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Text File | 1994-05-10 | 12.9 KB | 325 lines | [TEXT/ttxt]

Commodore 64 Emulator Version 0.4 Documentation (C) 1993-4 Earle F. Philhower III (st916w9r@dunx1.ocs.drexel.edu) (Also glance over the version 0.3, 0.2, 0.1 readmes for more information) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table Of Contents 1) What's New In This Release? 2) Quick-Start Guide a) Keyboard b) Disk Images c) Tape Images d) RAM Images e) Preferences 3) Frequently Asked Questions 4) How Can I Help? 5) Credits and Eulogy :< ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) WHAT'S NEW IN THIS RELEASE? General: Faster Integrated C 6510 processor (about 5% faster than 68k coded) Power PC native version (same source as 68k) Included undocumented opcodes Cleaner source code in some files There's some kind of documentation! Video: Multicolor Mode support B/W sprite handling has been fixed Double sized display Interface: Dragging one VIC window drags both About box centered Should switch cursor better Loading a RAM image updates display Bugs: The color VIC window sometimes goes off into the upper-left hand corner of the screen and crashed the C64. I haven't a clue as to why, as the BW version doesn't exhibit this behavior. There have been some problems with some international setups and EC040 Macs (the drain bramaged variety Apple sells in the Performa line) I don't have any way of testing where the program is dying, since Drexel doesn't have those. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) QUICK START GUIDE 1. First figure out which executable you need to run: If you have a PPC Mac use "Commodore 64 PPC", otherwise use "Commodore 64" [PPC owners can also use the "Commodore 64" execuatble, only it will run much, much, much, slower] 2. Once you've got it running you're sitting at a virtual C=64! That simple! Device #8 is the virtual 1541 drive. Device #9 is an interface into the Mac filesystem (not fully complete, but you can load and save files to the directory where Mac64 executable resides). Device #4 is a printer whose output goes into a file called "PRINTER" in the startup directory (Not fully done either). 3. To toggle between "Running" and "Suspended" modes on the C64 window, just click in the window. When you're running the cursor is normally a C=, and when you're suspended it is normally a standard arrow. -- Keyboard They keyboard mappings are very simple. All letters and numbers are done as you would expect. However the FUNCTION keys are accessed via an Option-# press. (I.e. F-7 = Option-7) Cursor keys work (you DON'T need to SHIFT-UP to go down...) Some of the Control keys are implemented via CTRL-x. If it doesn't work for you then I've not added that key! DELETE = C64 delete ESC = RUN/STOP ` = RUN/STOP-RESTORE When in emulation mode, COMMAND-<key> is in effect, and you can bring up menus w/o stopping the emulation. -- Disk Images In order to access a D64 disk image (which is nothing more than a raw sector dump of a Commodore 1541 format floppy disk) you can either: a. Select "Attach Floppy Image..." from the "Devices" menu to "insert" a pre-made diskette into the virtual 1541 (device #8) b. Double-Click on a D64 image (if it has the proper icon (5.25" disk)) to insert it... c. Select "Create Floppy Image..." from the "Devices" menu to "format" a new diskette. You'll have to select a *Macintosh* file name to create. It'll automatically "insert" the disk for you. -- Tape Images A lot of single file games are being distributed in T64 format. To load a T64(tape image) file into the emulator, you can either: a. Select "Load Tape File..." from the "Devices" menu. Select the tape and it will be loaded into C= memory. You *MUST* type "RUN" in the C64 window to start the program, once it's loaded. b. Double click on the icon of a T64 image (It should look just like an audio cassette) to load it. Again, you must "RUN" it to make it go. There is no way currently to make T64 images from the emulator. -- RAM Images A RAM image is a complete saved state of the Commodore 64 window. If you know what a "freeze" cartridge is, you get the idea. Basically the entire machine (RAM, processor) are stored in a file which can be later accessed. So you can load up Zork (assuming it works...:[) go on for an hour, save a RAM image. Later you can resume the game by loading the RAM image. To save a RAM image: Select "Save RAM Image..." from the "File" menu. Enter a name and viola! RAM image is saved. To load a RAM image you can either: a. Select "Load RAM Image..." from the "File" menu. Select the file and the processor will be restored to the saved state. b. Double-click on a RAM image icon (It looks like an IC) Note that the processor must be running in order to make the program go after loading it. -- Preferences The preferences dialog, accessible from the "File" menu allows you to change the way the Commodore 64 is emulated. You can switch between a color(slow) and b/w(fast) version of the VIC, choose between three different processor emulations, and other neato stuff. Video: Byte Align Window: This toggles between making the window appear on an 8-bit boundary. On machines set up to run with a monitor depth of 1 pixel (b/w) you can get a significant speed increase by doing this. When you have the monitor set up to display in color, this option will NOT speed up the display. Useful on "aquarium" Macs. B/W or Color: Chooses the type of video output from the Commodore you want. The color version only runs on machines with color Quickdraw (but will NOT crash your machine if you don't). B/W is relatively fast and more debugged than the color version. The color version is exceedingly slow on almost any machine, but supports hi-res, color, sprites, etc. Double Size: Doubles the size of the video display. If you have a 640x480 monitor you can display the double-sized color or BW window so you don't get eyestrain. Note that this is MUCH slower than non-double size. Processor: Skip RAM Test: Patches the KERNEL ROMs in memory to make the Commodore 64 skip the memory test. It's 100% compatible with any piece of software that will run on the emulator. Also makes the reset MUCH faster. 