Coming soon! Steem SSE 3.5

[Dizzy-WEWRF]

Hi
an other alternative could be doing it that
way here more convinient for you?

As always some painting

Disk manger big impro Alt 2 -.PNG

Surely some
options can be added
to the dropdown menues .

For me the textlines and the sorting
Options ar the issue .

And dont forget things always can be
done by choice so none is hurd at all
you know what I mean

So long Dizzy

[Steven Seagal]

No, it's too cluttered too.
I'll think of something, maybe a 'tooltip' when you hover on disk icons could be enough.

[Dizzy-WEWRF]

Thats really sad !

Especially as you
could do it as a menuepoint
by choice
If you wouldnt like it
you could turn it off !

Sad day for steem ...

So long Dizzy ..

[Steven Seagal]

Sad day for steem ...

So long Dizzy ..

No, it's a great day for Steem, as every day is.

[Steven Seagal]

What about this?



It shows the full name, eats no space, and it's a one line mod.
You just must right click on the shortened name.
Also notice the elegant ... to shorten the name in the status line.

[Dizzy-WEWRF]

Hi
Well even if my suggestions are indeed better
this might be a solution .... better than nothing ...

But there was another reason for requesting 'textlines'
as in my painting ...
You could copy the name of the image
to clipboard if wanted or needed so ...
Perhaps that's possible to your version
too by adding a rightclick on the
right click with a 'Copy DiscName to clipboard'
option .....

A problem not solved by your
version jet
is the needed

sorting options / display styles/ and columns
details and as text
(see in my paintings)

to have more oportunities
of handling the images
themselves ......

So long Dizzy

mmh ....

[Steven Seagal]

There's already code for the clipboard, but only in the debug build, to copy ST code. It would be easy to do, but before I add extra bytes to the regular version, could you mention the practical use of copy/paste image names?

You've got to realise, we're not doing a "File Explorer" replacement here, our business is emulation.
If you right click and select, or press F4 in the Disk Manager, it opens the Explorer, and there you can select all details you want. I'm not gonna duplicate this.
We should be grateful for the wonderful Disk Manager Steem authors gave us, in other emulators it's a common Windows control. Your version better? Come on. I only hope Steem authors haven't seen it.
That said, I still think it's possible to add some options, I'll think about it.

[npomarede]

Steem SSE 3.5.2 has been released on 04/08/2013.
- Floppy disk: handle when there's no disk in drive (European Demos)

Hello

I see in the commit that you mentioned only Saint had it right with European Demos, can you describe what Saint does ? (I can't run it myself)
My analysis is that European Demo loader is more or less broken when you have 2 drives, you will get the "insert disk" 3d screen only if both drives contain a floppy and these floppy are not the expected one, you won't get the screen when the drive are empty (I also confirmed this on my 520 STF)
Loader is doing a "seek with verify", so it will run forever until a disk is inserted.

Maybe I missed something, but for me Saint is just wrong on this one it should not be used as a reference for this demo.

Nicolas

[Steven Seagal]

Hello

I see in the commit that you mentioned only Saint had it right with European Demos, can you describe what Saint does ? (I can't run it myself)
My analysis is that European Demo loader is more or less broken when you have 2 drives, you will get the "insert disk" 3d screen only if both drives contain a floppy and these floppy are not the expected one, you won't get the screen when the drive are empty (I also confirmed this on my 520 STF)
Loader is doing a "seek with verify", so it will run forever until a disk is inserted.

Maybe I missed something, but for me Saint is just wrong on this one it should not be used as a reference for this demo.

Nicolas

I was impressed by SainT's drive emulation: Blood, Overdrive, also booting to GEM with empty drive (the delay, the clicks), so I thought it was related. If it's confirmed on ST that it shoudln't work (BTW you lucky bastard, you have STF + extra drive), there's no more to say.
I looked at the hack of v3.5.2 again, it made no sense but had it "working": complete command on empty drive. It's another bugfix for v3.5.4.

[npomarede]

I was impressed by SainT's drive emulation: Blood, Overdrive, also booting to GEM with empty drive (the delay, the clicks), so I thought it was related. If it's confirmed on ST that it shoudln't work (BTW you lucky bastard, you have STF + extra drive), there's no more to say.
I looked at the hack of v3.5.2 again, it made no sense but had it "working": complete command on empty drive. It's another bugfix for v3.5.4.

My STF is the one I bought in 1986 and it still works, they knew how to build solid stuff at this time
I'm sure you could get one for a few dozens of euros, the main disadvantages is that it takes some room, but in the end when a doubt arises it's really the better way to solve undocumented issues.

