Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-05-23
13:50:34
|  plus4emu 1.2.6
A new version of the - hopefully - most accurate (and slowest  ) Plus/4 emulator has just been released.
Download source code, or Linux or Windows binaries from here: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=192837&package_id=226942&release_id=601490
Changes in this version since 1.2.5.2 include:
* implemented IEC level floppy drive emulation; this allows access to a directory on the PC filesystem, and supports reading and writing .prg, .p00, .s00, .u00, and .r00 files, and some commonly used CBM DOS commands
* the debugger window now displays the current state of TED registers
* on Windows and MacOS X the native file selection dialog is used instead of the FLTK one; also, the last PRG and screenshot file selected is remembered by the dialogs
* various improvements have been made to the utilities
* changed the TED luminance table to (hopefully) match the colors of the real machine more accurately
* when recording video to AVI files in RLE8 format, some TV emulation color effects are now also captured using additional palette colors
* D64 files with any number of tracks from 35 to 42 are supported
* new/improved GUI keyboard shortcuts
* the old file I/O hack has been removed, since its functionality is now replaced by the IEC level drive emulation
* added Gtk+ GUI theme (enabled with '-colorscheme 3' command line option)
* some minor bugs have been fixed
The emulator package also includes a few utilities:
* compress - compresses Plus/4 .PRG files with very good compression ratio (CA65 assembler source code for the decompressor is available)
* makecfg - reinstalls the configuration files of the emulator
* p4fliconv - converts JPEG and other format images to various Plus/4 video modes (hires/multicolor, FLI, interlace, etc.); it can be used both from the command line, and as a GUI program which uses the emulator for accurate previews. CA65 assembler sources for the FLI viewer are also available.
* p4sconv - converts PixelShop .P4S images to any of the output formats supported by p4fliconv
* tapconv - converts MTAP format tape files to the native plus4emu tape format
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-05-25
16:26:30
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
An updated 1.2.6.1 version that fixes a bug is now available.
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Posted By
Degauss
on 2008-05-25
18:11:34
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
good to see everythings in one big package now 
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-05-26
12:16:51
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
I did consider having separate smaller packages, but it was easier to just create a single installer, and make the installation of the new utilities optional.
By the way, thanks for updating the tools page so quickly Would it also be possible to have a somewhat more detailed description (e.g. a brief list of noteworthy features, and mentioning the additional programs included) ?
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Posted By
Jakec
on 2008-05-27
03:16:58
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
My system: 64 bit windows (dual celeron) 
My problem: I don't use the "R" key . Why??? (plus4emu version 1.2.5.2)
What plus4emu version run on dual celeron processor?
Thanks a lot!
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-05-27
07:46:41
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
I do not exactly understand what you mean. Is the R key not working, but the others are ? Have you tried resetting the configuration (quit the emulator, run "Reinstall configuration files" from the start menu, and start the emulator again) ?
You may also want to download the latest version, which is 1.2.6.1. Although it may not necessarily be related to your problem, but it was built with a newer version of the GUI toolkit which I use.
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-05-27
09:23:58
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Or do you mean the R key seems to be stuck, even though it is not pressed ? That could happen if you have a joystick connected; if that is the case, you can try moving the joystick so that it gets centered, increase the threshold in 'Options/Keyboard map (Alt+I)' to make the joystick input is less sensitive, or just disable the use of external joysticks if you do not need them.
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Posted By
Jakec
on 2008-05-28
03:20:20
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
I downloaded the 1.2.6.1 Pentium4 version and it WORKS!!!
Thanks!
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-06-05
17:02:16
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
> By the way, thanks for updating the tools page so quickly Would it also be possible to have a somewhat more detailed description (e.g. a brief list of noteworthy features, and mentioning the additional programs included) ?
Any comments ?
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-06-24
08:59:20
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Well, I did somehow expect that there will be no replies; anyway, I will increase the TED sound output level by 3.5 dB.
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Posted By
Luca
on 2008-06-24
09:03:45
 | Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Heh, I dunno how to perform that, on the other side I think any single sidcard has slightly different output, due to several variables.
