Release 49 ("Pyrite")

Release 49 ("Pyrite")

For hardware compatibilty, the following firmware versions are supported by this ROM release:

• VERA:
  • Recommended: 48.0.1
  • Also supported: 0.3.1, 0.3.2, 47.0.2
  • Functional but with known problems: 0.3.3
  • Unsupported: 0.1.1 or older
• SMC:
  • Recommended: 48.0.0, 47.2.3
  • Also supported: 43.0.0 and higher
  • Unsupported: 42.0.0 or older

Changelog:

• BUILD
  • Better support for building on Windows in instances when Python's default encoding is not UTF-8 [stefan-b-jakobsson]
  • Fixed the OLD command not re-initializing pointers to array and string variable memory.
  • Some updates to support varying versions of cc65 after they renamed the 65c02 target to w65c02, and created a new 65c02 target without STP and WAI.
  • Some listings fixes for the emulator [gaekwad]
• KERNAL
  • New POST routine will now do rudimentary tests of RAM and VIA#1 and attempt to display indication of any problems found instead of booting. It will also send POST progress codes to I/O address $9FFF under certain conditions. [jburks]
  • Cursor blinking in the Editor now properly swaps between the active cursor color and the existing character color.
  • New PETSCII control code $0B/11/Ctrl+K swaps the active keyboard layout to the previously selected one. This was added mainly to support switching between JA-JP and a Western layout.
  • extapi has several new calls
    • memory_decompress_from_func - a version of memory_decompress that calls a callback function per byte of input [adiee5]
    • default_palette - gets a pointer to, or applies the default color palette
    • has_machine_property - allows the caller to check for various machine environment flags
    • kbdbuf_get - fetches a character from the keyboard buffer, bypassing channel I/O
    • kbdbuf_clear - immediately empties the keyboard buffer
    • blink_enable - enables the blinking text cursor outside of BASIN's use of it
  • extapi no longer requires the stack to be at $01xx on 65C816 machines.
  • CHKIN no longer hangs after opening a file with an empty filename on a device that does not exist [stefan-b-jakobsson]
  • Fixed the END key not properly handling lines which have a character in the final column of a row [stefan-b-jakobsson]
  • Fixed memory_crc calculating the wrong value for blocks whose lengths are not a multiple of 256 bytes [stople]
  • Improve entropy_get by including the VERA scanline as a source of entropy [irmen]
  • Fixed LOAD loading extra bytes under certain conditions when it ends near memory location $9D00
  • Fixed a logic bug involving LOAD to VRAM from IEC devices near VRAM location $19D00
  • Allow bypassing booting a cartridge by holding the Shift key at startup.
  • The STASH call can now write to ROM space, supporting expansion/cartridge RAM, and allowing the BASIC POKE command to reach it. [Fulgen301]
  • Added code which avoids a lockup when attempting to set the keyboard LEDs with no keyboard attached
  • extapi16 has several new calls
    • xmacptr - 24-bit aware extended implementation of MACPTR
    • xmciout - 24-bit aware extended implementation of MCIOUT
    • hbload - 24-bit aware extended implementation of headerless LOAD
    • get_last_far_bank - Returns last useful far bank for 24-bit addressing
  • Now warns the user at boot if the write-enable jumper for the ROM is closed [stefan-b-jakobsson]
• DOS
  • Added a new channel 15 command "FL" a.k.a. FATLBA for CMDR-DOS which returns the LBA of a file's current position.
  • Added support for XMACPTR and XMCIOUT calls (blockwise read and write for 24-bit addressing on the 65C816)
  • Fixed a missed RAM bank restore when attempting to access the SD card when it's not present [stople, irmen]
• FAT32
  • Fixed bug involving blockwise reads (MACPTR) from files > 2GiB
  • Avoid erroneous empty LFN entry when filename length is a multiple of 13 [stople]
  • New blockwise read and write functions for 24-bit far addressing (65C816)
  • Fixed a severe bug causing corruption of the root directory of the SD card when opening an existsing 0-byte file and then appending to it.
• KEYMAP
  • Added katakana layout at JA-JP. This layout functions somewhat like an IME, where the consonant keys act as dead keys. This pairs with the katakana character set added prior to the last release. [adiee5]
• BASIC
  • Added MOD() function, supporting signed 16-bit operands. [JimmyDansbo]
  • BASLOAD statement now supports an optional device number [stefan-b-jakobsson]
  • Fixed BASIC buffer overflowing and corrupting KERNAL RAM state when attmpting to input lines > 80 characters in screen modes which don't divide 80 evenly.
  • Fixed the π constant to be more precise [markjreed]
  • Add a : after the injected RUN command for the DOS wedge ^ command [irmen]
• UTILITIES
  • Stefan B. Jakobsson's X16-Edit has been updated.
  • Stefan B. Jakobsson's BASLOAD has been updated.