I checked all type I/II/III commands on my STF and when spinup or verify is set, I can confirm the command will never complete if the drive is empty.

Nicolas

[Dizzy-WEWRF]

Hi

Your version better? Come on. I only hope Steem authors haven't seen it.

Hi , why bargin I Only can tell the truth

hope Steem authors haven't seen it.

Hey why not they would be thankfull
for improoving Steem with new ideas and
would gratulate wouldn't they

practical use of copy/paste image names?

Yes indeed it is of practical use , in this case
especially for me

would be easy to do ... There's already code for the clipboard,...

that's nice to hear

So I'll apreciate to see it in the next beta

our business is emulation

Well you are rigtht on that and
you do a great Job on that
But nobody has said that
this prohibits general improovements
doesent it ?

And we want to keep the thred optimistic

Also its not prohibited to make other
people happy

Aside this not only practical improvements in
Emulation is improvement only
to mention that and quality improvements
don't depend on the number
of those who agree to them
If colon didn't make his trip
to America we all wouldn't be here
right where we are.
And him nobody else agreed
but indeed it was a quality
improvement to mankind

So other improvements
are indeed necessary
too
This includes, optic , niceness,
and beauty, aswell as new features
and handling improvement.
Practical considerations are
necessary but not all and the only

That said, I still think it's possible to
add some options, I'll think about it.

Great to hear and appreciate what will come.
Looking forward to it

Thats it for now

Always stay in good mood
So long
Dizzy

[Steven Seagal]

practical use of copy/paste image names?

Yes indeed it is of practical use , in this case
especially for me

Yes, but what for?
And BTW are you aware that you can copy from the disk manager already? (F2, ctrl-C)

[AtariZoll]

Some minor problems I encountered recently with Steem SSE Boiler 3.5.3 beta:

Microwire setting in SSE options seems that does nothing - same is with, or without checked. If STE is selected it is present, if STF , not present - and it is OK. Just don't see why it is there .

Encountered interesting thing with game Team and exit to Desktop from game's overscan mode (when play match). It is same on Steem 3.2 . I guess that reason may be Steem's agenda at line end (Hblank) - when it performs some things.
By exit to Desktop I usually deal not with STE specific registers (unless there is need for it), so it was with Team too. In Steem 3.2 and SSE v. after exit to Desktop screen is OK, and there is keyboard click too. But test on real STE was different - messed up screen and no sound. Then I tried with Hatari 1.7, and there was same as on real HW. I added clearing of Scanline Word Skip register + Hscroll reg. + setting of normal PSG volume with Microwire, so it is now OK on real HW .
But it may be worth to investigate this. Hard disk adapt. of Team here: http://atari.8bitchip.info/SCRSH/team.html
DL Haga version. There is of course updated RUNME.TOS. In attachment here is version without clearing STE spec. registers at exit to Desktop.

TEMHAN.ZIP

[Steven Seagal]

Microwire setting in SSE options seems that does nothing - same is with, or without checked. If STE is selected it is present, if STF , not present - and it is OK. Just don't see why it is there .

The option enables/disables "DSP" filters, not the chip being there or not. Eg Beat Demo the controls need the option to operate. Option is there to save CPU and in case you have coprocessor crashes (oops), this is primitive code.
Another effect is that it will reduce volume of PSG sound compared with DMA sound.

In Steem 3.2 and SSE v. after exit to Desktop screen is OK, and there is keyboard click too. But test on real STE was different - messed up screen and no sound. Then I tried with Hatari 1.7, and there was same as on real HW.

It is random. When I tried in Steem, it may quit clean or mess video/sound.

[AtariZoll]

Well, as I said, this are not serious problems, and likely most of users will never experience problems.
That Desktop exit from overscan could be good to see differences between Steem and Hatari emulation.
And by me score is: Running TEMHAN.PRG . Steem - screen never messed up at exit from overscan. Hatari and real STE - always messed up .

[Steven Seagal]

When I tried it crashed almost all the time, also with Boiler 3.5.3. Maybe there's something to check there.

[AtariZoll]

It crashes only when try with ST, since is STE only game. Works like charm.
But I really don't want to continue this - I just pointed on something not emulated properly in Steem. You got enough info, so it's on you to decide what further.

[Steven Seagal]

Lol, I'm not saying your fixed version crashes, I'm saying it was bad display bad sound at leaving, as apparently desired, so I'm not sure yet there's an emulation issue, but I'll look later.

