ZX Pilot #34 20 июля 1999

Amiga

Amiga - Answers to frequently asked questions about the Amiga soft'e.

                A M I ​​G A



  Answers to frequently asked questions

             Amiga soft'e.

Q: What is on the Amiga operating system
   We?

A: In addition to wired in the ROM core AmigaOS, there

   Amix (UNIX System V), NetBSD, Linux,

   Minix, OS / 9, etc ... OS / 9 - a prod
   vinutaya Multi-user operating system
   system. It is a vivid representatives
   field real-time OS, but it Stoi
   dependence is quite large - Amigovskaya ver
   And this costs about 600 USD and only

   gluttonous to the equipment. Amix - it's you
   Commodor'e still indulges his license
   onnaya version of the UNIX System V, the existence
   Does even the special UNIX Amiga A3000UX,

   already comes with UNIX. Enough

   Amigovskih many servers on the Internet

   is not under AmigaOS, and under NetBSD. C

   On the other hand, unlike the PC - Ami
   gaOS is the de facto standard, and

   competition between different operating
   GOVERNMENTAL systems is absent. Each system
   theme is used for their needs.

Q: What is "Multitasking" on the Amiga?

A: In AmigaOS implemented preemptive Prio
   ritetnaya multitasking. Each task

   can be in three states:

   expectations, willingness to perform and you
   complement (obviously, in the third state

   on a uniprocessor machine at the given
   instant of time can only be

   one task). The task of moving from

   wait states in the state of readiness
   In particular, queued for execution

   which is sorted by priority for
   cottages, that is, having the largest at
   priorities of the task gets control first
   howl. Problem in the state

   Implementation can be derived from not
   On three occasions: when she voluntarily

   moved into a wait state, if from

   wait states got a problem with pain
   PWM priority, and if the

   task has exceeded its allocated quantum

   time. In the latter case, the control

   transferred to the problem with equal her priorities
   is located in the queue for fulfillment
   of. User tasks are usually

   have zero priority, and if they

   simultaneous operation of these fulfilled

   parallel. Systemic problems, maintenance
   equation describing the external devices are a pain
   shy priority, and due to very small

   overhead of switching con
   Text prepared by management of external

   events in real time. Thanks

   Executive package is implemented in AmigaOS

   dynamic setting priorities for
   cottages. This allows us to divide the tasks to

   and interactive computing. The first

   - It's usually service the I / O:

   device drivers, communication

   programs, text editors, etc.,

   there are problems, who spend most

   time waiting and almost no sweat
   reblyayut processing power. Second -

   All the main time of use

   processing power entirely: it is

   archivers, rendering packages, etc.

   Executive oversees the investment of time
   not every task and every second makes

   conclude what the problem some priority
   put. As a result, priority

   interactive tasks increased, and they

   operate without inhibition associated with

   parallel execution of computational

   problems. There is a misconception that

   this will lead to inhibition of the computational
   lems, but the simplest example -

   Gasket 1 kilobyte of text in a text

   Editor - you can be sure it is not

   as follows: regardless of the priority Editor

   the same amount of action will be

   spent the same time, and computational
   auxiliary problem will work with one and

   the same efficiency. And an editor

   higher the priority will be to work in conditions
   loviyah strong CPU for the
   noticeably faster.

Q: What file system support

   AmigaOS?

A: Historically, the first to file system
   Theme OFS, applied at the earliest

   Amigo. This file system is enough

   slow and imperfect, has bounded
   values ​​on the partition size and uneconomical pa
   similar disk space - 512

   bytes of each sector of useful information
   tion contains only 488. Later, from

   with OS 2.0, there was a system FFS, deprived
   Naya many flaws - the partition size

   increased up to 4 gigabytes in 512

   bytes, much more rapid access to

   disk. In OS 3.0 there was a modification of its
   tion - FFS / DC, which are cached ka
   Taloga, and reading the catalog is no longer

   requires sawing disk dozens

   seconds (for the HDD is not critical). Ned
   UPE released its modification, in which

   remove the restriction to 4 gigabytes on time
   measures section of the hard drive. However, all the 
variables    enumeration of file systems still

