No CGX screen modes listed

[ncafferkey]

Hi,

I'm trying to set up CybergraphX on my A1200, which has a Voodoo 3 graphics card in a GREX. I cloned the hard disk from another A1200 that only has AGA, installed CGX, and now the boot-up screen is displayed ("Light my fire"), but there aren't any CGX modes listed in the display prefs (I'm using the Workbench through composite output). The only monitor driver in DEVS:Monitors is voodoo3.

I did a test installation of OS3.9 from scratch on another HD, and CGX worked fine. The problem only occurs with my cloned HD. I've tried to disable any graphics.library patches etc., but maybe there's something I've forgotten about. Does anyone know what might cause this problem?

[Thomas]

This is a known problem of CGX with OS3.9BB2. Either temporarily disable OS 3.9's ROM update or install CGX V4.3 update.

[zipper]

For instance here: http://powerup.amigaworld.de/index.php?lang=en&page=14

[ncafferkey]

Thanks a lot, that saved me a lot of time experimenting :-) My problem now is that the V4.3 update needs the CGX CD, which I don't have. Would it have been provided originally with the G-REX board (which I bought second-hand) or does it need to be bought separately?

[Piru]

Does anyone know what might cause this problem?

CGX had a buggy exec.library version compare (if version == 40) rather than if (version >= 40).

There are various ways to fix it: Update to the latest CGX, or if not possible (cgx3 perhaps), use the patcher included in my exec44 archive.

[ncafferkey]

Thanks all. I patched the CGX library and it's working now.

[tone007]

This is probably why I always seem to end up using Picasso96.

[Piru]

This is probably why I always seem to end up using Picasso96.

Hmm I don't quite follow. The problem is trivial to fix.

So how does this make you always use Picasso96?

[tone007]

Hmm I don't quite follow. The problem is trivial to fix.

So how does this make you always use Picasso96?

In the past I never bothered searching for a solution and just figured, "hey, lets try another driver."

[save2600]

In the past I never bothered searching for a solution and just figured, "hey, lets try another driver."

A bug isn't always just a bug. Most of the time, a bug allows you to still use a product. But when a bug is so large that the product is defective right out of the box, kind of turns you off. Especially when that product costs $40+. And in the past, you didn't have the access to developers like you do today. The support we get today for this stuff is incredible. Yesterday however seemed to be a different story.

Having said that, without looking all over for patches, addendums or whatever, I've never had luck with CGX drivers on a real Amiga. Even using CGX hardware and using legitimate CGX software. Only time it's ever seemed to work is with MorphOS on something other than a Miggy.

P96 just works... usually on the first try. And when you've already invested stupid amounts of cash on a hobby such as this, P96 is more than just "good enough"  

[stefcep2]

A bug isn't always just a bug. Most of the time, a bug allows you to still use a product. But when a bug is so large that the product is defective right out of the box, kind of turns you off. Especially when that product costs $40+. And in the past, you didn't have the access to developers like you do today. The support we get today for this stuff is incredible. Yesterday however seemed to be a different story.

Having said that, without looking all over for patches, addendums or whatever, I've never had luck with CGX drivers on a real Amiga. Even using CGX hardware and using legitimate CGX software. Only time it's ever seemed to work is with MorphOS on something other than a Miggy.

P96 just works... usually on the first try. And when you've already invested stupid amounts of cash on a hobby such as this, P96 is more than just "good enough"  

it just so happens I am resurrecting my A4000.  So as this P96 Versus CG battle still seems to be going on, I thought I'd try both CGX 4 and P96 v2.1 on both a CV 64 and CV64/3D on a 3.1 system.

Both worked out of the box.  

The worst part of the installation for CGX is the stupid double-negative questions in the installer.  It is without doubt the dumbest sequence of questions I have ever been asked in an installer on any platform, ever.  IF you get you head around what it is that you are saying yes or no to, then there is no problem.

Out of the box, and as I've said before, CGX gave the more convincing mouse pointer movement, menu draw speed was superior, icons when clicked and dragged still flicker on P96 but are smooth and "sprite like" on CGX.  It "felt" like an Amiga more than P96 did.  CGX has support for Roxxler on the CV64, and an option to overclock the graphics chip, both of which are absent on P96-at least i didn't see an option in P96.

For mine on a  WB 3.1, 68060, CV64 or CV64/3D A4000, CGX 4 is the superior system.

It seems that the CGX issues are as a result of changes to the OS in AmigaOS 3.9.  If so, its reasonable, and de rigeur on other platforms, for patches to be necessary.  That of its own is not sufficient to reject CGX as inferior to P96.  May be less convenient, but not inferior.

[Piru]

A bug isn't always just a bug. Most of the time, a bug allows you to still use a product. But when a bug is so large that the product is defective right out of the box, kind of turns you off.

Sure. However this clearly isn't the case with CGX.

Especially when that product costs $40+. And in the past, you didn't have the access to developers like you do today. The support we get today for this stuff is incredible. Yesterday however seemed to be a different story.

Could be.

But again this wasn't the case with CGX. The fix to this problem was provided as soon as the problem was found (that is: When I wrote the exec44 patch and found out about the problem). The fix was already available for years when AmigaOS 3.9 BoingBag2 was released.

[PPC]

This is a known problem of CGX with OS3.9BB2. Either temporarily disable OS 3.9's ROM update or install CGX V4.3 update.

Thomas is right about this, with BB2 you'll need a newer cgxsystem.library if i remember correctly or CGX will not work at all with BB2.

[Piru]

Thomas is right about this, with BB2 you'll need a newer cgxsystem.library if i remember correctly or CGX will not work at all with BB2.

The problem was that CGX tried to determine if the AmigaOS version is 3.0 or 3.1 prior patching the graphics.library (the graphics monitor related interfaces changed somewhat between 3.0 and 3.1). Unfortunately this check was flawed and checked explicitly against V40 (3.1). That is: Anything other than V40 (3.1) was considered AmigaOS 3.0. When BoingBag2 was introduced it included a new exec.library (V45). This threw off the OS version check of the CGX and it was unable to properly patch the graphics.library, resulting in no CGX modes available in the screenmodes list.

That is the only problem with CGX and BB2: Just a single mistake in a version check.

The problem can be worked around in at least 3 different ways:
1. Install the CGX V4 update.
2. Use the cgx44fixer from exec44 beta archive. This patch also works with CGX V3.
3. Downgrade back to exec V40 (disable exec.library via modifying the SetPatch cmdline, add SKIPROMUPDATES exec.library).

I hope this explanation is complete enough to leave no room of uncertainty. If you have any questions or think this explanation could be improved, just post a reply.

[zipper]

Life was more interesting at those times I joined to RTG users - original Picasso software, then CGX 2 and P96 v1.2x - bugs to be ironed out was more normal than flawless behaviour. I was happy to take part to test and got some bugs fixed - first time I launched my CV64/3D there was no picture at all via P96.