JOTD sources on github

[jotd]

Just to say that I finally took the time to sort out sources & install packs for my whdload slaves (or slaves I took on after original author ceased to maintain it or whatever) and put them in my github

Most source code is already in the whdload .lha installs, but there it's easier to see changes and directly read the code

It was done originally for my personal use, but I made it public anyway

https://github.com/jotd666/whdload_slaves

some sources are still missing, but I'm going to sort them out step by step. The bulk is here.

[Radertified]

Fantastic. I find myself downloading archive after archive for slave sources just to find specific ways of how authors did things. This coupled with Github's search should make things a lot easier.

Thanks jotd!

[alexh]

Thanks for all your hard work over the years

[jotd]

and it's not over yet.

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by jotd

Just to say that I finally took the time to sort out sources & install packs for my whdload slaves (or slaves I took on after original author ceased to maintain it or whatever) and put them in my github

Most source code is already in the whdload .lha installs, but there it's easier to see changes and directly read the code

It was done originally for my personal use, but I made it public anyway

https://github.com/jotd666/whdload_slaves

some sources are still missing, but I'm going to sort them out step by step. The bulk is here.

Are you planning to upload any of the source code for your JST installs Jeff? Just curious to know if you still have all or any of it. Ralf sent me a CD with his JST installs on it many moons ago, which might have included the source to his installs. I just chucked the CD in to check it, but sadly it's unreadable on both my laptop PC and A1200. I will have to try another drive on my A1200 to see if I have better luck. Have to wonder if Keith still has all his source code from the JST days. I should drop him an email to ask. He's been strangely absent from EAB for quite some time now.

Anyway, I also found a CD that you sent me in mid-2000 of the JST/WHD installs & other games you had on your A1200 hard drive, but it doesn't include any of your source code. Bummer - it would've been interesting to have had a look at some of your old source!

[jotd]

I could dig a few JST sources. It's a mess but it also contains Keith (Abaddon) early JST work.

And at least Lotus versions are all supported in the JST install (including CD32 images )

I didn't bother to put them on github. My dropbox will be enough https://www.dropbox.com/s/rqo1htv74z...ource.zip?dl=0

[DrBong]

Good stuff Jeff! I think you underestimate the value and contribution you (and patchers like Keith and Ralf) made with JST and the many HD installers created. The fact that people still use it now - 25 years later - speaks volumes, no??!!

I reckon you should post a PayPal button on your JST webpage for anyone who wants to make a donation, so they can thank you for all the hard work you put into developing JST in the 90s or for any development you do on JST in the future. People could donate what you used to charge for JST registration in the old days - USD$10, £5, 20DM / 50FF (~10 EUR). I know I would pay to register JST again if I could! God knows it would be much easier this time around with PayPal - I'm pretty sure I sent you cash (50FF??) in the mail to register JST way back when!!! Good days and great memories....

[jotd]

aha thanks, yes it was great, even if whdload conception is 1000% better. I may have the registered people list (50FF all right) but I don't remember everyone . My old JST page is now dead. I don't have the password anymore and they could turn it off anytime. It just stays...

About the contribution, some people have adapted my JST installs (from source code) to whdload without crediting me, I'm pretty much sure of that at least for one particular game. But it doesn't matter much. In 2001, Harry came out with a set of macros to convert JST source to whdload. It was an idea of a genius (like most of Harry work BTW) and I could convert a lot of slaves very quickly. but the source sucked and I've properly converted them to real whdload source since.

About paypal donation, I could add a link on my current webpage. I already have one for Gods remake and it got me 40 euro total since the start

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by jotd

About the contribution, some people have adapted my JST installs (from source code) to whdload without crediting me, I'm pretty much sure of that at least for one particular game. But it doesn't matter much. In 2001, Harry came out with a set of macros to convert JST source to whdload. It was an idea of a genius (like most of Harry work BTW) and I could convert a lot of slaves very quickly. but the source sucked and I've properly converted them to real whdload source since.

Yep, Harry is a bloody genius (he worked on some of the hardest WHD patches in the early days).....I remember him helping Mr. Larmer, back in the day, work out some obscure bug on my A3000 occurring with the WHD patch of SOTB 2/3. All Harry had to work with was my email description of the problem because none of the WHD guys or testers had an A3000, and I couldn't produce a coredump to help with diagnosis as the bug caused the A3000 to lock-up. Mr. Larmer was stumped for months, but Harry gave him a clue and Mr. Larmer bugfixed the patch 100% on his first go at it. Awesome!

