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ASST27A
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ASSIST.TXT
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1998-03-14
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AssiST 0.27a doc file.
Updated : 21.6.1997.
AssiST is completely free. If you want you can send me stuff but its up
to you. Even if it's just an email ;). You are using this program at your
own risk, so if something goes wrong don't flame/sue me out of it. That
said, the chances of this destroying anything ever are about as high as
your head spontaneously exploding.
Quite why I'm writing this escapes me. I mean AssiST is _supposed_ to be
completely self explanatory....but just in case ;)
* History of AssiST. <revisions>
v0.1 The first version of this program was much more basic. It had
little or no error checking and only supported PaCifiST up to
version 0.34. That said - if you entered reasonable values and
did not purposely try to crash it, it performed its task
adequatly.
v0.2 This was released about two weeks after the first version. It
used a more user friendly file selector to choose the TOS image
and the bootdisk. Unfortunatly before I could finish it properly
my hard disk crashed and the code for it went bye-bye. It
supported versions of PaCifiST up to v0.35.
v0.25 For this version, I have pretty much recoded the whole thing from
scratch. The file selector is improved somewhat, and a few small
bugs have hopefully been fixed. As far as I know all the options
included in PaCifiST v0.41 have been supported except for the
ability to have multiple hard drives (I'll have that done for
the next version).
v0.25a This version is functionally the same as v0.25. There are a few
small bug fixes (file selector now allows drives up to and including
drive Z:) and the whole program has shifted into the high-res text
mode so it no longer feels quite so cramped. Also the file selector
has been spiced up a bit.
v0.26 No major changes from v0.25a except that PaCifiST v0.42 is now supported,
a small bug which resulted in corruption of the 'assist.dat' file has
been fixed and the hi-res screen mode has allowed for a bit more spacing
out of the options. Multiple hard drives are unfortunatly not supported
yet. I know I said I'd have it done for this version but I have had so
little time of late that I haven't got round to it yet. Next version
will have it..I promise :)
v0.26a This release is really just a bug fix for the above and nothing more.
Thanks must go to Ben Fozard who pointed out the Colour/Monochrome bug.
which resulted in the option not being saved properly.
v0.27 This version is, perhaps the largest update of AssiST so far. Several
new options have been added and most of the old ones have been improved
or completely redesigned. Some of the screen flicker has been gotton rid
of (I'm working on the rest), 2 scrollers have been added (one of which
has been generously donated by a certain disreputable xenomorph) and a
new intro screen has been done (no more jerky starfields ;) ). For a
complete description of the new options read the instructions below.
v0.27a Some minor changes in the way some things are displayed which I forgot
or never thought about putting into v0.27. There is one small bugfix
regarding the removal of a selected TOS rom ('d' key on the main menu
still displayed the paths of removed TOS's). You can also mount up to
six ST virtual hard disk now. Hmm..'a' versions are becoming a
bit of a habit it seems ;).
v0.3 This is the 'final' version of AssiST. It is being coded by myself
and a friend and is the nicest looking one yet ;). It has a completely
graphical interface (mouse driven) & supports sound (if you have a
Soundblaster). It won't be released until the .ini file option have
been finalized (at least as finalized as they'll get!).
* Instructions for using the options in AssiST.
1. Set TOS image.
This sets up the TOS image that PaCifiST needs to run. Since version 0.27 you
can now specify several TOS roms. Frederic has added a TOS switching option
to PaCifiST which allows you to change between the TOS version specified in
AssiST. You MUST have at least one of these.
First, select a slot for the TOS to be added to.
Then select the version that you have and finally specify its filename by
using the file selector and by pressing <return> when the TOS rom file is
hightlighted. To change drive press the letter of it (ie : 'd' would switch
you to drive D: ). Page Down and Page Up will help you skip through larger
directories.