68k or C or Integrated C: Allows you to choose between different emulations for the 6510, the microprocessor at the heart of the Commodore 64. I recommend using the "Integrated C" on *ALL* platforms, since it is much faster and includes undocumented opcodes. The 68k is just slightly slower than the Integrated C, and the plain old C is about 25% slower. Note that on the PPC version 68k=Integrated C. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ***** Getting in touch with me about this emulator: Send all email questions, comments, suggestions to: st916w9r@dunx1.ocs.drexel.edu PLEASE INCLUDE THE VERSION OF THE EMULATOR THAT YOU ARE USING IN YOUR FIRST MESSAGE. I'd also like to hear where you got the emulator from (AOL, internet, BBS, etc.) ***** Getting the latest version: I will be storing the latset revisions on _the premier_ Commodore archive: watson.mbb.sfu.ca Access it via anonymous FTP, go to the "emulator" directory. The latest version will always be called: MAC64-xx.HQX ***** XXXXXX won't run: Yup. You're probably right. The emulator right now is built for speed and ease-of-comprehension. Either wait for a later version, or reprogram what you have... ***** Are there any other Commodore emulators: By far the best Commodore 64 emulator available for the IBM PC is: C64S09x.ZIP You can get it off of the "watson..." site mentioned above. Also get the following file: ROMCODE.C64 For the Macintosh, you're running the only emulator available, so it's the best!!! If you've got X11 and some time on your hands you can get X64, a really good emulator under UNIX & X11: x64-0.2.x.tar.gz In fact, I'm using some code from X64 in my current emulator! ***** Q. What's a "xxx.D64" or "xxx.T64" file? A. A *.D64 file is a binary image of a 1541 floppy disk. To use it with the emulator, use "Attach Floppy Image" from the Devices menu. Just use the regular "LOAD "xxxxx",8" commands in C64 BASIC to load any of the programs on the disk. Enter "RUN <enter>" to make the program RUN after LOADing it. A *.T64 file is just a hacked copy of a C64 file. In theory it supports storing multiple programs per image, but as of now 99.9% of the images are only holding one file. To load a T64 file, select "Load Tape Image" from the Devices menu. Then type "RUN" to make the program go. ***** Q. How can I get 1541 disks from my Commodore to my Mac? A1. You can't. Use a PC with "disk64e" or "x1541" to transfer the files to a IBM format floppy, the use PC Exchange to copy the files from the IBM disk to your Mac. A2. Use a RS232 converter from your C64's user port and a Null-Modem cable between the converter and the Mac. *DO NOT CONNECT YOUR C64 TO YOUR MAC/PC WITHOUT AN RS232 CONVERTER. YOU WILL DAMAGE YOUR C64 BY DOING SO!* ***** Q. I want to do some work with your code. What should I do if I want my changes to be inclued in one of your later C64 releases? A. I'm very open to changes/additions to my program. In fact, almost 30% of the code is now from others. If you've done some work send me some mail at Drexel, and *comment* any changes you make. It'll make my work much easier! And, of course, you've got to allow distribution of your changes unde the GNU GPL. ***** Q. Is there a joystick? A. No. Not yet. Right now I've got to get the games to work... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) HOW CAN YOU HELP? If you've got the talent and the time, go through the source code. Find and eradicate any bugs you find. Add any features you think should be added. And send all of your changes to me at my email address. I'm more than happy to assist in any work you're doing on the emulator, just don't start asking me to do your CompSci homework! UPLOAD THIS TO AOL SO THAT I DON'T KEEP GETTING 10 MESSAGES A DAY FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS ASKING ME TO MAIL THEM MY PROGRAM! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) CREDITS AND EULOGY :[ Well, Commodore International is dead. A moment of silence while the credits roll, please: 68000 6510 Simulator: George T. Talbot <ugtalbot@mcs.drexel.edu> Color VIC Display: Eric M. Stadtherr <emstadth@iastate.edu> MetroWerks, PPC: Johnathon L. Suker <jlsuker@ucis.edu> Major Testing: Georg Schwarz <georg@marie.physik.tu-berlin.de> Optimization, PPC: Peter Creath <peterc@gnu.ai.mit.edu> Tape Image Format: Werner Zsolt <mttto22@ursus.bke.hu> (If I've forgotten you, drop me a line and I'll correct my oversight) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Commodore 64 Emulator... It's not much, but it's the *only* Commodore 64 you can run on your Mac!" Any user suggestions, bug-fixes, updates please email me at Drexel Univ. (st916w9r@dunx1.ocs.drexel.edu). A 1.0 release doesn't seem to be too far away, as most things are already implemented! [Yeah, right...hahahaha] You can also get in contact with me on ISCA BBS [telnet whip.isca.uiowa.edu] under the handle (suprise) "Earle." I frequent the "Antique Computers" forum. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. (C) 1993-4 Earle F. Philhower III (st916w9r@dunx1.ocs.drexel.edu)