========================================================================= File: README.GBR - Date: 23. March 1991 Information file for the ATonce-Amiga Emulator and - Update to version 1.28 - (last official version: 1.1) (User Manual Edition 2 of November 1990) ========================================================================= The contents of this file must be read before the system is used for the first time or before the installation of the update. The contents of the README.GBR file: I. Additional information about the installation of ATonce II. The contents of the AmigaDos System Disk III. The contents of the MSDOS Utility Disk IV. Installation of the Hard Disk under MSDOS Update: ------- V. What is new ? VI. Installation of this update VII. ATonce and Greek-Fonts ############################################################################# # # # I. Additional information about the installation of ATonce # # # ############################################################################# I.1 ATonce and A2000 ===================== To install ATonce in an A2000 a special vortex plug-in adapter is needed. An ATonce System Disk with version number 1.28 or lager must be used. The details of the installation are found on the information sheet which comes with the plug-in adapter. I.2 Fat Agnus Versions - User Manual Page 13 ============================================ Ref.: Resistor R106 on 6A-boards Important: this problem occurs only with 6A-boards. The a.m. change is not allowed with all other boards ! I.3 Miscellaneous ================== There are two reasons for the 68000 CPU that comes with the ATonce PCB: - you do not need to solder. - there are several manufacturers of 68000 CPUs. (e.g. Motorola, Thomson, Sylvana, Rockwell, etc.). The only high quality CPU comes from Motorola. We decided to use this CPU to guarantee the best possible signals and the highest security in operation. The whole A500 computer has lots of sockets and is therefore susceptible to contact problems. When you install ATonce you have to be very careful that there are proper contacts between the pins of the ATonce and the socket of the 68000 CPU. I.4 ATonce and Memory-Expansions which fit into the Memoryslot and have more than 512kB (e.g. ICD AdRAM 540, etc.) ============================================================================ There are several suppliers of memory-expansions which fit into the memoryslot and add more than 512kB to the A500. Most of these expansions come with an additional small pcb which plugs inbetween the GARY and its socket. There should be no trouble in using these pcb together with the ATonce GARY-Module. (Plug GARY-Module first!). ATonce supports a special memory-model which allows an optimal usage of such memory-expansions - its memory-model 10 (invoke this memory-model from CLI by means of ATONCE /M10 or define the TOOLTYPE MEMMODE=10 if start is from WorkBench). Since the automatic memory router of ATonce tends to use expansions-memory first (this memory can be used without any affect from the custom chips.) the memory-model 10 will be not automatically used (even if possible) if there is a memory expansion at the expansion-port of the A500 (e.g. A590 + RAMs etc.). In such a case you have to invoke memory-model 10 if you want to use it. Some of these expansions also provide expansion memory (e.g. ICD AdRAM 540 + AdRAM 560 etc.). This expansion memory can only be used for MSDOS if the expansion autoconfigures at $200000. The startup-message of ATonce contains several useful informations: ATonce 80286-Emulator for Amiga - V1.28-NTSC/M10-14 (C)1990-91 vortex GmbH ! ! ! version of ATonce software ----------+ ! ! videostandard (PAL or NTSC) --------------+ ! current memory-model -------------------------+ ############################################################################# # # # II. The contents of the AmigaDos system disk # # # ############################################################################# II.1 The installation program INSTALL - User Manual Page 28 =========================================================== It is possible to use with the Hercules garphic adapter two text-fonts: 8*8 or 8*16 - Selection of the Hercules text-fonts: 8*16 font (interlace) H(high), L(low), H&L. 8*8 font (non-interlace) - VERY FAST - Selection of the screen : INVERS or NOT-INVERS. Enable or disable the blinking-attribute. NOTE: THE FASTEST TEXT-OUTPUT WILL BE ACHIEVED WITH: CGA 80X25 - 