Re: FAQ for N8VEM

[yoda <yo...@r2d2.org>]

Hi Ray,

I had independently come up with the same way you are handling files
on the SD card and I plan to continue that way.  I also will have
utilities to copy files into the CPM filesystem from windows, mac or
linux. Have some utilities in mind using python for that to make
platform independent.  On N8VEM, I am really only using the serial
port for the console connected to Vince's PockeTerm which is propeller
based.  So for the initial emulation really only need to change the I/
O addresses and possibly a little of the code to emulate the UART to
get N8VEM emulation.  N8VEM also uses a 512 SRAM with 64K for CPM and
the rest for a RAM disk.  This get loaded from the EPROM so CPM and a
base CPM filesystem is available on power on.  I will have to emulate
the latch that is use for that so the monitor will be happy.   I am
not thinking it is going to be too difficult.  My ultimate goal is to
get to CPM 3 and use the SRAM in a banked fashion as you are doing on
the TriBlade.  My propIO board interfaces to ECB bus and provides a
keyboard, VGA, and SD card.  I will be creating a bios routines for
the SD card and will design so it can be in common with the TriBlade
so everything will be interchangeable.  I am not planning to do FAT16
or 32 natively but the same way you have done.

Dave

BTW - Triblade is great and looking forward to the new designs as
well.

On Jun 10, 4:50 am, Cluso99 <cl...@bluemagic.biz> wrote:
> Hi Dave,
>
> Thanks for the reply. It would be good to be able to have CPM code
> compatibility with the N8VEM. I have done the banking code for CPM 3
> but haven't tested it yet. As soon as I get time I must look and see
> what I/O you are using on the N8VEM.
>
> The files we are using on the SD card are just contiguous files, one
> for each drive. So it is easy to boot either CPM 2.2 or CPM 3 or just
> a prop binary from the initial load. These files are under the FAT16
> system (but the CPM files are not FAT16). I have 8 files (read disks),
> one each for CPM 2.2 and CPM 3 and then another copy to allow for
> changes to be made without corrupting the masters, and finally some
> blank formatted files.
>
> I think it was James who mentioned someone was working on a CPM
> version that could use FAT16 file system natively. Any more info?
>
> Ray