Uploader....

I've now finished my new uploader, and it's actually turned out to be a fairly good idea. I've been using my MMC64 to upload and play C64 games. It turns out however, that it just isn't very good as some file - anything really big I suspect. I have several .PRG files which I thought had gotten corrupted because the MMC64 wouldn't run them properly, however, my download program manages fine. This could be for a few reasons though. The MMC64 hasn't actually started BASIC yet, so it may not have everything ready to run these programs, or it might be that its not setting up certain BASIC addresses for the unpackers or something. Or it could just be that its too big and simply won't work.

Whatever the case, my uploader manages these games fine! It takes around 6 seconds to transfer a full sized C64 program which is pretty quick. I currently use the MMC64 to load the boot program which is much quicker than loading off disk, and then my command line tool to send the .PRG file I want to run. I'll probably expand this to include .P00 and .T64 files as well as these are pretty simple and would be quite handy. I could write a little GUI tool I guess, which would be particually handy if all you're doing is running games. But I suspect most people have other ways of getting stuff to the C64 (let alone having to build the cable( so I'll not worry about it just yet.

Anyway, if you want it.... you can download it from my minus4 site, minus4.plus4.net. It includes the to .PRG files for the C64 and the +4, both are tiny and if need be, could be typed in. The wiring diagram is in the text file - Enjoy!

I'm also planing to port my DEBUGSTUB I have for the Plus/4 over to the C64, as this will let me control the C64 fom the PC. The initial plan was to write a full and proper remote debugger, complete with source level debugging. I got as far as being able to start/stop programs, and then single step them but it needs lots of work. However, as a side line, this program lets me control the Plus4 completely from the PC side, meaning I can download images, sounds and tools to it and use it as a slave for editing. Imaging having a PC editor that shows you the graphics on the PC AND on the Plus/4 as you draw them. This would be extremely handy as viewing on a TV changes things hugely. If I ever learn enough electronics to be able to build a Spectrum interface, then I'd probably add this kind of thing there as well.... RetroEdit could be turn out to be extremely cool.