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Vintage Computers Any vintage computer systems, calculators, video games etc., but with an emphasis on 1980s and earlier equipment.

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Old 5th Jan 2023, 11:35 am   #21
DavidMS
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Default Re: Mk14 uploader

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Originally Posted by SiriusHardware View Post
This thread may float your boat - most if not all of the programs from the manual as SBASM source and the hex generated from them thanks to Slothie, plus a few more.

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=183689

Bear in mind that some of them are intended as subroutines and have to be called from your own added code in order to do anything.
Great thanks
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Old 5th Jan 2023, 12:30 pm   #22
SiriusHardware
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Default Re: Mk14 uploader

It's worth reading through the whole thread because there was a problem with the 'Moon Landing' source and Hex in the initial post, corrected in a later post in the same thread.
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Old 6th Jan 2023, 1:02 pm   #23
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Default Re: Mk14 uploader

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Originally Posted by SiriusHardware View Post
It's worth reading through the whole thread because there was a problem with the 'Moon Landing' source and Hex in the initial post, corrected in a later post in the same thread.
Thanks, I quite like reading through complete threads to see how conversation on the subjected developed, the Ortonview one was particularly interesting
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Old 6th Jan 2023, 2:21 pm   #24
SiriusHardware
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Default Re: Mk14 uploader

Oh, good - so hopefully you also found that the 'send14' uploader script was up to V1.2 by the end of the uploader thread - there were a couple of buglets in earlier versions, the worst being the inability to load any Intel Hex line with a checksum of 00. (Fixed in V1.1/V1.2).
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Old 7th Jan 2023, 2:54 pm   #25
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Default Re: Mk14 uploader

I have managed to get a rough version of the Sirius's uploader s/w running on a pico in circuitpython. The main Intel hex 'process' bit worked with out any real modification - including the file handling which was a bit of a surprise - currently it just try's to upload a single defined file (message.hex) - as the command line bit is not going to work with the pico. The method for and pin assignment numbers change from the original python, as does the routine for 'firing' each individual keypress.

In terms of timing it seems to be stable with the following settings but I do more testing on this to confirm.

# Minimum length of a keypress (seconds).
KeyPressLength=0.005
# Time for post-release debounce delay (seconds).
KeyReleaseLength=0.005
# Additional settle time after entry mode change (seconds).
ModeChangeSettleTime=0.006

My master plan is add a LCD display now the important bit works. this will allow you to select from a number of preloaded programmes or upload a user generated hex file - the process for the latter will simply be to drag it into the the CIRCUITPY folder on the PC then hit a push on the board. The assumption being the pico is 'mounted' via the USB.

I'm not sure if I there is a way to get a directory listing into a string which would allow for quite an elegant solution if not I will have to include an extra text file listing the pre-loaded hex files
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Old 7th Jan 2023, 8:16 pm   #26
SiriusHardware
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Default Re: Mk14 uploader

It would be nice if, when you get it working to your satisfaction, you could document it in a thread in a similar way to the way it has been done for the other uploaders so that anyone else who wants to try it can get everything they need - instructions, interface schematic, code for the Pico etc, from one place. (That's assuming of course that you don't mind making the project available to all).
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Old 7th Jan 2023, 9:07 pm   #27
DavidMS
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Default Re: Mk14 uploader

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Originally Posted by SiriusHardware View Post
It would be nice if, when you get it working to your satisfaction, you could document it in a thread in a similar way to the way it has been done for the other uploaders so that anyone else who wants to try it can get everything they need - instructions, interface schematic, code for the Pico etc, from one place. (That's assuming of course that you don't mind making the project available to all).
That’s the plan possibly with a PCB as well
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Old 8th Jan 2023, 12:07 pm   #28
SiriusHardware
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Default Re: Mk14 uploader

Good man - if you've used the original Intel Hex processing bit almost verbatim then be aware that there is a minor issue with the way it verifies the checksum in the line - as written it only works if any alpha characters in the line checksum in the line are in upper case, and fails if there are any lower case alpha characters in the line checksum.

Although I was made aware of this I didn't fix it because I personally have never seen an Intel Hex file which wasn't in upper case, but I looked into it and apparently they can legitimately contain lower case alpha characters, so you might want to patch that on your version.
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Old 8th Jan 2023, 1:59 pm   #29
DavidMS
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Default Re: Mk14 uploader

Quote:
Originally Posted by SiriusHardware View Post
Good man - if you've used the original Intel Hex processing bit almost verbatim then be aware that there is a minor issue with the way it verifies the checksum in the line - as written it only works if any alpha characters in the line checksum in the line are in upper case, and fails if there are any lower case alpha characters in the line checksum.

Although I was made aware of this I didn't fix it because I personally have never seen an Intel Hex file which wasn't in upper case, but I looked into it and apparently they can legitimately contain lower case alpha characters, so you might want to patch that on your version.
Thanks, likewise I have not seen LC alpha characters in an intel file. I am guessing I have that feature hidden away in 6800 and Z80 hex loaders I have written in the past
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