About paypal donation, I could add a link on my current webpage. I already have one for Gods remake and it got me 40 euro total since the start

Just do it Jeff!

[jotd]

without WinUAE (at least in the state that it's in now) it was really difficult to diagnose & fix those games. A lot of amiga crashes & lockups without any explanation, no save states,... tough times (but fun)

[DrBong]

Yes, it was much easier being a games supplier/tester back then than a patcher! That's why I have great deal of respect for the early JST/WHDLoad patchers, regardless of whether they're still active or not.

It would be magnificent, though, if guys like Ralf, Achim, Sven, Girv and Pavel made a return (even if temporarily) to do a patch or two now. They might be surprised at how much times have changed with, as you said, the help of emulation, save states etc. for the purposes of coding patches and bugfixing slaves.

[d4rk3lf]

Originally Posted by alexh

Thanks for all your hard work over the years

Second this!

[Pyromania]

Thanks for the hard work guys!

[sviru]

Jodt sorry for noob question but after powering my a590 and setting all up I wasted one day with no luck. I don't know how to install jst on hdd :/ In readme there is only:

- install "JST" in C subdir of the HD
- copy your whdload installs in directories: make sure that no file is XPK packed (checked at runtime)

Thank you for helping me out. Can't find any tutorial on the net or YT.

[alexh]

Thank you. All your work is very much appreciated

[jotd]

Originally Posted by sviru

Jodt sorry for noob question but after powering my a590 and setting all up I wasted one day with no luck. I don't know how to install jst on hdd :/ In readme there is only:

- install "JST" in C subdir of the HD
- copy your whdload installs in directories: make sure that no file is XPK packed (checked at runtime)

Thank you for helping me out. Can't find any tutorial on the net or YT.

What is the part you have problems with? Installing the 'JST' program by copying it to the "C:" directory is trivial. So I suppose that it's the 'whdload installs' part. There are a few sites proposing those installs to download, for instance the old whddownload.com but there are others.

Basically JST can be substituted to whdload for 95% of the games at least, but it's only useful if you can't use whdload for a reason (low memory, 1.3 kickstart are good reasons)

[sviru]

Originally Posted by jotd

What is the part you have problems with? Installing the 'JST' program by copying it to the "C:" directory is trivial. So I suppose that it's the 'whdload installs' part. There are a few sites proposing those installs to download, for instance the old whddownload.com but there are others.

Basically JST can be substituted to whdload for 95% of the games at least, but it's only useful if you can't use whdload for a reason (low memory, 1.3 kickstart are good reasons)

It was the first point . Copying files (installing) to C - I thought some sorcery is needed. I understand that it does not have to be in any particular directory at all. The most important part for me - do I copy what is in a bin directory from github?

Thanks and sorry for asking such trivial stuff.

[jotd]

yes, just copy bin/JST in C: directory on amiga side

you have to know how to transfer files to your amiga / mount harddisks with emulator.

if your harddisk is "download:" for instance from amiga shell:

copy download:bin/jst C:

[sviru]

Originally Posted by jotd

yes, just copy bin/JST in C: directory on amiga side

you have to know how to transfer files to your amiga / mount harddisks with emulator.

if your harddisk is "download:" for instance from amiga shell:

copy download:bin/jst C:

My main partition is dh0: copied jst to root of dh0: tried to run arkanoid slave file. "jst arkanoid.slave" no such command
any ideas?

[sviru]

Managed to copy it to C dir on DH0. Copied two arkanoid games. Arkanoid 1 and 2 jst xxxx.slave - both games give black screen. Need to reboot. KS 3.1 Rev6a. A590 1M CHIP MEM + 2MB FAST. Any ideas??

ok... SORTED this out... My joy was preventing from booting. After disconnecting it runs. But not everything. After downloading flashbackLOWMEM from whdloads it should run fine. But jst says that there is not enough memmory to allocate. Same thing with UGH and CannonFooder. Any ideas? Flashback needs below 0.5chip - i have 1mb and still this message pops. Thanks