OpenCBM Archiver 1.2 Released

OpenCBM Archiver is a command line tool that helps automate the use of opencbm-based utilities
OpenCBM Archiver uses .net 2.0 and will also run under Mono on non-Windows systems.
Changes from Version 1.1
  • Archival program is now configurable via command line or config file. This means you can now automate nibread.
  • Made a configuration flag for whether or not to show a directory listing
  • Made the command line passed to the program configurable
  • Documented the settings in the configuration file.
Changes from Version 1.0
  • Add ability to load flags from configuration file
  • Writes seed data to configuration file
  • Specifying flags on command line overrides configuration file
  • Displays directory before archiving disk
  • Changed behavior such that calling with –help displays the help message, you can now run program without parameters.
You can download OpenCBM Archiver from the official open source project site:

sd2iec 0.10.2 Now Available

Ingo Korb has recently released version 0.10.2 of sd2iec, which is the firmware that powers devices like the uIEC.  A list of enhancements is noted below.  Because the uIEC can auto-update itself, users need only download the ZIP archive, unpack the contents onto a partition 1 of their SD card, IDE HDD, or CF card, and reboot.

Changes in sd2iec 0.10.2:

  • Correct end of generated raw directory information
  • compiling with all fastloaders disabled should now work
  • ULoad M3 auto-exits when ATN becomes active
  • Improve code size (to free enough space for…)
  • Support new fastloader: ELoad Version 1 (the one used by EasyProg)

ZoomFloppy SRQ Nibbling Support

During ZoomFloppy development, Nate Lawson tested and found that the 1571 drive, with it’s faster clock speed and hardware shift register data transfer support, could potentially support serial data nibbling.  Current nibbling options require a cumbersome and difficult-to-install parallel cable.  As attention was placed elsewhere, the idea was shelved pending initial implementation code.

A while back, Arnd Menge submitted a patch to enable serial nibbling using the ZoomFloppy hardware and the 1571 SRQ line.  Continued testing and refinement of the patch goes well.  Thanks go out to Arnd for the patch and bug fixes, and to Nate Lawson for debugging this new functionality.  Currently, only reads are supported, but write support will be added once the basic concept and initial implementation is proven.

When complete and added to the base firmware and OpenCBM libraries and tools, C128DCR 1571CR owners, who previously were unable to utilize their drive for data nibbling (lack of parallel port option) can utilize this solution to quickly read data from the 1571 drive unit.

We’ll continue to monitor the progress of this new feature.  Though the solution is close at hand, software support for this new feature might take longer.

 

sd2iec 0.10.1 Released

Ingo Korb has released a minor update to sd2iec (used in uIEC, among other solutions). Users are encouraged to update to this release.  Fixes/Features include:

  • U1/2, B-R/W commands now work without a trailing CR character (reported by Draco)
  • UI now always reports the dos version no matter what characters are following unless it’s a + or -. Previously anything but ±/nothing would result in a SYNTAX ERROR which doesn’t match what a 1541 would do. (reported by skoe)
  • JiffyDOS timing optimized, now loads a massive 1.8% faster!

GEOS Support for uIEC Bounty!

One of the most often requested features for uIEC is GEOS support. Given that uIEC emulates a Commodore Disk Drive at the protocol level, not at the hardware level, such support is harder than it sounds. Like many applications of the day, GEOS uses a custom disk drive transfer routine (commonly called a “speeder” or “fastloader”) called diskTurbo to make drive access times more manageable. Since the normal protocol is discarded in favor of a faster variant, successful emulation requires emulating the custom protocol. uIEC uses the sd2iec firmware, which has supported a handful of custom protocols for some time (including JiffyDOS), but does not currently support the GEOS custom protocol.

That may soon change, though.  RedumLOA has created a site called “Commodore Bounty” that will allow interested individuals to fund project activities.  The first bounty is for sd2iec GEOS support, which has been funded to over $750.00 at the time of this posting.  If you are interested in seeing GEOS support on sd2iec and uIEC, please consider a donation.