RISKY MSX Cart - Rev 1 (Beta Release)

[arkadiusz.makarenko]

I think I know why I had some many issues with this Fat32 library.

There is no documentation and comments on files are in Chinese, so I just need to figure this out myself. By trial and error.

There is a function called DirtyBuffer, which I assume cleans all buffers before use. I would assume that this was done internally, but nope, before each file operation you need to call it to make sure all buffers are clean, then you don't need to open file twice. Which was my previous workaround.

I am almost ready with new version which includes directory navigation.

[arkadiusz.makarenko]

I have released v0.7

It has a lot of bug fixes related to file management, pagination, and flash programming.
I have added page to change mapper (key 1 on main menu) on already programmed rom (much faster than flashing whole rom) and display info on file etc.@PhilC This helps with your feedback on picking up right mapper, this makes the the process much faster.

I have added folder browsing functionality. As long as it is not too deep folder tree it will work ok.
I have rewritten way firmware select file for programming.
I have fixed file listing and pagination @Higgy - this should fix the issue you had.

and few other bugfixes and improvements.

[Higgy]

Hi,

Sorry I had Forum issues, but now sorted.

Yes I managed to flash 0.7 this morning thanks. Folder navigation works well. I will format and also try another USB stick, but I did notice the Windows OS 'system information' file was listed (gets generated when you plug USB stick into Windows). Not sure if you can Blacklist file names?
Also those previous 'blank' file entries I spotted, were in CAPITALS where all the other ROM names were Lowercase. Changing to Lowercase managed to show 2 or the 3!?!

Probably best I Format USB stick before you do anything to see if issue has gone away.

Regarding visibility on CRT, the only thing I spotted this morning was the First letter of the First word of the separate text at the bottom, which explains Folder Navigation was off the screen.
I will grab a photo later.

Also any chance of some note about your Mapper 1 menu? Can it fit anywhere on the screen? Just for me personally I know if it's not written down, I will forget that option is there after a few weeks (poor memory!).

[PhilC]

Just had a chance to get 0.7 loaded up. I do seem to get some inconsistencies with regard to the USB now. Some times it doesn't see the stick is inserted and I have to remove it and reinsert it, other times the games refuse to load after flashing, ie goes straight to basic prompt.

With regard to SCC EN & DIS, if I load Nemesis 3 or spaceman bow with EN it gets as far as the white Konami screen and crashes either before the logo or half way through drawing it. If I load it with DIS then the game loads and runs but still has SCC. Loading with Konami without SCC causes a crash most times.

Directory navigation looks good. Could you make it so it wraps back to page 1 when reaching the end and when on page one, pressing <- makes it go to the last page?

[Higgy]

Nemesis 3 with EN gets to Player select screen then crashes.
With DIS I can play the game.

I think Spaceman Bow is MSX2 so I can't test, well it freezes at Konami screen.

Here is what I was on about the text at the bottom, and I see you have a '1' listed so could you add (Mapper) text also?

msx.jpg

You can see 'System Volume Information' is listed but that is usually a hidden file on windows.
The blank listing is a folder 'megarom' not sure why that is shown, but I will Format USB and also try another.

Thanks.

P.S. Anyone got the 'Aliens' sometimes called 'Aliens 2' running? And if so, the Mapper used?

[arkadiusz.makarenko]

Thank you.

Empty entry is caused by issues with decoding long name from FAT32. I can reliably read short names, but long names are still an issue. There should be move to shortname if it has issues with decoding, but as we can see here, it doesn't always work.
There is like a half a dozen of workarounds to build this list and folder navigation, so it may take me few iterations to make it right.
I will move "folder" by one character.
I will look at Nemesis 3 on my MSXs.

Aliens is ASCII 16K mapper. I did make it work yesterday. I will check today again.

[arkadiusz.makarenko]

I have checked Nemesis 3
It doesn't work at all on MSX1 - with SCC EN or DIS. But it works on on TFMSX.
What is surprising is that I get different splash screens!

[Higgy]

Nemesis 3 (seems) to be working fine on my HX-10 with SCC DIS:

MSX_2.jpg

Thanks for Aliens Mapper, it works. It's a bit confusing when there is a 128K ROM file etc but the Mapper is a different K. Does not make sense to me :lol:

[arkadiusz.makarenko]

I have 2 carts.
Same firmware on both, one is crashing on Nemesis 3, and second works perfectly on HX-10 - both EN and DIS.

I am starting to suspect that "trimmed internal crystal" is marketing only, or I have flaw in design.

WHY?

[PhilC]

@arkadiusz.makarenko always worth checking the soldering