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Primarily a UBEE512 launcher. Uses CPMTOOLS to work with DSK files, and runs checks over the settings and selected options. Will one day understand the RunCPM folder layout.

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GPL-3.0 license
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mikecornflake/uBee512Launcher

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UBEE512 Launcher

Why?

  • ubee512 is an excellent Microbee emulator, covering all models and a wide range of peripherals
    • It has a myriad of options available through the settings files and command line parameters (described in its readme)
    • Due to copyright issues, it doesn't ship with all the required files (ROMS/disks - covered in its readme)
  • ubee512launcher checks the files in the uBee512 installation against the selected options in ubee512launcher, and highlights missing files (required files raised as error, optional as warning)
  • ubee512Launcher allows inexperienced users (me) to easily view, configure and select the available emulated systems
  • And yes, it's also for users (again, me) who are more comfortable with UI than command line

Release v0.5beta

  • Big release:
    • Added GPL licenses to uBee512Launcher, LGPL to IM_units.lpk
    • Framework for core functionality now in, and checks/options for Disk based models mostly complete
    • Virtually nothing for ROM based models implemented (and won't until 0.6beta release)
      • Framework shouldn't need much tweaking to accomodate (famous last words)
    • Sigh, actual functionality implies bugs. Keep your eyes open, and please report...
  • Framework for Validators added (See section on Validation Rules below)
    • Disk Alias Validator added (finished)
    • Installation Validator added (charrom.bin/rom1.bin checks. Settings & Alias file checks. Not sure what else to check, but this got me thinking about adding Installation Aids)
    • Definition Validator refined (Decent checks on SRAM, Disks, Tapes. NOTHING on ROMs, PAKs, HDDs or IDEs)
    • Microbee Model Validator added (Only checks default boot disks for Disk Models. No checks for boot ROMs for IC models)
    • Settings Validator checks the values currently selected in the UI and the default values from Definitions/Models, and makes sure we'll get a valid result
  • Added "Disk Alias" dialog (Add/Delete Alias, Edit Alias name. Assign disk/clear assignment for Alias. Display validator checks)
  • Integrate "disks.alias" updates into Disk Explorer (Assign disk to existing Alias, Clear existing Alias)
  • Add Display options (monitor, opengl/sdl)
  • UI has again been reworked several times.
    • Changed Disk A/B/C selection in main form:
      • Can use dialog to select a file/folder from the filesystem
      • or choose a valid disk alias from the dropdown
    • Issues found by Validators now being displayed in assorted locations across UI
    • Now displaying Issues using HTML

Whats new (Trunk)

Known Issues

  • uBee512Launcher Validator gets confused if UI has Disk A populated AND selected definition also has Disk A defined through -a
    • (reproducable with [ciab] definition)
    • [ciab] has a -a disk set (ciab.ss80). This is best resolved with disks.alias.

Notes on implementation

  • Only allows bootable DSKs to be loaded in A: (only checks DSKs for bootability)
  • Has a "File Preview": for now, either shows contents of text files, or files inside a DSK (you need to load the patched CPMTools using "File" - "Settings" for the DSK listing to work)
  • Contents of DSK listed using either original CPMtools or patched CPMTools (allows for Microbee specific formats)
  • Parses ubee512rc to build up System Definitions, uses these in Main Form & Definitions Explorer
  • I know there looks like a lot of Definitions in ubee512rc sample. Err, I'm currently filtering out about half - the ones I haven't researched
  • Signficant testing under macOS/Cocoa. Bugger - Cocoa framework not fully implemented in LCL, so some workarounds for known issues with TComboBox and TListView
  • Minor testing under Ubuntu/GTK2. Same lack of full feature for TListView as Cocoa, so workaround there also worked here
  • Most dev work & testing done on Windows 11

Implemented Validation Rules

  • Results of Validation checks visible several locations around the UI (still to add "Issues" dialog)
  • ubee512 Installation checks
    • Does charrom.bin & rom1.bin exist? (Error flag if not)
    • Does "ubee512rc" exist? (Error flag if not)
    • Does "disks.alias" and "roms.alias" exist? (Warning flag if not)
  • Settings checks
    • Is a valid microbee Model selected? (Error flag if not)
    • For Disk Models:
      • Following disk checks are done in the following order:
        • Disk defined in Definition?
        • Disk defined in UI?
        • Default boot disk for Microbee Model (ie p64.dsk)?
        • Default boot disk (boot.dsk)?
      • Is there a valid Disk A? (Error flag if not, Info flag if there is)
        • Can we deduce format for disk A? (Warning flag if not)
      • Is there a valid Disk B? (Info flag if so, nothing if there isn't)
        • Can we deduce format for disk B? (Warning flag if not)
        • Does Format A match Format B (Warning flag if not)
      • Is there a valid Disk C? (Info flag if so)
        • Can we deduce format for disk C? (Warning flag if not)
        • Does Format A match Format C (Warning flag if not)
      • Raise an addition error if no disks selected at all...
  • Microbee Model checks
    • For each Disk Model:
      • Does a boot disk exist? (model.dsk, or boot.dsk) (Warning flag if not)
      • Does a boot disk alias exist? (Warning flag if alias exists, but not defined)
      • Is Boot Disk readonly? (Error flag is so)
  • "disk.alias" checks:
    • Does the alias have a lookup filename? (warning flag if not)
    • Does the lookup filename exist? (error flag if not)
  • uBee512rc Definition checks:
    • For disks assigned to A, B or C:
      • If absolute filename, does disk exist? (Error flag if not)
      • If relative filename:
        • does disk exist in ubee512 working directory "disks" subfolder? (no flag if it does)
        • If not: Does entry exist in "disks.alias"? (info flag if it does)
          • Is "disks.alias" entry valid? (checks both absolute and relative file paths). (Flag escalated to Error if not)
    • For --sram-file, --ide-a0, --tapei, --tapeo entries: Does file exist? (checks absolute filenames or looks in correct subfolder if relative) (Error Flag if not)
  • You may notice from the above that some checks are duplicated:
    • This is by design to assist end user diagnosis
    • Sigh. Likely to be the most common source of bugs as a consequence