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-06-24
09:16:06
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
In fact, what I would have liked to know was the sound output level of the TED relative to SID, and maybe the frequency response as well. This is mainly important for programs like XeO3 which use both types of sound at the same time; it seemed the TED sound effects are too quiet with the current version.
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Posted By
Chronos
on 2008-06-24
12:46:50
 | Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
oh dear, i missed it.. sure, i will check you soundtest maybe in a few days when i pull it together again (the flamingo).. but there is a freakin summer and 100 degrees and i havent inspiration to do it (maybe after a cold beer?) ...
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-06-24
16:08:00
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Thanks. Maybe I could extend the test program somewhat until then, so that it can test a few more things as well A minute of running time would mean a 48 kHz mono 16 bit file of about 5.5 megabytes, is that OK ?
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Posted By
Chronos
on 2008-06-25
02:25:45
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
ok, do your thing. "csütörtök"-ön jó lesz
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Posted By
Chronos
on 2008-06-25
16:20:57
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
oksa leszedtem.. ha minden jól megy, holnap teszt.. csak azt nem tudom, hogy mivel vegyem fel, de van mikrofonos fejhallgatom majd odacsovalom..
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-06-25
16:42:54
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
The best method is probably to record the audio output (pin 3 of the 8-pin DIN connector: http://www.zimmers.net/anonftp/pub/cbm/schematics/computers/plus4/connectors-2.jpg) of the Plus/4 directly with the line input of a sound card. At least that is what I use to record TED sound from my own machine, although SID cards seem to have their own output connector as well (but according to Solder's schematics that seems to be SID-only ?).
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-06-25
16:46:34
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
From the schematics it also looks like there is a volume control that affects also the signal sent to the Plus/4, so maybe I should make it adjustable as well ?
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Posted By
Luca
on 2008-06-25
16:51:05
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Yes there's a lil'screw, but usually we keep it quite low, coz' noise raises exponentially
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Posted By
Chronos
on 2008-06-26
02:16:41
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
yep i remember, there is 2 jacks on the card and a poti also.. but i never adjusted that poti on the card... i'll try with a jack-jack cable ok?
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Posted By
Chronos
on 2008-06-26
14:34:40
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
hey! i got it! where can is send, and in what format.. currently in 44100 khz, 16 bits stereo wav.. about 7 megs uncompressed.. please drop an email to chronos at servers.hu! thx
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Posted By
Chronos
on 2008-06-26
14:35:05
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
ofcoz khz means hz i think..
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Posted By
Chronos
on 2008-06-26
14:36:42
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
just one more thing (there is no edit button in the forum) if you need a rewamped icon or a skin or whatever for plusemu just ask me!
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-06-26
16:34:28
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Thanks for recording the wav file. You can send it to istvan_v at mailbox dot hu.
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-06-29
13:05:50
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Here is a list of what is done so far for the next version:
* added some simple editing features that can be used with the mouse:
left click: sets the cursor position
right click: sets the cursor position, and copies text from the selected line to the clipboard
shift + right click: copies text from the whole screen to the clipboard without changing the cursor position
middle click: sets the cursor position, and pastes text from the clipboard
shift + middle click: pastes text from the clipboard without changing the cursor position
* new command line option (-keybuf) for typing text of any length at startup; the text can also be read from a file
* added machine configuration option to control the SID output volume; this also affects the sound recorded to AVI files
* increased TED audio output level relative to the default SID output level, for better accuracy in programs that use both types of sound at the same time
* minor sound emulation fixes
* some utility improvements: 'compress' has more options now, and is optimized somewhat for slightly better efficiency and speed; 'p4fliconv' automatically detects the use of the C64 palette in GIF files and enables pixel exact reading mode, and there is a new experimental hires conversion algorithm as well
* minor TED emulation optimizations
* a few Linux compile and link errors have been fixed
Does anyone have suggestions for more features to be added, or bugs to be fixed ?
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-06-29
13:10:07
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
By the way, the Tools page for the emulator has "Edit" buttons now when I access it while being logged in, but they do not seem to work.
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Posted By
SVS
on 2008-06-30
03:00:45
 | Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
>>Does anyone have suggestions for more features to be added, or bugs to be fixed ?