4 COLOURS (start under DOS with: CGA 4) OLIVETTI 80X25 - 4 COLOURS (start under DOS with: V400 4) HERCULES 80X25/8*8 - 2 COLOURS (start under DOS with: MDA 8) II.2 The emulation-software - User Manual Page 30, 31 and 32 ============================================================ We have added some memory-designs that support various RAM expansions (e.g. ICD AdRAM). The ATonce emulation-software supports the following COMMODORE- conformable memory configurations: A - 512kB Chip-memory B - 1MB Chip-memory C - 512kB Chip-memory and 512kB Fast-memory installed in the memory expansion slot. D - 512kB Chip-memory and xxxkB autoconfiguring Fast-memory installed outside at the expansion-bus (e.g. in an A590) When ATonce is started the emulation-software automatically detects the memory-configuration and initialises ATonce with the configuration found. This means that even when you choose in the INSTALL program a memory-setting that is not possible (e.g. not enough RAM), this will be automatically corrected in the best possible way. Beside this automatical "RAM-walk" ATonce can be started with several parameters that use a a certain memory-model: (1) Starting ATonce from the CLI/SHELL: ATONCE /Mx x = 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 (2) Starting ATonce from the WorkBench: Click one time on the ATONCE Icon. Select option Info. Click in the TOOL TYPES on the Gadget ADD. Key in the following line MEMMODE=x x = 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 (MEMMODE MUST BE WRITTEN IN UPPER CASE CHARACTERS) Afterwards the Info-file must be saved with the SAVE option. IMPORTANT: THE TOOL TYPE MEMMODE AND THE CLI-SWITCH /M DISABLE THE AUTOMATICAL DETECTION OF THE MEMORY-CONFIGURATION. THIS MEANS EVERY TIME ATONCE IS LOADED THE SPECIFIED MEMORY- MODEL WILL BE USED. The different Memory-models have the following structure: (all addresses are hexadecimal) FM = 512KB RAM-expansion in the memory expansion slot (bottom of A500) e.g. Commodore A501 EFM = 1.8MB ------------------------------"---------------------------- e.g. ICD AdRAM EM = autoconfiguring RAM-expansion connected outside to the expansion bus. E.g. A590 with installed memory + = Memory-model will work with this configuration - = Memory-model will not work with this configuration ----------------------------------------------------- A500 and ---------- x DOS Base-Memory DOS Ext./Exp. Memory FM/EFM EM -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 040000-06FFFF ---- - - 2 080000-0FFFFF ---- +(1) - 3 C00000-C7FFFF ---- + - 4 200000-27FFFF ---- + + 5 200000-27FFFF 080000-0FFFFF +(1) + 6 200000-27FFFF C00000-C7FFFF + + 7 200000-27FFFF 280000-2FFFFF + +(2) 8 200000-27FFFF 300000-3FFFFF + +(3) 9 200000-27FFFF 300000-XXXXXX + +(3) 10 C00000-CAFFFF D00000-DBFFFF +(4) + 11 200000-2AFFFF 300000-3FFFFF + +(5) (1) only with BIG FAT AGNUS and correctly set jumpers on the A500 motherboard (2) at least 1MB Expansion memory is needed (3) at least 1.5MB Expansion memory is needed (4) e.g. ICD AdRAM 540 (1.8MB) - DOS-BASE-Memory 704KB !! (5) this configuration needs a minimum of ChipMem IMPORTANT: The DOS-memory above 512KB is independent of the chosen memory-model (except 10,11, ..). Therefore it is not mentioned in this chart. The size of the DOS-BASE-memory is maximum 640KB (like on any other "normal" PC, PC/AT) and can be changed with the INSTALL program. If the installed size of the DOS-BASE-memory is too large for the detected memory-configuration, the size will be automatically reduced to a possible maximum. The following Memory-models will work with the listed system- configurations: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- System-configuration Total- Memory- Memory model ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A500 (without any expansion) 512KB 1 A500 + FM/EFM + FAT AGNUS 1MB 1,3 A500 + FM/EFM + BIG FAT AGNUS + JUMPERS SET CORRECT 1MB 1,2 A500 + EM >= 1MB 1,4 A500 + FM/EFM + FAT AGNUS + EM >=1.5MB 1,3,4,6, 7,8,9, 10,11 A500 + FM/EFM + BIG FAT AGNUS + JUMPERS SET CORRECT + EM >=1.5MB 1,2,4,5, 7,8,9, 10,11 NOTE: MODEL 7 AND 11 IS ONLY POSSIBLE IF MINIMUM 1 MB OF EM IS AVAILABLE MODEL 8 IS ONLY POSSIBLE IF MINIMUM 1.5 MB OF EM IS AVAILABLE MODEL 10 IS ONLY POSSIBLE IF MINIMUM 1MB EFM IS AVAILABLE Guidelines for the right choice of the Memory-model and the size of the DOS-Base-memory: The A500 operating system is a multitasking operating system and uses a lot of RAM. Therefore it is possible that the