----- Original Message -----

From: Martin White

To: techtoolslist@www.flippers.com

Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2003 11:40 AM

Subject: RE: [techtoolslist] Newbie on Fluke 9010A

Okay, still playing about :O)

 

Sorry about the sig 0 bit - worked that out, bit dumb of me really!

 

I was being a bit thick, and as i just jumped straight to the Scramble example i missed the whole point of this which is that if i search the machine drivers section i get the pre-generated script - DOH!

 

Okay, so i picked Asteroids, and have played about a bit. Used FIDE to generate the sigs and put them into the code via the web page, all went well but for a few errors. Stop me if you don't want the feedback, but i assume it would be helpful to you :O)

 

The generated script had the rom name as the program names for the rom checks. However the compiler really doesn't like "035145.02" as a program name, and after trying a few variations i plumped for ROM1 through ROM4 and it was happy, so perhaps put the rom name in the description box and stick with sequential ROM names as per the RAMs for the program names?

 

But now for something which i assume is just down to me and my setup!!

 

I get errors with the following two commands:

"exercise errors NO" and "POD 6502"

 

Is this down to me not having FIDE set up correctly? For instance, do i have to explicity stipulate where the 6502.9lc file can be found, or is that automatic?

 

Last one, don't know if it was a typo, but using the link you emailed me i got v4.16 (just updated it), not v4.07?

 

Anyway, i should probably get on with some work now, but thought i'd have a little play with something interesting for an hour to break the boredom of programming work :O)

 

Apologies for boring all those of you not interested in Flukes and FIDE!

 

Martin.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-techtoolslist@www.flippers.com [mailto:owner-techtoolslist@www.flippers.com] On Behalf Of James Bright
Sent: 07 October 2003 15:28
To: techtoolslist@www.flippers.com
Subject: Re: [techtoolslist] Newbie on Fluke 9010A

 

Martin,

 

Thanks for catching those items...

 

DPY inconsistency. Yes, a bug. I have been working in development mode and have not actually taken a script and run it. Although I have done test compiles. Thank you for catching that.

 

ROM test @ xxxx-yyyy sig 0 is 0 right now because I haven't loaded the signature data. Last night I was able to run through a test program that pre-calc'ed the signatures for all of the MAME ROMs that I have on hand. I will probably have that data available shortly (definitely by the end of the week), so the pre-generated code will include the actual signature. I will also provide a facility for users to provide their own ROM file or files (through a zip file). I will probably also enable a "ROM search" feature too... just because I now have all that data. That could be considered "ROMIdent Lite" because it will not work on partial or corrupted dumps.

 

I think I've ironed out most of the pre-generated script issues. So if you pick a MAME virtual machine to start will, remove the "junk" (wrong memory maps), you should be left with a viable ROM/RAM test script.

 

There is more that I could do with the script generation, but if you're starting with this as a framework, it's probably easier to edit it by hand.

 

Also, I should mention that FIDE is now publicly available on tech.quarterarcade.com. You don't have to email me for the link anymore. The latest version is 4.0.7 IIRC.

 

JB

 

--James Bright
www.QuarterArcade.com
Restored Arcade Games for your Home

----- Original Message -----

From: Martin White

To: techtoolslist@www.flippers.com

Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2003 10:18 AM

Subject: RE: [techtoolslist] Newbie on Fluke 9010A

Hi James,

 

Just had a spare moment at work and was browsing through the code generated for the Scramble example...

 

One albeit minor error in the ROM test sections, you display "ROM TEST" in the DPY command, but "RAM TEST" in the aux command. Minor i know as the command sent to the Fluke is "ROM TEST", but also a minor fix too i guess so figured i'd mention it!

 

Also, in the command "ROM test @ 1000-17FF sig 0" are we meant to fill the 0 in with another value? I've not been using the Fluke in anger yet, so i'm not sure which value should go in here. Is it the CRC that is generated for me by FIDE?

 

Were there any other specific areas you had in mind when you said the script probably wouldn't work without modification?

 

Thanks,

Martin.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-techtoolslist@www.flippers.com [mailto:owner-techtoolslist@www.flippers.com] On Behalf Of James Bright
Sent: 06 October 2003 03:40
To: techtoolslist@www.flippers.com
Subject: RE: [techtoolslist] Newbie on Fluke 9010A

 

What you will probably find is that a lot of the concepts are transferable from game to game. For example, you�ll always want to test RAM and ROMs as they are the easiest to test and directly or indirectly cause a lot of faults. (Indirectly being that the RAM may be good, but a control line selecting the RAM is not� in which case you can isolate down the general area.)

 

I�ve put my �intro� article on programming here:

http://tech.quarterarcade.com/tech/Fluke/9010A/Scripting/IntroToScripts.aspx

 

As well as adding in program documentation to FIDE. (BTW, I have not posted FIDE on the site for download. No need to contact me anymore.)

 

But you could start by just using the code generator that I was working on. For example, you could start with a Scramble script here:

http://tech.quarterarcade.com/Tech/CodeGenerator/Default.aspx?g=2470&set=scramble&cpu=133

 

(be sure to get all of that URL). That probably won�t run unmodified, but it would be a start.

 

Now, what this does not buy you is specific chip testing like custom chips, 4116 hi/low nibble isolation, and so forth. But if you are just starting out, you�ll work up to that with time.

 

BTW, I am considering a code repository for game-specific 9010A if people will contribute. Worthwhile? Let me know.

 

Also, what I found to be a huge resource was the Fluke publications that John has hosted. I think they�re labeled as �Troubleshooter Guides.� They give very good techniques for debugging.

 

Good luck learning it. I found that it took a good month to get real comfortable. Pick an easy starter board like Scramble as that makes learning easier as well.

 

JB

 

--James Bright
www.QuarterArcade.com
Restored Arcade Games for your Home

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-techtoolslist@www.flippers.com [mailto:owner-techtoolslist@www.flippers.com] On Behalf Of pc2jamma
Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2003 1:00 AM
To: techtoolslist
Subject: [techtoolslist] Newbie on Fluke 9010A

 

Hello Guys !

 

 

I just received my Fluke 9010A and my two Pods 8080 and Z80AA.

 

I'm also using Fluke IDE Software, thanks to James, it's a wonderfull Software !

 

Does anyone have some 8080 or Z80 sample program for gamaes such as Scrambler, Space Invaders (Taito and Midway), or some other game ?

 

Thank you very much, and soon I hope contribute with this list with some scripts and information about this great tool !

 

 

Thanks

 

Jos� Luiz Martins