   Therefore, slow enough to spend too
   com a lot of disk space

   proprietary information, and very moody

   for emergency stop machine

   - If you lose your computer in the process

   write to disk, after booting system

   within minutes of testing

   disk, correcting inconsistencies and

   makes it impossible for him to write (Naver
   Noe, you've already seen the requester "Disk not

   validated "). filesystem AFS, cos
   This independent programmer, deprivation
   on almost all the above Nedo
   disadvantages. Recording can be interrupted at AFS

   at any time without fear

   (True, this implies that for
   order of recording on a disc rather

   critical, and the AFS Cache NOT ON

   RECORDING!). Access to any part of the file

   the AFS is almost the same rate
   velocity, as well as directly to disk, and the operator
   radios to create / delete / etc. Files

   pass an order of magnitude faster than in FFS.

   In addition, AFS is not so much spending

   disk space on the utility integral
   formation - AFS reserve in advance
   approximately 5% of disk space for

   service goals, and overflow fi
   Lamy disk begins to take them under

   place in the unused parts of the case
   zhebnoy zone. However, AFS more requirements
   sensitive to the car - for good work
   You need a fast CPU and otni
   maet 100-200 kilobytes of memory

   each section, so the minimum concentration
   figuration, which can be recommended
   vat install AFS - A1200 is at least

   with two megabytes of FAST-memory. Philo
   new system CrossDOS firm Consultron

   allows you to work with floppies, vinches
   terami, partitions and disk images in the

   files in the format of MS-DOS FAT. File

   system CrossMAC the same firm is working

   Disc format Macintosh HFS. Aude
   However, both these systems are designed only for

   information exchange - AMIGA can not pa
   bot nor FAT, neither HFS disk - FAT

   has a limitation on the size of the name and

   HFS has a different structure altogether. Cross
   DOS included with AmigaOS.

   There are many file systems

   to work with CD-ROM format as an ISO
   9660, and HFS. One of them is in

   supplied with AmigaOS 3.1.

Q: How is the file system

   AFS?

A: The installer only copies the AFS system
   dark disk all the files needed. For

   that when you start the machine automatically
   cally mounted AFS and has appeared in
   zmozhnost boot disk with AFS, it is necessary
   Dimo install it in the RDB Winchester.

   To do this, run HDToolBox, select

   Advanced Options, and Add / Update filesys
   tem. Then clicking Add New FileSystem

   and specify the name of the file system (something

   Type L: HardDiskAFS020). Next HDToolBox

   require the signature of the file system:

   Enter 0x41465301 (but not rewrite
   entirety: otherwise it will not work).

   After pressing Ok on the list but will
   curve filesystem. Then, for each

   partition on which you plan conditions
   SETTING AFS, select Change FileSys
   tem, set AFS1 and change the Max

   Transfer to 0xFE00 (originally there one hundred
   um 0xFFFFFF). In the old version HDToolBox

   (Included Parts of OS3.0 - now discussed

   about OS3.1) to select Custom FileSy
   stem, and apart from changes MaxTransfer
   Identifier apply to 0x41465301, as

   installing AFS in the RDB. After this

   click OK and Save Changes. Natural
   but these sections need to format.

   The details of these issues are discussed

   in the AFS FAQ.

Q: Can AMIGA run programs other
   elastic computers?

A: On the Amiga, there are many emulyato
   moat other platforms. Including - even

   Amiga itself. Practically, there dostato
   chno quality emulators Apple Macin
   tosh (of it was discussed earlier), ZXSpectrum

   (Which would be very convenient to users

   this machine over to the Amiga and

   wishing to be in a totally unfamiliar
   my situation), IBM PC80486 and Pentium,

   Yamaha MSX-2, Apple-72, Atari VCS / XL / XE

   / ST, Commodore-64, Amstrad, GameBoy,

   Dendy, Super Nintendo, BBC, TRS-80,

   Sinclair-QL and many lesser-known

   computers and consoles. One of the cars
   ditch FAQ written emulator BK0010, and NSP
   is an emulator BK0011M. Interesting site

   on emulators: AMIGA EMULATORS

   CENTRAL. More information about

   emulators: FAQ on emulators in Russian
   Scoma language.

Q: Is there an Amiga emulator on other boards
   forms?