DOS-BASE-Memory must be reduced to 512KB so that on the AmigaDOS side there is enough memory available. In this context we want to inform you that some Amiga- DOS applications simply do not start when they do not find enough RAM without giving you a message or an error-code ! (others crash or hang). II.3 User Manual Page 48 ======================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Code Reason Help/action ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15 Floppy DF1: is missing Use INSTALL to deselect DF1: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ############################################################################# # # # III. The contents of the MSDOS Utility Disk # # # ############################################################################# (The DOS Utility Disk is NOT part of the delivery of the software update. EGA.EXE and VGA.EXE are included in the VMODE.COM file.) The 3.5" DOS-Utility Disk is formatted with 720kB and contains a sub- directory with the following files: VLOW.EXE - see ATonce User manual chapter 3.10 VHIGH.EXE - -- " -- SSCR.EXE - switch on the Softscroll-function in Text-mode (Default) HSCR.EXE - switch on the Hardscroll-function in Text-mode With enabled Softscroll (soft = smooth) the scroll is performed with the Blitter, whereas with enabled Hardscroll the scroll is managed indirectly by the Video-Update. INVERS.EXE - only available with all 2-colour video-modes. Switches the screen reverse or inverse video. MDA.EXE - selects the Hercules Graphic adapter CGA.EXE - selects the CGA Graphicadapter V400.EXE - selects the Olivetti and the Toshiba T3100 Graphicadapter EGA.EXE - selects the EGA monochrome Graphic emulation VGA.EXE - selects the VGA Monochrome Graphic emulation VMODE.COM - activates a selectable Graphics emulation Syntax: VMODE card mode card = CGA, EGA, VGA, OLIVETTI mode = 4,8,16 (colors) or card = MDA mode = 8,16 (font) e.g.: VMODE VGA 4 activates the VGA-Emulation with 4 different text-colors. P2A.EXE - PC TO AMIGA: copy a file from a MSDOS partition into an AmigaDOS partition A2P.EXE - AMIGA TO PC: copy a file from an AmigaDOS partition into a MSDOS partition HDT.SYS - vortex hard disk driver for MSDOS partitions E,F .., Z. (insert in the CONFIG.SYS file: DEVICE=HDT.SYS) EMM.SYS - vortex expanded memory driver (standard 1.0). (insert in the CONFIG.SYS file: DEVICE=EMM.SYS) PFORMAT.EXE - vortex partition formatter for partitions E, F, .., Z. III.1 User Manual Page 44 ========================= MDA - selects the Hercules graphic adapter with the previously selected font. MDA 8 - selects the Hercules graphic adapter with the 8*8 font. This font is flicker-free and very fast. MDA 16 - selects the Hercules graphic adapter with the normal 8*16 font. ############################################################################# # # # IV. Installation of the Hard Disk under MSDOS # # # ############################################################################# IV.1 User Manual Page 34 ======================== Top of page: WRONG: DRIVE:/SUBDIR1/../SUBDIRn/FILENAME,STARTCYL,ENDCYL RIGHT: DRIVE:SUBDIR1/../DUBDIRn/FILENAME,STARTCYL,ENDCYL Middle of page (Example for way A.), last two lines: WRONG: .... and finally DH3 .. RIGHT: .... and finally DH4 .. Middle of page (Example for way B.): WRONG: DH0:DOSFILE,101,50 DH0:DOSFILE,152,50 RIGHT: DH0:DOSFILE,101,151 DH0:DOSFILE,152,202 IV.2 User Manual Page 26 ======================== Menu-Option Harddisk: instead of "or" it must be "and/or" It is possible to combine the two different ways: use a special file, which contains some MSDOS partitions and use one (or several) AmigaDOS partitions completely as MSDOS partitions. ############################################################################# # # # V. What is new ? # # # ############################################################################# 1.) VGA- and EGA monochrome Graphics emulations These two emulations are a well-defined subset of the full EGA/VGA standard. The selection is done either with the help of the INSTALL program or by means of the DOS utilities EGA.EXE, VGA.EXE or VMODE.COM. Important notes: - the textmodes are still CGA compatible, i.e. programs which need special features of the EGA/VGA textmodes may not run properly. Solution: use CGA or HERCULES emulation. - the EGA/VGA virtual chip emulation is restricted, i.e. programs which directly access EGA/VGA registers may not run at all. Here are some examples of programs which use EGA/VGA monochrome mode: Windows 3.0, GEM 2.0/3.0, Excel 2.01, FS3, FS4, ... NOTE: MEMORYMODELS 10 AND 11 DO NOT SUPPORT EGA OR VGA MONOCHROME EMULATION. EVEN IF YOU SELECT EGA OR VGA IN THE INSTALLATION PROGRAM ATONCE WILL START UP IN HERCULES MODE. IMPORTANT NOTE FOR NTSC Amigas ! -------------------------------- Due to the lower resolution of an NTSC Amiga you have to scroll up/down the VGA graphic screen with the same key-combination as the HERCULES graphic screen is scrolled. 