lowlevel.library problems

[Flashlab]

I have Boulderdaesh installed on my Amiga. I had problems with the joystick on it. All of a sudden in the middle of the game it would pause. I read the docs but the problem wasn't mentioned. Then I thought about the lowlevel.library. With SnoopDOS I found out it uses it.

I renamed lowlevel.library and the problems went away. I do plan to use a CD32 gamepad later on but then I need the lowlevel.library again!

I read about the library having difficulty with faster CPUs or Blizkick. There is a program (SetJoyPort) on Aminet to tell lowlevel what the controller is but that seems like a hassle. The whole autodetect functionality is lost then...

So is there a way to make the library behave? Or is there a newer version?

[motorollin]

Hmmm do you have a TCP/IP stack running? Maybe the hardware interrupt of the network card is interfering with lowlevel.library, similar to WHDLoad.

--
moto

[amigagr]

here i have version 40.35 (30.7.93). sorry that can't help fearther...

[Flashlab]

No I'm not running any TCP/IP stack. My version is 40.35 also...

[motorollin]

What happens if you boot without startup-sequence and then run the game, with lowlevel.library in libs:? Do you still have problems?

--
moto

[Flashlab]

Good idea, and guess what no problems that way...

This is with the Blizkick kicked ROM. So I guess it's not Blizkick interfering. Something else is I guess?

I'll try next without CyberPatcher.

[Flashlab]

SnoopDOS reports Boulderdaesh is looking for powerinput.device. Can't find that anywhere...

[motorollin]

Well powerinput.device doesn't exist whether you boot without startup-sequence or not, so I don't see how this could be the problem. Why don't you try disabling WBStartup?

--
moto

[Flashlab]

Disabling WBStartUp makes no difference but here's something interesting.

SnoopDOS reports that lowlevel.library is not called in some cases. Weird! Interesting also is that it is not Boulderdaesh but ramlib that asks for powerinput.device. Maybe it's not lowlevel.device that's the problem but ramlib?

[motorollin]

Are you using OS3.9? Ramlib is patched by the AmigaOS ROM Update, so perhaps that is causing problems.

--
moto

[Flashlab]

Some more testing implies the problem lies with the combination of ramlib andlowlevel.library...

Is ramlib patched in someway by the startupsequence?

[motorollin]

Yes it is patched by setpatch in the startup-sequence. Try booting with no startup-sequence, then run setpatch, then run the game. If the problem reoccurs, then the problem is with setpatch.

--
moto

[Flashlab]

With no startup-sequence but with setpatch the problem does not occur...

[Piru]

@Flashlab

Interesting also is that it is not Boulderdaesh but ramlib that asks for powerinput.device. Maybe it's not lowlevel.device that's the problem but ramlib?

This is normal. It happens when some library/device is opened from within initcode of some other library/device.

[Flashlab]

I searched the board on the ramlib and I see that its task is to call the libs. So you're right, Piru; as usual sigh... ;-)

Anyway with my limited knowledge I don't know what to do next. I find it strange that it works when I start without startup-sequence. I mean the ROM is the same and it even works  if I run Setpatch after that.

I'll try with the SetJoyPort now...