AROS for Amiga OS (AFA OS) 4.6

[unusedunused]

Here can download

http://amidevcpp.amiga-world.de/AfA_Binaries/AfA_OS_V4.6.lha

 Bug fixed at SysIClass Checkimage that overwrite memory with the Palette
 program from AmigaOS 3.1.
 
 Optimized the Skinsystem to remove the flicker of the right windowgadgets by
 changes of the windowtitletext that was noticable on slow systems.
 Changed memory alignment size of the exec_lib.exe to the same size as the
 orginal AmigaOS exec.library use to increace the compatibilty and to reduce
 the fragmentation, this lead maybe in a little increased memory comsumption.

 Name of the default Font corrected in zune_lib.exe.

 Bug fixed in the function addglist that made Hits with DOpus4, if the right
 mousebutton was pressed over the Drivegadgets to toggle the listed of Drives.

nore about what AFA can do you can read here.

http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=49400
                       
its also since 24 December 2007 possible to scale Icons.Size 0(the default) do not scale.
when choose a size value then all Icons are scale to same value, so you can use Icons with diffrent size, and they look as same size.

[unusedunused]

Superb! The dopus issue was taking my system down with alarming regularity...

The bug come in 4.5 because of new code and was report 2 days after afa 4.5 release and fix 2 days later,and i send to the User who report it(thanks to him).
so if you write a Bug report, you get a fix earlier. ;-)

I wait only with release 1 Month, because in 4.5 come much more AROS code, so if maybe other Bug reports come, then can all add in 4.6.But this Bugs are only that are in AFA found, and if somebody find a problem in 4.6 he should report.

Its really strange wy it can crash system,because it do a read of address 0.normaly adress 0 contain 0 and so the addglist code see list end.

only possible explain i have, is that you maybe use a program that illegal write to adress 0.
maybe you check your system with muforce running, if other programs you use do illegal mem access.

[unusedunused]

A couple of things that annoy me with the installer:
* SYS:AfA_OS_Libs.info - why? I dont see the purpose of an icon here.
* I choose to install the AfA_OS directory to SYS:System, and then the installer overwrites my SYS:System.info

Apart from that - superb!

I find no string in afa installer script that contain system.

So i have no idea wy that happen, but we test that soon what happen when AFA is install in sys:system

I see in the AFA install files no afa_os_libs.info  

What installer you use ?.

AFA is test to install ok with the AOS installer and the Installer from geit.

http://www.geit.de/eng_index.html

[unusedunused]

I use blizkick to load kickstart from hard disk, would it be problem?

What system patches are problematic? MCP, MMUlib?

please see in the afa OS guide, but in short you can use all, but when using blitzkick install is little diffrent.

>I dont use the AfA OS picture.library though as it conflicts with my PPC picture >datatypes. Bernd is aware of this issue.

but i cant fix it.

I do some tests years ago on my 233 MHZ 604 PPC Card and find out that this PPC datatype give near no speedup.i test with multiview and large pics with a stop watch until pic is show.

seem a problem because of lots context switches in datatype, that PPC reach not full speed.png datatype i not test, but png decode need not much time.maybe here is PPC datatype slower.

and on slower CPU it can maybe slower with PPC dataype.The 603 have smaller caches and memory speed on 603 Cards is half as 604.so teh context switch that store data to mem is more slow on 603.

if somebody have a 603 PPC Card, maybe he can try out 68k datatypes with AFA and PPC dataypes without AFA what speed the 603 PPC card get in compare with 68k.

AFA picture datatype is on classic faster as original, i get report.

Here is also the install script, i dont understand installer good, but i dont see how this can cause this errors

[unusedunused]

A couple of things that annoy me with the installer:
* SYS:AfA_OS_Libs.info - why? I dont see the purpose of an icon here.
* I choose to install the AfA_OS directory to SYS:System, and then the installer overwrites my SYS:System.info

Apart from that - superb!

Here is the installer, i dont understand it much, but i have no idea how can cause this.
Only problem i see from installer that it do memtrash, when it must show a directory of more than 100 dirs.