TODO

Medium term (not until 0.6beta or higher)

  • Implement --account (if rc file not in expected location)
  • Add Installation Aids (copy *.sample files to appropriate locations. HTML summary of Repository Locations/ettiquette. Display Validator results)
  • Add "Issues" pane to summarise ALL issues
  • Add awareness of RunCPM folder structure
  • Add awareness of roms.alias + native md5 (before doing the below)
  • Add boot ROM checks to TModelValidator
  • Add support for PAKx (inc Validator)
  • Add support for HDDx (inc Validator)
  • Add support for IDEx (inc Validator)
  • Add support for non libdsk file formats (this might not be a goal anymore - I hadn't realised ubee512 was so good at detecting disk format)
  • Continue to add support for working with DSK files prior to running in a CP/M system
    • Create blank DSK
    • DSK To/From folder (inc To/From RunCPM folder)
  • Add direct support for the zip file structure pioneered by @ChickenMan for both MSPP repository and Microbee Technology repository
    • Display embedded ReadMe in the Preview Pane
    • Implement a "Mount ZIP" that extracts the DSK, then actually mounts that DSK in the CP/M system
  • Add support for Microbee Peripherals (Beetalker etc)
  • Add support for UBEEDISK tools (to be honest, this means learning them first)
  • I keep thinking about adding ability for users to define their own System Definitions (by first copying an existing).
  • (Library): Write a CommandLine+Params_As_String to CommandLine+Array_of_Param
  • Expand roms.alias to a full UI - offering ability to QC/add/edit/delete entries

Long Term

(dreamer! you're nothing but a dreamer)

  • Investigate automating a running instance of UBEE512 (allow dynamic changing of disks)

Development Notes

  • Developed under Windows 11, Ubuntu & macOS using Lazarus Trunk (3.99) / fpc 3.2.2 / 64bit
  • Due to changes in TurboPowerHTML rendering only use Lazarus Trunk for compiling releases
  • Uses a OO framework I developed while freelancing as "Inspector Mike"
    • There's some code tidy-up pending, this framework was developed during Lazarus & fpc early days (2009 to 2014)
    • Both projects have since moved on, leaving me with some now redundant routines

Distribution

  • UBEE512, UBEEDISK, patched CPMTools, original CPMTools & RunCPM are NOT distributed with this application. You'll have to download these separetely (see Acknowledgements)
  • The app will look for these on your environment path. If they're not on the path, you'll need to open "File" - "Settings" and set the appropriate paths manually

Screenshots

Image: Main UI Image: Definition Explorer Image: Disk Explorer

Build Notes

  • This project requires the IM_units.lpk (Lazarus Package) from https://github.com/mikecornflake/InspectorMike-common
    • Clone InspectorMike-common
    • Install LazSerial (either use Lazarus Online Package Manager, or clone https://github.com/JurassicPork/TLazSerial)
      • not needed for uBee512Launcher, but is needed for IM_units.lpk)
    • In Lazarus: "Project" "Open"
      • Select "uBee512Launcher.lpr"
    • Then "Package" "Open Package File (.lpk)"
      • Select "InspectorMike-common\Packages\IM_units.lpk"
      • click on "Compile",
      • Then "Use" - "Add to Project" (or "Use" - "Install")
    • You should now be able to compile "uBeeLauncher.lpr"

Acknowledgements

Licenses

  • ubee512launcher binaries and source code are released under GPL 3.0
  • ubee512launcher uses:
    • Libraries and code supplied by the freepascal project (FCL, RTL) & the Lazarus project (LCL) under a modified Library GPL with linking exceptions
    • IM_units package which is released under GPL 3.0
    • IM_units package contains third party packages released under seperate licenses. Most third party packages are not used by ubee512launcher, the exception is:

Mike Thompson mike.cornflake@gmail.com

  • Project start 2 Jan 2024
  • Updated 10 Feb 2024

About

Primarily a UBEE512 launcher. Uses CPMTOOLS to work with DSK files, and runs checks over the settings and selected options. Will one day understand the RunCPM folder layout.

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