Date   : Thu, 09 Jan 1997 09:26:09 +0100
From   : Robert Schmidt <rsc@...>
Subject: Re: Archive format expansion

deweger wrote:
> Well, neither do I, but I try to be constructive to other ppl's
> problems, and it's you who brought up the menu "problem" :)

It was?  Hmm...  huh, maybe it was... :-)
 
> > and that will be all I ever need.
> 
> Agreed. And a beautiful woman. Or two. Or three.

Heh... nothing is like being mothered over when you've got the flu...
*sniff*, so I'm happy with mine... :)
 
> high, then switch to tape, move the program down and (for *MRUN) run
> it. Maybe Tom could make *MLOAD and *MRUN standard DFFS commands that
> are simply synonyms of *LOAD and *RUN (because the new version of DFFS
> --hopefully--has PAGE already at &E00). That would save a lot of trouble
> in running many games from the archive that use the *MLOAD and *MRUN
> commands.

Definitely a very good idea.  Watford's DFS is not an Acorn standard,
but since so many games in the archive is using those commands (and more
are coming), supporting them directly would be wonderful.

Another option is to simply make a "fake" Watford-interface DFS ROM
image, which simply handles *MLOAD and *MRUN.  If PAGE != &E00, *LOAD,
*TAPE and relocate, otherwise simply *LOAD (and eventually *RUN).  This
way, all emulators supporting the mounting of ROM images can handle
*MLOAD and *MRUN.
 
> > Now, I never progressed past the stone age tapes
> 
> We forgive you as long as you keep up the WWW pages.

Thanks! :)  Not much is going to happen there for a couple of weeks, as
we're closing in on a release here at Vingmed Sound.
 
> Good. So if some emulator authors want to support the *OPT 4 parameter
> in !BOOT.INF files (Robert's last suggestion for the syntax is allright
> with me), I'll adapt my XFer transfer proggie as soon as I have time
> and Robert will start adding !BOOT files to every game in the archive.
> Won't you, Robert? :)

Let me put it this way - I'll happily add !BOOT files sent to me by
other people.  Also, I *might* make some myself in my spare time.

For people's information, the number of games in the archive has now
passed 700.  There are a few duplicates (different versions of some
games), a few collections and cover-disks, and quite a few typed-in
games, but the archive is getting fairly comprehensive.  I am a bit
unhappy with the current indexing system, and I'm considering storing
files alphabetically, while maintaining the connections with publishers
as symbolic links.

Ah well, back to work!


--
Robert Schmidt <rsc@...       >
Software Developer / Vingmed Sound tel +47 67124237 fax +47 67124355
Private tel +47 22352293 WWW http://www.nvg.unit.no/~rsc

The law forbids both rich and poor to beg, steal and sleep under
bridges.