About: UNIX AMIGA Emulator (UAE) there

   for virtually all platforms, including

   Amiga itself. Available in source code

   in C. Emulates chipset OCS (1984

   years), requires insanely high speed

   processor for more or less normal

   work (at the level of good working standard
   tion - even SGI Indy can not cope with

   this task). Many moments (eg

   sprite collisions) will not be emulated because of

   great complexity, and in many other

   cases, the graphics and sound are far from the original
   signal. Emulator ECS and AGA, that is, with
   Amigo time does not exist.

Q: Will the problem of finding the compiler

   C / C + +?

A: The most popular at this time SAS / C

   Storm C and GNU C. All three compiler

   can generates code as a 680h0 and

   a PowerPC (unfortunately, Storm C work
   melts with its own library
   Mi supporting PowerPC, is inconsistent with the

   standard). GNU C allows you to practice
   practically without any alterations to compile

   program from the UNIX - for this ISPO
   box is used library ixemul.library, um
   uliruyuschaya queries core UNIX.

Q: Is there something similar to AutoCAD, or

   understands ACAD'ovskie formats?

About: MaxxonCAD, DynaCADD ... In addition, we can
   but to use similar products

   for Macintosh - for example, the well-known parameter
   ketom MicroStation.

Q: What is datataypy (datatypes)?

A: The Amiga operating system, starting

   with a third version, built-in mechanism for distribution
   cognition of various file types and pa
   boots with them. Thus, for example,

   graphics editor does not need to know

   about all graphics file formats -

   availability in the desired form datatypes
   mats make it possible to download them.

   No one is stopping you invent own
   LIMITED data format, write to the OS it

   support - and the most modern

   programs will begin to understand it. Naturally
   respectively, datatype - a means not only

   for working with graphics: supports and

   sound, and so on. In addition, the datatypes

   already built-in support for viewing files

   and the system utility will Multiview

   see any files, of which the value
   em system.

Q: What is CyberGraphX?

A: It is somewhat a completely rewritten

   AmigaOS libraries to support the form
   deokart realizing all of the standard

   graphics capabilities of these

   maps and supporting new opportunities
   the (modes 2, 3, and 4 bytes per pixel,

   Any organization VRAM). By ka
   zhduyu supported CyberGraphX ​​video
   map is a special driver. In our
   toyaschee time programming interface CGFX

   is the de facto standard. Here with
   we selected a lot of useful information on CGFX

   There is also a package Picasso96, work
   similar melting and software sovmes
   ible with CGFX.

Q: I want to listen to Audio-CD.

A: No problem - players in bulk. Package

   AsimCDFS lets you listen to music as

   directly from an audio output CD-ROM drive,

   and reading it in digital form (if

   drive allows it).

Q: I want to watch Video-CD.

A: There are several options. Hardware

   solution - buy Squirrel MPEG. Actual
   virtually a standalone device, which
   PoE is hung on the SCSI bus and allows

   look at the monitor or television
   Zora DVDs, directly addressing the

   SCSI CD-ROM. Due to its autonomous
   STI is a device may work itself
   yourself. Software solution - the films
   EASURES Osiris and Isis, but more or less

   normal quality required Power

   PC.

Q: I want to burn CD-R.

A: No problem. There are all the necessary software

   - You only need to buy a SCSI-controller

   and CD-recorder, for example Philips. And we can
   but simply refer to the firm Condor, and

   You for a modest fee will record a disc

   directly from your HDD. (Amiga firm the KOH
   DOR is located in Moscow).

Q: I want to "rob" music from Audio-CD.

A: If the CD-ROM is it possible (for example,

   ATAPI IDE Panasonic CR-572B allows

   exactly), the best option - establish
   vit package AsimCDFS, file system

   from which it can mount ay
   diodiski as a set of sound files to
   torye can simply be copied and traced
   Shiva any player audio files directly

   CD-ROM. In addition, there

   set of programs that provide

   similar opportunities.

Q: I want to listen to the resulting sound-track,

   or simply WAV'y. Heard that the Amiga

   bit audio output 8 bits. What

   will be the quality?

