i FAQed up...

["matthew p. conte" <spam@somebody.else>]

matthew p. conte (im@dumb.ass) wrote...
> for all you crazy apple wackos who want to get started using XGS, the
> portable apple IIGS emulator, here's the newest version of the XGS FAQ.
> that is, if you're not using FE's superb Bernie ][ the Rescue for Macs.
> 
> pr#5.

er, i forgot to add some important information about the win32 version
of XGS.  thanks to lon seidman for the dope slap.

late/matt.

(b. grishenko: woof!)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        The Official XGS FAQ
                    version 1.3 - October 9, 1997
                      written by matthew conte
                      <itsbroke@ix.netcom.com>

Introduction
============
Well, I guess it has been a long time coming, but here's what a lot of
new XGS users have been looking for, the XGS FAQ.  I feel there is a 
need for this FAQ due to the fact that XGS at this point leans more 
towards the developer side rather than the user-friendly side.  Below
is a series of questions that have been observed over the past months 
in comp.emulators.apple2, the xgs-list, and in personal e-mails.

If you have any new information to contribute, do not hesitate to mail 
me!

General
=======
Q: What the heck is XGS?
A: XGS is software written by Joshua M. Thompson <funaho@jurai.org> 
   that emulates an Apple IIGS on your PC.  Chances are, if you're 
   reading this FAQ, you already knew that.  =)

Q: What platforms does XGS run on?
A: Since XGS is written entirely in C for Unix systems, it is highly 
   portable, and should compile on most platforms with only a few 
   platform-specific modifications.  The source code will build on
   Unices and Windows 95 & NT (with Microsoft Visual C++).  There are
   also public ports for Linux + X11 (ELF format only), HP/UX 9.05,
   Windows 95 & NT, MacOS, and MS-DOS.  Joshua maintains the Linux and 
   Win32 versions, the MacOS version is maintained by Michael Bytnar 
   <m-bytnar@uiuc.edu>, and the MS-DOS version by Gilles Tschopp 
   <tschopp@icare.ch>.  The HP/UX 9.05 version was compiled by Gordon
   Aplin.

Q: So like, where do I get it?
A: From the Official XGS Home Page: 

        http://www.jurai.org/~funaho/emulators/XGS/

   All current ports are linked from this page.

Q: How well does this thing run?
A: First of all, in Joshua's words, XGS is "very beta" software.  The 
   current stable version is 0.50, and though most functions of the
   IIGS are implemented, there are still some bugs and omissions that
   prevent XGS from running some software.  There is a compatibility
   list included in the XGS archive, and you can find out specific
   software titles that are/aren't currently working.  With a version
   number of 1/2, you'd think XGS would be pretty sketchy at best, but
   the amount of software it does run is quite staggering.  In a
   nutshell most 8-bit software works, almost all 16-bit games and
   applications run, and now that 3.5" drive emulation has been added,
   a good percentage of IIGS demos will work.

Q: How do I get my IIGS software to my PC?
A: Ahh, the biggie... =)  The fact that Apple devised a way to fit 
   800k on double density disks while most companies only got 720k 
   (angular vs. linear speed and GCM vs. MFM) precludes you from just
   jamming your GS disks into your PC.  There are several ways you can
   get your GS software to your computer, based on your hardware and
   what you have available.

   MacOS - System 7.x handles Prodos disks, so just stick your GS disk
   into your Mac, use DiskCopy to make an image of it.  XGS can read
   from DiskCopy images, or you can use the Image Utility (bundled
   with XGS) to transfer the DiskCopy image to its native 2IMG format.

   MS-DOS/Win32 - You have two options.  First, if you have a Mac,
   follow the above directions to get DiskCopy images, then copy them
   to MS-DOS disks on the Mac, bring them over to your PC and use the
   Image Utility (available from the XGS-DOS page) or Thomas Fok's
   Revival (link on the XGS Home Page) if you want to convert them
   from DiskCopy format (*.DC) to 2IMG format (*.2MG).  Second, you
   can use a null modem cable to transfer Shrinkit .SHK files from
   your IIGS to your PC, then use a program called NULIB (available
   from XGS Home Page) to extract the files into raw prodos dumps, and
   finally use the Image Utility or Revival to convert the raw file
   into a 2IMG file.  *whew!*

Bugs and Issues (as of 0.50)
=================
---[all platforms]---
Q: Why won't my 3.5" images boot in slot 5?
A: They will.  You need to type "PR#5" at the Applesoft prompt to boot
   from slot 5 because XGS by default tries to boot the virtual hard
   drives.

