Beautiful Boot for PD8

Creation date: 01/30/2009.
Last updated: 02/02/2009.


My goal is to replace the current SDBOOT (written by Alex Freed) by a new graphical boot.
The SDBOOT code is located on the SD CARD of the Pseudo-Disk ][ (also called PD8).

The PD8 card and my working IIe:

PD8
PD8 in a IIe



My main problem is that I don't have access to my Apple II stuff: neither my genuine platinum IIe nor my Pseudo-Disk ][ :-((
So I had to write a small simulator in order to test this new boot program.

Content of the webpage:

1) How to run the new boot WITHOUT the hardware
2) Beautiful Boot for Pseudo-disk ][
3) Download section
4) Other informations

1) How to run the new boot WITHOUT the hardware

Download the .dsk file (see the "Download" section) and boot it with your favorite Apple II emulator (8 bits): Applewin, Apple Oasis, Virtual ][, ...)
Then, type:

-DEMO

ProDOS loads few files and then displays the content of the FAT16 catalog with the Beautiful Boot:

Simulator: Beautiful Boot for PD8
Simulator: Beautiful Boot for PD8
Simulator: Beautiful Boot for PD8
Simulator: Beautiful Boot for PD8
Simulator: Beautiful Boot for PD8
Simulator: Beautiful Boot for PD8

USAGE:

You have to select a letter to choose a file (in the example, I selected the J file: VLADIMIR).
You can also press the letter "+" to go to the next block of the FAT16 catalog.
Or the letter "-" to return to the previous page.
If you press "+" and the next block doesn't have any image, the program beeps and returns to the last valid block (try CAT48FILES).

I wrote a small program which is used as a boot 1 of the selected image. It displays the rom monitor (infinite loop) inside a scrolling message.
Press ESC to stop it and to go to the monitor.



If you want to test it with another FAT16 catalog, here is the content of the DEMO exec file:

BLOAD SD1S.STARFIELD,A$2000
BLOAD SD2S.STARFIELD,A$2200
BLOAD CAT49FILES,A$2E00          <- this is the FAT16 catalog
BLOAD PSEUDO.BOOT1,A$3E00
BRUN PD8.SIMUL

Instead of: BLOAD CAT49FILES,A$2E00
You can type:

BLOAD CAT05FILES,A$2E00
 or BLOAD CAT47FILES,A$2E00
 or BLOAD CAT48FILES,A$2E00
 or POKE 11776,0   (= empty catalog)


If you don't want to see my scrolling screen:
Instead of BLOAD PSEUDO.BOOT1,A$3E00
You can type:

CALL -151
3E00: 01 4C 69 FF    (=JMP MONZ)

Or BLOAD your own program (which will runs at $0801). Don't forget that the first byte ($3E00/$0800) is a number of sectors.
Then the demo will end up with that screen if you press the letter 'D' of the 1st page (block $0000 of the FAT16 catalog):

Simulator: Beautiful Boot for PD8

MEMORY MAP:

With the simulator, the content of the SD card is in the Apple II memory.
This is also true for the PD8 firmware.

SD CARD   $2000-$21FF : SD1S.STARFIELD
          $2200-$2DFF : SD2S.STARFIELD
          $2E00-$3DFF : FAT16 catalog (CAT49FILES, ...)
          $3E00-$3FFF : Boot 1 of the selected bin (PSEUDO.BOOT1, ...)

PD8 ROM   $6000-$61FF : PD8.SIMUL


The simulator (PD8.SIMUL) loads (=moves) SD1S.STARFIELD (which is the boot 1 of the SD card) at $0800 and jumps to $0801.
The boot 1 loads (=moves) the second stage level of the boot: SD2S.STARFIELD (at $0A00) and runs it.
When a valid key is pressed while the beautiful Boot is running, the boot 2 loads (=moves) PSEUDO.BOOT1 (which is the boot 1 of the selected NIB/HDV) at $0800 and jumps to $0801.
And game over...


Asm
Merlin-8 v2.58 ProDOS
View: assembled source code of Beautiful Boot 1 for PD8 (simulator)
Asm
Merlin-8 v2.58 ProDOS
View: assembled source code of Beautiful Boot 2 for PD8 (simulator)
Asm
Merlin-8 v2.58 ProDOS
View: assembled source code of PD8 Simulator
Asm
Merlin-8 v2.58 ProDOS
View: assembled source code of a .NIB boot sector (for the file selected by the user)



2) Beautiful Boot for Pseudodisk ][

UNTESTED!!!
Feedback are welcome!!!


>>>>> PC/MAC SIDE

Format your SD card in order to have a clean FAT16 catalog.
Install the SD1.STARFIELD bin file (1x 512 bytes block) just after the MBR sector.
Install the SD2.STARFIELD bin file (5x 512 bytes block) just after the SD1.STARFIELD block.

Copy your favorite HDV/NIB files on the SD Card.

Windows:

FAT16 win

Linux:

FAT16 linux


>>>>> APPLE II SIDE

Insert your PD8 card in one slot. I used to plug it in slot 7:

PD8 in slot 7

Switch on your computer.
I hope you'll see a screen similar to that one:

Beautiful Boot for PD8



Asm
Merlin-8 v2.58 ProDOS
View: assembled source code of Beautiful Boot 1 for PD8
Asm
Merlin-8 v2.58 ProDOS
View: assembled source code of Beautiful Boot 2 for PD8


3) Download section

Assembler: Merlin-8 2.58 (ProDOS version).


