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For AMIGA-Heads Only...

This code is purely for a minimum of a stock Classic AMIGA A1200(HD), E-UAE, and WinUAE running AMIGA OS3.0x to 3.1x. It will NOT work on any other platform!

(It MIGHT work on AMIGA OS3.5x and 3.9x with Python 2.4.6, but totally untested and I hold no responsibility for the outcome when trying it.)

It is a DEMO to poke a byte inside _ANY_ memory address inside the standard CPU 68EC020 16MB boundary.

This is not a function nor a class but just a DEMO to show how to write directly to HW, (or memory), addresses.

POKING memory or hardware addresses is not recommended for novices without studying the machine first, and, this code will ignore any _ENFORCER_hits_.

I experimented with this several years ago and have decided to finally release it. I do await the flak!

It works from Python Versions 1.4.0 to 2.0.1 for the classic AMIGA.

This is issued as Public Domain and you may do with it as you please.

Ensure that the T: Volume exists on the running machine.

See inside the code and text below it also as to how it works...

Bazza, G0LCU...

Python, 119 lines
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# AMIGA_HW.py
#
# DEMO Python code to switch the AMIGAs audio filter ON and OFF on the fly.
# It also changes the video mode to PAL or NTSC if required.
# (C)2007-2012, B.Walker, G0LCU. Now issued as Public Domain, you may do
# with it as you please.
#
# Written in such a way that almost anyone can understand how it works.
#
# For a minimum of a standard AMIGA A1200(HD) and Python 1.4.0, or for
# higher end AMIGAs to 2.0.1.
# Also WinUAE 1.5.3 minimum with Workbench 3.0.x and Python as above.
#
# Ensure that the assigned T: volume exists so as NOT to keep the file when
# the AMIGA is rebooted.
#
# Copy/drag this file into the PYTHON: volume and rename it AMIGA_HW.py.
# Call it from the Python prompt as:-
#
# >>> execfile("PYTHON:AMIGA_HW.py")<RETURN/ENTER>
#
# And away you go... ;o)
# ==========================================================================
# The assembly program that _defaults_ to audio filter ON condition, (when
# <RETURN/ENTER> is pressed only), and then compiled and converted.
# The address and control byte are changed as required before generating
# the executable file...
#
# From an AMIGA CLI using, a68k and blink, the executable AMIGA_Filter is
# created thus:-
# DRIVE:Path/To/Source> a68k AMIGA_Filter.asm<RETURN/ENTER>
# <Some reports here.>
# DRIVE:Path/To/Source> blink AMIGA_Filter.o
# <Some more reports here.>
# DRIVE:Path/To/Source> _
# ==========================================================================
# start:
#                                    ;Assembler source to switch the
#                                    ;audio filter and power light to ON.
#                                    ;Compiled under a68k and linked under blink.
#                                    ;A68k AMIGA_Filter<RETURN/ENTER>
#                                    ;<Some reports here.>
#                                    ;blink AMIGA_Filter.o<RETURN/ENTER>
#                                    ;<Some more reports here.>
#      move.b   #252,$BFE001         ;Set Audio Filter to bootup default condition ON.
#                                    ;Decimal 252, (0xFC), sets the filter to ON and
#                                    ;decimal 254, (0xFE), sets the filter to OFF.
#      clr.l    d0                   ;Set return code as OK.
#      rts                           ;Exit program.
#      end
# ==========================================================================
# The text HEX dump from the CLI using:-
# DRIVE:Path/To/Source> Type HEX AMIGA_Filter > AMIGA_Filter.txt<RETURN/ENTER>
# DRIVE:Path/To/Source> _
#
# Gives a text file, AMIGA_Filter.txt, with the contents thus...
# ==========================================================================
# 0000: 000003F3 00000000 00000001 00000000    ...ó............
# 0010: 00000000 00000003 000003E9 00000003    ...........é....
# 0020: 13FC00FC 00BFE001 42804E75 000003F2    .ü.ü.¿à.B.Nu...ò
# ==========================================================================
# To be edited to suit the Python code...
#
# Enjoy finding simple solutions to often very difficult problems...
#
# $VER: AMIGA_HW.py_Version_0.00.10_(C)2007-2012_B.Walker_G0LCU.

