DCMOTO - Release notes

DCMOTO is an emulator for Windows of all Thomson 8 bits computers
Linux, Mac-OS and other operating system users may wish to use
dcmo5, dcto8d or dcto9p. Links are on the home page of the official web site.

Version : 2012.11.23
Author : Daniel Coulom
Web page : dcmoto.free.fr

Emulated computers

MO5, MO5E, german MO5E
MO5NR, MO6, Olivetti Prodest PC128
T9000, French QWERTY TO7, French QWERTY TO7, German QWERTY TO7
TO7/70, arab TO7/70
TO9, german TO9
TO8, TO8D, TO9+

Warning

Every new version is supposed to come with improvements and bug fixes. It can also bring new troubles.
Reporting abnormal behaviour is very important, in order to fix program errors.
In case of major issue, you can still use previous versions.

Anti-virus

Some anti-virus find threats in harmless programs, especially when the executable program is compressed with UPX.
With DCMOTO there is absolutely no virus, trojan horse, spyware, nor advertising nor call to any website.
If your anti-virus program finds a threat, it is a "false positive". In this case, you must report the error to your
provider, so it can correct the detection rules.

Installation

Required hardware configuration

Pentium or newer processor, frequency 300 MHz or better.
Windows 98/ME or Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Seven or newer, 32 bits or 64 bits.
640x480 or better display, 65536 or more colors. Audio processor needed.

Install dcmoto

Unzip downloaded file to any folder and (optional) make a shortcut to dcmoto.exe program.
DCMOTO doesn't copy any file to other folders. It doesn't modify registry, nor any file in your computer.
It is a portable program : it can be copied to a removable device, i.e. an external hard drive or an usb key,
and moved to another computer with no difficulty.

Using dcmoto

Execute dcmoto.exe by double-clicking the filename or using the shortcut.
Select the language (Options/Settings...).
Read online Help and dcmoto web site documentation.
Keyboard layout can be displayed and modified by user (Options/Keyboard...).

History

Version 2012.11

Emulation test for SD card devices : MO5SD (on the tape port) and MO6SD/TO8SD (on the joystick port).
Accented characters are now valid with keyboard simulation.
Mouse click bug fixed for all computers.
Mouse emulation bug fixed for MO5NR, MO6 and PC128 computers.
Minor bug fixes.

Version 2012.03

New emulated computer : German QWERTY TO7.
New emulated computer : French QWERTY TO7.
Improved floppy disk controller emulation, allowing to boot from disk unit #1.
6846 timer status is now saved to .mrx file.
Minor improvements and bug fixes.

Version 2012.01

Keyboard simulation defaults to fast speed (screen displayed after each line).
SWI instruction disassembled differently depending on the computer type (MO or TO).
Floppy controller initialization does not reset the selected default device.
Fixed MO5NR, MO6 and PC128 memory bank management.
Fixed keyboard simulation error with the TO8 and the TO8D.
New feature to load a binary file into memory.
Fixed cycle number and video line number in the debugger dialog box.
Minor improvements in video display functions.

Version 2011.10

Added Italian language option.
Added emulation of joystick second button.
Fixed BEEP malfunction with TO8, TO8D and TO9+ modes.

Version 2011.09

Fixed an error in PSHU and PSHS instructions when U or S register becomes less than zero.
Fixed wrong test making disk unit 3 impossible to format with DSKINI function.
Fixed error in PIA emulation when joysticks are not selected in the option dialog box.
Fixed problem with the joystick fire button detection in some uncommon cases.
Fixed disk format function. It was wrong with DOS Basic and Assembler cartridge.
Keyboard repeat delay adjusted for TO8, TO8D, TO9 and TO9+.
Fixed music speed change after pressing a key with the TO8 and the TO8D.

Version 2011.07

Emulation of undocumented forms of EXG and TFR 6809 microprocessor operations.
Added new button to link to dcmoto website in 'About' dialogbox.
Fixed 'Music & game' 6821 PIA emulation error (read port B).
Fixed TO8 and TO9+ RAM switching error in TO7/70 compatibility mode.
Fixed processor emulation error. Correct screen is now displayed with MEMO5 version of LOGO.
File dcmoto-printer.txt is automatically closed to allow opening without closing the emulator.
Simulation of keystrokes with clipboard or text file.
No warning for $41 and $42 opcode when "Stop on invalid operation code" option is unchecked.
Joystick initialization improved. HID devices on USB port are now working.
Fixed interrupt processing error with "La Malediction de Thaar" TO8 version.
Fixed TO8 keyboard emulation error with "Micro-Scrabble" and "Las Vegas".
Fixed inverted french and english messages in main menu.
Fixed memory page switching error with TO8 in TO7/70 compatibility mode. Game X-RAY is now working.

