Amiga Boot Selector

[gibs]

Here are 2 videos of "Amiga Boot Selector":

1/ [ Show youtube player ]

2/ [ Show youtube player ]

I did this software because I was unable to find one...
Maybe there's one on 3.9 ?? Well till today I wasn't aware...

So, what it it ?
Well it allow you to boot up to 12 differents startup-sequence(s).
It can be very usefull if you use TinyLauncher for example and you don't want to boot the workbench or the early (startup for example).

Of course you can put your own label with your own startup-sequences, as you can see it will be well centered for a nice display.

In mine for example, I have the original startup-sequence without patches (it allow me to boot my CF on winuae (to do a backup it's faster) without editing the startup).

Or as you can see it allow me to start MacOS directly from ABS (without the workbench) and I have another one with PrepareEmul that land on the Workbench, so I can for example launch Miami or reconfigure ShapeShifter.

I have one to reckick in 1.3 (Kickcontrol was fun but sometimes I have to disable them (blizkick too) from my startup because they are incompatible with some software/games.

Oh well I have also one to start TinyLauncher, another one to start with blizkick...another one to reset (for example to reset PrepareEmul)...

the tool will create some empty files in S:AmigaBootSelector/ you'll just have to fill them with what you want.

And if the Timer reach zero, well it boot the previous Startup-sequence.
It will be possible to se the Timer too.

Well you got the idea.

ABS 0.4 : http://aminet.net/package/util/boot/AmigaBootSelector

[Solid Snake]

Another good and useful Amiga utility. I look forward to it being released. Well done

[Nostromo]

Exactly what the doctor ordered! Is it available yet?

[Amiga1992]

Yup, useful! I used to do this just with amigados script.

[roberthazelby]

That looks absolutely stunning. Well done.

Would love to give this a go once it's available for download. I think I'll hold off downloading and installing Tiny Launcher until I this is available, then I can boot TL from this.

I assume I'd launch this after Setpatch has been invoked?

[gibs]

Hi,

It's almost done...

Actually, I'm not sure of the design.
The Amiga logo is on top and then. I put 3 X 4 row (so 12 Labels/12 different startup-sequence) of 13 characters length. and you can navigate with left,right,up,down. Everything will be well centered even if one of your label contains 3 characters.

Today I was wondering if it would not be better to display them verticaly like TinyLauncher with 21 characters length, so with less entries (9 or 10 instead of 12).

How it works ? Actually at launch, it backup your actual startup-sequence (but it is recommended to backup it yourself) then you need to replace the content of the original startup-sequence by something like:

C:Anticlick
;AmigaBootSelector
C:abs
DH0:C/Execute DH0:S/Boot.abs

(You understand that Boot.abs is the following of the startup-sequence (like the user-startup)

On AmigaBootSelector you'll have a config panel where you'll put your labels.

For example > LABEL 1:OriginalSeq

It will create an empty file called:
S:AmigaBootSelector/OriginalSeq.abs

Then you'll have to fill (understand paste, your original startup-sequence in it) or you'll have to delete this file and put another one with this name (or save your edited one on this name).

Or, another example, you prepare your startup sequence with your favorite editor, you name it 'S:AmigaBootSelector/TinyLauncher.abs"
Back in ABS you'll choose a label named 'TinyLauncher' it will detect that the file already exist and instead of creating an empty file, it will use the one you have created.

Then what's happen?
You boot your Amiga, it launch ABS, you select your label(TinyLauncher), the software takes your TinyLauncher.abs and rename it DH0:S/Boot.abs

So your new startup-sequence (the one I wrote at the top) will execute it, and END of the job for ABS, it end, the startup-sequence continue to execute DH0:C/Execute DH0:S/Boot.abs.

If you reset your Amiga, the startup-sequence will load abs again, the timer reach 0 (because you haven't selected anything) abs boot your last LABEL (your last choice) if it was TinyLauncher, the it will boot this one.

What do you think ?

[roberthazelby]

OK. A few answers to your questions, plus a few suggestions...

The entries

I really like your current layout. I say stick with it.

Suggestions (I'm just throwing these in to generate some ideas)

• Display the version/release number of the app in the bottom left hand corner
• Leave a couple of blank rows between the bottom row of option and in the middle display a URL people can visit for updates, instructions etc. Obviously, this couldn't be navigated to on this screen, but people could type it into their browsers
• Display the system date/time (if a clock is present). Not vital, just fun to display it.

Startup Sequence

Your notes about the startup sequence seem to make perfect sense. I'm sure they'll become even clearer once I'm tinkering with the app.

[gibs]

Yes, of course there are some bank lines between
I'll try to send a beta tonight (I'm at work)

[mfilos]

Awesome work Gibs! I'll give it a spin as well once you'll release it

[gibs]

Here is the 0.1 : http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1566495/TinyLauncher/abs.exe

-I Recommend to backup your Startup-sequence before launching it.

