CD32Load - Page 19

earok · 19 February 2016, 00:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by jotd

@psygore: I'll take your src thanks.

BTW new CD32Load v0.15 beta in the zone. Using Psygore CD loader.

opens a lot of possibilities with games previously impossible with old RN loader:

Elfmania
BodyBlows/Galactic
MrNutz
Prime Mover

Maybe now some AGA games will be possible (but I've got to add a new option to move the resident loader from $200000 area in case AGA game writes there)

BTW the loader seems to have problems with some games. Maybe I should freeze interrupts like I do with RNloader (that's why this is a beta version)

For example SWIV locks up. I have added "RNCD" switch to run RN CDload code (with buggy "big CD" bug) and it works with it. I hope it's just an interrupt problem.

Well done, that's very exciting

cheers JOTD and Psygore

jayminer · 19 February 2016, 09:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by jotd

@psygore: I'll take your src thanks.

BTW new CD32Load v0.15 beta in the zone. Using Psygore CD loader.

opens a lot of possibilities with games previously impossible with old RN loader:

Elfmania
BodyBlows/Galactic
MrNutz
Prime Mover

Maybe now some AGA games will be possible (but I've got to add a new option to move the resident loader from $200000 area in case AGA game writes there)

BTW the loader seems to have problems with some games. Maybe I should freeze interrupts like I do with RNloader (that's why this is a beta version)

For example SWIV locks up. I have added "RNCD" switch to run RN CDload code (with buggy "big CD" bug) and it works with it. I hope it's just an interrupt problem.

Fantastic news!

Amigajay · 19 February 2016, 09:26

Great stuff, thanks guys! Looking forward trying some stuff that didn't previously work! (may not still of course, but i'm sure more stuff does work now)

jotd · 19 February 2016, 21:59

SWIV still crashes with Psygore CD loader, OK with RN loader. Fortunately I left RN CD code in CD32Load, with RNCD option.
Maybe it's not a problem with the loader, but with the lack of memory cache:
Since RNloader cannot load parts of files, I had to cache the full files in memory (and with diskfiles it takes a lot of mem hence the impossibility to run some games).
Maybe SWIV does not like a direct CD access, and prefers a RAM cache. Maybe I'll add the RAMCACHE option just like what's built in in RN loader.

So ATM for a big compilation, use the script that Patrick provided and ensure that RN-dependent games are left in the reachable zone.

Edit: found the problem, stack needs to be relocated when calling RN/Psygore loader for SWIV: now it works!
I tried with a BIIIG CD image and no problems (well, sometimes it seems to fail to find files, maybe I should implement a retry like on RN loader..)

Edit 2: v0.15 beta 2 now in the zone. SWIV works again.
BUT: Dynablaster stopped working, and MK too (but should be OK with RNCD). Well it's a beta, you have been warned.

jayminer · 19 February 2016, 23:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by jotd

Edit: found the problem, stack needs to be relocated when calling RN/Psygore loader for SWIV: now it works!

Woho! Great work!

Amigajay · 19 February 2016, 23:44

Speedball 2 ocs still failed for me with the latest beta 0.15 - PC=00003030 unlisted exception!! PC=$001FBFBE

Edit: its ok I got it working, didnt specify the data folder properly!

Xenon still has graphical sprite errors on cd32load (B&W?)

jotd · 20 February 2016, 21:40

Xenon has the same glitches with jst. I suppose I missed something many years ago jnnthe custom chips init. Ill find it

Edit: new 0.15 beta in the zone, new RESLOAD_TOP switch to specify top of slave/cd32load resident + CDBUFFER can be non-aligned (not tested that much)
Master Axe (AGA/2MB) is running with RESLOAD_TOP=0x1FF000
(oh and fixed the 0x prefix that was not working!)