Floppy
ProDOS 2.0.3
Download Disk: Beautiful Boot for PD8 (including the full source code)

NOTE:

If you want to change something in the SD1.STARFIELD and/or SD2.STARFIELD sources, don't forget to set the correct flag (before assembling the code!):
SIMUL = 1  => simulator mode
SIMUL = 0 => use the PD8

File: Beautiful_Boot_PD8.dsk
Disk: ProDOS /PSEUDODISK (140KB)

 Name                             Type Auxtyp Modified         Format   Length

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

 PRODOS                           SYS  $0000  21-Oct-08 00:07  ProDOS    17128
 BASIC.SYSTEM                     SYS  $2000  13-Feb-92 01:00  ProDOS    10240

>>> Boot 1 of: Beautiful Boot for PD8

 SD1.STARFIELD.S                  TXT  $0000  31-Jan-09 14:34  ProDOS     4686
 SD1S.STARFIELD                   BIN  $0800  31-Jan-09 14:34  ProDOS      512   S=Simulator
 SD1.STARFIELD                    BIN  $0800  31-Jan-09 14:35  ProDOS      512

>>> Boot 2 of: Beautiful Boot for PD8

 SD2.STARFIELD.S                  TXT  $0000  29-Jan-09 10:38  ProDOS    19473
 SD2S.STARFIELD                   BIN  $0A00  29-Jan-09 17:11  ProDOS     2304   S=Simulator
 SD2.STARFIELD                    BIN  $0A00  29-Jan-09 17:18  ProDOS     2304

>>> PD8 Simulator

 PD8.SIMUL.S                      TXT  $0000  29-Jan-09 17:29  ProDOS     7531
 PD8.SIMUL                        BIN  $6000  29-Jan-09 17:29  ProDOS      512

>>> A demo for the simulator

 DEMO                             TXT  $0000  29-Jan-09 16:47  ProDOS      121

>>> Examples of FAT16 catalog for the simulator

 CAT05FILES                       BIN  $2E00  28-Jan-09 14:18  ProDOS     4096
 CAT47FILES                       BIN  $2E00  28-Jan-09 14:18  ProDOS     4096
 CAT48FILES                       BIN  $2E00  28-Jan-09 14:18  ProDOS     4096
 CAT49FILES                       BIN  $2E00  28-Jan-09 14:19  ProDOS     4096

>>> Boot 1 of the selected bin file (HDV or NIB) for the simulator

 PSEUDO.BOOT1.S                   TXT  $0000  29-Jan-09 16:51  ProDOS     3660
 PSEUDO.BOOT1                     BIN  $0800  29-Jan-09 17:30  ProDOS      512

>>> Original boot (on the SD Card)

 SDBOOT.S                         TXT  $0000  24-Jan-09 21:53  ProDOS     5414
 SDBOOT                           BIN  $0800  29-Jan-09 17:34  ProDOS      512

>>> PD8 Rom version from Vladitx (equivalent to bootrom-v05)

 BOOT.MMC.S                       TXT  $0000  24-Jan-09 21:52  ProDOS     6545
 BOOT.MMC                         BIN  $C700  29-Jan-09 17:36  ProDOS      256
------------------------------------------------------------------------------


4) Other informations

The current versions of the SDBOOT and the firmware:

Asm
Merlin-8 v2.58 ProDOS
View: vintage boot (on the SD Card) assembled source code => by Alex
Asm
Merlin-8 v2.58 ProDOS
View: vintage PD8 ROM assembled source code => by Vladitx

40 columns text screen which is displayed with the current SDBOOT:

PD8 in slot 7

Well, do you prefer that one or the Beautiful Boot? ;-)))


A new version of the ROM:

Asm
Merlin-8 v2.58 ProDOS
View: PD8 ROM v0.6 assembled source code by Deckard


The new screen layout:

  0000000000111111111122222222223333333333
  0123456789012345678901234567890123456789
00
01         Beautiful Boot for PD8        
02                   By                  
03          Alex Freed / VladiTX
04         Mini Appler / Deckard
05
06
07 FAT DIRECTORY:
08
09 [A] XXXXXXXX XXX    [I] XXXXXXXX XXX
10 [B] XXXXXXXX XXX    [J] XXXXXXXX XXX
11 [C] XXXXXXXX XXX    [K] XXXXXXXX XXX
12 [D] XXXXXXXX XXX    [L] XXXXXXXX XXX
13 [E] XXXXXXXX XXX    [M] XXXXXXXX XXX
14 [F] XXXXXXXX XXX    [N] XXXXXXXX XXX
15 [G] XXXXXXXX XXX    [O] XXXXXXXX XXX
16 [H] XXXXXXXX XXX    [P] XXXXXXXX XXX
17
18 Selection: _
19
20Use keys A through ? to select your ware
21----------------------------------------
22[-] [+] Change block         [1] Refresh
23ERROR: Can't read FAT16        BLK:$0000