ASCD FAQ by Aley Keprt
FAQ version 0.91
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Write to AleyKeprt@bigfoot.com for more information.
General | Graphics | Joysticks | Audio | Input Recording
Q: What operating system do I need to run ASCD?
A: MS-DOS, Windows 95/98?ME, Windows 2000 or some decent MS-DOS emulator. Use failsefe switches to run ASCD on problematic computers.
Q: What to do when ASCD doesn't run?
A: At first, check that you have all necessary files: cwsdpmi.exe for running it in plain DOS (i.e. without Windows) and ROM files (spectrum.rom, zx128_0.rom, zx128_1.rom, sam_rom0.rom, sam_rom1.rom). These all are standard files and can be get from other emulators. You can also get these files by downloading ascd_sup.zip from the location where you downloaded ASCD.
Q: What to do when ASCD still doesn't run?
A: Try failsafe options. Use command line switches -novesa and -noaudio to turn off SVGA and audio. This may help in case you have problems with drivers or improperly configured soundcard.
Q: Hey! ASCD is can't be shut down?
A: Press F2 to enter menu. There you can see list of keyboard shortcuts. Press Ctrl+F12 anytime to exit to DOS.
Q: What are supported command line switches?
A: Type ascd -help or ascd -help |more to see them all.
Q: What are supported file types?
A: Disk images: sad, dsk. Tape files: tap. Snapshots: z80, sna, fux. All files are supported in all existing verisons (when applicable). Type ascd -help or ascd -help |more to the complete list.
Q: Can be these files compressed?
A: You can use gzip to compress all files. This method is supprted for all files except dsk. You can also compress ROM files, but you must remove .gz suffix from it (it is optional for other files).
Q: How does ascd.ini file work?
A: Configuration is saved each time to file named ascd.ini. The format is similar to command line switches, except that each option resides on its own line. Please look to ascd.ini to see more. All options can be set-up with command line options and/or ascd.ini. When saving configuration file, some options are not saved (-zxmode, -record, -playback, -fd1, -fd2, etc.), because saving these options would be nonsensual.
Q: "[F5]-Switch resolution" doesn't work.
A: This can't work while [Ctrl+F5]-autoscale is turned on, since autoscale automatically selects best resolution. Press Ctrl+F5 to turn off autoscale. Then you will be able to switch resolutions by pressing F5.
Q: Autoscale is turned off and resolutions still can't be changed.
A: You need 512kb or more videoram, and also need VESA VBE (Video-BIOS Extension) on your graphics cards, and NOT Windows 2000. You can use Scitech Display Doctor if you have problems with existing BIOS.
Q: What's AutoScale's strategy?
A: AutoScale will switch to 640x480 only when necessary, i.e. when hi res graphics in Sam mode 3 is to be drawn. In all other cases it tries to switch to 320x240, which gives better performance. If 320x240 is not present, it switches to standard VGA 320x200. You can see OSD messages whenever mode is changed.
Q: What does AutoScale when Sam Coupé is quickly changing graphics modes.
A: AutoScale is not stupid and doesn't try to catch up with these programs. Try it and you will see.
Q: What kinds of Spectrum/Sam joysticks are emulated?
A: Emulated are kempston, sinclair interface 2 (2 ports), cursor/protek/agf and fuller joystick. You can map any of them to either arrows or a real PC joystick.
Q: What to do before I can use my PC joystick?
A: Calibration is not needed, but you must go to supplied configuration file allegro.cfg, and select appropriate driver from the list. ASCD uses Allegro for joystick emulation, providing support for wide range of different joysticks. This includes original 9pin joysticks for ZX Spectrum/Sam Coupé connected to parallel port, classic analog PC joysticks etc.
Q: How to set-up joystick?
A: Press F2 to enter menu. Go to Options-Joysticks and configure as you wish! Advanced users can also use command line switches.
Q: How many joysticks can I use?
A: Each real joystick can be mapped to kempston, sinclair interface 2 (2 ports), cursor and fuller joystick. Due to shared resources of interface 2 and cursor/protek/agf interface, you can't use them together.
Q: What about joystick emulation on PC keyboard?
A: Arrows + ctrl can be used to emulate any of named joysticks (see list above).
Q: The fire doesn't work when emulating cursor joystick on PC keyboard.
A: In case of cursor emulation on PC keyboard fire is not emulated on ctrl, since ctrl is allocated for symbol shift. Use 0 for fire.
