1

Topic: Poke request.

Hi, I would like to have some way to poke programs, from NMI button or via .commands.

I have thought that may be modifying the .snapload command to add more parameters, could be a solution. For instance
.snapload game.z80 29876,266 29877,0 or adding the .pok file suport (.snapload game.z80 game.pok)

How are the .commands developed?, is there any available dev toolkit?, Are they written in z80 assembler or divide´s?

Sorry if I am saying nonsense, but I bought my divide 1 month ago and I still have a lot of info to read.

Regards.

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Re: Poke request.

oremoram wrote:

Hi, I would like to have some way to poke programs, from NMI button or via .commands.

I have thought that may be modifying the .snapload command to add more parameters, could be a solution. For instance
.snapload game.z80 29876,266 29877,0 or adding the .pok file suport (.snapload game.z80 game.pok)

I guess it would be relatively easy to add .POK file support to .snapload (or maybe even to the NMI browser - using an external .poke command perhaps). I will have to ask Velesoft about .snapload possibility as he's maintaining that particular command.

oremoram wrote:

How are the .commands developed?, is there any available dev toolkit?, Are they written in z80 assembler or divide´s?

.commands are developed in z80 assembler using a set of system calls that esxDOS provides. The development docs are private as of yet, but if you are really interested in developing send me a private message.

3

Re: Poke request.

oremoram wrote:

Hi, I would like to have some way to poke programs, from NMI button or via .commands.

I have thought that may be modifying the .snapload command to add more parameters, could be a solution. For instance
.snapload game.z80 29876,266 29877,0 or adding the .pok file suport (.snapload game.z80 game.pok)

How are the .commands developed?, is there any available dev toolkit?, Are they written in z80 assembler or divide´s?

Sorry if I am saying nonsense, but I bought my divide 1 month ago and I still have a lot of info to read.

Regards.

POK files support in filebrowser is best way. Yes, I can write command for load and apply POK.

Now exist monitor/debugger for esxdos which enable insert poke values, trace program, show disassembly, change text messages in games, etc. This monitor can be call very easy after load any SNAPSHOT:
- during loading  snapshot you must hold SHIFT key. Instead start game you will see color lines in border area, now you can press key "m" for jump to monitor/debugger. (official package of ESXDOS not contain this monitor, but I can send you it, please wait some hours)

4

Re: Poke request.

velesoft wrote:

- during loading  snapshot you must hold SHIFT key. Instead start game you will see color lines in border area, now you can press key "m" for jump to monitor/debugger. (official package of ESXDOS not contain this monitor, but I can send you it, please wait some hours)

That sounds great, please send it to me. Thank you!!.

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Re: Poke request.

Here is beta version of MONITOR/DEBUGGER for ESXDOS

http://velesoft.speccy.cz/other/mon_esxdos.zip

Info/manual in TXT file...

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Re: Poke request.

velesoft wrote:

Here is beta version of MONITOR/DEBUGGER for ESXDOS

http://velesoft.speccy.cz/other/mon_esxdos.zip

Info/manual in TXT file...

Thank you. I will have a look at it during weekend. smile

7

Re: Poke request.

Hi velesoft,

velesoft wrote:

Here is beta version of MONITOR/DEBUGGER for ESXDOS

http://velesoft.speccy.cz/other/mon_esxdos.zip

Info/manual in TXT file...

Thought I'd ask the question on here rather than on the V6Z80P discussion list!

Is the MON command compatiable with .tapin function.

Say if I attach a tap with  ".tapein manic" for example, then load"" holding shift whilst this loads, will this invoke the colour lines in the border.

Thanks

JTB

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Re: Poke request.

jayteebee wrote:

Hi velesoft,

velesoft wrote:

Here is beta version of MONITOR/DEBUGGER for ESXDOS

http://velesoft.speccy.cz/other/mon_esxdos.zip

Info/manual in TXT file...

Thought I'd ask the question on here rather than on the V6Z80P discussion list!

Is the MON command compatiable with .tapin function.

Say if I attach a tap with  ".tapein manic" for example, then load"" holding shift whilst this loads, will this invoke the colour lines in the border.

Thanks

JTB

MON command can be call manually from ZX basic via ".MON", or before start snapshot via hold "SHIFT" key + next key "M". In future can be used MON command as debugger/monitor runable from NMI (for example NMI+M, or similar way). MON is old ZX spectrum utility "DEVASTACE" with my modifications = compiled for run in DIVIDE ram, don't need ZX rom, use own keyboard test and own character font. Here is manual for original DEVASTACE monitor:
http://sysel.webz.cz/docs/eng_devastace.html

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Re: Poke request.

Hi Velesoft,

I tried the .mon with the V6 last night and it worked great.
I had to save a game as a snapshot first though which isn't a problem.

I heard on the V6 dist. list a while back that you may incorporate into NMI that would be great too since the .mon doesn't work after you exit from the lined screen after entering pokes. It would be good to be able to get back in in case the poke didn't work.

Also, if it was in the NMI it would probably work with .tap files too.

It would be like a mini multiface smile

Thanks for the efforts!!

JTB

10

Re: Poke request.

oremoram wrote:
velesoft wrote:

Here is beta version of MONITOR/DEBUGGER for ESXDOS

http://velesoft.speccy.cz/other/mon_esxdos.zip

Info/manual in TXT file...

Thank you. I will have a look at it during weekend. smile

I have tried and it works great!!. I am looking forward to seeing the NMI implementation so it can be called at anytime.

Thank you.

11 (edited by csanchez71 2013-07-28 16:53:24)

Re: Poke request.

