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Differences in behaviour w/IIgs mode w/3K

PostPosted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:13 am
by toinet
Dear Rich and Dave,
A recent thread on comp.sys.apple2 makes us wonder if there or what are the differences when the DIP switch is enabled for the IIgs when a 3K is used within a IIgs. See https://groups.google.com/g/comp.sys.ap ... JqhQIZ9E-c for more information.

We have not yet dug into the ProDOS version or that is also related to Peter Ferrie's message from late 2018 in that forum. But, it seems some programs crash from time to time. OK, it can be the ProDOS port, it can be the MLI or Smartport calls but, still.

What are the differences (apart from the CDA) when the DIP switch is IIgs-enabled within a IIgs? Is that the support for Smartport extended commands? Are there interrupts used? Etc.

Thank you for your help,
Antoine

Re: Differences in behaviour w/IIgs mode w/3K

PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2020 7:17 pm
by dlyons
I will try out Total Reply myself later today.

In the meantime, here's something promising to try: There is a way to disable "Use GS CDA", which could clear up the crashes. To try that out, type Control-D from the CFFA3000 main menu, to get to the Debug menu, where there is an option to turn that off.

There is a also a Debug Log viewable in that menu, and it's most useful if the "detailed debug logs" DIP Switch is turned on. It will show an "Installing CDA [xx]" message at the point the 3K tries to install its CDA. This happens from inside of a ProDOS or SmartPort call. If the GS memory is in an out-of-the-ordinary state, this could certainly cause a problem, when the firmware makes several toolbox calls to the Memory Manager and then InstallCDA.

Note that the "GS Mode" DIP Switch is not meant to be optional. It should always be enabled when the CFFA3000 is used in an Apple IIgs, and it affects the way the 3K's CPLD interprets one of the signals to the slot.

As far as I can see the firmware never forces interrupts to be enabled during a ProDOS or SmartPort call. (There is one CLI instruction in the firmware, but it is only ever executed when using Import Disk Image from the 3K's menus.)

--Dave

Re: Differences in behaviour w/IIgs mode w/3K

PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 6:39 am
by toinet
Thank you, Dave.
Peter told me the two of you were discussing directly and that is great.
I hope you will share the outcome.
Thank you,
Antoine