Q: How to setup joysticks before running ASCD?
A: You can use command like switches -kempston, -sinclair1, -sinclair2, -cursor and -fuller followed by a number specifying emulation mode. You can enter -1 to disable particular joystick emulation, 0 (zero) to set emulation on arrows+ctrl or positive number (1,2,...) to use specific real PC joystick.
Q: How do joysticks work in Sam Coupé mode?
A: Kempston and sinclair joysticks work as usual, while cursor and fuller emulation is disabled.
Q: What is this "audio"?
A: Audio is when you can hear it. When you can't hear anything, it is silence.
Q: What soundcards are supported by ASCD?
A: All SoundBlaster types and their clones are obviously supprted. Also supported is Crystal/Analog codec family (aka Windows Sound System), Ensoniq Soundscape and ESS Audiodrive.
Q: How to configure soundcard?
A: In most cases autodetection should work perfectly. If you have problems with autodetection, please go to file allegro.cfg and set your soundcard family/type there. You can also specify sample rate there. No other configuration is needed.
Q: What audio components are emulated?
A: AY-3-8910 and ZX-beeper (speaker) in ZX Spectrum mode. SAA1099 and ZX-beeper (speaker) in Sam Coupé mode. ZX-beeper can be optinally emulated on internal PC speaker, in case you don't have a digital soundcard.
Q: What is this "Input Recording"?
A: Input Recording or ASCD allows you to record your perofrmance and replay it exactly as it was recorded. It means that all you press on keybaord and all you do with joysticks is saved to a file and later you can replay it, i.e. computer will automatically simulate all key presses and joystick movements. ASCD 0.81 and later uses AIR version 1 for recording, hence the files have .air suffix.
Q: What is it good for?
A: Input Reocrding was originally added to ASCD for tournaments. It allows players to record their attempts and then send them to the judges by e-mail or os. It can also be used for high score databases etc. You can look to http://marp.retrogames.com for such a high score database based on Input Recording (in that case MAME is used as an emulator, but the principles are the same).
Q: How to record?
A: Input Recording is activated by using -record <file.air> switch, where file.air is filename. You must use this switch together with a name of tape/snap file, because menu is disabled during recording. Other constraints: pause disabled, sync always on, fuller joystick and mouse input is not possible. The settings of the emulator are NOT saved to .air file, so be careful what you use.
Q: Can you give me an example of command line parameters?
A: If you want to play Exolon, and have only tape file Exolon.tap, you must use this command line: ascd exolon.tap -record exolon.air -128. If you omit -128 switch, the game could possibly start in 48k mode. In either case people who will try to replay your .air file may have problems with knowing what settings you used. You must always tell the people what settings you used!!!
Q: How to playback?
A: Just enter the same command line as you used for recording with -playback switch instead of -record one.
Q: What switches have direct impact on record/playback?
A: These ones: -record, -playback, -scode, -sam, -zx, -128, -fd1, -fd2, -zxmode, -extmem, -pallines. If you look to the list, you can see they are switches which control the AIR itself and switches which set/configure emulated computer. Of course you need the exactly same tape/disk/snap file to playback what enybody else recorded. These switches can be also in your ascd.ini so please be careful! Usually only -extmem and -pallines settings are used from ascd.ini, so you should keep these settings at default values. The -zxmode of ascd.ini is overriden by -sam/-zx/-128 switches if you use any (you should always use one of them when recording!).
Q: What about autofire?
A: If you use autofire, it is saved into your .air files as any other "fire" and can be later checked by tournament judges. You can use it for your personal needs and anytime when it is not explicitly forbidden, but you should play without autofire in tournaments.
Q: What about POKE's?
A: POKE's has no impact on .air files. It means that you can freely use POKE's for your personal needs, but nobody will be able to replay your .air files unless you will tell him/her what POKE's you used.
Q: What about emulation slowdowns?
A: Only 5% speed violation (+/-) is allowed If your emulation speed is too slow (or fast), the recording process is aborted immediately. If you try to adjust speed like people do in Mame (faster in menu, slower in game), it is detected and your game is over. Also, the speed of your game is recorded into .air files and can be checked by judges.
Q: What about SA codes?
A: You typically use -scode <code> switch to enter S code, if it is needed by the tournament rules. You can see your A code in ascd.log file when you exit the emulator. You can also see the A code in OSD upon startup and when you press F9.