Hi,

While MON seems to be a way to enter a poke, it is in fact designed for something else, and so it's quite uncomfortable to use.

Imho rather than adding full MON functionality to NMI.SYS, it would be better to add an specific feature for pokes to the NMI button. So the same you get a reset when you press "R", you get asked for address and value when you press "P".

Of course, MON functionality may be added too, but having MON doesn't mean you should not have one simple.straight way to add a poke (I'm sure pure gamers that don't want to mess with technical stuff will support that).

A file browser looking for .pok files when user press P may be an option too, or both functionalities.

12

Re: Poke request.

At the moment there is no free memory to implement real POKE functionality in the NMI browser, maybe in the future...

13 (edited by carl_retrotext 2014-04-25 06:14:56)

Re: Poke request.

Thanks for making this available, it works really well. smile

Can you clarify the instruction though,
if I were to want to poke 23456,99 I would have to first> 23456 length> 1 with> 99 I then press 'm' type in the starting address then exit by ss+q then E .

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Re: Poke request.

Since the DivMMC exists and ZX Spectrum Next is coming, I think it's time to add a .POK files support to esxDOS.
I've already compiled the existing cheat codes from www.the-tipshop.co.uk in a .POK format, available here:
https://github.com/eklipse2009/all-tipshop-pokes
I'm planning to write a scraper for the website and make this database even more accurate.
I am very grateful to the esxDOS team, especially Velesoft and I will be even more grateful when the support of .POK files comes to esxDOS.
You're awesome!

15

Re: Poke request.

Lady Eklipse wrote:

Since the DivMMC exists and ZX Spectrum Next is coming, I think it's time to add a .POK files support to esxDOS.
I've already compiled the existing cheat codes from www.the-tipshop.co.uk in a .POK format, available here:
https://github.com/eklipse2009/all-tipshop-pokes
I'm planning to write a scraper for the website and make this database even more accurate.
I am very grateful to the esxDOS team, especially Velesoft and I will be even more grateful when the support of .POK files comes to esxDOS.
You're awesome!

As I know, latest version of old system DEMFIR for DivIDE interface support LFN and POK files. But work only with ISO images or real CD-ROM/DVD. Browser is very fast and also may open TAP file and set/change loading cursor.

16 (edited by Lady Eklipse 2017-05-04 19:35:39)

Re: Poke request.

velesoft wrote:

As I know, latest version of old system DEMFIR for DivIDE interface support LFN and POK files. But work only with ISO images or real CD-ROM/DVD. Browser is very fast and also may open TAP file and set/change loading cursor.

Thank you for your answer.
You're right, DEMFIR is the system with supports LFN and POK files, and that is what I was using all the time with my DivIDE.

But DEMFIR is apparently abandonware, the last version being released back in 2006.
With esxDOS being chosen as the default firmware for ZX Spectrum Next, it would make sense to have LFN and POK format reading to be implemented, so it exceeds DEMFIR in every aspect.
I know that it's possible to write a DOT-command to handle POK files.

Velesoft, do you have plans on writing such a DOT-command?
I'll be eternally grateful to you if you do that smile

17

Re: Poke request.

Lady Eklipse wrote:

I know that it's possible to write a DOT-command to handle POK files.

Velesoft, do you have plans on writing such a DOT-command?
I'll be eternally grateful to you if you do that smile

You mean similar as:
.SNAPLOAD cabal.z80 cabal.pok

18 (edited by Lady Eklipse 2017-05-04 19:25:02)

Re: Poke request.

Exactly.
Since a .pok file can contain several different cheat codes, there also should be a menu to select one.
Ideally though I imagine holding some button before loading a game and this procedure occures - a cheat codes menu pops up, then after Enter is pressed the game loads smile
.snapload is only for .z80 and .sna formats, am I right? Or could this possibly work for .TAP and .TZX as well?
I'm planning to write an utility which would place a corresponding .POK file with all known cheats near each game on SD gard (regardless of game file name, it will check MD5). Thus, I imagine .snapload to try and use the .pok file with the same name in the same folder (or in POKES subfolder).

19

Re: Poke request.

.POK-File support for esxDOS won´t be bad. But when we go to Spectrum Next I may suggest that it will be easier if we can add POKEs to the Nexts INI-File which is loaded at startup?!: http://www.specnext.com/config-file/

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Re: Poke request.

I'm not sure I understand how it would work.
Each of more than 10,000 games has its own set of POKEs.
The INI file will be more than 900K in size - that's the current size of my AllTipshopPokes database.
I'm working on a tool called ZX Pokemaster, which will sort all WoS files and attach a .POK file named accordingly into POKES subfolder.
This tool will work with emulators, but it would be very nice to be able to load POKEs on Next using esxDOS functionality.

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Re: Poke request.

Hi,

I thin of a easier way:

Just add e.g.: the POKEs we find on http://www.the-tipshop.co.uk/cgi-bin/in … id=0000597 for Blue Max (Infinite lives: POKE 42294,238 and Take off at any speed: POKE 43204,0) as:

POKES=42294,238+43204,0
to the NEXT´ INI together with a Snapshot or Tapefile which should be auto-loaded, than these POKEs should be applied and after this the Game should be runned.

It´s just something I though out as an idea for the Spectrum Next. This will not be useful on Standard Spectrums.
Here the easier way will be if .SNAPLOAD could support .POK-Files.

22 (edited by Luzie 2017-09-05 18:54:02)

Re: Poke request.

Maybe you want to try this NMI.SYS for POKEing: http://board.esxdos.org/viewtopic.php?pid=315#p315