2.) Dynamic Color assignment (DCA) for the CGA textmodes Since the bandwidth of the Amiga hardware is quite restricted there was a slowdown of the video performance when using 16 colors mode. The drawback of using the 4 or 8 static color assignment (SCA) modes was that the color assignment was not according to the standard CGA colors. Therefore we implemented a mechanism named dynamic color assignment (DCA). The mechanism works as follows: With DCA still only 4 or 8 different text colors are available. But DCA recognizes which colors are currently on the screen and uses, if there are less then 5 or 9 different text colors, the original CGA colors. Only if there are more then 4 or 8 different text colors DCA switches automatically to the corresponding SCA colors of the INSTALLation program. As soon as the number of different text colors decreases again below 5 or 9, DCA switches back to the original CGA text colors, i.e. do not wonder if there are sometimes dramatical changes in the screen colors - that is DCA. You can activate DCA in the INSTALLation program or directly under MSDOS by pressing left Amiga-key + 0 in the numeric block Of course, DCA makes no sense when using CGA mode with 16 colors. 3.) Disabling the floppy DiskChange recognition under MSDOS If you do not like the media change behaviour under MSDOS you have now the possibility to disable the floppy disk access of AmigaDos each time you insert a disk under MSDOS. Deactivate in the floppy menu of the INSTALLation program the DiskChange Gadget or press the following key combination under MSDOS: left Amiga-key + 2 in the numeric block Of course, when switching back to the WorkBench or any other screen disk changes are still recognized properly. Note: In order to use the copy utilities A2P.EXE and P2A.EXE the DiskChange must not be disabled ! 4.) Switching screens You can reach now any screen from the ATonce screen with the following two key combinations: left Amiga-key and + in the numeric block switches to the next screen left Amiga-key and - in the numeric block switches to the previous screen Naturally this is only possible if the ATonce window is the active window, i.e. the mouse-pointer is invisible. ############################################################################# # # # VI. The installation of this update # # # ############################################################################# To install this update copy the following files from this update disk into the AT-EMULATOR drawer of your normal ATonce start disk / hard disk: INSTALL INS0GBR.RCT INS1GBR.RCT ATONCE ATONCE.BIN ATONCE.DSG Note: Do note overwrite your current ATONCE.CFG file, otherwise all your individual configuration data (e.g. hard disk etc ...) will be lost ! Start the ATonce emulator and boot MSDOS. Change then to the MSDOS folder which contains all ATonce utility programs (e.g. MDA.EXE, CGA.EXE ...). Press now the left Amiga-key and simulatenously the 4 in the numeric block. Release both keys and press the ENTER-key. This will automatically generate a file named VMODE.COM. The emulator confirms the successful generation with "VMODE generated!" Syntax: VMODE card mode card = CGA, EGA, VGA, OLIVETTI mode = 4,8,16 (colors) or card = MDA mode = 8,16 (font) Example: VMODE VGA 4 selects the VGA monochrome graphics emulation with 4 text colors ############################################################################# # # # VII. ATonce and Greek-Fonts # # # ############################################################################# To help our Greek friends there is a drawer named GREEK on the System Disk. This drawer contains special Greek screen fonts. To use them, simply copy the contents of this drawer into the same drawer where ATONCE, ATONCE.BIN and ATONCE.DSG are. =========================================================================== Yours very truly vortex Team End of file. ===========================================================================