[AtariZoll]

Actually, all depends on is 6301 true emu set or not. If set, then behaves same as real HW . I should try it first
I found your terms little strange - why calling it 'crashes' - when it is just messed up screen and PSG volume down ?
Solution against is quite simple. Adding this at exit to Desktop:

clr.b $FFFF8901.w * DMA audio off
clr.b $FFFF820F.w * Scanline word skip
clr.b $FFFF8265.w * HScroll

move.w #$7FF,$FFFF8924.w
move.w #$401,$FFFF8922.w *mixer - corrected PSG level

My explanation would be that regular Steem performs IKBD interrupt somehow synced with horizontal line (Agenda ?), and therefore when key for Desktop exit is pressed those registers are already cleared by game's code. On real HW IKBD interrupt may be in any moment.
What was confusing is that this is only game so far I seen, where such thing happens.

[Steven Seagal]

I see.
The "agenda" system is used for both, and LINEWID, HSCROLL are only changed by STE.
One difference is that '6301true emu' mode uses different ACIA/6301 timings.
This was the reason for the recently reported Sapiens issue. It's probably the same explanation here.

[Steven Seagal]

Good news for ST emulation, bad news for sourceforge servers,

Steem SSE 3.5.4 has been released on 17/11/2013.

Improvements of v3.5.4


- Bugfix crash in very large display size on some systems.

- Bugfix option 'Pasti only for STX' could make Steem treat pasti images as
native on loading a snapshot.

- Bugfix drive internal variable "motor on" (European Demos OVR V).

- Bugfix (useless) feature STE HIRES HSCROLL wasn't available (oops).

- Bugfix VBL jitter (Japtro).

- 'Cold reset & run': reset IKBD buffer (Transbeauce 2).

- Bugfix drive complete command on empty drive (European Demos "insert B").

- Bugfix ACIA timing when not using true 6301 emu (Sapiens).

- Bugfix display 400x278 interpolated scanlines shift.

- Safer behaviour for some options (6301, VSync...)

- New status info in the tool bar, giving:
ST model, TOS version, available memory, plus whether 6301 and pasti
or Caps, or accurate drive emulation (ADAT).
Also option for the name of current disk.

- New option "VSync".
This gives you the best display provided your monitor has the correct
refresh rate (50hz/100hz for most programs).
Combined with 'Interpolated Scanlines' this should give you the best
experience of the great game Goldrunner in window mode on LCD screen.
This should work in window mode as well as in fullscreen mode.
This consumes some CPU power (but not as much as Triple Buffering).

This could interfere with "Compositing" (Desktop Window Manager) in Windows
Vista and 7 in window mode. In Windows 8 you can't disable Compositing!

- New option "Triple Buffering".
This may be useful to eliminate "tearing" or "ghosting", at the price
of high CPU use.
This should work in window mode as well as in fullscreen mode (stretch
mode only).

"Compositing" (Desktop Window Manager) in Windows Vista and above makes
this option useful only in fullscreen mode, in window mode there's already
no tearing.
This illustrates that those display problems may also be handled at driver
or OS level.

- New display size options.
384 x 270 normal
400 x 278 max in fullscreen 800x600 mode
413 x 280 max overscan
416 x 286 max plasma
Depending on the program, one or the other size will be better.
Generally the smallest is sufficient.
The sizes count only for border effects in colour mode.
Steem displays what's inside the video RAM even at the extremities of the
borders, regardless of blanking or plane shifs introduced by shifter tricks
on a true ST. That's why 413 x 280 may be actually more faithful than the
max size. If option 'Hacks' is checked, the image will show 52 left
border pixels in 413 x 280 and 416 x 286 modes. If not, only 48.
I believe 52 is the right number, but am not sure. In order to avoid
rewriting the rendering system we also use tricks to obtain those 4 more
pixels. It may break in some yet unknown cases.
Note that internally 400 x 278 is emulated as 416 x 286, and a trick is used
to change resolution at rendering time (blit).
This trick will work in fullscreen mode with option 'straight blit'.
'Screen flip' will only work with 384 x 270.
This may cause the display to go black or be shifted or another kind of
bizarre when the emulator isn't running.
400 x 278 allows one to read the full text of Best Part of The Creation.
416 x 286 has recently been modified, so this mode and derived modes
400 x 278 and 413 x 280 could still be a bit buggy!
In short, all bigger than normal (384 x 270) display sizes use various
tricks, and may be trouble in fullscreen mode.

- Wake-up state:
Normally you'll use this option only if the display of some demo isn't
correct without. You don't need to understand all technical aspects
to use the option, of course.

The option has become much more complicated, with 4 states instead of 2.
It is that complicated on the ST.