A: Bit audio output Amiga - 14

   bits. Of sixteen can be distinguished, but

   Only if you try. For losing
   of sound can be used, for example,

   program Play16, understand the format

   WAV, AIFF, IFF, and just RAW (only

   audio data without the header). Maxi
   mum sampling frequency sound -

   about 60 kilohertz, is equal to twice an hour
   quency line scan monitor (sound

   selected from memory by DMA for the inverse
   During Mr. Beam).

Q: I want to hear not only MOD, but S3M,

   XM, MTM, DMF, MID, etc.

A: There are plenty of players - Delitracker,

   PS3M, HIP, APlayer, EaglePlayer, as well
   same MIDI-player GMPlay. The more chan
   fishing - the more quickly you need a car.

   68030/50MHz enough for 16 or more satellites
   signals at a sample rate of 44100 Hz

   68060 is able to play in the real

   time almost anything. Well

   and 8-channel more or less playing and does not
   Extended A1200 ...

Q: I want to write music myself. What is the best

   do?

A: If the music is written in order to insert it

   in any toy, demoshku etc.

   - Better ProTracker'e. The reason is simple

   - 4-channel music is played apparatus
   TNO, without taking the time machine and not less
   Shai main program. If the purpose of - pi
   write music as such, is the best

   option - Symphonie Pro: 255 channels

   16-bit audio, programmable DSP

   effects (included source code -

   You can write himself) and the opportunity for
   pisi soundtrack for the CD. If there is a ho
   roshy synthesizer with MIDI interface

   You can use multiple

   sequencers type Bars'Pipes. Package

   OctaMED SoundStudio allows you to work

   as with MIDI, and digital audio.

Q: Can I work with PC'shnymi floppies?

A: Of course. All the necessary drivers

   is in the distribution Workbench. For this
   first need to click on the icon in the kata PC0
   log sys: storage / dosdrivers, or give

   command mount pc0: - that in general

   There is one and the same. Read, write,

   formatted floppy disk in the 720 and 800 kb.

   On the HD drives - 1.44 mb.

Q: Can I read CD-ROMs from the PC?

A: Yes. CD-ROM format is standard, and

   called ISO-9660. Come in two different
   the visibility - with the "castrated" names

   File 8 +3, the legacy of dark

   time operating system MS-DOS (Le
   vel 1) and with normal, up to 30

   characters (Level 2). And that both -

   great read. There are less races
   propagation of formats - for example, HFS

   on the Macintosh. Most file systems
   in order to read and such discs.

Q: Can I carry the software on your hard drive,

   as is usually done on a PC?

A: Of course. This is done in exactly the same.

   ;)

Q: Can I work with a hard drive, Hautefort
   frosted on PC?

A: You create a text file with
   roughly as follows:


   Device = scsi.device

   Unit = 1

   Flags = 0

   Surfaces = 16

   BlocksPerTrack = 63

   LowCyl = 0

   HighCyl = 1056

   Reserved = 0

   Stacksize = 4096

   Priority = 10

   GlobVec = -1

   Buffers = 10

   BufMemType = 1

   Mount = 1

   DosType = 0x4d534800

   FileSystem = l: CrossDOSFileSystem


   And put it in the directory sys: stora
   ge / dosdrivers named pcc. After

   this, create a copy under the names

   pcd, pce and pcf. As a result, subcategory
   lyuchenii slave IDE-HDD, Hautefort
   Frosted on the PC, after the

   Machines need to give the command mount pcc:, and

   first partition the hard drive will be sufficient
   foams as a device pcc:. Likewise,

   to do with the second, third and

   The fourth section, if any.

   Options to change the hard drive is not necessary -

   they are read from the disk automatically

   In no case do not touch this wine
   Chester HDToolBox'om - as a result of
   Similar action may stop problem
   tatsya on the PC. CrossDOS supports

   file system MS-DOS FAT, and starting

   with the seventh version - Windows95 VFAT. Dru
   Gia filesystem (eg, HPFS /

   NTFS / etc) will not be read.

Q: Is there a PC-compatible archivers? Not

   whether the problems with archives?

A: There are UNARJ, UNRAR and full ZIP (by

   InfoZip, both under OS / 2) and HA. Local

   LhA also fully compatible with one
   pisishnym variables. There is an old brand

   PKZip - visitors can compare its intensity
   terfeys with pisishnym. :)

Q: Got a self-extracting RAR archive

   How to unpack?