Version 2011.04

New gamma adjustment function available in Options/Settings menu
$41 and $42 invalid instruction warning disabled when no MO5 nor MO6 cassette are loaded
Error in 2011.01 version fixed : erroneous RAM adress in the 'RAM supersedes the ROM' process
TO8 keyboard interface emulation error fixed (Sapiens, Le 5e Axe, ...)

Version 2011.01

TO8 and TO8D keyboard emulation routine significantly improved
Keyboard scan error with MO computer family fixed
DAA (6809 operation) emulation fixed. MGT tape for TO8 works fine
Lightpen detection problem fixed (brightness computation was erroneous)
Implementation of QD90-280 emulation with the TO8, TO8D and TO9+ (showing the TO9+ bug)
QDD sector read/write error with CQ90-028 controller fixed
Many technical improvements with no impact on the user interface

Versions 2010.10 and 2010.10.22

IRQ signal management error fixed with the new subversion 2010.10.22
Dcmoto license text has been added to "About dcmoto" dialogbox
"About dcmoto" dialogbox is automatically displayed when dcmoto.ini is missing or obsolete
In debugger module, automatic incrementation of the address after a memory byte modification
Computer power switch is emulated with PC Scroll-Lock key
Pause state is ended with any key stroke, mouse click or joystick fire button
Errors fixed and improvements made in Save snapshot and Restore snapshot functions
Bank memory switching error fixed in TO8 mode
Options and Tuning are now parts of the same dialog box
Frame rate and sound buffer number options are no longer available. Best values are used
Contrast and brightness tuning is no longer available
Gamma curve modified to render better 8, 16 and 4096 color palettes
CAPSLOCK flag added to the status line, near the computer name
Video mode with 525 lines is emulated. Overscan routine works in the HCL Megademo
IRQ signal duration has been increased to fix a sound problem in La Malediction de Thaar
TO8 ans TO8D keyboard reading bug fixed
TO8 and TO8D mute signal is accurately emulated after measurements on the real computer
Memory bank number can be select for desassembly and memory dump
Debug mode break point address and memory dump address are saved and restored like other dcmoto options
Cartridge, disk and tape are saved in .mrx file and restored as well
Error fixed in TO9 boot sector reading
The 6809 emulator has been deeply modified, to make it easy to port to other systems
In step by step debug mode, the screen is refresh after each instruction execution
The tape is automatically rewind when a hardreset occurs
The tape is no longer automatically rewinded at the end, there is just a warning message
Disk and tape images are loaded into PC memory

Version 2010.04

Brightness and contrast slightly modified for 16 color palette
Right-Ctrl is used as the default key for ACC emulation, for all computers
Better full-screen mode. Shortcuts are PAGE-UP for full-screen and PAGE-DOWN for windowed mode
DirectSound is no longer used, to make sound emulation simple and light

Version 2009.05

TO8, TO8D and TO9 keyboard emulation fixed. This solve the keyboard problem with Le 5ème Axe
Better interrupt management in 6809 emulator
Tape writing with TO7 : error fixed
No more bank switching with TO8 and TO9 when writing to an address > &H1FFF
Saving and restoring of 'Stop on invalid 6809 operation code' setting fixed

Version 2009.02

Error fixed in TO9+ key decoding function
New tuning : display contrast and brightness
New dialog box for speed tuning, sound tuning and display tuning
4096 color palette computed with EF9349 gamma coefficients
8 and 16 color palette computed with genuine four level color coding

Version 2009.01

French MO5E emulation (AZERTY keyboard)
Arab TO7/70 emulation (QWERTY keyboard)
German TO9 emulation (QWERTY keyboard)
Memory expansion enabled/disabled option
TO8 and TO9 Mute signal bug fixed
Tape unit tool bug fixed
Sound volume control added
Emulation stopped during disk formating
Screenshot function added to File menu
Snapshot save and restore functions added to File menu
Fixed 6809 SYNC instruction. Now 5ème Axe character doesn't blink anymore

Version 2008.01 (v10.1)

Sharp tuning of microprocessor frequency (step = 1 kHz)
Improved accuracy of sound sampling frequency
New 'Apply' button in Settings dialog box
New values for sound buffer number : 2-4-6-8-10
Ramdisk formating fixed
Load snapshot function fixed
No more sound interferences during setting of T08-TO8D-TO9+ color palette

Version 2007.10 (v10.0)

