Menu system for harddisk AUTO folder? ==> RELEASED

[simonsunnyboy]

Is there a menu system available that can be placed in the AUTO folder of the harddisk?
To simply launch harddisk patches without desktop clicking etc?

[exxos]

Wasn't there "super boot" which did things like that ? I think you could set profiles of stuff you wanted to boot from the auto folder.. I know I used to have it, but it probably was 15 years ago now..

[simonsunnyboy]

Normally those boot tools only manage juggling auf AUTO order and ACCs.
I have more of a HxC like manager in mind - a nice list without much hazzle. Maybe a missing tool?

[exxos]

SUPERBT.zip

have a look at the doc see if it does what you want... Its the only one I know of..

[Atari74user]

There's also XBOOT III which for my money is the best of the boot managers. Not sure it can do what you are after exactly, but it is an essential for me, to allow me to set up profiles or 'Sets' to run with certain software which are picky with various attributes of my set up. Disabling ACCs where needed, disabling OverScan where needed, disabling NVDI etc so I don't have to meddle with settings constantly, just click a button at boot up.



Documentation can be found here, and Google is your friend: http://dev-docs.atariforge.org/files/XBoot.pdf

[SoundDoctor]

XBoot 3.10 is the mutz nuts. If you're running it on a F030, TT, Mega, or have a Dallas RTC chip in your ST you should patch it to cure the whacky Y2K date mash up. DDP Translations did a little patch prog.

[AtariZoll]

I made in past simple util for AUTO run from hard drive:

ARUNH.ZIP

Main purpose of it is launching SW what works properly only from AUTO folder. May help too when RAM is tight, because in case of AUTO run more free RAM is available.
I don't find Desktop navigation and launch as hard + of course when there is lot of SW on disk, user needs to well organize directories.
Idea about game launching menu popped up couple times. I think that hard part of it is doing good, user friendly navigation system, and good look.
As today hard disk patches mostly work fine with Desktop launch, AUTO run is not mandatory. So, may do even GEM program (not runnable from AUTO, but may be set to start automatically) for that purpose.

[catmando]

Wasn't there "super boot" which did things like that ? I think you could set profiles of stuff you wanted to boot from the auto folder.. I know I used to have it, but it probably was 15 years ago now..

Yep, used to use superboot too, you hold down some keys at boot time and it'll give you a menu to select the programs you want to load.

[simonsunnyboy]

AUTO run is not required but nice to have, Desktop requires a mouse which is sometimes not available and ugly to use (e.q. ST set up in the living room on a very small table).

The mentioned bootmanagers all copy stuffs around and rename files which is not necessary and in my case not desired.

What I want to have (and probably will have to develop) is:

- nice but simple keyboard navigable list of programs
- change to drive letter for selected program e.q. E:
- change into given directory e.q. \GAMES\A\ARKANOID\
- run selected .PRG/.TOS file ARKANOID.TOS

Only other requirements would be speaker on/off for Falcon and 8/16Mhz for those harddisk games without special Falcon menu. Nothing too fancy, the list of programs could be handedited for a start with a generator later added.

[simonsunnyboy]

I started to do my own..it is ugly and I may request graphical assistance later.

grab0003.png

What works:
- place program in AUTO folder, bypass menu if desired (no holding down of special hotkeys during boot to select games!)
- display menu listing
- help screen
- ST reset (F10 key now instead of ESC, I have to change the gfx)

What does not work:
- running something different than Exolon patched by Klaz as provided
- changing drives and directories
- Falcon support (might do, untested)

Future plan:
- listing database loaded from .CSV file

The whole thing is made with Vincent's cross compiler and is mainly C99 code. Program executor derived from routines by MSD/POV.

More to come slowly....

This will be your next major Paradize release on ST.

[dlfrsilver]

Good idea Simon

[crashman]

Really nice!
That it's a really good idea and I would be using it for sure.
As you say it's like the HxC for the hard drive.
When my machines go on exhibit, that could be very useful!
Keep on going!
Oh! And I offer my machines for betatesting.

[CiH]

Great idea Simon,

Everything that Crashman said

[simonsunnyboy]

No promises, but a version with .csv support might be ready next weekend. You may betatest at your leisure then.

[joska]

I like this idea, but why "F1...Help screen" when your keyboard has a key that say "Help"?

[simonsunnyboy]

I like this idea, but why "F1...Help screen" when your keyboard has a key that say "Help"?

Nowadays F1 is in use...but the HELP key will also work.

[simonsunnyboy]

I have a betatest version with .CSV support here for you. 2 Klaz patches are included but feel free to experiment.

The parser for the CSV database is not very fault tolerant as of yet. Please experiment with grdually adding entries.
- First column is the displayed entry, up to 36 chars.
- Second column contains a full path name with drive letter and directory.
- a semicolon ; is the field seperator
- lines may end in CR/LF and LF

If the drive is omitted, the menu will launch from the current drive, e.q. C if the tool runs from C.

This is only a betatest so please do not upload the binaries anywhere yet. Your mileage may vary

harddisk_menu_beta_2016-04-14.zip

[crashman]

Hi Simonsunnyboy!

I've been trying a little bit your App.
Mainly on Steem, as been busy this weekend, but enough to say that it is working very good.
I got a bit tired though, to keep on pressing F10.
I know it's of use if you have other soft in the HD, but could it be possible to add some option on the CSV or another config file, so we can skip pressing F10 to get to the menu?
Oh! and on Steem, ESC didn't reset the ST.

regards

[simonsunnyboy]

Thanks for your feedback!
- An option to always drop into the menu is planned, likely it will work by placing an empty file with a special name into the root directory. Maybe the option will only revert the behaviour, e.q. press F10 to continue the AUTO boot (some games still might require launching from the desktop).
- My first code used ESC for the reset but that has been replaced by F10 by now. The graphics are mockups sofar.

A version with less flicker and more stable .CSV parser will come up this week.

If anyone is willing to help with graphics, please get in touch.

[TheNameOfTheGame]

Interesting project. Will be following the development for sure!

[simonsunnyboy]

Here is another fresh beta release, graphics will update with an official one at a later date. I mainly miss documentation, better graphics and maybe some more features.

grab0001.png

This version has
- more stable CSV support
- optional configuration file (press F2 in menu to change options, if auto save is not selected, you can save a configuration from there too)
- F10 goes to menu or desktop by configuration

Please report on issues and hopefully it is a helpful utility

release-2016-04-23.zip

[joska]

better graphics

Maybe switch to med-res and use an anti-aliased font? That would look really good IMO.

[simonsunnyboy]

better graphics

Maybe switch to med-res and use an anti-aliased font? That would look really good IMO.

Medium res is noted, maybe if I can procure a suitable font routine. I'd love to have a proportional font in this case but I lack a suitable text routine for this.


I also gave my tool a try today on my Falcon and I can report that it should work correct with VGA. I hope it also does for RGB as it is the old Paradize video setup code ported to C

It also works well with HDDriver boot drive switching, I created E:\AUTO, place FPATCH2 and HDMENU inside, put a small e:\HDMENU.CSV in place - and everything worked ok as desired.

Side note, if i boot the desktop with drive E as boot drive, it gets booted from C:\ with ACCs. Is this a Hddriver feature or a TOS fail?

[simonsunnyboy]

Today I have finished the first offical release so here it is together witha README file.

Keep bug reports coming!

There are some new features:
- nicer screen
- pagewise navigation
- database search
- configuration menu

release-2016-05-18.zip

README.txt

Enjoy and STay Atari!

[AtariCrypt]

Booting up the ST right now - thank you
Steve