WinFellow v0.5.8

This is a public release of WinFellow v0.5.8; it had been published earlier as release candidate 1. Compared to the earlier version 0.5.7, the following changes are included in this build:

New features

• support for RDB hardfiles was implemented; while creating a new hardfile from the WinFellow GUI still creates "plain" hardfiles, a Rigid Disk Block can be created using tools like HD Toolbox
  – the default naming scheme for filesystem devices has been changed from DHx: to FSx: to avoid naming conflicts with existing RDB hardfiles
• a 64 bit build is now provided; the NSIS installer will install either the 32 or 64 bit version depending on the operating system that is used

Bug fixes

• improved handling of hardware interrupts and blitter delays; fixes freezes that could occur during installation of Workbench in earlier 0.5.x versions
• fix wrong selection of render function after return from menu when application did not write to bplcon0 every frame; fixes garbled graphics in a Legend cracktro when returning from menu
• replaced alternating patterns for unmapped memory with proper random numbers
• CLR reads before write; fixes loading of Outrun and a fast-mem test in Last Ninja 2
• improve delay caused by logging in screen-mode enumeration (could amount to many seconds with multiple screens)
• running in an environment with very slow graphics framerate, like a VM, could cause a deadlock; set wait time after event reset to avoid race condition
• fix an issue where screenshots would occasionally not be taken in Direct3D graphics mode; this may also have impacted the ability to use Amiga Forever's clipping editor
• fix an issue where applying a new model preset would leave multiple blitter radio buttons selected

Maintenance updates

• project files were updated to Visual Studio 2019 using the toolset v141_xp
• the February 2010 DirectX SDK dependency was eliminated
• IPF Access API files were updated to the latest version, and support for it was enabled in 64 bit builds

See the included file ChangeLog.txt for a full list of changes, including minor bug fixes which may not be listed above.

WinFellow v0.5.7

Bug fixes:

• floppy code was updated to use a track limit > 80; it will output random data beyond track 80 - fixes Outrun/The Games: Summer Edition; also added missing checks for disabled drives, fixing Winter Olympics 94
• fixed a bug where unexpected pixel format flags besides RGB stopped DirectDraw initialization
• several bugs in the screenshot code were fixed; standalone screenshots were not saved correctly in D3D mode, and used with Amiga Forever raw screenshots were missing screen areas due to faulty initialization of the internal clipping areas
• fixed screen area mismatch when Amiga Forever region/size settings are both set to auto; auto clipping is still not supported
• CPU instruction fixes:
  • fixed a signed bug in 64-bit division
  • minor timing adjustment for btst
• CIA event counter changes according to documentation
• the project files were updated to Visual Studio 2017

Please see the included file ChangeLog.txt for a full list of changes, including minor bug fixes which are not listed above.

WinFellow v0.5.6

New features:

• Amiga Forever 2017 support modules were updated to the latest version, improving Amiga Forever input device handling by reducing lag

Bug fixes:

• improve support for IPF images (align disk words to sync if sync is found on an odd boundary)

Please see the included file ChangeLog.txt for a full list of changes, including minor bug fixes which are not listed above.

WinFellow v0.5.4

New features:

• re-designed display settings to make use of modern higher resolution displays more intuitive; instead of configuring a window resolution, scaling and overscan area can be configured automatically to create a window of the optimal size and scaling factor; both can also be configured manually to arrive at frequently window sizes
• support for the Direct3D 11 graphics API; this requires DirectX 11 to be installed
  • on Windows Vista, the platform update KB971644 should be installed, as it contains required updates to DirectX
  • the graphics card has to provide hardware acceleration for Direct3D
• ability to save screenshots to the pictures folder (hit < Print Screen > to trigger)
• support for automatic, as well as 3x and 4x scaling, which is useful for 4K/high DPI displays; for the best results, try leaving the scaling at automatic
• very basic serial port/UART emulation; nothing can be connected to the serial port; this is mostly used for serial debug logging (which is active only in debug builds of WinFellow), but the port is always being emulated

Bug Fixes:

• improved frame timing to present frames in a more evenly paced manner
• improvements to CIA timer handling
• improvements to CPU instruction timing (TAS and PEA instructions)
• fixed sound volume restoration during reset of Amiga session in Amiga Forever
• improved error handling for DMS floppy image extraction
• fixed minor memory leaks

Please see the included file ChangeLog.txt for a full list of changes, including minor bug fixes which are not listed above.