[Coco] SideKick 1.05 update

[Luis Antoniosi]

hmm AFAIK superIDE can have up 2 IDE drives, and only IDE0 is used as
HDB-DOS virtual disks. The IDE1 would be accessible only through OS-9
using superdriver. Well this is what i guess I don't have a second
drive to plug in.


On Tue, Nov 20, 2012 at 5:06 PM, Brian Blake <random.rodder at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Some thoughts on adapting SideKick to the DrivePak... (yes, I'm thinking out
> loud again...)
>
> To expand on Luis' answer, Mark, if you're asking about Roger's creation (if
> not I'm going to waste a lot of words...), the DrivePak O.S., CoCoNet, is
> really a hacked version of RS-DOS and doesn't handle changing drives the
> same way as HDB-DOS/RGB-DOS. Luis (and other smarter than I am) could
> probably confirm, or not, my fear that adapting SideKick to the DrivePak
> would not be trivial. While you can assign any of the DrivePak's virtual
> disks using the DRIVE x,xxx format, CoCoNet doesn't handle those drives the
> same way HDB-DOS/RGB-DOS does. Using DRIVE 0, 125 will assign one virtual
> disk (125 in this case) to a logical device number (0-3). That gives you
> direct access to that image.
>
> The command structure works the same way with CoCoNet and disk images hosted
> on the PC as well - but the commands to mount a disk image on a PC is about
> as friendly as a pissed off rattlesnake. Something like DRIVE
> 0,!"C:\COCOIMAGES\GAMES\DONKEYKONG" would mount the Donkey Kong image on my
> PC to DRIVE 0 in CoCoNet. Right now, if it's going to continue in
> development, what CoCoNet needs more than anything is a DW4 like GUI on  the
> PC.
>
> Below is some more out-loud thinking, trying to make sure I grasp
> everything. (it's a clear indication I haven't spent NEARLY enough time with
> my SuperIDE... ;-)   )
>
> If I'm not mistaken, in HDB-DOS for the SuperIDE, you can have 4 drives (is
> partition a better word?), and each drive can host 256 images. Issuing a
> DRIVE ON turns on the physical floppy equipment (0-3) but you still have
> access to the disk numbers 5-255 on the SuperIDE. DRIVE OFF puts you back to
> all drives accessed thru the SuperIDE. DRIVE # n switches to another drive
> number on the SuperIDE that hosts a different set of 256 disk images. The
> offset calculation during the SuperIDE/HDB-DOS set up also allows you to
> have drives (partitions?) set up for NitrOS-9/OS-9 on the same storage
> media. Guru's out there, have I missed anything?
>
> I'm hoping to try out Luis' utility over the holiday - it looks very helpful
> in managing images on the hard disk. I see a definite benefit for SideKick's
> use on the SuperIDE , but, I can't see it being useful for the
> DrivePak/CoCoNet in their current state of development. And unless it's just
> the skeptic in me, I don't think it'd be easy to adapt.
>
> There's supposed to be a new owner/developer for the DrivePak and CoCoNet;
> supposedly they're working on past order fulfillment of the DrivePak before
> taking new orders. At least, that's the answer I received when I asked about
> it. I also asked about the possibility of future development of CoCoNet - I
> have yet to hear anything on that at all. It would be great if the people
> who were waiting for a DrivePak would start reporting back when they start
> getting them. Or IF they start getting them...
>
>
> Later,
>
> Brian
>
>
>
> On 11/20/2012 2:25 PM, Luis Antoniosi wrote:
>>
>> looking to the drive pak commands it works different than hdb-dos.
>>
>> Instead of DRIVE 0-255, you should do DRIVE 0-3,0-255
>>
>> In this way only 4 drives will be visible and you cannot mount other
>> images when in sidekick.
>>
>> Since I cannot emulate them in MESS or VCC, I won't be able to do it.
>>
>> On Tue, Nov 20, 2012 at 2:14 PM, Luis Antoniosi <retrocanada76 at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Don't have one but AFAIK it will show only 4 drives as a regular FDC
>>> right ? Or can you access any of the drives from basic like DRIVE 255
>>> ? Dunno about the speed also.
>>>
>>> On Tue, Nov 20, 2012 at 2:03 PM, Mark Ormond <markormond at mtxsystems.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Any chance of a version that will run with the drivepak?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> later,
>>>> dabone
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Luis Antoniosi <retrocanada76 at gmail.com>
>>>> To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com>
>>>> Sent: Tue, Nov 20, 2012 1:52 pm
>>>> Subject: [Coco] SideKick 1.05 update
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Just a  minor update, now you can use SHIFT+UP/DOWN to page up/down in
>>>> drive or directory lists.
>>>>
>>>> Also, added a CLEAR 200 in basic launcher to clean up space for some
>>>> hungry games.
>>>>
>>>> Been testing a while with hundreds of games and if it doesn't run from
>>>> sidekick means it doesn't run from basic too.
>>>>
>>>> Enjoy as much I like it, I can't launch the games in the old way any
>>>> more. I'm addicted to my own software :)
>>>>
>>>> Felipe
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
>
>
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