Amigajay · 21 February 2016, 11:00

Hi guys, how do you load JST versions, i have put the JST file in C, what command line do i need to put to launch on say the red button?

jayminer · 21 February 2016, 11:10

@jotd: New version, yay

Btw I think you should make a new post instead of just editing an old one when a new update is out, edits are so easily missed

Gonna try out the new version right away on real hardware! By the way, don't know if you noticed but I added quite a lot of 0.15 beta-testing-information on the Trello.

jayminer · 21 February 2016, 21:46

I might as well mention it here also, a few games (I have mainly noticed it with Parasol Stars) works fine in emulation but not on real hardware with psygores loader, so something seems to be happening that UAE doesn't care about, but real hardware does. It starts but freezes after a while, I have noticed lots of similiar cases where games start and work for a bit but later on crashes.

Galahad/FLT · 21 February 2016, 21:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayminer

I might as well mention it here also, a few games (I have mainly noticed it with Parasol Stars) works fine in emulation but not on real hardware with psygores loader, so something seems to be happening that UAE doesn't care about, but real hardware does. It starts but freezes after a while, I have noticed lots of similiar cases where games start and work for a bit but later on crashes.

A lot of these 1 disk games can be redone with not much effort so they will run on cd32 properly.

SPEEDBALL 2 can be sorted as can Magic Pockets, certainly Parasol Stars which is one disk and 512k.

All of these can be tackled the same way i did Gods which as far as im aware works flawlessly on CD3w

Im a little concerned that some games wont exhibit problems until later in games, so some games that are ticked as working may not be with further playtesting.

jotd · 22 February 2016, 17:53

@Galahad, the idea is to get a great number of games running in no time without re-doing the install program, benefit from all the trainer & bugfixes, and avoid distributing the game files in the process.
And have a unified way to run all games. Like whdload... And CD32Load is now able to run AGA games thanks to Psygore loader. Can't do with a RAM loader.
JST does quite the same. I remember having fired Magic Pockets JST on a CD32

You're right, all games need playtesting, but whdload slaves have been tested A LOT, and I don't want to redo every game for every version, patch buttons, etc...
If you want to develop your standalone ram loaders, just do it! Nothing to do with CD32Load.

@jayminer: Psygore cd loader locks up on real hardware: SORRY TO HEAR THAT!!

For most ECS games, RN loader works fine, provided you don't put too many dirs on CD (there's a script by Patrick to check your ISO). Not very satisfactory, though. OK for small amount of games in a compilation / solo release. Use RNCD option. Have you experienced the same problem with RN loader on the same game?

Can you describe the lockup? error message? or just freeze? RN loader has a problem like this (problem on real hardware, OK on winuae), I just implemented a retry, and no more issues...
And Psygore is still with us, he can fix the problem maybe (since he's the only one who's seen the source

)

jotd · 22 February 2016, 18:07

new v0.15 (not beta, that one) in the zone (not on my website yet). Major release.
I still have to look into the cd loader problem reported by jayminer on real hardware.

Working, or like Galahad says: starting. AGA games specially need to be tested more.

- Elfmania
- BodyBlows ECS
- MrNutz
- Body Blows Galactic (ECS)
- Ghouls'n'Ghosts
- Beast 2
- Master Axe (!AGA!) (with RESLOAD_TOP=0x1F0000)
- Chaos Engine 2 (!AGA!) (with CDBUFFER=0x70000 RESLOAD_TOP=0x1fab00)
- Body Blows Galactic (!AGA!) (with RESLOAD_TOP=0x180000)
- Second Samurai (!AGA!) (with RESLOAD_TOP=0x1FF000)
- Brian The Lion (!AGA!) (with RESLOAD_TOP=0x151000)

jayminer · 22 February 2016, 18:12

I have not tried with RN Loader, since I already have way too many games on the CD for it to work fine, but I could always try and put a few of the problem ones early in the path-table just to compare if it works well then.

There's no error-message, the game just freezes, Parasol Stars is the easiest to reproduce the freeze with, it always locks up at the Ocean logo which is the first thing that happens when you launch the game. I'm guessing most other freezes I have encountered are related to this one?

I'll try to find the time tonight to make a new CD and try with RN Loader, and report back how it worked.