Q: How do I switch disks while the emulator is running?
A: You don't, yet.  Another thing that needs to be implemented.

Q: Help!  My 8-bit software runs _way_ too fast!
A: Normally, you'd go to the Control Panel CDA (control-command-esc,
   whatever that's mapped to in your port) and change system speed to
   Normal, and reboot.  However, this speed throttling doesn't work
   yet.  Get a 486!

Q: Some of my GS/OS games don't work well with the joystick.
A: Play 8-bit games. =)  For some reason, joystick emulation under
   GS/OS is rather shaky.

---[unix/linux]---
Q: Why won't the SVGAlib version build?
A: The SVGAlib version isn't complete yet.  Issue a "make distclean"
   and compile the X version if you've attempted to build the SVGAlib
   version.

---[win32]---
Q: I thought XGS 0.48+ recognized .DC, .PO, .DC, and .2MG files?
A: It does, but the Win32 version only displays .2MG files.  The
   easiest thing to do is get the Image Utility or Revival and convert
   your disks to 2IMG format.  Or you can modify the source yourself
   and build a new version of XGS.exe.

Q: Sometimes when I load a disk in one of the Slot 5 drives, XGS just
   bombs back to Windows as it is loading the disk.  What gives?
A: This is a known bug, and it probably has to do with the fact that
   the 3.5" drive and IWM code is _very_ memory intensive.  There may
   be a memory leak somewhere.

Q: - My whole display is blank!
   - The palette is wacky!
   - GS/OS titlebar is corrupt!
   - GS/OS desktop corrupts when Control Panel NDA is open!
A: Congratulations, you've witnessed the infamous DirectX palette
   problem!  This is one of the more quirky issues with XGS, as it
   only happens to some people, but not to others, regardless of
   hardware.  It's pretty much been narrowed down to a software
   problem with the DirectX drivers itself, as all documentation
   states that the libraries are being used correctly.  I had the
   problem, then I reinstalled windows and DirectX and it disappeared.

   [**FIX!!!**]  The always enchanting Lon Seidman <lon@hotmail.com>
   has figured a workaround for the palette bug!  In Windows 95,
   right-click on "My Computer" and choose "Properties" (or go to the
   system control panel), and choose the "Performance" tab.  Under
   "Advanced Settings," press the "Graphics" button.  Then move the
   "Hardware Acceleration" slider to the second notch from the left.
   It should say "Basic accelerator functions: yadda, yadda, yadda..."
   under the slider.  Close all the windows, let the OS reboot for
   you, and XGS will now display correctly!  Thanks, Lon!

   Alternatively, you can Alt-Tab out of XGS and then back into it,
   and the palette will be redrawn correctly.  This gets a little
   tedious after a while, but it does work pretty good.  Additionally,
   Jason Millard <jsm174@psu.edu> has this to say: "I just suffered a
   HD crash, and I reinstalled pretty much everything. For the heck of
   it, after I installed DirectX, I uninstalled DirectX's certified
   video drivers (the ones it overwrote). Blamo! The colors were
   perfect.  I have a Number Nine 771 and it uses S3 drivers. Using
   the old factory drivers does the trick... "

Q: When I Alt-Tab out of XGS, Alt-Tab doesn't get me back in!
A: Dvir Cafri <cafri@netvision.net.il> says: "When you switch to
   another application in WIN95, it seems like a double ALT-TAB is
   pressed, the active task is the one after the next.  Kinda annoying 
   when you want switch to another application and return back to XGS.  
   You have to manually select XGS."

---[dos]---
Q: I've taken some screen shots with F11, now XGS-DOS crashed!
A: This is possibly a bug in the Allegro engine.  As Gilles put it, 
   it's a "thick mystery" which will hopefully be corrected in the
   next revision of XGS-DOS.

Q: Every so often, XGS-DOS bombs after the configuration screen and
   dumps all kinds of allegro information on the screen.
A: This is a problem.  Solutions, anyone?

Q: It's SLLLLOOOOWWW under Win95.
A: Turn the sound off.  The sound routines do not mesh well with
   Win95.  Hey, why aren't you using the DirectX version anyway?
   Shame on you.

Q: My computer locks up when I try to calibrate my joystick with F5.
A: Mine too.  =)  No fix for this bug yet.

Conclusion
==========
Well, that's about it for now.  If you note any omissions or 
inconsistencies, do not hesitate to drop me a line.

late,
matt conte
----------

Apple, IIGS, Apple IIGS, GS/OS, Mac, MacOS are registered trademarks 
of Apple Computer, Inc.  Windows 95 & NT are registered trademarks of
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