images (with position) to display when floppy drives have disks inserted.
• Option to override background colors.
• Option to to menu text color (headings and normal items).
• Ability to specify an overlay image (such as the one created by Ambermoon).
• Themes can also set FS-UAE options such as shaders and scaling option, for instance useful to set scaling options to make the screen fit an overlay.
• Theme config options can also be specified in regular config files.
• Specify custom images and positions for on-screen leds (for floppy leds etc).
• Also read themes from Documents/FS-UAE/Themes, so it is easier to install / unpack custom themes not bundled with FS-UAE.
• New bundled example theme: ubuntu_12_04 (colors to match Ubuntu theme).
• New bundled example theme: 2x_1920_1080 (for pixel-perfect mapping at 1080p).
• New bundled example theme: and 2x_1920_1080_bezel (same with simple bezel).

http://fengestad.no/wp/fs-uae/download-beta

I will probably write a theming guide later, but the point is that themes can override all standard image resources (by just including a replacement image with the same name in the theme folder), and also the theme.conf can set theme options (see examples). More theming options will probably be added in the future, and just post a suggestion if you have an idea for a theme where you need more options (though I don't intend to go "crazy" with customization options.. )

The ambermoon bezel theme can be downloaded from http://fengestad.no/wp/fs-uae/resources-and-links (without floppy overlay effects, as Ambermoon would like to do the graphics himself).

[FrodeSolheim]

Originally Posted by clebin

How about custom images to show when those drives have disks inserted?

I implemented this as well
I have documented it here: http://fengestad.no/wp/fs-uae/theme-options (along with other theming options)

[Foul]

if we can see, if floppy is inserted or not, and in activity or not ... i suppose we can also see moving joystick + pressed button on the themed joystick

Definitively the best Linux Amiga Emulator !!!

ps: requested feature : ability to take fullscreen pictures with theme by default.. just tested .. it take only Amiga screen .. not theme + amiga screen



it's so beautifull !!!

[FrodeSolheim]

Originally Posted by Foul

Definitively the best Linux Amiga Emulator !!!

Thank you

Originally Posted by Foul

ps: requested feature : ability to take fullscreen pictures with theme by default.. just tested .. it take only Amiga screen .. not theme + amiga screen

Yes, I will do some shortcut-related updates soon. F11 will probably be used as a modifier key instead, so it will be (something like this):
- Print Scrn - Save Amiga screen, F11 + Print Scrn - Save FS-UAE screen, F11 + (?) - Zoom setting, etc. F12 will still be the standard menu key

Alternatively, F12 could be both modifier key and meny key (would open menu when released instead of pressed if not combined with another key), and could implement some other standard UAE-shortcuts as well (F12+q, F12+g, F12+s, etc).

I will still keep Alt+Enter / Alt+Tab key combinations, but as pointed out, it would be better to use a modifier key which is not translated into an Amiga key press.

[FrodeSolheim]

Another thing I would like to put some focus on is the launcher. It has been automatically built and published for the last few released, but is has not been announced.
It is still quite basic, but has a GUI to let you choose Amiga model, kickstart, floppy disks and input devices (and start FS-UAE of course).

I would like some feedback on whether the packages (and the launcher) work for you on your systems - or not - as the packaging is a bit more complicated due to more dependencies.

FS-UAE + Launcher (installer for Windows)
http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/files/fs-uae-1.3.8-setup.exe

FS-UAE + Launcher (ZIP file for Windows)
http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/files/fs-....8-windows.zip

FS-UAE + Launcher (Mac OS X)
http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/files/fs-...-macosx.tar.gz

Launcher (deb) for Debian / Ubuntu:
http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/files/fs-....3.8-0_all.deb

For Mac OS X, the launcher app must be placed alongside the FS-UAE app. For Windows, the launcher is put inside the FS-UAE install directory. The zip files (and of course the exe installer) does this correctly if you just extract all content. The debian version expects to find fs-uae on the path.

The focus for the next versions of the launcher will be:
- remembering settings between invocations.
- enabling the scan function to automatically find kickstarts (and select the best one automatically) when changing Amiga model.
- add more Amiga models.
- ability to specify more options (fullscreen, etc).
- ability to set custom options for which there are no gui controls.
- ability to fill the floppy image list in the GUI.
- integrate the controller configuration GUI.

The long-term plan for this launcher is to include basic game configuration/browsing and also, but not least, net play chat / lobby / game channel / game setup features, but I will add features incrementally.

[ProfDrLuigi]

That´s amazing. Keep up the very very good Work!!! At the End it´s the best Amiga Emulator on Earth.



The Launcher is working under 10.7.4.