Archives of Genesis8 Amstrad Page from 1999 to 2012 about utilities

SAMdisk v3.5 by Simon Owen is out.

The utility supports transfers between floppy disks and disk images, and is designed to work with almost any soft-sectored disk format compatible with the PC floppy controller, including some copy-protected formats.

Low-level floppy device access requires the fdrawcmd.sys driver to be installed.

Version 3.5 (2013-01-07)
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- Fixed interleave and skew values for Pro-Dos .cpm images
- Alignment tweaks to some output formatting
- Restored code signing to help download validation

A work in progress version of GrafX2 is available to draw "mode 5" pictures for Amstrad CPC.

GrafX2 is a bitmap paint program inspired by the Amiga programs Deluxe Paint and Brilliance. Specialized in 256-color drawing, it includes a very large number of tools and effects that make it particularly suitable for pixel art, game graphics, and generally any detailed graphics painted with a mouse. The program is mostly developed on Linux and Windows, but is also portable on many other platforms.

You will find an interview of Marc Maulin, co-author of the Amstrad CPC utility Discology, on CPC Rulez.

SAMdisk v3.3 by Simon Owen is out.

The utility supports transfers between floppy disks and disk images, and is designed to work with almost any soft-sectored disk format compatible with the PC floppy controller, including some copy-protected formats.

Low-level floppy device access requires the fdrawcmd.sys driver to be installed.

Version 3.3 (2012-06-14)
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- Added built-in support for zipped and gzipped files
- Added support for repairing 8K sectors with bad CRCs
- Added support for raw hard disk images
- Added identify device data reading, where available (non-USB)
- Added --hdf to force HDF version (10 or 11), with v1.1 now the default
- Added --no-identify to ignore source identify data
- Added --no-cfa to suppress CFA festures in generated identify data
- Enhanced identify to include  CHS/LBA28/LBA48 sector counts and CFA
- Enhanced verbose disk list to show serial+firmware and MBR partitions
- Changed disk list to show all devices by default, not just BDOS
- Fixed repairing to blank target tracks, with new density check
- Fixed HDD access beyond 4GB boundary, extended -s range to 2TB
- Fixed SAD image writing with custom sector sizes
- Fixed status messages being written to log and not erased correctly
- Improved FDC integrity checks during sector reads, for suspect hardware
- Improved total sector count to CHS mapping

The last version of the CPCDiskXP utility is available on CPCMania.

You will also find various programming tutorials, especially tutorials about using C compilers like Z88dk and SDCC, or assembler compiler like Pasmo.

SAMdisk v3.2 by Simon Owen is out.

The utility supports transfers between floppy disks and disk images, and is designed to work with almost any soft-sectored disk format compatible with the PC floppy controller, including some copy-protected formats.

Low-level floppy device access requires the fdrawcmd.sys driver to be installed.

Version 3.2 (2012-04-08)
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- Added general support for 1Mbps data rate, used by ED disks
- Added 1Mbps support to IMD images, using new track modes 6+7
- Added --tty option to output console messages to non-console streams
- Fixed crash reading gap data from oversized sectors (thanks Philippe!)
- Fixed crash using --verify when writing non-simple images
- Fixed gap data trimming when writing FDI+IMD images

GrafX2 is a bitmap paint program inspired by the Amiga programs Deluxe Paint and Brilliance. Specialized in 256-color drawing, it includes a very large number of tools and effects that make it particularly suitable for pixel art, game graphics, and generally any detailed graphics painted with a mouse. The program is mostly developed on Linux and Windows, but is also portable on many other platforms.

GrafX2 v2.3 has been released in April 2011. It can of course be used to draw Amstrad CPC screens.

SAMdisk v3.1 by Simon Owen is out.

The utility supports transfers between floppy disks and disk images, and is designed to work with almost any soft-sectored disk format compatible with the PC floppy controller, including some copy-protected formats.

Low-level floppy device access requires the fdrawcmd.sys driver to be installed.

Changelog:

Version 3.1 (2012-03-18)
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- Added --repair option to help combine damaged image dumps
- Added write support for D88 images
- Added support for IMD mixed sector sizes
- Added record name from source basename, if no label available
- Added more file sizes for raw image recognition
- Added verbose track output for floppy->image dumping
- Fixed IMD creation using 500Kbps instead of 250Kbps
- Fixed bit alignment during IPF track wrapping
- Fixed converting images to BDOS format when setting label
- Increased --rescan matching distance from 32 to 64 bytes
- Updated to zlib 1.2.5, using zlibwapi.dll instead of zlib1.dll

ManageDSK v0.20g by Ludovic Deplanque is out. Its interface is available in english, french and spanish. It features :

• create an empty .DSK file,
• add files in a .DSK file,
• extract files from an .DSK file,
• rename files in a .DSK file
• delete files in a .DSK file,

To write a single DSK image file you can either use :

• ManageDSK by Demoniak (windows)
• iDSK by Sid (it's an unix/macos port of ManageDsk, it seems that you will need the dsktools by Andreas Micklei)
• WriteDSK by Targhan (on Amstrad CPC only)
• CPCDiskXP by Mochilote (windows)

Beware, WriteDSK works on the CPC (you must have a PC 3,5" with the .DSK which will be copied on the same 3,5" drive or another 3" drive). It supports the CPC Booster by Antitec.

