Thanks for the advice so far, but I still don't know how to edit or use some multi-disc games and demos.
I don't have the option to use a real floppy drive on my MSX, so I can't load these programs on a floppy, I only have an SD card reader.
Any solution I used with the COPY command does not work on all programs and demos, so is there any other way to use multi-disk programs with SofaRun except for files modified with COPY / B?
Or is there another MSX tool that can do that?
Or is there a PC tool that is able to open a DSK image and export a ROM file from several DSKs?
It is clear to me that direct export of DSK-ROM is not possible, but what about opening a DSK image to use its contents and then exporting as ROM?
Thank you for the advice.
joy_33 if you read the manual (sofarunit) it clearly states how to switch disk images and why they have to be concatenated.
*************************************
* SofaRunIt v2.1 *
* (c) 2019 by NearDark and Louthrax *
*************************************
===================================================================
Introduction
===================================================================
SofaRunIt is a MSX tool designed to launch MSX disk images. It is
based on NearDark "RunIt" tool, with many changes and improvements.
It features:
* Support for file-based disk images (MSX-DOS and BASIC).
* Support of both concatenated and individual disk images.
* Support for mixed 360KB & 720KB concatenated disk images.
* Keyboard or joystick on the fly disk change.
* On the fly write protection change.
* On the fly user disk creation.
* Up to 20 disk images at the same time.
* Support for games using memory mapper, even if your MSX does
not have memory mapper read-back capabilities.
===================================================================
License
===================================================================
You are allowed to freely use and distribute SofaRunIt for any
non-commercial usage.
This software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied
warranty. In no event will the author be held liable for any
damages arising from the use of this software.
===================================================================
Requirements
===================================================================
MSX computer with MSX-DOS 2, and 49152 RAM bytes free on the main
slot. Type "memory" on the MSX-DOS 2 command line to check how
much free RAM you have.
Games using memory mapper (like the translated version of SD
Snatcher or the cracked Konami Game Collections) will require more
memory.
===================================================================
Usage
===================================================================
Usage: SRI [options] ...
[options] can be one or more of:
/Bx: Boot from disk x (1 = first)
/C: Simulate [CTRL] pressed
(only one drive & more memory)
/Dx: Delay disk operations (0..255)
/F: No memory mapper support
(faster disk operations)
/M: Use Music Module as MSX Audio
/N: No screen change (keep palette)
/P: Compatible mode. A bit slower but
allows access to non-primary RAM
(like SD-Snatcher cartridge)
/R: Make next images read-only
/W: Make next images writable
/Zx: Set CPU mode
- turboR only -
0: No change (default)
1: Z80 (ROM)
2: R800 ROM
3: R800 DRAM
x is an hexadecimal number
is a disk image(s) file
A can contain several
concatenated disk images
If preceded by '+', will
be created on the fly on first access,
as formatted empty 720KB MSX-DOS disk
Only one '+' is allowed
Several can be specified,
they will be added in order
Following operations are available
on disk access (CAPS led on):
Keyboard:
[1]-[9]: Select disk 1-9
[0]: Select disk 10
[Shift]+[1]-[9]:
Select disk 11-19
[Shift]+[0]:
Select disk 20
[R]: Make current disk read-only
[W]: Make current disk writable
Joystick disk selection:
1. Keep (A) or (B) button pressed
2. Press other button x times to
select disk x (CAPS will blink)
3. Release both buttons");
===================================================================
Troubleshooting
===================================================================
Most issues are cause by either:
* Not enough memory available. Try the /C option.
* Too fast disk accesses. This can cause graphical glitches or
even game crash. Try the /D option to slow down the disk
accesses. Increase the value until game works.
* Disk is write protected. Some games require the disk to be
write-enabled. Add the /W parameter before .
Even if everything has been done for it, SofaRunIt can't run 100%
of the games, because it's loaded in RAM mapper and not in a real
ROM slot. If the above solutions do not work, your problem might
be caused by games accessing directly the disk ROM instead of
using hooks, or because of your memory configuration (most
of the times when you have multiple RAM slots). Those issues are
usually easy to patch. so let me elaborate here
You need to concatenate disk images like this
copy /b disk1.dsk+dsk2.dsk+dsk3.dsk concat.dsk
This will combine 3 disk images into 1
Then to switch disk you do this.
Push 1 and while holding 1 push space for disk 1
Push 2 and while holding 2 push space for disk 2
Push 3 and while holding 3 push space for disk 3
1 2 or 3 are the number keys above QWERTY on your keyboard not sure if the number-pad keys work as I never use those keys
I assume you're using a MiSTer and might have downloaded the VHD file - it also is included in the readme in that file.
Oh, so if I understand correctly, when using daisy-chained disks, another disk can be switched using the keyboard - numbers 1 to 10?
I use MSX - SX 1 and I apologize for my English, I only use the google translator
I just tested it on a real MSX and it really is, thank you very much for the advice, this solves my problem.
I'm new to MSX so I'm just learning.
It is not clear to me how I did not come across this in the manual for SofaRun :-(
Anyway my mistake, thank you for the advice.
well that's the most important thing to know with SofaRun when working with disks
The SRI manual only mentions pressing 0-9, not simultaneously pressing SPACE...
Also, the manual states x is a hexadecimal number. That means when you would want to boot from disk 10, you have to use /BAh or something? And for delay disk /DAh? I wonder....
I also read A is defined as DSK image but I don't see A being used in the syntax.
Latok, it says:
Following operations are available on disk access (CAPS led on): Keyboard: [1]-[9]: Select disk 1-9
That's exactly it. In most games, pressing space starts the disk access.
Latok, it says:
Following operations are available on disk access (CAPS led on): Keyboard: [1]-[9]: Select disk 1-9
That's exactly it. In most games, pressing space starts the disk access.
Ah ok, but it might just as well be RETURN key...Its not part of Runit...
Exactly 