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Post by expertsetup on Feb 20, 2007 18:41:11 GMT -5
Hello,
So far I have been doing all my BBS work with my real equipment and BBSServ but thought it would be cool if I could run the BBS from VICE while I am debugging.
Can anyone recommend a good read on setting this up? Everything I have looked at so far has been based around a real C64 for terminal use or for Qlink logins.
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cube
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by cube on Feb 21, 2007 0:28:33 GMT -5
If you have a working setup with real hardware, moving it onto a [virtual] system shouldn't be that hard. Here's a basic rundown:
1. Make images of all your BBS disks and copy these to your PC.
2. Configure WinVice to use one com port as your modem. *
3. Configure BBSServer to use the OTHER com port (this is likely already set up if it's connecting a 'real' computer.)
4. Attach a null modem cable between COM1 and COM2
5. Start your BBS program in WinVice
* You'll need to make sure your motherboard has two COM ports. Many PC's have two but on some motherboards COM2 is actually a set of pins on the motherboard you need to attach a ribbon and a DB9 connector to.
In all liklihood the biggest challenge will be with the modem, but if you surpass that hurdle - you should be laughing.
John
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Post by expertsetup on Feb 21, 2007 2:58:57 GMT -5
If you have a working setup with real hardware, moving it onto a [virtual] system shouldn't be that hard. Here's a basic rundown: 1. Make images of all your BBS disks and copy these to your PC. 2. Configure WinVice to use one com port as your modem. * 3. Configure BBSServer to use the OTHER com port (this is likely already set up if it's connecting a 'real' computer.) 4. Attach a null modem cable between COM1 and COM2 5. Start your BBS program in WinVice * You'll need to make sure your motherboard has two COM ports. Many PC's have two but on some motherboards COM2 is actually a set of pins on the motherboard you need to attach a ribbon and a DB9 connector to. In all liklihood the biggest challenge will be with the modem, but if you surpass that hurdle - you should be laughing. John Thanks for spelling it out for me John, somehow I had missed the part where the serial ports needed a local null loop. Now the little light is on  . Looks like I will need to add an USB serial adapter to my laptop to get the second serial port. I can try with a second machine and null modem and see if that works until I shell out the $$$ for a USB/Serial. Thanks again. Brian. |
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Post by expertsetup on Feb 21, 2007 4:00:07 GMT -5
As mentioned in the Cellphone Modem thread there is a problem directing VICE to use Serial. If you know how to specify a COM port for RS232 emulation then I think I can get this bird off the ground.
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Post by Golan Klinger on Feb 21, 2007 4:39:30 GMT -5
The idea of using two serial ports and attaching VICE to one and BBS Server to the other works but is overly convoluted. The entire process can be done in software by connecting VICE's RS232 emulation to a process which listens for incoming telnet connections. I've done it and it works just fine. Oddly enough, this very subject (running a BBS within VICE) was why I joined these forums. It's funny how things have come full circle.
Disclaimer: I'm talking about UNIX/Xwindows versions of VICE. Such may or may not be possible with WinVICE.
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cube
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by cube on Feb 21, 2007 11:08:34 GMT -5
... which makes sense as you can direct Vice to look to [ANY] device as a com port. I'm assuming the process you speak of acts as a pseudo-TTY and Vice is then directed to use it as a Serial device. Yes? No?
John
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Post by expertsetup on Feb 21, 2007 12:59:08 GMT -5
The idea of using two serial ports and attaching VICE to one and BBS Server to the other works but is overly convoluted. The entire process can be done in software by connecting VICE's RS232 emulation to a process which listens for incoming telnet connections. I've done it and it works just fine. Oddly enough, this very subject (running a BBS within VICE) was why I joined these forums. It's funny how things have come full circle. Disclaimer: I'm talking about UNIX/Xwindows versions of VICE. Such may or may not be possible with WinVICE. I may have to move to the Linux platform to do this but that really defeats the idea of saving time debugging the BBS. Perhapps the option I am looking for can be invoked from the command line at launch of x64? Still cant seem to get vice to send data to COM port on windows. There is no GUI option to select serial unlike the Unix/Linux version. THat is why I think command line may work? THanks for the feedback.  |
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Post by Golan Klinger on Feb 21, 2007 15:39:29 GMT -5
... which makes sense as you can direct Vice to look to [ANY] device as a com port. I'm assuming the process you speak of acts as a pseudo-TTY and Vice is then directed to use it as a Serial device. Yes? No? Sorry. Were you addressing me? If so, I don't understand the question.  |
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Post by expertsetup on Feb 22, 2007 2:40:58 GMT -5
Joust thought I would appeal to the crowd for any insight to configuring WinVICE to use COM port for RS232 emulation. As there is no apparent option in the GUI and the Vice Documentation is all for U/Linux any possible ideas are much appreciated.
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Post by Golan Klinger on Feb 22, 2007 3:44:24 GMT -5
I had a look at WinVICE tonight and there doesn't appear to be a way to pipe RS232 connections to a process so I'm stumped. The serial-to-serial method is convoluted but it might be the only way to do it with Windows. Just another reason to ditch Windows and a get a decent OS.  |
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cube
Junior Member
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Post by cube on Feb 22, 2007 11:21:02 GMT -5
Sorry Golan, I was just thinking [ out loud ]. It was one of those Ahhh, so THAT'S how it works realizations. John |
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Post by Golan Klinger on Feb 22, 2007 12:21:50 GMT -5
No problem. Rereading your question I think I know what you were driving at. With VICE running under UNIX you can attach a userport RS232 device to either "Serial 1" or "Serial 2" (actual serial ports on your computer) or, more interestingly, you can "Dump to file" or "Exec process". Further down the menu is "Program name to exec" where you can specify what program you want to call when you using a userport RS232 device. I usually call nc (netcat) which allows you to use network sockets from the command line. That's how I get VICE to talk to the outside world. It works as well with BBS software as it does with terminal programs, provided you feed it the right switches.
I wonder if this functionality could be enabled in WinVICE? If you could call another process and pipe (Windows must have an equivalent) data back and forth, you might be able to achieve the same without going through physical serial ports. I would ask whoever puts together the Windows package. Maybe the can add this feature because it's in the original code.
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Post by expertsetup on Feb 22, 2007 12:40:13 GMT -5
I can ask, the worst that can happen is find out it's not an option. Perhaps the best bet for me is to see if I can get VICE to connect to a TelBBS over TCP/IP as there is functionality for that already. I might not even need a serial port with that. I guess it's time to try that angle.
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Post by Golan Klinger on Feb 22, 2007 14:11:53 GMT -5
Perhaps the best bet for me is to see if I can get VICE to connect to a TelBBS over TCP/IP as there is functionality for that already. I might not even need a serial port with that. I guess it's time to try that angle. Isn't that what we're taking about?  |
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Post by expertsetup on Feb 22, 2007 22:58:02 GMT -5
Perhaps the best bet for me is to see if I can get VICE to connect to a TelBBS over TCP/IP as there is functionality for that already. I might not even need a serial port with that. I guess it's time to try that angle. Isn't that what we're taking about? Well, yes and no. I am working towards running my BBS in Vice so I can debug it on PC. I don't really have the goal of calling TelBBS servers from my Vice install but exclusively for debugging my BBS. However I seem to have this problem with Vice, take a look at the menu where I have entered a char. You will see the checkerboard char is spuriously appearing. I am not sure how to fix this problem but oddly the BBS I call can still interpret my keys even with the garbage chars. Hmm.  However I am making progress as this is a start. |
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. Looks like I will need to add an USB serial adapter to my laptop to get the second serial port.
