Most of what you should read is in the original Unix README file also included in the package. Im going to note only what's supported and what's not on this Macintosh version.
What's new in v0.6.0:
- It is noticeable faster!. I would recommend you to switch to framerate 1 if you're using a PowerPC.
- The hardfile now works with Kickstart's versions prior to 2.0. It still won't boot tho.
Minimum System Configuration:
- Any Macintosh model capable of 8 bit (256 colors) graphics.
- A Monitor capable of displaying 8 bit (256 colors) graphics.
Recommended:
- An Extended Keyboard.
- An Amiga Kickstart Rom image.
Don't contact me for a ROM image. Its copyrighted software.
Read the Un*x README file for instructions on how to get it using
the included TRANSROM program.
Mac Specific implementation:
- Full US keyboard mapped for the emulation.
- Amiga keys are mapped onto PgUp and PgDn.
- The Command key emulates Amiga right mouse button. (This changed since you may need to press both the left and the right mousebuttons. ie: Boot Menu).
- As noted in the Un*x README, the rom image file should be located at the same level as the application and named 'kick.rom'.
Mac source code comments:
The source code is available upon request.
I didn't include it this time for size reasons.
You can contact me at my email address (included at the end of this document)
and ask for it.
You can build faster 68k versions (020 + fpu) or PowerPC specific (604,603,etc)
by setting up the project and compiling it.
Bugs:
Please send any bug reports to my email address.
I'll greatly appreciatte if you contact directly the author (Bernd Schmidt) for emulation
specific bugs, however if you are in doubt, send them over, and i'll take care it gets to the right person.
I did removed a lot of bugs from previous versions, but then again, i may have introduced new ones in the upgraded parts.
Differences between the PowerPC and 68k Versions:
None!. Besides, ofcourse, of the actual speed. All the features of the PowerPC version
are included in the 68k one.
Why i included a FAT version of UAE this time?. Again, for size reasons.
You may use a shareware utility like Stripxxx to remove the code you
dont use from the application.
How things works now and how they should work in the future:
- UAE works in 8 (256 colors),16 (Thousand of colors) and 24/32 (Millions of colors) bits mode. However, using 256 colors should make the emulatior run a bit faster.
Please note that in 256 colors mode you may loose some colors.
Thats due to the Amiga palette wich has a 4096 colors palette while we only
have a 256 colors palette. Switching color entries during the emulation is simply
absurd, since the overhead it could take would be deadly. However, the current
implementation is really good and you will notice the difference on just a few
programs.
The emulator will setup itself by checking the current bit settings.
So to run in 256 colors, simply switch your monitor to 256 colors and run UAE.
I may add a little menu to work this bitdepth thing out, however there was a bug
in the previous 68k version in the routine in charge of switching bitdepths.
Im open to suggestions on this specific matter.
- You can choose to use either QuickDraw compliant (more compatible) and non-compliant (faster) screen drawing routines from the Video Menu.
The default setting is Quickdraw compliant.
- There's a Amiga's 'graphics.library' native implementation in this version.
You can turn it on/off using the 'Use gfxlib replacement' option on the Video Menu.
Note that some program may fail with this option turned on.
On the default setting this option is disabled.
- You can now switch resolutions using the 'Screen Resolution' option in the Video Menu. Smaller resolutions will make the emulation quite faster.
The default resolution is 640x256.
- The frame rate setting refers on how many frames the emulator should skip each 1/30 of a second. Lowering the value will make animations smoother but the emulation will be slower. Increase it to skip more frames, have a bit of jerky animation, but make the emulation faster. Play with this setting depending on your configuration to find the value that meet your needs.
The default value for the framerate is 3.
- You may add 1Mb of the so-called slow memory (the one located at $C00000).
Use the Memory menu to enable/disable it.
The default setting is Slow memory disabled.
- Use the Drive menu or its shortcuts to Insert/Eject floppies. Be warned that it
takes some time until the Amiga recognizes the disk insertion. (On 68k specifically).
- The hardfile option is implemented. Choose 'Generate hardfile' from the Drive menu to create it. You MUST have 8Mb of free disk space to create it.
It now works with kickstart versions prior to 2.0.
You can control wheter the emulator should or should not mount the hardfile using the
'Don't mount hardfile' command from the Drive menu.
You have to quit and re-run UAE to mount the hardfile after it has been generated.
Also remember to format it with AmigaDOS.
- You can now share files between Mac/Amiga!. Use the 'Shared Mac/Amiga folder...' option on the Drive menu and select the folder/volume you want to share. It will be mounted as 'HD0:'. All the functions are implemented except to change the file attributes.
- The sound option is implemented.
You can turn it on/off by the MenuBar or with Command-S.
The default is Sound on.
- The Screen Update option is implemented. What's this option good for?
Smoother sound and faster emulation. Just turn it off when the computer
is doing some math or playing music and check the difference.
You can turn it on/off by the MenuBar or with Command-U.
The default is Screen Updates on. (doh)
- Joystick emulation is implemented through a fake keyboard joystick.
Use the numbers on the keypad (8=up, 4=left, 6=right, 2=down, 5=fire).
You can turn on/off this option by the Menubar or with Command-J.
The default is Joystick on.
- Right mouse button support for 2 or 3 button mac mouses should be added. Until i get myself one of those mouses and its API it won't get implemented.
- Pressing Command-Q quits the emulation immediately. It should confirm before leaving.
Ongoing improvements:
Many. Among them are on-the-fly screen resolution switching,
Fastmem implementation, better sound support with real
Double Buffering, bug hunting/fixing, etc.
Last but not least, the greetings:
Thanks must go to Bernd Schmidt (the author) for such an amazing creation and everyone else that contributed in this project.
(Read the CREDITS file for the complete list).
Thanks to all the people that sent mail with bug reports, questions, requests
or just to encourage me to go on with this product.
Since this product is freeware, the main testers are the people perse.
Thank you all for your patience.
The nice icons were done by Tobias Kaminski (kaminski@deculx.BA-Loerrach.de)