maybe better use the geit installer

;--------- check and set language strings
(set lang 0)
;---- check language
(if (= @language "svenska")
    (
        (set lang 1)
    )
)
(if (= @language "deutsch")
    (
        (set lang 2)
    )
)
;---- english strings
(if (= lang 0)
    (
       (set #install-where1    "Where do you want to install the test programs and Documentation?\nA directory called \"")
       (set #install-where2    "\" will be created for you.")
       (set #install_zune      "Should be the new AfA_OS zune.library installed in AfA_OS_Libs?")
       (set #install_zunehelp  "\n\nNormaly this is only needed if the AfA_OS_zune packet is installed, but it has no drawbacks if not.")
       (set #install_morels_m  "Should the residentmodule morelibspace_module be copied in DEVS:?")
       (set #install_morels_m_help "This is the residentmodule only without the loader. It can only by used toguocer with Loadmodule, Blitzkick or Luziferin (to place it in the Flash). The only known problem is that it don't work with MuProtect.")
       (set #drawer-exists1    "Directory \"")
       (set #drawer-exists2    "\" already exists.\nShould it be deleted?\n\n")
       (set #choice-yes        "Yes")
       (set #choice-no         "No")
       (set #startup1          "\n\nYou must add in and mayby change some lines in your \"s:startup-sequence\" to use AFA_OS on boot.")
       (set #startup2          "\n\nPlease read and follow the installation instructions in the Documentation.")
       (set #startup3          "\n\n!!! Dont forget to deaktivate \"PowerIcons\" !!!")
       (set #startup4          "\n\nNot all files are copy with the installer. So take too a look on the archive dir.")
    )
)
;---- svenska strings
(if (= lang 1)
    (
       (set #install-where1    "Var vill du installera testprogrammen?\nEn katalog som heter \"")
       (set #install-where2    "\" kommer att skapas åt dig.")
       (set #install_zune      "Should be the new AfA_OS zune.library installed in AfA_OS_Libs?")
       (set #install_zunehelp  "\n\nNormaly this is only needed if the AfA_OS_zune packet is installed, but it has no drawbacks if not.")
       (set #install_morels_m  "Should the residentmodule morelibspace_module be copied in DEVS:?")
       (set #install_morels_m_help "This is the residentmodule only without the loader. It can only by used toguocer with Loadmodule, Blitzkick or Luziferin (to place it in the Flash). The only known problem is that it don't work with MuProtect.")
       (set #drawer-exists1    "Katalogen \"")
       (set #drawer-exists2    "\" finns redan.\nSka den tas bort?\n\n")
       (set #choice-yes        "Ja")
       (set #choice-no         "Nej")
       (set #startup1          "\n\nYou must add in and mayby change some lines in your \"s:startup-sequence\" to use AFA_OS on boot.")
       (set #startup2          "\n\nPlease read and follow the installation instructions in the Documentation.")
       (set #startup3          "\n\n!!! Dont forget to deaktivate \"PowerIcons\" !!!")
       (set #startup4          "\n\nNot all files are copy with the installer. So take too a look on the archive dir.")
   )
)
;---- german strings
(if (= lang 2)
    (
       (set #install-where1    "Wo willst du die Testprogramme und Dokumentation installiern?\nEin Verzeichnis namens \"")
       (set #install-where2    "\" wird für dich erstellt.")
       (set #install_zune      "Soll die neue AfA_OS zune.library auch in\nAfA_OS_Libs: installiert werden?")
       (set #install_zunehelp  "Normalerweise ist dies nur nötig wenn\ndas AfA_OS_zune Paket installiert ist,\nhat aber auch keine nachteile wenn nicht.")
       (set #install_morels_m      "Soll das Residentmodule von Morelibspace nach DEVS: kopiert werden?")
       (set #install_morels_m_help "Dies ist das Residentmodule ohne Loader es kann nur zusammen mit Loadmodul, blitzkick oder Luziferin (um es in den Flash der DENEB/HIGHWAY zulegen) verwendet werden. Einzig bekanntes problem es funktioniert nicht mit MuProtect zusammen.")
       (set #drawer-exists1    "Verzeichnis \"")
       (set #drawer-exists2    "\" besteht bereits.\nSoll es gelöscht werden?\n\n")
       (set #choice-yes        "Ja")
       (set #choice-no         "Nein")
       (set #startup1          "\n\nIn der \"s:startup-sequence\" müssen Zeilen einfügt und vielleicht geändert werden wenn du AFA_OS bereits beim Booten benutzen möchtest.")
       (set #startup2          "\n\nBitte die Installationsanweisungen der Dokumentations lesen und befolgen.")
       (set #startup3          "\n\n!!! Nicht vergessen \"PowerIcons\" zu deaktiviern !!!")
       (set #startup4          "\n\nNicht alle Dateien werden mit diesem Installer kopiert. Deshalb sehe dir auch das Archivverzeichnis an.")
   )
)

(set @default-dest "SYS")
;-------- start
; predefine procedurs
;---- copy librarys
(procedure p_versioncopy #copy_source #copy_destination #copy_pattern
           (if (= @user-level 2)

               (
                (foreach #copy_source #copy_pattern
                        (
                         ;(message (tackon #copy_source @each-name)) ; for debug
                         (copylib
                             (source (tackon #copy_source @each-name))
                             (dest #copy_destination)
                             (optional "fail" "askuser")
                         )
                        )
                )
               )
               ; else
               (
                (copyfiles
                   (source #copy_source)
                   (dest #copy_destination)
                   (all)
                   (optional "fail" "askuser")
                )
               )
           )
)
;