2. Mount Hard Disk.
This option lets you specify a directory on your hard disk which PaCifiST will
use as an ST hard disk. Use the file selector to navigate through your hard
disk until you find a suitable directory to use as the ST's hard drive. You
can press '+' to create a directory, but please note - this must be given a
sensible value or you may end up with a very bizarre directory name. This
feature will be fully error checked for the next release. At present you can
specify up to 3 ST hard drives.
When you enter the emulator the ST's C:\ drive might not be setup.
You'll have to do this from the GEM toolbar. Remember use a capital 'C'!.
3. Set Floppy-disk (A & B)
This lets you specify which '*.ST' disk images to use when PaCifiST first loads
up. The file selector only shows '*.ST' files so make sure that the image you
want to use has this extension. The next version will also support MSA images.
For now you can use Damien Burke's MMSAtoST utility to convert the images you
wish to use.
If you select the 'Use PC drive A:' PaCifiST will attempt to use you pc's floppy
drive as an ST drive. Try to avoid using this for now, as it is still quite
unstable.
4. Autoboot from A: ?
If this is turned on, the initial PaCifiST screen is bypassed and the disk in
drive A: is loaded straight away.
5. Set ST memory
Lets you specify how much ST memory you want to have emulated. A word of
advice - do not specify more than you have on your PC!
6. Sound Emulation
This lets you setup up the sound options for PaCifiST. It should be easy
enough to understand for practically anyone. (Yes..you do need a soundcard
to take advantage of this... ;) )
7. Enable Serial Port
Enable or disable emulation of the ST's serial port via the PC's one. Its not
very stable yet so it's probably a good idea to leave it off.
8. Set up Mouse
Only try this if your mouse driver does not work with PaCifiST. When turned on
PaCifiST tries to use it driver on your mouse. You have to specify a com port
if you turn this feature on. The sensitivity option allows you to specify how
responsive you want the mouse to be. It's not advisable to try this under
Windows 95 by the way.
9. Set Display Options
* Set Refreshrate
Basically sets the framerate. The lower it is the nicer the emulator will look
but you'll need a fast machine (P75 or >). If you are using a 486 raise it
until the emulator runs at an acceptable rate.
* Set Fastvideo
If you have a fast graphics card this feature does nice things (don't ask me
what - I don't have a fast graphics card ;) ).
* Colour/Monochrome
Umm..let me see..Could this change between monochrome and colour mode? Nah..
it couldn't be ;).
* Set Truecolour
Enable the use of truecolour I suppose.
* Set Graphics Mode
Select a type of graphics mode for the emulator to start in. Once in the
emulator you can change it again (unless you chose the CUSTOM mode in which
case you'll have to exit the emulator and choose a different mode from AssiST.
10. Set Joystick Emulation.
If this is turned on, PaCifiST uses the keyboard to emulate an ST joystick, if
not, then whatever joystick you have connected to your PC will be used.
11. Set STe/STf emulation
This isn't implemented in the current release of PaCifiST.
12. Set LED emulation.
This enables the use of the keyboard LEDs to display disk activity. On some
machines this can the emulator to crash. Try turning it off if PaCifiST doesn't
run properly or crashes frequently.
13. Set CPU emulation.
This isn't implemented in the current release of PaCifiST.
14. Set Keyboard Delay.
Some games may seem too responsive/unresponsive, if this is the case then
change the value of this setting.
Phew. Thats that over and done with. Thanks go to the following people :
Frederic Gidouin (for his great emulator and all the patient emails :) )
Alien (for the top scroller)
Arnaud Carre (for writing STSound - a great ST soundchip music player!)
Damien Burke (for all the cool mails :) )
Zippy (for getting in touch with me :) )
Ben Fozard (for all the email and support)
Gerard Butterly (insanity, helping with AssiST 0.3, flaming without a cause ;) )
IOL (espc. Joanne whose beauty makes me want to keel over and die)
And practically everyone else who is/was supporting the ST scene!
Aengus Jankowsky 20.4.97 (ajankows@iol.ie).