[Coco] MAME problems .186

[tim lindner]

On Wed, Jun 21, 2017 at 6:18 AM, Robert Gault <robert.gault at att.net> wrote:
> I've not kept up with MAME/MESS for some time so don't know when this
> started. I just obtained the current version which is .186. I'm using the
> stock windows 32-bit precompiled version.
>
> By default, all Coco versions seem to be limited to non-disk operation and
> when you get disk access operable, it is limited to two disk. I've found how
> to force four disk access but this must be done each time you start
> emulation.

The drivers I use coco2b, coco3, and coco3h all comes with a FDC with
DOS 1.1 in the expansion port.

I guess I'm not seeing what your seeing.

> Here is what I've been forced to do.
> Each .ini file for coco2, coco2b, coco3, coco3h, and coco3dw1 must have the
> following added:
> #
> # SLOT DEVICES
> #
> ext                       fdcv11

In MAME, slot devices can contain slot devices. So the above line in
your INI created four new slot devices:

ext:fdcv11:wd17xx:0
ext:fdcv11:wd17xx:1
ext:fdcv11:wd17xx:2
ext:fdcv11:wd17xx:3

By default :0 and :1 contain a "qd". A quad density disk drive.

You can add a third drive by adding this line:

ext:fdcv11:wd17xx:3 qd

Note this is how to setup a CoCo driver with a multi-pak and 3 floppy drives:

ext multi
ext:multi:slot4:fdcv11:wd17xx:3 qd

A multi-pak, by default, contains an fdcv11 in slot 4. A fdcv11, by
default contains a qd in slot 0 and 1)


> Also a major problem with coco3, coco3h, and coco3dw1 emulation is that they
> are set to autostart a cart. The effect of that is to prevent the coco3
> Super Extended ROM from starting correctly. It is necessary to use
> Configuration and turn OFF cart auto start.
> Unfortunately, the menu selection is not always present.

In MAME, auto start setting is a dip switch. I don't know if dip
switches are stored in INI files, or can be passed from the command
line. They should be. I'll look into this.




-- 
--
tim lindner

"Proper User Policy apparently means Simon Says."