Galahad/FLT · 22 February 2016, 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by jotd

@Galahad, the idea is to get a great number of games running in no time without re-doing the install program, benefit from all the trainer & bugfixes, and avoid distributing the game files in the process.
And have a unified way to run all games. Like whdload... And CD32Load is now able to run AGA games thanks to Psygore loader. Can't do with a RAM loader.
JST does quite the same. I remember having fired Magic Pockets JST on a CD32

You're right, all games need playtesting, but whdload slaves have been tested A LOT, and I don't want to redo every game for every version, patch buttons, etc...
If you want to develop your standalone ram loaders, just do it! Nothing to do with CD32Load.

@jayminer: Psygore cd loader locks up on real hardware: SORRY TO HEAR THAT!!

For most ECS games, RN loader works fine, provided you don't put too many dirs on CD (there's a script by Patrick to check your ISO). Not very satisfactory, though. OK for small amount of games in a compilation / solo release. Use RNCD option. Have you experienced the same problem with RN loader on the same game?

Can you describe the lockup? error message? or just freeze? RN loader has a problem like this (problem on real hardware, OK on winuae), I just implemented a retry, and no more issues...
And Psygore is still with us, he can fix the problem maybe (since he's the only one who's seen the source

)

I dont want to come across as pissing on your efforts, what you are doing is great

All im saying is if one or two games are especially tricky, then im quite happy to adapt some of these games where possible, saves you time and circumvents loader issues, as i have a feeling the rnc loader is conflicting with some of these games hence the problems.

Psygore · 22 February 2016, 21:12

About the lock up on real hardware, it should be an interrupt problem.
The akiko chip generates an interrupt level 6 on a real CD32 (but seems not on WinUAE) and it freezes if there is no (or a bad) interrupt handler (Putty Squad white strips freeze).
@JOTD, does CD32Load switch off the interrupts when the cd loader is running ? (maybe only INT6 could be disabled).
I will clean up the nvram src and will post it soon.

Toni Wilen · 22 February 2016, 21:39

It is surely is CIA related if there is level 6 interrupts. (Which is also inside Akiko but has nothing to do with CD controller part)

EDIT: Does it hang in emulation if "CIA TOD bug" Advanced chipset option is ticked?

wmsteele · 22 February 2016, 23:49

Can anyone point me to where v0.15 is, have searched the zone with no luck. Assuming its somewhere in uploads?

Amigajay · 23 February 2016, 00:08

Visible in the zone for me, are you using the zone! link at the top of this page?

jotd · 23 February 2016, 05:39

@Galahad: the stuff that would need adapting would be the joypad => kb remapping. In some cases it is problematic. At least for 2 games:

- Rainbow Islands: if mapping enabled, it works but no music (interrupt conflict?)
- Pinball Dreams: works, but I since the remapping is not accurate (it is perfect for pause, weapon switch... but not too much for in-time play like fire or jump), flippers could lack some real-time response...

But I'm trying all games just for the sake of it (and it helps me find bugs in my code).

@psygore/Toni: yes, I disable interrupts, not for the reason you stated, but because I found at least one game (Pinball Dreams, grrr) that expected A6 to be set at all times, even in the interrupts.
Here's my switch off code:

move.w $dff01c,D4
btst #15,D4 ; interrupts enabled?
beq.b .disabled
move.w #$4000,$dff09a ; disable interrupts

So unless I'm missing something interrupts are already disabled... Damn.

The TOD bug is a good lead. We sould have a "strict" mode in winuae to avoid trouble on the real HW (that could include the buffer align too, but not a problem)

I just tested Parasol Stars on winuae with TOD bug, with NOCDFREEZE and it still works. No lockup.
Jayminer can you test the game with NOVBRMOVE, with JOYPAD=0, with RNCD ? and tell us the results? I'm not sure that it's related to Psygore loader.
Well earok released a 2-game pack including Parasol Stars using RNloader (not sure about that). Does that work?