(welcome)

;-------- ask destination for Docs and testtools
(set #afa_os-destination
    (askdir
        (prompt #install-where1 @app-name #install-where2)
        (help @askdir-help)
        (default "Sys:")
    )
)

(set #full-destination (tackon #afa_os-destination @app-name))

;-------- ask if the dir exists to deleted it
(if (= @user-level 1)         ; if an expert
    (if
        (exists #full-destination)
            (
                (set #choice
                    (askbool
                        (prompt #drawer-exists1 #full-destination #drawer-exists2)
                        (default 0)
                        (choices #choice-yes #choice-no)
                        (help @askchoice-help)
                    )
                )
                (
                    (if
                        (= #choice 1)
                        (run ("C:Delete \"%s\" \"%s.info\" All" #full-destination #full-destination))
                    )
                )
            )
    )
)
;-------- creating directorys
;---- create AfA_OS dir
(makedir #full-destination
    (prompt "Creating directory\n" #full-destination)
    (infos)
)
;---- create AfA_os_libs dir
(makedir ("Sys:AfA_OS_Libs")
    (prompt "Creating directory\n" "Sys:AfA_OS_Libs")
    (infos)
)

(set @default-dest #full-destination)

;-------- copy files
;---- copy c tools
(copyfiles
    (source ("c"))
    (dest ("C:"))
    (all)
    (optional "fail" "askuser")
)
;---- copy AfA_OS library
(p_versioncopy "AfA_OS_Libs" "SYS:AfA_OS_Libs" "(#?.exe|#?.kmod)")

;---- copy fonts
(copyfiles
    (source ("fonts"))
    (dest ("Sys:Fonts/"))
    (all)
    (optional "fail" "askuser")
)

;---- copy librarys for fonts
(p_versioncopy "libs" "LIBS:" "#?")

;---- copy prefstools and skins
(copyfiles
    (source ("prefs"))
    (dest "Sys:Prefs/")
    (noposition)
    (all)
    (optional "fail" "askuser")
)
;---- copy testtools
(copyfiles
    (source ("testprog"))
    (dest #full-destination)
    (noposition)
    (all)
    (optional "fail" "askuser")
)
;---- copy english docs
(if (<> lang 2)
    (
    (copyfiles
        (source ("README.txt"))
        (dest #full-destination)
        (optional "fail" "askuser")
        (infos)
        (noposition)
    )
    (copyfiles
        (source ("Docs/AfA_OS_Documentation.txt"))
        (dest #full-destination)
        (optional "fail" "askuser")
        (infos)
        (noposition)
    )
    (copyfiles
        (source ("Docs/AfA_OS_English.guide"))
        (dest #full-destination)
        (optional "fail" "askuser")
        (infos)
        (noposition)
    )
    )
)
;---- copy german docs
(if (= lang 2)
    (
       (copyfiles
           (source ("Liesmich.txt"))
           (dest #full-destination)
           (optional "fail" "askuser")
           (infos)
           (noposition)
       )
       (copyfiles
           (source ("Docs/AfA_OS_Dokumentation.txt"))
           (dest #full-destination)
           (optional "fail" "askuser")
           (infos)
           (noposition)
       )
       (copyfiles
           (source ("Docs/AfA_OS_Deutsch.guide"))
           (dest #full-destination)
           (optional "fail" "askuser")
           (infos)
           (noposition)
       )
    )
)

[unusedunused]

here is 2. Part
;-------- query and install zune library
;---- query zune library
(if (= @user-level 2)             ;if an expert
    (
     (set #zunelibinstall
        (askbool
            (prompt #install_zune)
            (default 1)
            (choices #choice-yes #choice-no)
            (help #install_zunehelp)
        )
     )
     ;---- copy zune library
     (if (= #zunelibinstall 1)
         (
          (copylib
                (source "Optional/AfA_OS_Libs/zune_lib.exe")
                (dest "SYS:AfA_OS_Libs/")
                (optional "fail" "askuser")
                (help @copyfiles-help)
          )
         )
     )
    )
)

;-------- query and install morelibspace_module
;---- query morelibspace_module
(if (= @user-level 2)             ; if an expert
    (
     (set #morelibspace_module_install
        (askbool
            (prompt #install_morels_m)
            (default 1)
            (choices #choice-yes #choice-no)
            (help #install_morels_m_help)
        )
     )
     ;---- copy morelibspace_module
     (if (= #morelibspace_module_install 1)
         (
          (copylib
                (source "Optional/Devs/morelibspace_module")
                (dest "SYS:Devs/")
                (optional "fail" "askuser")
                (help @copyfiles-help)
          )
         )
     )
    )
)

;-------- END
(exit (cat #startup1 #startup2 #startup3 #startup4))

[unusedunused]

there is also some Problem report, when update amikit with the AFA installer.

because amikit have the skin files not in dir prefs/presets/skins ,the new skins that contain the iconify and popup Gadgets are not use.