-Therefore your Startup-Sequence will be backup'ed at 1st launch in S:StartupSequenceBCK.abs (Don't delete or move this file)

-Replace your new Startup-Sequence by something like this:

C:Anticlick
C:abs.exe
Execute S:Boot.abs

-Press F1 to set your labels.
-Edit your labels in S:AmigaBootSelector/
-You can't set the timer in this version

(Feedback)

[mfilos]

OK I made the following steps:
Under my OS3.9 installation:
0. I backed up my S-S
1. I putted abs.exe inside C:
2. I run abs.exe from CLI
3. White selector screen appeared just fine and via F1 I setup the label "AmigaOS 3.9"
4. Then I presed ESC and I was in my main screen.
5. I checked and Startup-Sequence wasn't changed at all
6. I copied my former S-S to S:AmigaBootSelector/AmigaOS 3.9.abs replacing the already 0 bytes file
7. I edited my S-S putting only the commands C:abs.exe and Execute S:Boot.abs as the example.
8. I rebooted
9. I get an xec.library fail return code 20 and stay in a CLI screen.

EDIT:
Ok I fixed it... It needed C:SetPatch NOROMUPDATE QUIET
Maybe it's an OS3.9 issue or a Deneb issue since I have already loaded exec.library from OS3.9 BB2
Since SetPatch solves the issue... we're ok

Now it works just fine

[MaximumRD]

Originally Posted by gibs

Here is the 0.1 : http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1566495/TinyLauncher/abs.exe

Thanks!

[gibs]

Thanks for the feeback cool that it works.
I can't write a Startup-Sequence for the user as I don't know what he needs...
Some (like you) won't need anticlick as example

Maybe I can write the minimal as startup-sequence(like you did)...

[mfilos]

Ok just succeeded adding MorphOS to ABS



Both 2 entries (ClassicWB3.9 and MorphOS) work awesomely well \o/
Only side-effect is that in my first attempt that I put the label "MorphOS 1.4.5" I got an "Can't execute S:Boot.abs" error. Once I renamed the entry to plain "MorphOS" the error dissapeared
Gotta be an issue with 2 or more dots or something else with the length of the description that you need to check it out for future versions.

Good work man though and really simple implementation

[gibs]

Cool,
I'm going to add the feature to kill the content of one entry so you can use the 2 column in the center.

[roberthazelby]

I've got this installed, and my first menu option is OS3.9

Selecting this takes me into OS3.9 without any problems. Fantastic!

The issue I'm having is getting any other labels to work. As a test I tried to get the second menu item to point to the Axis Chip demo. The location of that on my hard drive is:

hd2:musicdemos/a/axischip/chip

If I type the above into a CLI window this runs fine.

My AxisChip.abs file, which is in HD0:S/AmigaBootSelector/ contains the above text.

When I select AxisChip from the menu, nothing happens.

I've tried putting an execute command prior to the file location in my AxisChip.abs file, but this still doesn't work.

I have no doubt that it's me doing something wrong. I'm just not sure what.

[gibs]

@Robert,
Just an idea:

Try to create a script called "axischip" that you put in C: and contain

Cd hd2:musicdemos/a/axischip/
chip

Inside your AxisChip.abs just put:

C:Axischip

Look at my 3rd screenshot, this is what I do for archiving my CF with LHA.

Also try to put the SETPATCH command before "C:axischip"

BTW you can launch demos with TinyLauncher

@mfilos

Here is a new version : http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1566495/TinyLauncher/abs02.exe
With this one you can Delete a Label (and the file associated) by pressing X on the first screen on the unwated label.

So for example you can put :
Workbench in 2nd position
and MorphOS in 3rd position

If you only need 2 entries it will look better.

[gibs]

To be clear, it's like your full sequence looklike this:

;----------------------------------------------------
; Begining of the Startup-Sequence
;----------------------------------------------------
c:abs
8<-----8<-----8<-----8<-----8<-----8<-----8<-
HERE YOU ARE IN ABS AND YOU ARE
SELECTING THE FOLLOWING
OF THE Startup-Sequence
(Your file.abs)
8<-----8<-----8<-----8<-----8<-----8<-----8<-
;
; Your startup-sequence ask to execute
; boot.abs.
;
; boot.abs is your file.abs renamed into boot.abs
;
execute s:boot.abs
;----------------------------------------------------
; Here this is your edited startup-sequence
; (Your file.abs) continue its execution
;----------------------------------------------------

So if you need setpatch or something else somewhere to
run your application or script, it must be present in your
sequence.

So I think that for the next release the startup-sequence will only contain

C:abs.exe
Execute S:Boot.abs

And you'll put what you need into your files.abs.
It's going to be easier.

[gibs]

A little bump with this video.

Now you can display the Labels the way you want.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1566495/Tiny...%2038%2025.mov

[mfilos]

Nice man
Gieg ABS3.exe lol