19 February 2016, 21:59	#364
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,161	SWIV still crashes with Psygore CD loader, OK with RN loader. Fortunately I left RN CD code in CD32Load, with RNCD option. Maybe it's not a problem with the loader, but with the lack of memory cache: Since RNloader cannot load parts of files, I had to cache the full files in memory (and with diskfiles it takes a lot of mem hence the impossibility to run some games). Maybe SWIV does not like a direct CD access, and prefers a RAM cache. Maybe I'll add the RAMCACHE option just like what's built in in RN loader. So ATM for a big compilation, use the script that Patrick provided and ensure that RN-dependent games are left in the reachable zone. Edit: found the problem, stack needs to be relocated when calling RN/Psygore loader for SWIV: now it works! I tried with a BIIIG CD image and no problems (well, sometimes it seems to fail to find files, maybe I should implement a retry like on RN loader..) Edit 2: v0.15 beta 2 now in the zone. SWIV works again. BUT: Dynablaster stopped working, and MK too (but should be OK with RNCD). Well it's a beta, you have been warned. Last edited by jotd; 19 February 2016 at 23:23.

19 February 2016, 23:44	#366
Amigajay Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: > Posts: 2,881	Speedball 2 ocs still failed for me with the latest beta 0.15 - PC=00003030 unlisted exception!! PC=$001FBFBE Edit: its ok I got it working, didnt specify the data folder properly! Xenon still has graphical sprite errors on cd32load (B&W?) Last edited by Amigajay; 19 February 2016 at 23:51.

20 February 2016, 21:40	#367
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,161	Xenon has the same glitches with jst. I suppose I missed something many years ago jnnthe custom chips init. Ill find it Edit: new 0.15 beta in the zone, new RESLOAD_TOP switch to specify top of slave/cd32load resident + CDBUFFER can be non-aligned (not tested that much) Master Axe (AGA/2MB) is running with RESLOAD_TOP=0x1FF000 (oh and fixed the 0x prefix that was not working!) Last edited by jotd; 21 February 2016 at 09:49.

22 February 2016, 21:39	#377
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,505	It is surely is CIA related if there is level 6 interrupts. (Which is also inside Akiko but has nothing to do with CD controller part) EDIT: Does it hang in emulation if "CIA TOD bug" Advanced chipset option is ticked? Last edited by Toni Wilen; 22 February 2016 at 22:04.

23 February 2016, 05:39	#380
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,161	@Galahad: the stuff that would need adapting would be the joypad => kb remapping. In some cases it is problematic. At least for 2 games: - Rainbow Islands: if mapping enabled, it works but no music (interrupt conflict?) - Pinball Dreams: works, but I since the remapping is not accurate (it is perfect for pause, weapon switch... but not too much for in-time play like fire or jump), flippers could lack some real-time response... But I'm trying all games just for the sake of it (and it helps me find bugs in my code). @psygore/Toni: yes, I disable interrupts, not for the reason you stated, but because I found at least one game (Pinball Dreams, grrr) that expected A6 to be set at all times, even in the interrupts. Here's my switch off code: move.w $dff01c,D4 btst #15,D4 ; interrupts enabled? beq.b .disabled move.w #$4000,$dff09a ; disable interrupts So unless I'm missing something interrupts are already disabled... Damn. The TOD bug is a good lead. We sould have a "strict" mode in winuae to avoid trouble on the real HW (that could include the buffer align too, but not a problem) I just tested Parasol Stars on winuae with TOD bug, with NOCDFREEZE and it still works. No lockup. Jayminer can you test the game with NOVBRMOVE, with JOYPAD=0, with RNCD ? and tell us the results? I'm not sure that it's related to Psygore loader. Well earok released a 2-game pack including Parasol Stars using RNloader (not sure about that). Does that work? Last edited by jotd; 23 February 2016 at 08:33.

19 February 2016, 09:26	#363
Amigajay Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: > Posts: 2,881	Great stuff, thanks guys! Looking forward trying some stuff that didn't previously work! (may not still of course, but i'm sure more stuff does work now)

21 February 2016, 11:00	#368
Amigajay Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: > Posts: 2,881	Hi guys, how do you load JST versions, i have put the JST file in C, what command line do i need to put to launch on say the red button?