A: Take the editor CygnusED (or any

   another does not change without your knowledge

   binary files) and remove the portion EXE
   file from the beginning until the inscription "Rar!"

   - That is, the file must begin with

   Rar!. Rename it to #?. RAR and further

   unpack using UnRAR - now

   it is a regular file.

Q: How Russified AMIGA?

A: The idea is simple enough: create a key
   map (map of Russian keyboard) with the codes

   Russian symbols, and fonts that contain

   Russian letters. Russification of the keyboard
   th entry is done using the program

   for a given key or combination

   key-changing Russian layout to

   Latin and vice versa. In addition, the system
   tem is added to the driver: country -

   from which the system recognizes the date format

   time zone, currency, and about
   The presence of the options for Russia, used

   different programs, and language - in

   which, for example, contains rules

   sort alphabetically, conversion

   uppercase to lowercase and vice versa,

   for the Russian language. Also, for many

   programs, create a directory (files defined
   divided by format, containing all the tex
   tum communication program) in Russian

   language, so that after installation

   Russian language in the operating system

   (Locale Prefs), these programs will

   to have a Russian interface. From ne
   keyboard switch is the most izves
   tny following programs: RusyTNG, Dis
   Ease, Rusifier, AmiRus. Best of luck
   Nye of them - AmiRus - allows Perek
   Luciano keyboard on any given

   key or combination of the two SHIFTov,

   as well as assign different layouts

   on different screens (which is convenient, for example,
   For example, for FIDO, which uses 866 to
   bombarded). Package Rusifier is possible
   sequence of the grammatical forms

   in the Russian language interface (eg,

   the substitution of control characters in

   catalog software, are unaware of

   This will display messages of type 1

   file, 2 files, 5 files). Unfortunately,

   This package is equipped with a very mediocre
   nym switch, keyboard, and work
   just melts in your own coding
   VKY (other programs for encoding

   not bound).

Q: What kind of encoding characters used Russi
   to form an Amiga?

A: Actually, use of all common
   nye encoding. However, the most convenient

   encodings that contain Russian letters in

   range 0xC0-0xFF, and do not contain

   any commonly used characters in

   range 0x80-0x9F. This requirement

   satisfy the KOI-8, Windows 1251 and no

   than with incompatible encoding examples
   nennaya package Rusifier. Encoding

   Standard (ISO 8859-5) satisfies this

   demand only partially, because

   Russian characters in it starts at about
   region of special characters native to the

   Amiga encoding ISO 8859-1 (degree marks
   penalties), and may have problems with

   number of programs and old texts. Cody
   mounting plate DOS (866) does not satisfy this

   requirement, since Russian capital

   letters in it are in the range of cases
   zhebnyh ANSI codes, and in very many

   cases, programs may, with them at all

   not work. Choice of encoding depends on the

   the challenges that you face. In

   particularly for the Internet

   it's best Windows-encoding - in

   this case, you will be able to talk

   in Russian on IRC, no problems seen

   Russian WWW-pages. In addition,

   this case, you can use ogro
   mnym of TrueType and PostScript

   fonts to a PC. A number of software packages

   (Eg TurboCalc and Wordworth) enables
   lyayut easily import and export
   vat files in PC-format. 866 Kodirov
   ka, despite her discomfort was

   popular on the Amiga in Russia several

   years ago, but now its use is unlikely

   Whether justified.

Q: Why is the use of 866 coding

   impossible to work with the Russian capital
   skim the letters in many programs?

A: For normal Russification AmigaOS nuzh
   for encoding key codes which are not

   fall in the range 0x80-0x9F. Zaglav
   nye 866 letters encoding for AmigaOS NE
   lyayutsya office (for example, the letter Y -

   the code CSI, odnachayuschy beginning ESC Village
   ledovatelnosti and substituting "ESC [").

   Therefore, the software, in general, and is not obliged to

   her work. Use 866 Kodirov
   ku as a major no sense.

   Where it may be necessary

   (For example, FIDO), can help you
   conclusion options Text Gadget Filter in

   IControl Prefs - in this case in the field

   I will be able to Intuition

   enter the codes 0x80-0x9F.