File Access From Within Blitz Basic 2

[LuMan]

Hi all. Apologies if this has been covered, but I've searched EAB and Google, but can't quite see what I'm after....

Issue:
I have been working more on my GogoPogo game and have built routines to load levels from disk. This is working fine when using the 'Compile/Run' command within Blitz, as well as creating an executable which I then run from a command line within Workbench (i.e. I hit R-A+E and type in 'Pogo1ogo' to launch from the floppy).
However, when I use the 'pogo' instruction from within a Startup-Sequence the game starts to load and then stops.....

What I know:
In order to use file access you need to drop out of BLITZ mode and into AMIGA mode. I actually use the QAMIGA directive, as it maintains the display. I also throw in a VWait 100 to ensure the drive has stopped before going back into BLITZ mode. This works fine within workbench, but still hangs when using a bootable floppy.

Solution?
I'm of the impression that when I boot from the floppy there is no semblance of WB (or CLI, probably) and the executable is not able to access the drive following the QAMIGA (or even AMIGA) command. This means that the program will sit and wait until it gets the OK from either WB or CLI... Which won't happen..

Is there a way around this?

For example, can I have a minimalist OS running that allows file access from within a Blitz-made executable? Or is there another way of instructing Blitz to access files without using the native OS approach?

Am I missing something bloody obvious????

In the interim, I'll continue with my GogoPogo game (which now runs super-fast, even on my 2MB A600, and has a title screen and opening tune) as a WB-launch game only and then add boot-ability if I get too tight on RAM.

Thanks in advance

[Graham Humphrey]

Looking at your description of the problem, I think you're probably heading down the wrong path here. You should be able to boot from floppy and it should just work, if it works from your WB (presumably from a hard drive?).

Two reasons why it wouldn't that spring to mind are:

1) You're using paths for your files that exist on your HD but aren't the same from floppy (unlikely I think), or

2) You've got some libraries missing that are on your system but not your boot floppy, which can cause it to lock up like you describe (I've had this myself).

It's not easy to know exactly what libraries it needs so maybe it's worth running something like SnoopDOS from your Workbench and inspect its output to see what it's accessing? Or just make sure you've got mathrans.library at least in your floppy's Libs directory, and if you're using different fonts, make sure diskfont.library is there too. If that doesn't work, when I'm home I'll check what libraries are on my Maxwell Mouse boot floppy and let you know so you can replicate that. Good luck (and looking forward to seeing the game finished)!

[LuMan]

Thanks, Graham. Although I've been stretching my Blitz knowledge with respect to coding, I've not really looked into what other bits and bobs may be required when popping in and out of Blitz mode..!

I'm back in front of my miggy in the morning, so I'll try moving those libraries across and see what happens. Failing that, I'll crank up SnoopDOS.

Thanks v much for the hint

[LuMan]

Well, Mr H, you are a genius!

I created a Libs directory and copied the mathtrans and diskfont libraries across. I got an "Insert Env: in any drive" error on the first reboot, but a quick addition of 'C/assign' and a line in the Startup-Sequence resulted in the thing loading up without issue

Thanks again for the steer

[Graham Humphrey]

Nice one, really glad you got it working and cleared another little obstacle