News on my GEM games

[Eero Tamminen]

Too long file name with just spaces is also used for Fdelete() and Fcreate() just before the game over dialog.

On TOS 1.04, animation in vertical direction looks broken, the animated graphics are just noise. After animation everything looks fine though.

[Rajah Lone]

2048 1.1C: blog or directly
- fix: if not MiNT, highscore pathfile was missing a terminal nullbyte.
- fix: if not NVDI, outscreen redraws were wrongly displayed.
- fix: animation wrong widths/lengths for redraws, may be quicker now.
Thanks to Eero Tamminen.

[Rajah Lone]

2048 1.1D: blog or directly
- fix: test if GEMDOS(0x160 = Fsocket() is available. If not then MiNTnet API is not used directly and need all GlueSTiK Gateway.
- fix: bad parameter in Fgetsockname().
Thanks to Gerhard STOLL.

-> online scores works now on MagiCNet and older MiNT.

[vido]

2048 1.1D: blog or directly
- fix: test if GEMDOS(0x160 = Fsocket() is available. If not then MiNTnet API is not used directly and need all GlueSTiK Gateway.
- fix: bad parameter in Fgetsockname().
Thanks to Gerhard STOLL.

-> online scores works now on MagiCNet and older MiNT.

Hey Rajah,

I tried 2048 (played it the first time) and i really enjoyed it. But When I completed the game the second time it freezed my FireBee (and I had a good score for the online scores ). The problem now is that I can not open anymore 2048 folder. Seems like it corrupted file/filesystem on my CF card.
I think someone allready reported a bug writing a file in this game but I dont know where I saw that. Take that as another bug report.

It's really great to see your software updated! Keep goin ... thanks!

[Rajah Lone]

Thanks for reporting.
I'll investigate.
If the HOME is setenv at start with the MiNT configuration file, 2048 only writes in the HOME folder, never inside its own folder.
There was a bug in a previous version, but was on Fopen() for reading (see page 1 of this thread).

I suggest you to backup your precious files of your FireBee. I you have not formated the CF card yourself and still use the seller formating, you may encounter disk problems.

[vido]

Then this is strange. i will check if I have set HOME directory. I guess not as I dont have accounts on my MiNt setup. I will also check if I can read directory from MiNT shell.
I formated CF myself. I replaced the original with the new one

[MacFalcon]

Hey Vido,

look in C/gemsys/home.There usually is firebee´s home path.

Best regards,

Chris

[vido]

I checked my HOME system variable and it is set to /root. In root directory nothing of the game is saved.
Then I tried to read the 2048 directory from MiNT shell but seems my FireBee freezed again (I checked that using VNC from the job).
So there is something corrupted in 2048 directory and seems that was caused by 2048 game. Does it writes something into HOME directory when you finish the game?
If yes, then in my case HOME variable was not taken itno account.

[jfl]

Then I tried to read the 2048 directory from MiNT shell but seems my FireBee freezed again (I checked that using VNC from the job).

Do you mean to say you leave you FireBee powered on at home so that you can log on to it from work?

[Rajah Lone]

When the game is over, highscores are saved in the HOME folder (if existing) or besides the .PRG. Same location for the preferences file.

Since I can't test my softwares on ext2 partitions, I advise not to run them on this type of disk. GEMDOS calls are used to manipulate files: Fopen/Fread/Fwrite, not C fopen/fread/fwrite. Here, with HOME set in a Unix way and not GEM way (nor C: nor U: nor /C/ no /U/...), the resulting pathname is probably causing the bug. I will verify in the code this night.

[vido]

Then I tried to read the 2048 directory from MiNT shell but seems my FireBee freezed again (I checked that using VNC from the job).

Do you mean to say you leave you FireBee powered on at home so that you can log on to it from work?

Yes ... my FireBee is powered on from the first day I got it. It was never switched off. Yes I can log on from my work. But I have to setup sshd to be able to ssh to it also. It is more usable as VNC.

But I also had runnin my Milan nonstop for 8 years with running web server with several web pages and accounts

[vido]

When the game is over, highscores are saved in the HOME folder (if existing) or besides the .PRG. Same location for the preferences file.

Since I can't test my softwares on ext2 partitions, I advise not to run them on this type of disk. GEMDOS calls are used to manipulate files: Fopen/Fread/Fwrite, not C fopen/fread/fwrite. Here, with HOME set in a Unix way and not GEM way (nor C: nor U: nor /C/ no /U/...), the resulting pathname is probably causing the bug. I will verify in the code this night.

Yes I have HOME folder on ext2 partition. This is quite common if you have "full" MiNT install.
But seems altought I have HOME variable set it tried to write hiscore beside .prg file. And hiscore was not written in /root directora after I completed it the first time and game. But I dont remember if I continued to play again or I exit and restarted the game?!?

[Dal]

I suspect GEMDOS has a brain fart when passed an EXT2 pathname so the code reverts to the 'safe' behaviour of writing to the current directory?

[Rajah Lone]

But seems altought I have HOME variable set it tried to write hiscore beside .prg file. And hiscore was not written in /root directora after I completed it the first time and game.

Since "/root" is something unexpected and the test of writability in the HOME folder fails, the .sco and .inf files locations are besides the .app file. This test is run at start in my GFA code, just after getting the HOME environment variable, to prevent writting in HOME if HOME points to an ext2 partition.

Still, if you have installed 2048 on a ext2 partition, the problem is not avoided. I do not advise any of my softwares to be installed (and use folders) on ext2 partition.