But if you want to write a double sided DSK, you will have to use CPCDiskXP by Mochilote for the moment.

P.S. : from the WriteDSK documentation, it should support double side DSK.

QuickCMD v2.3 is out, a shell-based user interface by NoRecess.

This adds support for a new command history to be used through UP and DOWN keys (was requested by many of you !). Also, a critical crash has been fixed with ROMS command when listing ROMs having corrupted names. Another critical problem (involving stability) has been fixed with direct drive parsing. And finally, the RSX got renamed to |Q for even faster switching from BASIC to QuickCMD.

To help using your HxC floppy emulator, vous can use the last version of the HxC Floppy Emulator Manager (v2.3) by NoRecess.

It's now faster to launch, spaces in directory names can now be used, and the user interface is now using the default system font with new color scheme (aligned to ParaDOS and QuickCMD's ones). As previous releases, ROM version is also available.

QuickCMD v2.2 is out, a shell-based user interface by NoRecess.

These are the changes:

• Added support for Bryce's MegaFlash
• Renamed RO and RW commands to READONLY and READWRITE
• Removed CRTC command
• Reset screen to QuickCMD’s default if external RSX changed video mode
• DELROM now clears a rom with &FF value (was using &00)
• Fixed: was overwriting first byte after HIMEM
• Fixed: not assuming anymore than Amsdos area is always at &A700

What about an Odiesoft interview as a starter, then an update of ManageDSK and SDCC2Pasmo for the main dish and dessert on NoRecess ?

Following v2.0, QuickCMD v2.1 is out, a shell-based user interface by NoRecess. Since v2.0 QuickCMD is a real ROM (small RAM footprint) and adds new features like low-level file management. It's now written in assembly with a bit of C, instead of using C only. Use CTRL + TAB from Basic to launch QuickCMD.

QuickCMD v1.0 is a new utility by NoRecess. It's a shell-based user interface running on top of the system. Its aim is to provide a faster way to launch programs. The idea actually came from a fact about NoRecess own usage of a CPC : most of the times, he turns on my computer to only execute CAT/RUN commands. He thought there were rooms to improve that process :

• a really fast text output (really appreciated for discs containing lots of files)
• no need to type RUN" prefix anymore, simply typing a filename is required to execute a file
• faster approach to execute a file : even if the pattern Shift+Arrows + copy/paste a filename + Control+LeftArrow + Control+Enter is handy to fast-launch files after a CAT command, I found myself more efficient to uniquely deal with program's filename
• autocompletion : just type F then I letters then TAB key ; if FILENAME.BIN exists on disc then it will be automatically completed !
• fully compatible with the system : you can launch BASIC as BINARY files the same way, you can quit to BASIC then getting back to QuickCMD, DIR command also supports Cat'Art, etc.
• extensible command system : instead of typing a filename to launch, you can also specify a Resident System eXtension (RSX) ! By example, to launch HxC Floppy Emulator Manager, instead of getting back to BASIC and type |HXC, you just have to enter HXC as any other command. Parameters are also supported, so by example you can use default REN command or Arnor UTOPIA's COPY commands !
• respect the system : if an external command use the classic char output routine (BB5A), then its output will be merged to QuickCMD's user interface. This is possible thanks to usage of hardware scrolling provided by the system.
• handy shortcuts : pressing two times TAB key acts as a DIR, ESC two times acts as a quick exit to BASIC, etc.
• history management ! It's working like MSDOS's DOSKEY does (use up/down keys)
• auto-launch. When QuickCMD is installed on your system, it will get launched automatically after all other ROMs will get properly initialized
• not intruisive : credits are voluntary kept hidden behind ABOUT command ; the aim is to provide a neutral program, not a front-end for personal advertising or whatever
• clean, efficient and simple Z80 implementation using a mix of C and assembly programming language

ManageDSK v0.18 by Ludovic Deplanque is out. It features :

• create an empty .DSK file,
• add files in a .DSK file,
• extract files from an .DSK file,
• rename files in a .DSK file
• delete files in a .DSK file,

First, you should download the latest firmware of the SDCard HxC floppy emulator, the v1.3.11.0 corrects some timing problems with Asic 3 (CPC+) and 4 (pre-CPC+), and some bugs. It's best to freshly format (FAT32) your SD card, then copy the *.upd and *.cfg to the card. Press Left and Right buttons before power up and keep it pressed at least 1 seconds at power up. Wait some seconds, it's done.