Code: Select all

     +------------------------------------------------------------+
     | Steem  option    |              Wake-up concepts           |
     |    variable      |                                         |
     +------------------+---------------+------------+------------+
     |  WAKE_UP_STATE   |   DL Latency  |     WU     |      WS    |
     |                  |     (Dio)     |    (ijor)  |    (LJBK)  |
     +------------------+---------------+------------+------------+
     |   0 (ignore)     |      -        |     -      |      -     |
     |        1         |      3        |   2 (warm) |      2     |
     |        2         |      4        |   2 (warm) |      4     |
     |        3         |      5        |   1 (cold) |      3     |
     |        4         |      6        |   1 (cold) |      1     |
     +------------------+---------------+------------+------------+

WAKE_UP_STATE is just the Steem option.
DL is a latency electronically measured by Dio (atari-forum) between two
signals, 'DE' and 'LOAD', in cycles.
WU are the two wake-up states first found by ijor.
WS are the more detailed "wake states" found by LJBK.
They're in a strange order for "historical" reasons.

The "Bee" demos by LJBK will recognise WS1-4, and the demos will behave as
expected in all WS.

The option may help for some flickering screens.

Emulation of those states is still not complete.

Needless to say, Steem is leading the way for this issue.

- Save WU state with snapshot; reset on switch STE/STF.

- Line +2 in STE mode: yet a new way.

- 'Shifter panic': swap good/bad bands to be more like screenshot of
Omega Full Overscan.
Shifter panic is only WU2, by choice, to limit options.
Omega works in WS2, Death of the Left Border in WU1 (at least, in
Steem).

- Rearrange some options, "drive track info" in SSE page, when it's
checked the drive led of 'OSD' page is suppressed.

- Disk manager: right click on name to read full name, useful for very
long names.

- MegaST4 option: preselect monochrome.

- Internal:
Reordering of shifter tricks analysis, refactoring.
Some tests for shifter tricks now handled in a state machine-like
manner, not looking for specific switches anymore => better emulation,
more performing tests.
Debugging and removing some hacks related to "wake-up" and "wake-state".


Download (Win32, regular + boiler):

https://sourceforge.net/projects/steems ... SSE%203.5/

or

http://ataristeven.t15.org/Steem.htm

Development screen: http://ataristeven.t15.org/Steem_35_coming_soon6.htm

Please read included doc if you have some doubt about any option. Some are advanced or it wouldn't be the SSE build, right?
There's also an online manual here (with pics!):
http://ataristeven.t15.org/Steem_manual.htm

Of course there are no bugs. If you find some, please report here:
Steem SSE 3.5 bug reports viewtopic.php?f=94&t=25093
Or wherever, as usual!

[Avanze]

Excellent work. It's always nice to see a new release.

[Greyfox™]

Becoming the best emulator for the Atari ST , another great release , thanks Steven you emulator is great.

[Steven Seagal]

Steem SSE 3.5.4 looks pretty stable.
I found some litle things, and an emulation improvement for next version (3.5.5, I guess):



http://ataristeven.t15.org/Steem_35_coming_soon_355.htm

The World is My Oyster STF



This screen was incorrect in previous versions of Steem because the program sets both bit0 and bit1 (writing '3') of the shift mode (resolution) register. The question was, which one counts? If it's bit0 then the ST will be in medium resolution, if it's bit1 then it will be in high resolution. Now thanks to this demo we know that only bit1 is tested by the GLUE to decide when 'DE' (fetching video RAM) starts.

First case I see!
Somehow SainT had it right already, both Steem and Hatari striclty tested against '2'.

[Steven Seagal]

Panic STF



Another technical demo by LJBK, this worked in Steem 3.2, and was broken since.

Now it will work again in v3.5.5, but only in STF wake-state 4 mode.

In both versions, there's still some flicker.

UMD 8730



Wondering why this mega music demo didn't work in STF mode I had to add a lot of compile switches in the source to finally find the problem: when the palette values are read, there's some noise in unused bits of the STF.

The bit pattern of a palette value as read on a STF is like this:

0 0 0 0 ? X X X ? X X X ? X X X X

instead of:

0 0 0 0 0 X X X 0 X X X 0 X X X X

'?' may be 1 or 0, you never know.

This was already suspected but one was wondering what was the use of emulating this.

Since Steem v3.5.5, we know!

Option 256KB (Atari 260ST)



Those Atari ST computers with only 256K existed, they were called 260ST. Normally they also had no TOS in ROM, you had to use a disk. This is also emulated in Steem since long (I discovered only recently). Useless? Maybe.

beta: http://sourceforge.net/projects/steemss ... SE%20Beta/
brag site: http://ataristeven.t15.org/Steem_35_coming_soon_355.htm