Automatic initialisation of the system date (TO8, TO8D, TO9+)
New display routines for more acurate rendering (have a look at HCL demo)
Enable/disable option for numpad emulation
Enable/disable option for joystick emulation with PC numpad
Fixed bug in music and game MC6821 emulation
Fixed help dialogbox resize

Version 2007.08 (v9.6)

Fixed v9.5 bug in QDD emulation for MO5 and MO5E
Break point type can be selected (exec, read, write)
Fixed lightpen and mouse coordinates in left or right margin
Added warning message before floppy disk formating
Auto-rewind after reaching the end of a tape image (.k7 file)
After a floppy disk access error, right error code is returned
Fixed disassembler bug for LDY, CMPX et CMPY (immediat mode)
Fixed disassembler bug (PC relative address)
Added CD 90-015 floppy controller emulation
Added single side low density floppy disk emulation
Fixed 6846 emulation error (CRC register)
Added new option : number of sound buffers (2, 4 or 8)

Version 2006.12 (v9.5)

Simplification of language dependent message management
MC6846 controller timer emulation improved
Mute signal emulation fixed (sound bug in Bob Winner is fixed)
Fixed program crash when reading not opened .k7 file
Added new screenshot size : 600x400
New option to do not stop 6809 on invalid operation code
New optional break point on memory read or write
Lightpen position on a black area is no longer detected
Fixed TO9 cursor blinking malfunction
Fixed GP500 and Bactron sound problem on TO8
Joystick emulation no more linked to emulated computer
Added emulation of the TO8, TO8D, TO9, TO9+ numeric keypad
Better executable compression using LZMA algorithm

Version 2006.10 (v9.4)

Cartridge initialisation fixed in hardreset function
Keyboard shortcuts for snapshot and screenshot
CD90-351 emulation fixed (4 rom banks switched with &a7d8)
MRX file format modified (controller type added)
6809 disassembly shows microprocessor cycle number
New option for 320x200 screenshot (without border)
TO9 colour errors fixed
New emulation speed options : 800% and max
Added new screen mode 'bitmap4HCL' for HCL mega demo
New layout for 'debug' dialog box
Bugs fixed in 6809 disassembler
Selected bank number displayed in 'debug' dialog box
Improved 'Copy to clipboard' function in 'debug' dialog box
Printer emulation now works for every emulated computer
External controllers now work for every emulated computer
Fixed joystick detection bug (ie in Yeti)
Fixed LOGO-TO7 cartridge control (a new logo-to7 is available)
Many detail improvements
.sap file conversion fixed

Version 2006.04 (v9.3)

Task bar and menus are disabled in full-screen mode
Keyboard customization dialogbox improvements
Possible crash fixed in keyboard remapping
.mrx format improvement, to save cartridge contents
Keyboard shortcuts : Pause, Screenshot, Snapshot, Debug
Screenshot size can be selected in Options / Settings...
New F8 shortcut key to restore a .mrx file
Error and warning message management fully redesigned
Device selection bug fixed in 'Settings' dialog box
Write protection checkbox in 'Tape unit' dialog box
Status bar updated after option setting
Status bar updated after 'Tape' tool had been used
'tape protection' checkbox size fixed in 'settings...' dialog box

Version 2005.09 (v9.2)

Fullscreen mode available with ALT-ENTER
Improved screen display programming (using function pointers)
Video line displayed 12 microseconds sooner (to fit Puls group demos)
Bug fixed in built-in TO8-TO8D-TO9+ controller (jamming some Infogrames games since v9.1)
Optimization of 6809 emulator

Version 2005.06 (v9.1)

User can change keyboard layout
TO8 and TO9 Palette Load/Save functions corrected
TO7/70 border color bug fixed
Gamma correction improved for all emulated computers
Many detail improvements
CPU load reduced with more efficient programming (using pointers to functions)

Version 2005.01 (v9.0 beta 3)

New display interface using DirectDraw
New audio output using DirectSound
Window can be resized and maximized
New options for zooming and write protection
New fields in Debug window
.mrx file name can be choosed
Screenshots can be saved to .bmp files
TO7 second version is now emulated
.sap files are read and automatically converted
Bug fixed : disk format for unit > 0
DirectX detailed error messages
Screenshot .bmp structure compatible with non-microsoft software
GetWindowInfo function removed for Windows 95 compatibility

Version 2004.08 (v8.4 preview)

TO9 keyboard bug fixed
About DCMOTO switched from file menu to help menu
Minor changes in keyboard layout to improve consistency among emulated computers
Memory access improved for a better performance