[vido]

But seems altought I have HOME variable set it tried to write hiscore beside .prg file. And hiscore was not written in /root directora after I completed it the first time and game.

Since "/root" is something unexpected and the test of writability in the HOME folder fails, the .sco and .inf files locations are besides the .app file. This test is run at start in my GFA code, just after getting the HOME environment variable, to prevent writting in HOME if HOME points to an ext2 partition.

Still, if you have installed 2048 on a ext2 partition, the problem is not avoided. I do not advise any of my softwares to be installed (and use folders) on ext2 partition.

No ... 2048 is located on FAT16 (or FAT32?!?) partition. On ext2 partition I have only MiNT setup.
Is it possible to see hiscores also on the web? ... To see if highscore is sent to online service before freezed my FireBee?

[jfl]

When the game is over, highscores are saved in the HOME folder (if existing) or besides the .PRG. Same location for the preferences file.

Since I can't test my softwares on ext2 partitions, I advise not to run them on this type of disk. GEMDOS calls are used to manipulate files: Fopen/Fread/Fwrite, not C fopen/fread/fwrite. Here, with HOME set in a Unix way and not GEM way (nor C: nor U: nor /C/ no /U/...), the resulting pathname is probably causing the bug. I will verify in the code this night.

Yes I have HOME folder on ext2 partition. This is quite common if you have "full" MiNT install.

Same here and I never had a problem with any of Rajah's software. They are all installed on a FAT32 partition, though. I suspect the problem is somewhere else.

[Rajah Lone]

Then I have no clues about this file/folder corruption. The test at start is old and reliable (get HOME env var, if 2048.inf is not found inside, if not found besides .app, then 2028.tst is Fcreate() in HOME. If success, HOME folder is valid and .tst is closed and deleted, it not the 2048.sco and .inf will be located besides the .app).
I would not use FAT32 on my atari setups. FAT16 is enough, with 900 KB partitions. The CF card don't have to be totally used.

http://ptonthat.fr/scores/2048/

The local highscore is saved in the .sco file before submiting this score to the "webservice".

[vido]

Same here and I never had a problem with any of Rajah's software. They are all installed on a FAT32 partition, though. I suspect the problem is somewhere else.

I also never had problem with Rajahs software. And I use them. Until now. By my opinion it is quite high possibilitty it was caused by writing hiscore of 2048 as the problem also exists only in 2048 directory. Sure ... the reason can be something else ... but it would be good to investigate to prevent possible next problems.

[Rajah Lone]

but it would be good to investigate to prevent possible next problems.

I agree, but brainstorming on it gives no results. I'm loosing time searching in the source code which seems OK. I understand the problem happened more than one time, with the lasted version (1.1D)? What is the exact location (pathname) of the 2048.app?

[vido]

but it would be good to investigate to prevent possible next problems.

I agree, but brainstorming on it gives no results. I'm loosing time searching in the source code which seems OK. I understand the problem happened more than one time, with the lasted version (1.1D)? What is the exact location (pathname) of the 2048.app?

No. It hapened only once with the latest version. Now I am thinkering how to repair this? I dont know if trying to delete the folder is good idea?
Maybe there is no problem with 2048 but with any of my settings of MiNT, XaAES, ... but I am almost sure it happened when writing hiscores.
The path is: E:/games/2048.V4E .
While playing game there were running quite some applications in the background. NetSurf, aIRC, phClock, phWeather, phNews, ...

[jfl]

No. It hapened only once with the latest version. Now I am thinkering how to repair this? I dont know if trying to delete the folder is good idea?
Maybe there is no problem with 2048 but with any of my settings of MiNT, XaAES, ... but I am almost sure it happened when writing hiscores.

It's quite possible indeed that this has nothing to do with 2048 but everything to do with a random failure of the hardware or the OS. It wouldn't be the first time filesystem corruptions happen on the FireBee. If I were Rajah I wouldn't worry too much

Have you tried running dosfsck on your affected partition?

[vido]

It's quite possible indeed that this has nothing to do with 2048 but everything to do with a random failure of the hardware or the OS. It wouldn't be the first time filesystem corruptions happen on the FireBee. If I were Rajah I wouldn't worry too much

Have you tried running dosfsck on your affected partition?

I agree with you.

I didnt try yet. I will have to check if I have it. Didnt know it exist
Thanks!

[jfl]

Have you tried running dosfsck on your affected partition?

I didnt try yet. I will have to check if I have it. Didnt know it exist

It's available here as an RPM: http://sparemint.org/sparemint/RPMS/m68kmint/
All you need is the "dosfsck" binary, which may be extracted by several means, depending on your OS of choice.

[vido]

It's available here as an RPM: http://sparemint.org/sparemint/RPMS/m68kmint/
All you need is the "dosfsck" binary, which may be extracted by several means, depending on your OS of choice.

Thank you! ... I downloaded and extracted it ... now I have to come home and do fsck

[vido]

Here we go again ...
I installed 2048 two more times on my FireBee ... on the FAT32 partition. Every time I finish the game and hiscores are saved the 2048 directory cant be listed as there is something wrong! I checked the partition with dosfsck and nothing special is found but the content of the 2048 directory cant be read. When you try that (with Thing or MiNt console) FireBee freezes/hangs
The directory is also impossible to delete. So now I have 3 2048 directories which cant be used or deleted/removed

Vido

P.S. Still I reached best online hiscore