You must copy the skins for amikit to this dir.

prefs/presets/amikit/morpheuz/newthemes

[unusedunused]

>but there was definitely a little slowdown on real hardware (060/PIV) compared to >PowerIcons + IconBeFast patches, and icons didn't scroll quite so smooth.

dont forget when you compare powericon and AFA speed to not use dual png Icons for test.
because powericons is faster, because it load only 1 image of a Icon in.

[unusedunused]

Sorry, but i forgot an important factor regarding this issue.
Were you running AOS 3.9 when you did the tests? If you didn't, then the OS was using a 68k-only picture.datatype, which would explain why you did not experience better performance due to the excessive context switching, as you said. What i wrote is true for AOS 3.9 where the picture.datatype is 68/PPC.

I dont see that there was a PPC picuture datatype.where is it ?.I use OS3.5 or maybe 3.1.I dont remember i do my tests when i get ppc card and there come PPC datatypes.My classic have only AOS 3.5.

But I was not the only that notice not much speedup with PPC.I get values from wawa 180 MHZ 604e OS3.9 and warp ppc jpg datatype(i dont have) user that show that 68k speed and PPC jpg speed near same.


i know CGX (and powerup devs) are maybe able to do it, but most programs use warpup.

If there is any there must be a version that work on warpup, because most programs use warpup.

on my past PPC days i use some programs with powerup, but most with warpup.so i need switch sometimes.but when use ppc datatypes this do not allow a switch.


In my tests i use a free ppc jpg datatype(forget the name) and this was not faster as 68k asm optimized datatype.

I test then the warp PPC demo datatype it was fasterr but it do not show colors.
So i guess the speedup was because there was no colors show.

normaly programs on 604 work 5-10 times faster than on my 68060 and the jpegs i test are big (need 3-10 sec to load on 68k.

So i see the PPC datatypes do not speedup.

----------------

That wbclock progam crash on AFA is maybe the reason, because you use a non 4 color Icon or you should increase the stack.

You mean that ?
http://aminet.net/package/util/time/wbclock

this program is written 1994 and show the clock on a Icon, nice idea btw,but there was no OS command that let set you Icondata before AOS3.5.

So this cant work on Icons other than 4-8 colors old Icons.

but i think you can get it working, when you choose in the wblock Option file a 4 Color Icon.

AFA use AROS iconlib complete and the struct for the 4 color Icons is same as in AOS.

but nice, there is sourcecode here, maybe this compile somebody to work on clean way.
It can then too working on MOS and OS4 or AROS.

[unusedunused]

Re: PPC datatypes on OS3.x

Under 3.5, I noticed a major speedup when moving to PPC datatypes for jpeg, png etc. I noticed a similar speed up when I eventually got OS3.9 and it's image.datatype. The latter accelerated the rendering of the decoded image. I believe that it has PPC support for colour conversion/dithering? Either way, the speed increases over the 040 were highly conspicuous.

You mean you have a 68040 compare with a PPC ?

The 68060 is lots faster, more than 2-3 times.so when use a 68040 its clear PPC is faster

I find values from the test.the real time differ lots, its the time to close the window.the important time is PCPU and TCPU.

when hand stop there is no diffrence notice but this program show that 180 MHZ PPC is slightly faster.the test is done 3 times.

i think a faster PPC does not help much, because the context switch time is not speed up with faster PPC.

Maybe a user can measure how fast the speedup is on his system with and without PPC jpg datatype on his 68060 CPU

when the picture datatype is fat binary then in the test the ppc code in picture datatype should use


>> 68k jpg
>>
>> 18.Ram Disk:> multiview nsos4bbc.jpg
>> 18.Ram Disk:> cputime multiview nsos4bbc.jpg
>> Real 00:00:15.445, PCPU 00:00:03.010, TCPU 00:00:04.513
>> 18.Ram Disk:> cputime multiview nsos4bbc.jpg
>> Real 00:00:06.006, PCPU 00:00:02.988, TCPU 00:00:04.495
>> 18.Ram Disk:> cputime multiview nsos4bbc.jpg
>> Real 00:00:14.825, PCPU 00:00:02.858, TCPU 00:00:04.360
>>
>> ppc jpg
>>
>> 17.Ram Disk:> cputime multiview nsos4bbc.jpg
>> Real 00:00:09.537, PCPU 00:00:02.975, TCPU 00:00:04.475
>> 17.Ram Disk:> cputime multiview nsos4bbc.jpg
>> Real 00:00:08.454, PCPU 00:00:02.992, TCPU 00:00:04.493
>> 17.Ram Disk:> cputime multiview nsos4bbc.jpg
>> Real 00:00:07.158, PCPU 00:00:02.989, TCPU 00:00:04.490