vic.rocha@canremote.uucp (VIC ROCHA) (09/20/89)
RE: Janus v2.0 & A1000/Sidecar Keyboard emulation anomalies! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I have been running an A1000 with Sidecar rev A1060 (since 1977) with Janus v2.0 for some months now and have enjoyed many of it's features! For the great majority of software on the PC side there seems to be few problems! (Including but not limited to DBase III Plus, Lotus 123 v2.01, Framework II, WordPerfect v5.0, WordStar v5.5, MSDOS v4.01 (with Shell!), and others!!, heck, even Flight Simulator works!!, but slooooow!!). (My wife and I both use these programs for "work from the office"!!) There are a few keys on the A1000 keyboard though, that are emulated through Janus. Namely the keypad `*' (PrtSrc) is the combination of the Right Amiga and `P', keypad `+' is R-Amiga and `=/+', `NumLock' is R-Amiga and `N', and Scroll Lock is -supposed- to be a combination of R-Amiga and either of `HELP' or `S'. Well, that "ain't"" so!! The HELP key by itself or in combination with ANY key always brings up the Amiga PCWindow Menu's `Project/Help' option -AND- the combination of the R-Amiga and `S' keys always triggers the window menu's Display/Small-Size Window option. Now, a number of MeSsyDOS programs require the use of the Scroll Lock key, for example: Framework II (to `Shuttle' between functions!), PowerMenu (v4.14 and earlier, to `move' `windows'!!) and numerous other programs!! While I'm at it there is one more key that isn't available, namely the PC's `Break' key (also required in FW II's `terminal' node, and in a few other programs, but, Ctrl-C seems to work `most' times!). It seems to me that this is not a problem for A500's and A2000's since they have these keys directly on their keyboards. It also seems that the key code `scanning' is `hard coded' into the s/w (PC Window, Janus.library or Scancode.table, SidecarKeys.table?) and it shouldn't be too much to ask that the Help key be `disabled' (it's only but a `beginner's' need anyways!) as was in Janus 1.0 so that R-Amiga-Help will emulate the Scroll Lock properly!! (I say "properly" because when I am using PowerMenu that key combo works `sometimes', PowerMenu ((no such luck with FW II)) tells me that Scroll Lock is engaged AFTER I have closed the Amiga Help screen display!) (ARRGH :-(!!). Also, when running some software, ie: PCAnywhere v3.0, it seems that the `arrow' (cursor) keys (same on A2000's I am told!) get `trashed' and `revert' to outputting the digits 4,8,6,2 as if they were from the keypad but, without NumLock being engaged!! Ditto for the `DEL' key (which outputs a ` . ')!! When that situation arises, holding down the Shift key together with the cursor/arrow key does restore the key's correct output, ditto for the DEL key! As I undeerstand it, that may be more of a fault of the program being run than it is of Janus but it should be worth looking into! [continued in next message] Vic Rocha --- * Via ProDoor 3.1aR
vic.rocha@canremote.uucp (VIC ROCHA) (09/20/89)
Janus v2.0 and A1000/Sidecar Keyboard anomaalies (continued) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Another item for the CATS crew to have a look see at is the PCHard program, not once has it rebooted the Sidecar's PCWindow! This, for me is no big deal, it's been rare that I had use for it. Ctrl-A-A and rebooting the whole shebang from RAD: isn't that troublesome!! Also, sometimes ARead and AWrite give error messages when I am trying to move files from either the internal or external 5.25" drives (external is an A1020) or the external 3.5" (A1010 config'd with DrivParm=D:02, dos 4.01, in config.sys)! Works perfectly, though, from either of the two hard drives (partitioned for both Ami and PC), necessitating that I add the step of copying the files from floppy to hard or vice-versa, before the ARead or AWrite! (minor ARRGH!! ;-( ) I have attempted to `edit' the PC/System/SidecarKeys.table by changing the value of the Left Amiga key (raw value of 66) to output $46 which is the pc equivalent of Scroll Lock, and it does work, BUT, this is a kludge which is unsatisfactory! It `conflicts' with any use of the `PC mouse' emulation' tied to the L-Amiga P key switch. Any attempts I made to edit the PC/System/ScanCode.table only caused program errors when attempting to run PC Window. The rest of my config not detailed above (this in a way is a `bug' report after all!) is: A1000 (512k chip), MC68010LC (with DeciGEL in s:s-s), Spirit INBoard1000 (autoconfig 1.5 megs `slow/fast' at $C000000, N-Design Ram Expansion (2 megs at `addram/addmem' 00600000 to 007fffff added at end of s:s-s, so that RAD: will work!) [This is the board that C=A should have delivered to back up that "unkept promise"!], located on the `pins' under the Sidecar's internal 5.25" drive, an A1010 as external df1:. Sidecar/PC also has a multi I/O (com1:, lpt2:, clock, ram to 640k, joystick port, battery clock) and the aforementioned `2' MiniScribe 8438's RLL 30megs, both running off an Adaptec ACB-2072 rll controller and powered from the Sidecar's power supply!! Also, the PC runs on a NEC V20 in place of the 8088 and has an 8087 co-proc installled. Amiga daughterboard (WCS?) PAL's pin 10's and the 68010's pin #53 have been "REgrounded" as have all the grounds on the `bus'!! Yes, I am amazed that all this works as well as it does!!! ;-) BTW, am running Workbench 1.3.2 with new files (d/l'd from CI$), including the new `SetPatch'. What does "fixes 68010 User State" mean? Does this mean I no longer need `DeciGEL' to trap the priviledged instructions? JH0:, JH1:, JLink/JDisk, PCDisk, TimeServ, LPT1S, PCPrefs *AND* AMouse all work as expected. Heck, my only complaints are with the Scroll Lock, PCHard, cursor trashing and the flakey ARead/AWrite's! (Don't know about PCBoot, don't have an Amiga side hard drive!) If there is a way to correct the situation (especially the Scroll Lock one!) through some non kludgy/key conflict `editing' (ie: Scancode.table or SidecarKeys.table). I would muchly appreciate some instructions. If, (as I suspect) it requires some changes to the hard coding, could someone at CATS tell us/me if they are aware of the foregoing `anomalies' and if and/or when we/I can expect a `fix', PLEASE! Thanks for the "signal"! Not often, but LOOONG bursts! Vic Rocha --- * Via ProDoor 3.1aR