I should appreciate a cursor able to set the process priority, so that I can obtain the faster speed even with other running applications. You can see that function in WinAmp setting for example.
Tahnk you!
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-06-30
10:46:35
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
OK, I will add the process priority options to the GUI. Should this setting be saved on exit, or is it better to always start with normal priority ?
I have also changed the clipboard functions slightly: a simple right click will only copy a single word, and a whole (logical) line can be copied with ctrl + right click.
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Posted By
SVS
on 2008-07-01
02:46:38
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
>>OK, I will add the process priority options to the GUI. Should this setting be saved on exit, or is it better to always start with normal priority ?
I think it should be good to save the option, but with exception of "realtime mode" that would make impossibile any other operation it set automatically.
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-07-01
08:53:10
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
I did not actually add realtime mode, as it could be dangerous e.g. when using Alt+W. The choices are idle (freezes the emulator if anything in the background tries to use 100% CPU time), below normal, normal, above normal, and high, and setting full speed on "high" already makes the rest of the system not very responsive. Currently it seems the priority setting will only actually have an effect on Windows.
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-07-01
11:05:04
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
There is a beta version for testing available now: http://www.sharemation.com/IstvanV/plus4emu.7z. Since this only includes the main emulator .exe file, you need the 1.2.6.1 package from SourceForge as well.
The two executables were built with different compiler flags, and it would be interesting to see which one runs better with or without floppy emulation (the difference is not expected to be much, though).
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Posted By
Degauss
on 2008-07-01
17:33:57
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
I also believe priority settings have more effect on other applications than on the emulator. After all, its a priority setting.
@Istvan: Ever thought about a DLL-Version of the emulator with a C-interface for the debugger? This is not a simple/little feature but would add high reusability. DLL-Functions could be like: Run(numcycles), SetProgramCounter(addr), ReadMem, WriteMem, Stop, StopAt(rasterline), etc....
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-07-01
18:08:05
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
In fact, I have already thought of using the emulator engine as a library in other programs (a very simple example is the preview mode of the p4fliconv image converter), which would be an interesting idea for an IDE, for example, but other uses are also possible. However, when I brought this up earlier, it did not seem to draw much attention, so I more or less forgot about it until now
The emulator actually does have a design that would allow for using parts of it as a library without major changes, and there are relatively well defined internal interfaces (e.g. http://plus4emu.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/plus4emu/plus4emu/src/plus4vm.hpp?view=markup includes methods that are much like what you suggest). However, it is all in C++, so for use in a DLL, a C wrapper interface needs to be created to avoid problems like compiler-specific C++ ABIs.
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Posted By
Degauss
on 2008-07-01
18:34:56
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Hi Istvan!
I just took a quick look at the header file and this seems to be quite complete I think the purpose of an interface like this to make tools like the p4fliconv more easy to create. Think about music-trackers...
A C-wrapper would be the most democratic choice in my eyes. Another option would be an ActiveX interface which would add for simple usage via scripting languages - on the other hand this option is very platform-specific and ActiveX as an architecture has become quite a mess.
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-07-01
19:24:00
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Well, then a C wrapper is added to the TODO list for 1.2.8 For scripting languages, SWIG could also be used, although the use of things like callback functions, pointers, etc. obviously make it more difficult than a C interface.
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Posted By
nukem
on 2008-07-03
14:46:42
| plus4emu 1.2.6 - sum difficulties on ubuntu
Yo,
the Windows-version rulz!!! Great emu, Istvan.
But I've got difficulties in installing the emu on ubuntu (less experience :-/ ). It seems to try to start, but shows lots of failureson mighty plus4-screen...
I tried the plus4emu-1.2.6.1-linux_i686.tar.gz -> makecfg.
Sry, I'm too lame to check this out
Any hints? THX!