There is now an Amstrad CPC program to directly choose an image. This program (just run"hxc) is in the autoboot.hfe disk image. By pressing the middle button, the autoboot.hfe disk is automatically selected. It has been compiled with Small Device C Compiler and still need to be optimized (slow drawing using system calls). The program has been converted to a ROM by Krusty, but as the original program is changing fast at the moment, it could be a bit early to download it.

SAMdisk v3 by Simon Owen is out, it's a command-line disk image utility for Windows 2000 or later. The utility supports transfers between floppy disks and disk images (DSK/MGT/IMG/HDF), and is designed to work with almost any soft-sectored disk format compatible with the PC floppy controller, including some copy-protected formats. Low-level floppy device access requires the fdrawcmd.sys driver to be installed.

You can use a java GUI written by DevilMarkus : SAMdisk GUI.

This utility requires a floppy drive connected to a standard motherboard connector. USB floppy drives cannot be supported as there is no way to access their embedded floppy controller chip.

Cpcdsdk is a project aiming to collect the various bit of existing sourcecode in one common place for the linux OS relative to the Amstrad CPC, add the missing features, and make life easier for all developpers :

• The Caprice Reloaded emulator, with integrated assembler and debugger, for windows and linux,
• gfx2crtc, a tool to convert pictures to the amstrad sceen format,
• An imporved version of Ramlaid's cpctools, now running under linux, with (limited) support for usb floppy drives
• A special version of STSound from Leonard, modified to emulate an AY3 more accurately (the original emulates the slightly different YM chip used in the Atari ST)
• Hideur Maikeur by Downwater for handling AMSDOS headers
• iDSK from sid for manipulating dsk images and files inside.

DevilMarkus has written another java utility : SAMdisk GUI, a GUI for SAMdisk by Simon Owen : a CLI utility for Windows 2000 and XP, used to transfer between physical SAM Coupé disks (both floppy and IDE) and disk images (DSK/MGT/IMG/HDF).

This utility requires a floppy drive connected to a standard motherboard connector. USB floppy drives cannot be supported as there is no way to access their embedded floppy controller chip.

It can transfer Prehistorik 2 for example.

You can download the latest version of the PC-CPC emulator and of ManageDsk v0.17 (.DSK file handling utility) by Ludovic Deplanque (Demoniak).

This last version of the emulator corrects 2 bugs, one about CLI use (command line interface) and the other about the 2nd joystick handling.

You can download Arkos Tracker v1.0 beta for PC by Targhan.

An update of GrafX (v2.2) is available.

DevilMarkus has written a new utility in java : Cdt2Wav, so you can use it on Windows, Linux and Mac.

For Linux and Mac users, launch the cdt2wav.jar with the following parameters : cdt2wav.jar -Xms512m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=512m (or set all to 256 if you want only 256 Mb max. ram usage).

WXCOMMANDER (see CPC Loader) is a general purpose two-panel file manager for windows, but it can read/write .DSK files, others features :

• Create zip and iso files
• Upload files to the Internet using FTP
• Fast file handling using the keyboard
• Built-in viewers handling many file formats
• Advanced built-in text editor
• Create animated gifs
• Create shortcut menus for your USB flash drives
• Portable - a single exe file with no particular dependencies
• Convert mdb files to csv or dbf
• No installation required (self-extracting zip exe provided for convenience)
• No uninstallation required (just delete the folder)
• Free for non-professional home use

An update of GrafX (v2.1) is available.

It's a bitmap paint program that allows to draw in more than 60 video resolutions (from 320x200, including most of the standard Amiga resolutions, provided your videocard knows how to handle them). It was written originally for DOS, but has been modified to use SDL and modern operating systems. Its layout is not very different from Deluxe Paint or Brilliance.

PulkoMandy has released GrafX v2 final.

It's a bitmap paint program that allows to draw in more than 60 video resolutions (from 320x200, including most of the standard Amiga resolutions, provided your videocard knows how to handle them). It was written originally for DOS, but has been modified to use SDL and modern operating systems.

Its layout is not very different from Deluxe Paint or Brilliance, so it will be quite easy to handle it if you know at least one of these programs.

A new version of CPCDiskXP is available on CPC Mania. It's a .DSK file manager for windows XP, version 2.0 is from January 2009.

You will find on Tom & Jerry's site 2 ASM sources (maxam) for compressing Amstrad CPC binaries (better than pucrunch and bitbuster) : Exomizer et Aplib, coming from the PC world. He found them in a forum thread of Amstrad.ESP (spanish site).