# The only STANDARD import required...
import os

def main():
	while 1:
		# A basic working screen to switch the audio filter mode....
		print("\f\nA simple Python hardware _controller_ for the Classic AMIGA A1200(HD).\n")
		print("(C)2007-2012, B.Walker, G0LCU. Now issued as Public Domain.\n")
		print("Press (f)<RETURN/ENTER> to enable audio filtering, (bootup default).")
		print("Press (F)<RETURN/ENTER> to disable audio filtering.")
		print("Press (p) or (P)<RETURN/ENTER> for PAL video mode.")
		print("Press (n) or (N)<RETURN/ENTER> for NTSC video mode.")

		# Set to the audio filter address and to ON by default.
		control_byte="\xFC"
		hw_address="\x00\xBF\xE0\x01"
		keyboard=raw_input("Press (q) or (Q)<RETURN/ENTER> to Quit:- ")
		if keyboard=="f" or keyboard==chr(13):
			control_byte="\xFC"
			hw_address="\x00\xBF\xE0\x01"
		if keyboard=="F":
			control_byte="\xFE"
			hw_address="\x00\xBF\xE0\x01"
		if keyboard=="p" or keyboard=="P":
			control_byte="\x20"
			hw_address="\x00\xDF\xF1\xDC"
		if keyboard=="n" or keyboard=="N":
			control_byte="\x00"
			hw_address="\x00\xDF\xF1\xDC"
		if keyboard=="Q" or keyboard=="q" or keyboard==chr(27): break

		# Manually place the binary into a string format for Python 1.4.0 to 2.0.1.
		binary_one="\x00\x00\x03\xF3\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x03\x00\x00\x03\xE9\x00\x00\x00\x03\x13\xFC\x00"
		binary_two="\x42\x80\x4E\x75\x00\x00\x03\xF2"

		# Create the running file and place it into the AMIGA T: volume as AMIGA_HW.
		amiga_exe_file=binary_one+control_byte+hw_address+binary_two
		amigafile=open("T:AMIGA_HW","wb+")
		amigafile.write(amiga_exe_file)
		amigafile.close()

		# Give a short delay to allow system to settle.
		os.system("C:Wait 1")

		# Ensure the file AMIGA_HW can be executed.
		os.system("C:Protect T:AMIGA_HW rwed")

		# Now run it and _immediately_ re-run this code...
		os.system("T:AMIGA_HW")
main()
# End of AMIGA_HW.py.
# Enjoy finding simple solutions to often very difficult problems...

How it works:-

I suspect this will raise a few eyebrows but here goes...

The original idea was to be able to write directly to classic AMIGA hardware registers for direct control of the machine.

The simplest two of these registers control the AF filter and the old analogue NTSC/PAL video modes and these are the ones used for this DEMO.

IMPORTANT NOTE:- The AF filter does not do anything on the current version of E-UAE as it is not emulated but the video mode does, in full screen mode.

It is a simple program rather than a function so if you want a function you will have to _develop_ it yourself.

(NOTE:- This working IDEA DOES work on this particular platform but NOT on current differing platforms!)

To see how it works just read the code for more information and .

There is another version I did of this on AMINET but i have decided to release this one now.

Have fun finding simple solutions to often very difficult problems... ;o)

Bazza, G0LCU...

4 comments

Barry Walker (author) 11 years, 6 months ago  # | flag

To the person who voted this up on 11-09-2012 many thanks from me...

Bazza...

Barry Walker (author) 11 years, 6 months ago  # | flag

To the second person who voted this up again on 13-09-2012 UK local time many thanks from me...

Bazza...

Oren Tirosh 11 years, 6 months ago  # | flag

Upvoted for purely nostalgic reasons...

Barry Walker (author) 11 years, 6 months ago  # | flag

Oren Tirosh...

A few minutes ago, 23-09-2012...

Thank you for upvoting, I am glad there are people out there that still appreciate what such an old open platform did for the general public.

I still use my A1200(HD) and it is on 24/7 and has been for the last 18 years or so...

Thanks again...

Bazza...