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-07-03
17:26:16
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Hi ! Did you install the ROM files ? They can be downloaded from here: http://www.sharemation.com/IstvanV/roms/plus4emu_roms.zip. Once you have this file downloaded, create the directory ~/.plus4emu/roms (~ is the home directory), and unzip the ROMs there. With the ROM files installed, you can now run the makecfg utility, accept the default data directory (which is ~/.plus4emu), and click OK to reinstalling the configuration files. After the above steps, you can just run the 'plus4emu' binary (or the other executables like p4fliconv) from anywhere. If you download a new version of the emulator later, it is not required to install the ROMs or configuration again, it should run out of the box.
It is also possible to run makecfg again at any time, to have the configuration reset to default settings.
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-07-03
17:36:24
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Of course, the above assume that the problem is not caused by some binary incompatibility between distributions (I tried to minimize dependencies on external shared libraries, but the possibility is still there), in which case a version compiled specifically for Ubuntu/Debian might be needed.
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Posted By
nukem
on 2008-07-03
18:12:21
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Thanx! I try it 2morrow after work and report.
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-07-04
17:49:58
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Although there has been not much feedback on the beta version, I think after some testing, if no unexpected problems are found, 1.2.7 can be released in a day or two.
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Posted By
nukem
on 2008-07-07
10:36:19
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Hi IstvanV,
I installed the roms as ya said and after that i installed the rest like I did before! Aaaaaaaaaaaand: I can see the good old plus/4 screen!!!
So, it worx!!! Thank you for your help!!!
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-07-08
08:07:49
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
nukem: that is good news Did you try the newer version (it was built with the exact same compiler and libs, though, so there should be no difference if it runs or not) ?
Degausss: would it also be a good idea to add wrappers for lower level interfaces (e.g. just the CPU, the CPU+TED combination, floppy drivers, etc.) as well separately, additionally to a complete Plus/4 system ?
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Posted By
nukem
on 2008-07-08
13:30:29
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
IstvanV: when I tried the new installation, I used the 1.2.7-version. It runs!!!!
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-08-09
16:11:13
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
So, is anyone actually interested in the emulator DLL interface discussed with Degauss above ? I started implementing it, but I would rather not spend time on creating something that no one is going to use.
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-08-13
14:43:45
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
I assume that the C interface is not very important then, and can be left to be implemented later in 1.2.10 then (assuming that there will be such version - 1.2.9.x may possibly be the last one) ?
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Posted By
Csabo
on 2008-08-16
19:14:26
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
I just read Degauss' comments above (sorry), and I think the ability to interface with an emulator while it's running would be a great feature. I started to write a music tracker for the PC (don't get excited, it doesn't do anything), and I got stuck on trying to figure out how to actually play music (basically preview the thing). I figured each time the user makes a change I'd have to create a new PRG file and fire up a new emulator session or basically re-create the sound emulation from my program, but I didn't like either one of those options.
However, if there was an emulator session going and my tracker having the ability to write into the memory of that session - well, that would be pretty much the right way to do this.
So my point is: do it if you feel like doing it, for the challenge itself. It may or may not get used (if the past is any indication then it won't), but that's just how it is. The idea itself is a good one and it would be a useful feature.
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-08-17
07:43:31
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
If by 'emulator session' you mean communicating with an external emulator process that is the standard GUI executable with all the menus etc., then it probably does not do what you want.
The interface I started implementing makes it possible to use the hardware emulation 'engine' as a shared library with a C API, with access to all the internal debugger functions (read/write memory, set watchpoints, etc.), but the user of the library is responsible for creating any user interface, decoding and displaying video, playing audio, and setting up the configuration (loading ROM files etc.).
So, it is mostly useful for creating ports of the emulator to platforms that are not supported yet (e.g. consoles) with a rewritten UI and video/audio drivers, or embedding the Plus/4 emulation in other programs (e.g. IDEs, or previews in music or graphic editing software; the p4fliconv image converter utility already does this, although it uses the original C++ interface as a static library, and also the FLTK/OpenGL video display driver that is not available in the DLL).
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Posted By
IstvanV
on 2008-08-18
12:23:43
| Re: plus4emu 1.2.6
Update: there is a more complete package (http://www.sharemation.com/IstvanV/plus4lib.7z) available now, that also includes an actual DLL file, as well as a simple example C program that is a minimal but working emulator using SDL and plus4emu.dll.
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