BetterWB 3.4

[gulliver]

BetterWB 3.4 03-March-2014

This is a new version of BetterWB workbench pack, that aims to be an enhancement, an updated extension to AmigaOS 3.1, without all those hardware requirement typically associated with these kind of packs. It is indeed a better 3.1 than 3.1 itself!

BetterWB works on any Amiga. It installs on top of a clean AmigaOS 3.1 installation. It is distributed as a set of floppy images and occupies about 10MB of harddrive space.

Changes since last version:

-Fixed two enforcer hits present in the Status command since CBM days
-Fixed a compatibility problem that surfaced with ClassAct (Thanks David)
-Fixed some problems with deficons when using glowicons (Thanks Jarek)
-Updated icon.library to 46.4.334
-Added a new commodity (CronTask) that can easily manage job scheduling
-Added a warning to both MagicMenu and CronTask prefs, so you can only configure them when they are actually running
-Plus Many more fixes and minor enhancements

You can download BetterWB from its homepage at:

http://lilliput.amiga-projects.net/BetterWB.htm

[Yulquen74]

If MagicWB is already installed, will it change it or some of its icons back to 4-color ones?

[gulliver]

Yes, but then you are not doing things the proper way. I mean, BetterWB works best on top a clean AmigaOS installation. Anyway, BetterWB includes both standart icons and GlowIcons, and you can switch between them easily with the "IconSet" preferences program.

[stefcep2]

So this is only for 3.1 and 3.9?

[gulliver]

Originally Posted by stefcep2

So this is only for 3.1 and 3.9?

No, it was designed for 3.1, and may work with 3.0 (not confirmed yet).

[PeterK]

Hi gulliver,

nice that you changed the def_disk.info and created a def_RamDisk.info and a def_drawer.info in ENVARC:Sys/.

But furthermore, you can add a def_tool.info, def_project.info and def_trashcan.info, which are also recognized by the icon.library.

And if you like then you can add a lot more def_xxx.info files to ENVARC:Sys/ and use the WBStartup/DefIcons commodity from the NewIcons package together with the ENVARC:DefIcons.prefs from NewIcons or better from http://www.stephan-rupprecht.de/down...DefIcons44.lha for more definitions like def_GIF.info, def_PNG.info, def_JPG.info and a so on.

[gulliver]

Originally Posted by PeterK

Hi gulliver,

nice that you changed the def_disk.info and created a def_RamDisk.info and a def_drawer.info in ENVARC:Sys/.

But furthermore, you can add a def_tool.info, def_project.info and def_trashcan.info, which are also recognized by the icon.library.

And if you like then you can add a lot more def_xxx.info files to ENVARC:Sys/ and use the WBStartup/DefIcons commodity from the NewIcons package together with the ENVARCefIcons.prefs from NewIcons or better from http://www.stephan-rupprecht.de/down...DefIcons44.lha for more definitions like def_GIF.info, def_PNG.info, def_JPG.info and a so on.

Hello Peter,
Thank you for your suggestions.

I am currently having a bit of a headache with defincons in BetterWB and I would really like to use DefIcons44, but it seems to require AmigaOS 3.5, and probably a 020+

On the other hand, def_trashcan.info is already present in BetterWB v3.5 and I will soon add both tool and project def icons as you mentioned.

BTW, would it be too much to ask, since you have the skills, if you could help me out by hacking env-handler (http://aminet.net/util/sys/envhandler.lha) to work on a 68000 (like you did with copyicon)? I need it for BetterWB to save some ram when using deficons in glowicons format.

Let me know what you think

[PeterK]

Plz, have a look into this thread too: http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=72785
On my WinUAE 68000 system the WBStartup/DefIcons commodity from the NewIcons package works with WB 3.1 (no Guru). But with WB 45.127 it doesn't load the deficons anymore.

Ok, I will check out if it's possible to patch envhandler. I've never tried it.

[gulliver]

Originally Posted by PeterK

Plz, have a look into this thread too: http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=72785
On my WinUAE 68000 system the WBStartup/DefIcons commodity from the NewIcons package works with WB 3.1 (no Guru). But with WB 45.127 it doesn't load the deficons anymore.

Great! I will start tinkering with DefIcons.

Originally Posted by PeterK

Ok, I will check out if it's possible to patch envhandler. I've never tried it.

Thanks

[PeterK]

Originally Posted by gulliver

Hello Peter,

BTW, would it be too much to ask, since you have the skills, if you could help me out by hacking env-handler (http://aminet.net/util/sys/envhandler.lha) to work on a 68000 (like you did with copyicon)? I need it for BetterWB to save some ram when using deficons in glowicons format.