21 February 2016, 11:10	#369
jayminer Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Umeå / Sweden Posts: 266	@jotd: New version, yay Btw I think you should make a new post instead of just editing an old one when a new update is out, edits are so easily missed Gonna try out the new version right away on real hardware! By the way, don't know if you noticed but I added quite a lot of 0.15 beta-testing-information on the Trello.

21 February 2016, 21:46	#370
jayminer Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Umeå / Sweden Posts: 266	I might as well mention it here also, a few games (I have mainly noticed it with Parasol Stars) works fine in emulation but not on real hardware with psygores loader, so something seems to be happening that UAE doesn't care about, but real hardware does. It starts but freezes after a while, I have noticed lots of similiar cases where games start and work for a bit but later on crashes.

22 February 2016, 17:53	#372
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,161	@Galahad, the idea is to get a great number of games running in no time without re-doing the install program, benefit from all the trainer & bugfixes, and avoid distributing the game files in the process. And have a unified way to run all games. Like whdload... And CD32Load is now able to run AGA games thanks to Psygore loader. Can't do with a RAM loader. JST does quite the same. I remember having fired Magic Pockets JST on a CD32 You're right, all games need playtesting, but whdload slaves have been tested A LOT, and I don't want to redo every game for every version, patch buttons, etc... If you want to develop your standalone ram loaders, just do it! Nothing to do with CD32Load. @jayminer: Psygore cd loader locks up on real hardware: SORRY TO HEAR THAT!! For most ECS games, RN loader works fine, provided you don't put too many dirs on CD (there's a script by Patrick to check your ISO). Not very satisfactory, though. OK for small amount of games in a compilation / solo release. Use RNCD option. Have you experienced the same problem with RN loader on the same game? Can you describe the lockup? error message? or just freeze? RN loader has a problem like this (problem on real hardware, OK on winuae), I just implemented a retry, and no more issues... And Psygore is still with us, he can fix the problem maybe (since he's the only one who's seen the source )

22 February 2016, 18:07	#373
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,161	new v0.15 (not beta, that one) in the zone (not on my website yet). Major release. I still have to look into the cd loader problem reported by jayminer on real hardware. Working, or like Galahad says: starting. AGA games specially need to be tested more. - Elfmania - BodyBlows ECS - MrNutz - Body Blows Galactic (ECS) - Ghouls'n'Ghosts - Beast 2 - Master Axe (!AGA!) (with RESLOAD_TOP=0x1F0000) - Chaos Engine 2 (!AGA!) (with CDBUFFER=0x70000 RESLOAD_TOP=0x1fab00) - Body Blows Galactic (!AGA!) (with RESLOAD_TOP=0x180000) - Second Samurai (!AGA!) (with RESLOAD_TOP=0x1FF000) - Brian The Lion (!AGA!) (with RESLOAD_TOP=0x151000)

22 February 2016, 18:12	#374
jayminer Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Umeå / Sweden Posts: 266	I have not tried with RN Loader, since I already have way too many games on the CD for it to work fine, but I could always try and put a few of the problem ones early in the path-table just to compare if it works well then. There's no error-message, the game just freezes, Parasol Stars is the easiest to reproduce the freeze with, it always locks up at the Ocean logo which is the first thing that happens when you launch the game. I'm guessing most other freezes I have encountered are related to this one? I'll try to find the time tonight to make a new CD and try with RN Loader, and report back how it worked.

22 February 2016, 21:12	#376
Psygore Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: France Posts: 491	About the lock up on real hardware, it should be an interrupt problem. The akiko chip generates an interrupt level 6 on a real CD32 (but seems not on WinUAE) and it freezes if there is no (or a bad) interrupt handler (Putty Squad white strips freeze). @JOTD, does CD32Load switch off the interrupts when the cd loader is running ? (maybe only INT6 could be disabled). I will clean up the nvram src and will post it soon.

22 February 2016, 23:49	#378
wmsteele Registered User Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Glasgow Posts: 128	Can anyone point me to where v0.15 is, have searched the zone with no luck. Assuming its somewhere in uploads?

23 February 2016, 00:08	#379
Amigajay Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: > Posts: 2,881	Visible in the zone for me, are you using the zone! link at the top of this page?

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 2 (0 members and 2 guests)