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Cassette Usage:
Cassette images can have the .wav or .prg extensions, and multiple .prg files
can be contained within a zip file. Zip files must be placed in the current directory, and
the contained prg files are played in sequential order.
The format for WAVs are:
8 bit (16 bit may work, but this hasn't been tested), mono, 12500 Hz minimum. This has the
same problems as an original Datasette tape drive (the tone head must be adjusted to get
working (no load error...) wav-files)
Note that tape volume is DAC1 volume within the MESS UI On Screen Display Options (accessed
with the tilde (~) key in the DOS version.
Within the emulation, use LOAD or LOAD"" or LOAD"",1 for loading normal programs. Use
LOAD"",1,1 for loading programs to a special address.
Diskette Usage:
Disk drives are simulated at the moment, and only file loads from drive 8 and 9
are implemented. You can load a program file from the rom directory (*.prg,*.p00)
(This must NOT be specified on commandline, start the c16 emulation with no images specified)
The directory command LOAD"$",8 is supported when using d64 images.
Within the emulation, basic programs can be loaded with:
DLOAD"filename" or LOAD"filename",8
Machine language programs can be loaded to their address with:
DLOAD"filename" or LOAD"filename",8,1
When a program is loaded, type RUN or the appropriate SYS call to start it.
Note that several programs rely on more features not currently emulated (such as
loading other file types, writing...) Some games also rely on starting programs in the
floppy drive's proccessor (and therefore cpu level emulation of the 1541 is needed).
Cartridge Usage:
Cartridges may have any of the following extensions: .bin .rom .lo .hi .prg
Files with boot-sign in it are recognised as roms. Some cartridges require more than one
image to load (e.g., tutor.lo tutor.hi).
.prg files loaded at address in its first two bytes
.bin, .rom, .lo , .hi roms are loaded to cs1 low, cs1 high, cs2 low, cs2 high addresses
accordingly to their order in the command line.
Note that .prg and .p00 files are assigned to the quickloader (so you have to use
the -cart switch when loading rom images).
Quickloader Usage:
A quickloader is available via the f8 key. It supports program image files
with the .prg extension. This loads the program into memory and sets the program end
pointer. It works with most programs. The program can be started by entering "RUN" in
the emulation.
Miscellaneous Usage Notes:
See "Keys (This Machine)" for key assignments.
Shift-cbm switches between upper-only and normal character set (if wrong characters are on
screen this may help).
Run (shift-stop) loads the first program from device 8 (dload"*) and starts it.
If you run into difficulty, be sure to start the emulation with the -log switch, and look into
the error.log file that is created in your mess directory.
Known Issues:
Memory check by c16 kernel will not recognize more memory without restarting MESS.
CPU clock switching/changing.
Imperfect colors; should be enough for 95% of the games and programs.
Imperfect scrolling support (when 40 columns or 25 lines)
Lightpen support missing.
Some PC-Keyboards do not behave well when special two or more keys are pressed at the same
time (with my keyboard printscreen clears the pressed pause key!)
Expansion modules other than the 1551 floppy drive are not supported.
The rs232/v.24 interface is not supported, nor are printers and other parallel devices.
The Plus 4's userport is not supported.
Note if a game runs too fast with the ntsc version, try the pal version!
The following features are emulated:
History and Trivia:
When the first Commodore 264 prototype unofficially debuted at the Winter Consumer
Electronics Show (CES) in January (?) 1984, the developers had obviously not yet agreed
about the keyboard layout; some keys are unlabelled, the right shift key was missing,
instead having a key which seems to be meant as a line feed key.
It was planned that when buying a C264, you could have chosen between these programs: