Amiga.org

Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Software Issues and Discussion => Topic started by: punkyclown on October 28, 2015, 04:05:37 AM

Title: Two Questions
Post by: punkyclown on October 28, 2015, 04:05:37 AM
Hi All, Two questions, 1. Is it possible to force screens to open in public screens? 2. Is it possible to get backdrops to load using fast Memory. If I load a backdrop no matter how few colors I find myself running out of Chip Memory pretty fast.  Thanks
Brad
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: Oldsmobile_Mike on October 28, 2015, 05:08:19 AM
Yes and yes.

(1) Use a program like NewMode, ModePro, or any of the other mode promotion utilities on Aminet.

(2)  Tools like FBlit, WBCtrl, LoadWB SIMPLEGELS are all effective ways of reducing chip memory usage.  Which you use and which tweaks and settings you change depends which version of the OS you're using.  Much information is already about conserving chip memory, search the forums, here's another resource:  http://www.gregdonner.org/os39faq/compatibility.html#9

As an alternative if you get a graphics card you can boot with 98% of your chip memory still free.  Obviously this is a bit cost-prohibitive in our current market, however.  :(
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: SACC-guy on October 28, 2015, 05:38:55 AM
If you are using 3.1...go to prefs and open workbench, select other memory

if memory serves?
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: paul1981 on October 28, 2015, 12:54:13 PM
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;798240
Yes and yes.

(1) Use a program like NewMode, ModePro, or any of the other mode promotion utilities on Aminet.

(2)  Tools like FBlit, WBCtrl, LoadWB SIMPLEGELS are all effective ways of reducing chip memory usage.  Which you use and which tweaks and settings you change depends which version of the OS you're using.  Much information is already about conserving chip memory, search the forums, here's another resource:  http://www.gregdonner.org/os39faq/compatibility.html#9

As an alternative if you get a graphics card you can boot with 98% of your chip memory still free.  Obviously this is a bit cost-prohibitive in our current market, however.  :(


This chip memory question that always arises fascinates me. Honestly, if my A1200 only had 1mb of chip ram then it would be plenty for me. With FBlit, my chip ram never seems to go below about 1.7mb. I can have 20 tabs open in IBrowse and still no issue with chip ram usage. If 1mb of my chip ram died overnight then I can't say I'd miss it.
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: Matt_H on October 28, 2015, 06:15:20 PM
Quote from: SACC-guy;798242
If you are using 3.1...go to prefs and open workbench, select other memory

if memory serves?


I believe 3.5 or higher is required for that procedure, but otherwise accurate :)
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: golem on October 28, 2015, 10:32:37 PM
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;798240

Much information is already about conserving chip memory, search the forums, here's another resource:  http://www.gregdonner.org/os39faq/compatibility.html#9
(


Thank you for the URL. The 3rd solution has given me more CHIP ram than I have ever had before on my 3.9 machine. Big difference even though I already had FBlit installed.
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: Oldsmobile_Mike on October 28, 2015, 10:38:41 PM
Quote from: golem;798335
Thank you for the URL. The 3rd solution has given me more CHIP ram than I have ever had before on my 3.9 machine. Big difference even though I already had FBlit installed.

Great!  Glad to help.  There's a lot of good info on that link.  Also to repeat it again, if you're not already using the Peter K. icon library, you should be.  :)

http://aminet.net/package/util/libs/IconLib_46.4
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: golem on October 29, 2015, 12:03:40 AM
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;798337
Great!  Glad to help.  There's a lot of good info on that link.  Also to repeat it again, if you're not already using the Peter K. icon library, you should be.  :)

http://aminet.net/package/util/libs/IconLib_46.4


I tried it tonight and am wondering why I didn't load it before. Faster icons, better ghosted default icons, and it has fixed a weird issue I had with NewIcons not displaying correctly after launching certain apps. Happy bunny. :>)
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: guest11527 on October 29, 2015, 07:26:22 AM
Quote from: punkyclown;798238
Hi All, Two questions, 1. Is it possible to force screens to open in public screens?
No. A public screen requires additional infrastructure to keep care of, and the programs need to be designed to handle that. For example, as public screens are public, programs that create public screens need to be aware that they cannot simply close the screen when they want.  
Quote from: punkyclown;798238
 2. Is it possible to get backdrops to load using fast Memory. If I load a backdrop no matter how few colors I find myself running out of Chip Memory pretty fast.

Not really. At least not by means the Os provides. It is just a bitmap, and the Os places that bitmap in whatever memory required by the graphics infrastructure - and without any further help, that's going to be chip memory. The best option is a graphics card.
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: paul1981 on October 29, 2015, 01:00:01 PM
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;798337
Great!  Glad to help.  There's a lot of good info on that link.  Also to repeat it again, if you're not already using the Peter K. icon library, you should be.  :)

http://aminet.net/package/util/libs/IconLib_46.4


I use standard 8 colour MagicaWB icons only, and the IconLib (when I last tried it 6 months ago) was slower than the standard one (Kickstart 3.1 with Workbench 3.1).
I suppose it's only beneficial if using fancy icons? Either that or I did something wrong, but can't think what.
I keep meaning to set up an up-to-date 3.9 setup, but alas, time...
Anyway, I'd dual boot - there's no way I'd ever scrap my 3.1 setup. :)
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: Oldsmobile_Mike on October 29, 2015, 01:35:37 PM
Quote from: Thomas Richter;798353
Not really. At least not by means the Os provides.

And that's why people have been hacking the Amiga for almost as long as the Amiga has existed.  :D
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: dschallock on October 29, 2015, 05:39:35 PM
Quote from: golem;798342
I tried it tonight and am wondering why I didn't load it before. Faster icons, better ghosted default icons, and it has fixed a weird issue I had with NewIcons not displaying correctly after launching certain apps. Happy bunny. :>)

So on a OS3.9 BoingBag 1&2 setup, is this iconlib a straight install or do I need to mess with setpatch?
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: Oldsmobile_Mike on October 29, 2015, 05:44:58 PM
Quote from: dschallock;798404
So on a OS3.9 BoingBag 1&2 setup, is this iconlib a straight install or do I need to mess with setpatch?

Dump the correct version for your processor in LIBS: and fuggedaboudit.  Tricks are only needed for 3.1 (and maybe 3.5?)  It comes with lots of extra C: command line tools to play around with, also.  :)
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: Erol on October 29, 2015, 07:22:26 PM
have you tried using VMM  its a virtual memory program for the amiga os 3.1 and below.
from memory it has the ability to use force programs to use fast or vitual mem.
Title: Re: Two Questions
Post by: dschallock on October 29, 2015, 07:39:57 PM
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;798405
.... and fuggedaboudit.

:lol: Awesome.  Your cracking me up today Mike.