A recompiled Env-Handler 1.13.00 (68000) is attached. Use it on your own risk, but please don't blame Stephan Rupprecht if it crashes, freezes or shows any other bugs. In such a case send a bugreport to me. I did not check the code for any word accesses to odd addresses, but it seems to work already after replacing all 68020 instructions.

@gulliver
The attachment has a safer and faster replacement for the MULS.L now. It is simply using ADD.L instructions. And I've added some CNOP 0,2 commands after the DC.B strings.

[Retrofan]

Originally Posted by PeterK

The attachment has a safer and faster replacement for the MULS.L now. It is simply using ADD.L instructions. And I've added some CNOP 0,2 commands after the DC.B strings.

Hi PeterK. Sorry but I've got to ask: Is it possible that those changes could make faster also a 020 version?

[PeterK]

Hi Retrofan,

of course, you can use this 68000 version on any CPU, but don't expect a noticeable speed improvement since the Env-Handler is rarely used. Some TST.L Ax instructions have even been replaced by a slower MOVE.L Ax,-(SP) and ADDQ.W #4,SP in those cases where no data register was available. On the other hand, many JSR calls have been substituted by faster BSR calls and other optimization were also made automatically by PhxAss.

[Retrofan]

Originally Posted by PeterK

Hi Retrofan,

of course, you can use this 68000 version on any CPU, but don't expect a noticeable speed improvement since the Env-Handler is rarely used. Some TST.L Ax instructions have even been replaced by a slower MOVE.L Ax,-(SP) and ADDQ.W #4,SP in those cases where no data register was available. On the other hand, many JSR calls have been substituted by faster BSR calls and other optimization were also made automatically by PhxAss.

Yes... well that's why I started begging pardon. I mean that I understand that you have had to make some changes for the 00 that will be slower, and that's why I was thinking in making another version, 020, avoiding the slower changes and only adding the faster ones.

But if you don't think it can be better, forget it. Thanks a lot.

[PeterK]

What I always try to point out concerning possible speed improvements, but what most people never seem to understand, is the fact that code optimizations only have a noticeable effect on overall speed of a program if the optimized code is indeed executed really, really often.

So, when I say that Env-Handler is rarely used this should mean that it is called maybe once a minute. And now please, think twice !! Let's assume there are 100 CPU cycles saved by optimizing the code then you would speed up the Env-Handler by a few micro-seconds. But a few micro-seconds less every minute is just like nothing ! Why is it so hard to understand such a relation?

[Retrofan]

Originally Posted by Retrofan

Hi PeterK. Sorry but I've got to ask: Is it possible that those changes could make faster also a 020 version?

Originally Posted by Retrofan

But if you don't think it can be better, forget it. Thanks a lot.

I don't know, I think my english has to be very very bad. Must I put two question marks to make a question?

If in doubt, I was asking. Let me see with the Google translator... yes, Asking is the right word.

[PeterK]

Must I put two question marks to make a question?

No, you won't need two question marks if you just would think twice before asking a question that makes no sense Trying to accelerate programs like Env-Handler (020 or not) is pretty pointless !

[gulliver]

Originally Posted by PeterK

@gulliver
The attachment has a safer and faster replacement for the MULS.L now. It is simply using ADD.L instructions. And I've added some CNOP 0,2 commands after the DC.B strings.

Thank you PeterK

It is still running without issues yet.

[tomse]

While I'm a big fan of BetterWB.. I have a request.

can you make an additional simple all-in-one lha package that doesn't need to be written to disk first in order to be installed?

(I've been running with 2.2 for too long and I'm too lazy to upgrade , though I might do it soon)

[gulliver]

Originally Posted by tomse

While I'm a big fan of BetterWB.. I have a request.

can you make an additional simple all-in-one lha package that doesn't need to be written to disk first in order to be installed?

(I've been running with 2.2 for too long and I'm too lazy to upgrade , though I might do it soon)

No problem. BetterWB 3.6 is already finalized, so you will see the update very soon in BetterWB´s homepage, together with a full LHA archive version as you requested.

BTW, you are missing lots of improvements and fixes since v2.2!

http://lilliput.amiga-projects.net/BetterWB.htm

[tomse]

I know I'm missing out on a lot of stuff.. but my amigas has been powered down for a long time.. too much junk on/around them on the table xD

Soon isn't fast enough it's now



I'm actually installing WB2.1 on one of my A600's now.. I want to see if BW works there too (if it crashes it crashes ).

EDIT: well I can confirm that BW3.5 doesn't go well with OS2.1/68000, and no I didn't expect that either.. but I had to try :-P