Repton 3 and TLR editors

[The Kraken]

Hi,

I am having a problem with the editors for the Repton games in BeebEm 4.12 (don't know if this is the latest version). I can load the level sets packaged with the game, but if I try loading a separate disk and then loading a file from that disk, I just get "Not found". I can, however, load a disk and then still load one of the packaged level sets, so that suggests this is an issue with the emulator. Any ideas?

[gfoot]

I'm not sure if it's related but some SSDs of the games set the current directory incorrectly as they use modified loading code, and this can mean that you need an explicit $ directory when loading a level set. I've only personally noticed this in the game itself, but it may also apply to the editor.

[chrisn]

I am having a problem with the editors for the Repton games in BeebEm 4.12 (don't know if this is the latest version).

I don't know if this was a bug in 4.12, but there have been lots of fixes in more recent versions, so I recommend updating anyway. The latest version is 4.18, available at http://www.mkw.me.uk/beebem/.

[richardtoohey]

Might be my memory playing tricks but wasn't there a DFS (or maybe emulator?) issue where it didn't realise you had changed the disc?

So although you've told the emulator to use the new SSD, the emulator or DFS uses the cached catalogue of the original disc (hence the Not Found message - it's looking at the cached catalogue of the game disc.)

What version of DFS are you using?

Can you use drive 1 for the editor SSD, so have drive 0 with the game SSD, and drive 1 pointing to the editor/levels disc?

EDIT: or maybe that's all garbage and as @chrisn said, upgrade Beebem:

viewtopic.php?p=346909#p346909

[The Kraken]

Thank you for your help I've updated to the latest version of BeebEm, and now I have no problems with The Lost Realms.

Still no luck with Repton 3, though. I have tried both loading the SSD containing the level set in drive 0, and in drive 1. I'm not sure how to use an explicit directory as gfoot suggests -- what exactly should I type into the filename box? When I type $ I get a filled quarter-circle.

[richardtoohey]

When I type $ I get a filled quarter-circle.

This might be because the character is re-defined - so the $ will look a bit different.

Sorry, can't answer the "what next" question but think this is why you are seeing the 1/4 circle.

[Diminished]

Where did you get the SSD from?

As I recall, at least one of the SSDs floating around for Repton 3 isn't the disc version -- it's actually the tape version that has just been transferred to disc.

In the editor, do the load and save icons show cassettes, or discs? If they're cassettes, then what you have isn't the disc version, it's a hacked tape version, which might explain why directories don't work properly.

[Michael Brown]

WOW! The copy I transferred to disc BITD was the tape copy and on my disc it shows the tape images in the bottom boxes on the right and also if you move the cursor to the V in the top left and press RETURN it says Tape version.

There is a Disc version on STH and this displays the Disc version when you do the same thing.

However, creating a screen using the tape copy of Repton 3's editor from my Disc024 and saving it as AAA saves it as $.AAA
and creating a screen using the disc copy from STH and saving it as BBB saves it as $.BBB

Furthermore both BBB file from the disc copy loads in to the tape copy from Disc024 and AAA from the tape copy loads into the disc copy from STH and both retain the screen data I created and so seem to work perfectly.

One difference is that with the tape copy, it will not let you save files like D.AAA and also says "Tape aborted" if you try to save a filename with more than 7 characters. So the tape copy looks disc proof.

The disc version allows you to save a filename such as D.AAA and says "Bad Name" if you try to save a filename with more than 7 characters unless you use D.AAAAAAA.
Also, the disc copy changes directory to E to load the editor but saves any files in the $ directory unless you do the above.

Looks like the only other difference is the "Tape" and "Disk" logos and a few other things like "Tape Aborted" and "Bad Name".

EDIT

The above tests with the tape copy worked first time. However, after a few saves, the error occurs with "Tape Aborted".

So if you want to save multiple times then you need to use the disc version.
I will amend my version on D024 with the Disc Editor asap.

Mick.

[gfoot]

Also, the disc copy changes directory to E to load the editor but saves any files in the $ directory unless you do the above.

I'm pretty sure the official disc version loads the game with directory D active, and then executes a "*DIR $" after the final part loads, while the tape version does not execute "*DIR $", meaning that to load any scenarios from within the game you need to type e.g. "$.SCHOOL" instead of just "SCHOOL". The STH LifeOfRepton.ssd has this bug, and it sounds like it is probably separate to the OP's issue, and isn't specific to BeebEm - it also occurs with beebjit. Basically it looks like the tape executable has been grafted onto the disc loader, and they're not entirely right for each other.

[Michael Brown]

Hi all,
I have now put the disc version of the Editor onto my Disc024.

Under emulation (under BeebEm 4.18) I can confirm that you can load and save your own files. The disc version does switch to Drive 0 and you can swap my disc for a blank one and make sure it is write-enabled to avoid any errors.
You cannot save to my disc as there is not enough space.

Mick.

[The Kraken]

However, creating a screen using the tape copy of Repton 3's editor from my Disc024 and saving it as AAA saves it as $.AAA
and creating a screen using the disc copy from STH and saving it as BBB saves it as $.BBB

Thank you! That's all I needed -- I had tried $AAA and $0.AAA but for some reason had not tried $.AAA. Now my Repton 3 and Life of Repton can load other levelsets -- haven't tried Around the World or Thru Time yet but I'm sure it will be the same. (The dollar still displays as a quarter-circle on screen but loads the file correctly.)

[vanekp]

as far as I know file syntax is :drive dir then file name with fullstops inbetween i.e. :0.$.AAA

[Michael Brown]

Hi all,
Just done a comparison with the tape and disc copies of the editor.

The disc version does indeed allow you to load the game disc into say drive 0 and then save a file name called $.AAA to drive 1 using the filename :1.$.AAA or even 1.D.AAA etc.
Under emulation or even on a dual disc drive you can perform this task.

However, the tape copy does not work like this, if you try saving a filename as :1.$.AAA it will just save it to the same drive that the Editor disc is loaded into regardless. In fact it may even save it as $.1;$.AAA

Best using the disc copy of the Editor I think!

Mick.