[ATARI] Altirra x86 i x64 3.20 test XIII

Panic Express (1986, Red Rat Software LTD)

Altirra 3.20 Beta XIII 05/02/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• Additions: Colormap now supports CTIA systems.
• Debugger: Added menu option to list source files associated with line debugging information.
• UI: Added overview and recommendation pages to Configure System.

bugs fixed

• UI: Fixed incorrect partial switch matching on command line, e.g. "/disk1" being interpreted as "/disk 1".

Author's Comment:

• Adjusted command line parsing to fix issue with partial switch matching: /disk1 is no longer interpreted as /disk 1.
• Color map utility on Additions disk now supports CTIA. (also attached to post)
• AltirraOS 3.13 and SIO patch now set A=0 on exit from SIOV.
• Started a couple of new pages in Configure System, an overview page and a recommendations page. The recommendations page has hyperlinks to change settings based on the current settings and whether you're looking for compatibility, accuracy, or performance.
• Added an Open Source File List command to the debugger. It displays a dialog with all of the source files referenced by currently loaded symbols. This makes it easier to see what source files actually have line debug info associations and to open those files directly without having to manually find it if the debugger can do so on its own.

Regarding the scanline artifacts, that's an aliasing effect. It's most severe with point sampling because in that mode the scaler can only duplicate pixels, never blend them. At non-integer ratios some rows have to be scaled bigger than others, leading to the uneven stepping. Scanlines makes this worse for two reasons: the fine comb pattern makes the artifact really obvious, and it doubles the height. For instance, full 240 height turns into 480 with scanlines. On a 1366x768 display, there's only enough vertical room to do 1x, and at 1920x1080, there's only room for 2x.

This effect is the reason for the sharp bIlinear option being the default: it renders blocky pixels but with a bit of blending on the edges to reduce the aliasing. Point sampling is only good at exact integer multiples; it looks like #&$* at any other ratio.

As for the hardware acceleration for screen effects option, yes, that does make scanlines look better. The reason for this is that it allows the scanline pattern to be generated at full screen resolution rather than getting stretched along with the image, so there's less error in it. This requires HW acceleration because otherwise the image has to be scaled and masked on the CPU, which is dreadfully slow. I recommend turning on bloom in View > Adjust Screen Effects too, as this will help brighten scanlines to the same level as the non-scanline display.

Altirra 3.20 Beta XXVI 26/05/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• nw

bugs fixed

• Cartridge: Corrected definition of MegaMax 2M mode (CAR type 61) to support banking on reads.
• Simulator: Fixed crash when single-stepping prior to computer being turned on with disk drive CPU selected.

Author's Comment:

• ARM64 build fix.
• Fixed a crash that sometimes occurred when single stepping after a cold reset when the computer is still off due to power-up delay.
• Fixed MegaMax 2M cartridge type (CAR 61) to also switch banks on reads.

Altirra 3.20 Beta XXIII 12/05/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• nw

bugs fixed

• Cartridge: Fixed The!Cart disable mode sometimes leaving bank windows active.
• Cartridge: Corrected definition of 2M megacart mode (CAR type 64).

Author's Comment:

• Compiler updated to VS2017 15.9.12.
• Fixed definition of 2M MegaCart (CAR type 64).
• Another banking fix for The!Cart.

Altirra 3.20 Beta XXIII 12/05/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• Disk: Fixed XF551 standard emulation mode to force SD format with command $21 when the current mode is enhanced density.

bugs fixed

• Cartridge: Fixed broken DB 32K mode (CAR type 5).
• Cartridge: The!Cart 16K banking modes no longer use the secondary bank write protect flag.
• Debugger: .readmem and .writemem now accept quoted paths.
   

Author's Comment:

• XF551 standard emulation mode now forces single density when the current mode is enhanced density and the regular $21 format command is issued.
• .readmem and .writemem debugger commands now accept quoted paths.
• Fixed broken DB 32K cartridge banking mode.
• Fixed The!Cart $8000-9FFF window using the secondary banking window's read/write bit in 16K banking modes. The primary banking window's R/W enable bit is now used.

Pitfall II: Lost Caverns (1984, Activision)(2019, TiX - GFX add)

Altirra 3.20 Beta XXIII 21/04/2019

changes

• The direct read filter for cassette tapes has been lowered in bandwidth to reduce load failures on FSK-encoded glitches. The filter bandwidth can now be adjusted in Configure System, Cassette.

features added

• nw
  

bugs fixed

nw

Author's Comment:

• WarpOS now issues a different warning for missing vs. bad firmware.
• Added firmware manager button on devices pane.
• Firmware issues are now listed on the overview pane.
• The filter bandwidth for direct tape reads (SKSTAT) has been lowered to match earlier versions and is now tunable.

H.E.R.O (1984, Activision)

Altirra 3.20 Beta XXI 31/03/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• nw
  

bugs fixed

nw

Author's Comment:

• Rewrote hook for loading BASIC tapes. It now uses CIO hooking for injecting the CLOAD and RUN commands like the BASIC program loader does, for better speed and reliability.
• Fixed a bug in the ROM validator for WarpOS 32-in-1. Haven't seen failures of this in the wild.

Bomb Jack (2008, Port: Tebe, Vega, Tezz). VXBE req.

Altirra 3.20 Beta XXI 31/03/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• Cassette: Added option for detecting and automatically switching BASIC when booting tapes based on whether the tape starts with a BASIC or binary program.
  

bugs fixed

• Cartridge: Manually inserted BASIC cartridges are now persisted across runs of the emulator.
• Cassette: References to tapes mounted directly as .zip files without a direct reference to a file within the zip are now persisted properly across runs.
  

Author's Comment:

• Fixed regression in ANTIC display text selection.
• Manually attached BASIC cartridges (File > Attach Special Cartridge > BASIC) now restore correctly on next run.
• Added option to detect whether a tape starts with a BASIC program. If so and this option is enabled, the emulator bypasses holding the Start button, enables BASIC, and types CLOAD.

Altirra 3.20 Beta XX 29/03/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• nw

bugs fixed

• nw

Author's Comment:

• There was a bug where the Input State controllers were being merged between the input maps. That's wrong since the Input State controllers target per-map flags. These are now excluded from merging.

Dig Dug (1982, Atari)

Altirra 3.20 Beta XIX 24/03/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• UI: Alt+click message help has been extended to also decode common POKE and PEEK addresses.

bugs fixed

• nw

Author's Comment:

• Fixed a regression that caused line breaks to be dropped on pasting.
• Adjusted pots to return min value 1 after some testing. (Paddles always returned 1 on the 800XLs and 130XE, Keyboard Controller returned 2-3 on XLs and 1-3 on XE.)
• Fixed a bug in the new digital pot inputs where they sometimes failed to update depending on the initial value.
• Another attempt at fixing some redraw bugs in the debugger history view.
• Alt+click can now also decode addresses in PEEK and POKE statements.

Moon Patrol (1982, Williams Electronics Inc.)

Altirra 3.20 Beta XVIII 23/03/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• Input: Digital sources can now be bound to the Paddle Knob input on paddle controllers to use the paddle lines as switches.
• UI: Escaping is now supported for text copy and paste.

bugs fixed

• ATBasic: Fixed crash when Break is pressed prior to startup banner.
• Display: Fixed a high CPU usage issue with enhanced text display when paused.
• Input: The Input State and Console controllers are no longer blocked in 5200 mode.

Author's Comment:

• AltirraOS 3.17: Fixed regression in 3.16 that caused some fine scrolling code to execute in screen open when it shouldn't.
• ATBasic 1.56: Fix for crash that occurred when hitting Break prior to startup banner.
• Fixed Input State and Console controller types not activating in input maps in 5200 mode.
• Added copy/paste escaping support: special keys like Invert and arrow keys can now be pasted with escape syntax in braces, i.e. {invert} and {left}. There is now also a copy escaped command that will use these escapes to produce keystrokes that can re-type those characters. ^ and + prefixes mean control and shift, i.e. {^tab} and {+tab}.
• The paddle knob (linear) input on paddles can now be driven digitally to use it as a switch input.

Altirra 3.20 Beta XVII 19/03/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• AltirraOS: Minor improvements to text I/O performance.

bugs fixed

• AltirraOS: Pressing Help now sets HELPFG
• SAP: Lowered SAP type D player from $0800 to $0400 to improve compatibility with files that have a low load address.

Author's Comment:

• Compiler bumped to VS2017 15.9.9.
• Fixed an issue with some sub-dialogs in the UI closing when Escape was pressed.
• Lowered the load address of the type D SAP player from $0800 to $0400 so that some digisound demos work.
• AltirraOS updated to 3.16:
  • Minor optimizations to text I/O (thanks to the crazy discussions on this in the programming manual thread!).
  • Help key and HELPFG are now implemented in the keyboard handler.
  • 816: The default emulation-mode COP instruction handler no longer crashes.

Altirra 3.20 Beta XIV 08/03/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• nw

bugs fixed

• AltirraOS: Corrected ICBLLZ/ICBLHZ values after CIO get commands.
• Disk Explorer: Fixed crash when write flush fails due to another program locking the disk image file.
• Input: Fixed Shift key state sometimes being incorrect when Shift was pressed/released while holding another key. The emulated Shift key state is now updated on Shift key changes while other keys are held.

Author's Comment:

• Inverted Option flag for internal BASIC is forced off when 32-in-1 is active.
• AltirraOS 3.15: Adjusted ICBALZ/ICBAHZ to improve compatibility with Lightspeed DOS.
• Fixed the Customize button being enabled too often in the keyboard customization page (when custom layout isn't enabled).
• Fixed an issue with Shift key down not being reflected in SKSTAT while another key was already being held. (Thanks to MaPa)
• The Recommendations page now has a note if the keyboard is set to cooked mode.
• Fixed crash in Disk Explorer when write flush fails due to another program locking the disk image file, like a virus scanner.
• Disk Explorer now forces read-only mode when the disk image file being mounted is marked read-only.

e=mc² (Marcin Żołna, 1992)

Altirra 3.20 Beta XIV 17/02/2019

changes

• nw

features added

• nw

bugs fixed

• AltirraOS: Type 3 poll loop is now exited on user break error to fix infinite boot loop with Black Box firmware.
  
• Audio: Fixed crash on system with no sound card.
  
• VBXE: Overlay width setting %11 now correctly selects narrow width instead of wide width.

Author's Comment:

• Automatically held keys are now re-enabled when a soft-reset occurs through the WarpOS 32-in-1.
• AltirraOS 3.14: Fix for boot loop with BlackBox 2.16 firmware, which intercepts type 3 poll requests. The boot code now exits the poll loop on Y=$80 (user break).
• Fixed crash with no sound card.