Blinkenlights for CP/M

[HAL 9000]

Wrote a version of Blinkenlights for CP/M. 

This is my first attempt at a CP/M program using the assembler. If you use it, let me know what you think.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_na5pJj1jagV27wH2c_LDE9impKd1vvH

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Blinkenlights for Altair CP/M

[Holger Weiß]

Very nice. I like it :-)

[Mark G.]

HAL, 

Thanks for this Blinkenlights for CP/M program.  I'm looking forward to getting it running, but I'm clueless on getting it loaded and executing on my AltairDuino.

Sorry, I'm a real newb. and just learning my way around.  I have your .zip files downloaded and extracted ,but I simply don't know what to do next.

Thanks in advance for any help you might offer...

Cheers.

Mark G.

[Frank P.]

Try this:

0. Connect Tera Term or a similar terminal emulator to the Altairduino serial port configured as primary (I'll assume you've gotten at least this far). Terminal emulator must be capable of sending a file using an XMODEM transfer protocol (Tera Term is).

1. Boot CP/M HD:

  . lift STOP switch up

  . lift RESET switch up

  . SW 0,1,12,13 up, all others down

  . press AUX2 down

  . terminal shows HDSK03.DSK mounted in platter 0 of unit 1

  . SW 1,2,3 up, all others down

  . press AUX1 down

  . terminal shows boot and then CP/M prompt "A>"

  . (if having trouble, follow tutorial here: https://www.adwaterandstir.com/2017/10/02/mount-88-hdsk-hard-drive/

    or here: https://www.altairduino.com/2017/10/02/mount-88-hdsk-hard-drive/)

2. Transfer BLNKNLTS_HD.ASM to CP/M HD as BLNKNLTS.ASM:

  . type command "PCGET BLNKNLTS.ASM"

  . terminal asks you to send file

  . Make terminal do an XMODEM transfer (send)

  . Browse to and open unzipped file BLNKNLTS_HD.ASM

  . wait until terminal shows Transfer Complete

3. Assemble BLNKNLTS.ASM:

  . type command "MAC BLNKNLTS.ASM"

  . wait until it says "END OF ASSEMBLY"

4. Load BLNKNLTS.HEX:

  . type command "LOAD BLNKNLTS.HEX"

  . wait until it says "RECORDS WRITTEN 06"

5. Execute BLNKNLTS.COM:

  . type command "BLNKNLTS"

6. There you go... use keys specified in readme.txt file to change things; use ESC key to quit.

7. For general cleanup, erase files you don't need any more:

  . type command "ERA BLNKNLTS.HEX"

  . type command "ERA BLNKNLTS.SYM"

  . type command "ERA BLNKNLTS.PRN"

  . this will leave you with just BLNKNLTS.ASM and BLNKNLTS.COM added to the hard disk.

  or you can keep BLNKNLTS.PRN to examine the instructions and data generated from the assembly code:

  . type command "TYPE BLNKNLTS.PRN" to list it

  . or transfer it back to your PC using PCPUT command.

  .

[Mark G.]

Hello Gents.

Frank P. thank you for the quick reply.  I've been working my way through but I seem to be stuck again at Step 2.  ...

After the XMODEM send of BLNKNLTS_HD.ASM   to  BLNKNLTS.ASM as you instructed; seems that I get an error (attached jpg).

"  Error Closing File  "    

I've tried numerous TeraTerm settings.... to no avail.  I've also tried other files, but results are same.

The XMODEM apears be working, it takes few seconds with send progress bar in TeraTerm to reach 100%, so I have confidence I'm good to this point.

Suggestions  ?

Cheers.

Mark G.

[Louis Richards]

I use Minicom in Linux and have never been able to transfer files with it. I have used instructions here:

http://altairclone.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=37

It may be a bit cumbersome but it does work. You can add the files to an existing floppy image or create one or two temporary floppy images (rename existing image from the flash drive and delete everything on it). Use the above directions to get your files on these images and copy them to the flash drive on the Altairduino. Use PIP to move files around. I have created version 4 Word Star and dBase hard drive images this way in addition to getting this program on the CP/M hard drive image.

Hope this helps.

[Mark Moulding]

I wonder if you're having the same issue I did at first; the newest version of the SD library breaks the ability to write at all to the Micro-SD card.  At least a few Altair-Duinos were distributed with this release, because mine was one of them.

To test this, at the CP/M prompt, just type   SAVE 1 X.COM  , then do a DIRectory and see if the file was created.  If it wasn't (or you get an error message), then you've got this issue.  Check out this thread for the solution that worked for me.

~~
Mark

[Frank P.]

I was about to say the same thing.

Mark G... what Mark M says!

It was quite the problem for several folks here.

[Mark G.]

Yes.  It is working now. Blink...Blink ..Blink...

After reading Mark M.'s post; I went back and re-flashed the ArdDue with Mr. Hansels' precomiled binary build.  That did the trick.  Every step is exactly as you described (thank you Frank P.).  

As a double check I then re-flashed with the latest download from Mr. Hansels' repository on github.  Compiled the sources (Arduino IDE) and flashed once again.  No joy.  The SD write issue persisted.

Lastly, I went back to the preCompile binany build ( https://www.adwaterandstir.com/install/#update )  and all is working again.

[Tom Lake]

You don't compile the sketch with the latest SD card Arduino library do you? It doesn't work. You have to go back to the previous version for SD card writing to be reliable.

Tom L

[HAL 9000]

Sorry, I haven't been able to reply for a while. 

Are you saying you've got everything working now?

[Frank P.]

You have to change the SDCard library from 1.2.2 back to 1.1.1 in the sketch, then re-compile and flash. That should fix it.

[Mark G.]

I rolled back the SD library from 1.2.2 to 1.1.1 as posted above.  

I recompiled the sources, then uploaded from the Arduino IDE.  Et voila  -   Blinkenlights !

Thanks again to all.

Cheers.

Mark G. 

[Frank P.]

Shouldn't someone ultimately tell the Arduino IDE folks that the SDCard library 1.2.2 is broken, at least with respect to the Arduino Due? I mean, instead of everyone having to have this heartburn over and over?