## How-Tos

### Work around a halt in system startup

If you, say, have a bad `ASSIGN` and startup halts, run `LoadWB`. You should be able to open some sort of text editor and fix `S:User-startup`.

### Crash lha while it's extracting an archive

If you `Ctrl-C` `lha` while it's running, it will very likely crash the Amiga!

### Set up PSF3 on pre-3.2 AmigaOS

If you want to use longer filenames and get better performance, you'll need to set up partitions with PFS3...

...unless you have a very modern OS 3.2, in which case you can use FFS with long filenames.

* https://johan.driessen.se/posts/Setting-up-a-Compact-Flash-card-with-Classic-Workbench-and-WHDLoad-for-Amiga-600-1200/

* Download http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/pfs3aio
* Unpack `pfs3aio` into `L:`
* Create a new partition in HDToolbox
  * File System -> Add/Update
  * Add `L:psf2aio` if not there already
  * DosType: `0x50465303`
  * File System -> Change
  * Select `PFS/03`
  * MaxTransfer: `0x1fe00`

### Add a drive a drive with an existing PFS3AIO filesystem

* Go to the partition in HDToolbox and do the Add/Update filesystem steps from above.

### Use a PSF3 partition with PiStorm32 and an SC card

* Set the Mask to `0x7ffffffe`: https://michalsc.github.io/Emu68/tutorials/SD_Preparation.html

### Align a set of icons in different arrangements

Think building a distribution icon/window template and you want to group like icons together, but don't want to try and move them pixel by pixel using the mouse. This works in OS 3.2.

* Create an `aligner` folder and open it
* Move the set of icons you want to align into that folder
* Resize the window to encompass the entire set of icons in the arrangement you want
* Put the icons roughly in the locations you want them
* Window -> Clean Up By -> Column
* Move the icons back to where they came from
* Snapshot the icons

### Deal with a validating hard disk

If a disk is left dirty due to the system resetting/powering off during a write, you'll keep getting messages about the drive not being validated, especially if you try to write to the disk. You have two options:

* Wait. If you look at the Info for the drive, you'll see it's validating. Eventually it will stop validating.
* Run the latest [DiskSalv](https://aminet.net/package/disk/salv/DiskSalv) on the drive set to Repair mode.

### AmigaOS Scripting

#### Make a script executable

Run `PROTECT <script> +s` to make the script executable

#### Don't halt a script on command error

Set `FAILAT 21`: http://www.jaruzel.com/amiga/amiga-os-command-reference-help/failat.html

#### Retrieve the return code of the last command

`$RC` will contain the return code of the last command: https://www.amigans.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=131968#forumpost131968

#### Check the capabilities of the CPU in the system

`CPU CHECK` is a capabilities check, not an exact model check: `CPU CHECK 68000` on an 020 returns 0 (success)

#### Mount a disk image via a script

`DACONTROL` lets you mount disk images via script.

#### Append text to a file

`ECHO >>File "What ever"` is how you append text to another file.



## Reference

### Useful tools

* `grep` for 020 or higher: http://aminet.net/package/text/misc/grep-2.5-bin-m68k
  * Needs ixemul.library 48 or higher.
* File-X for binary file exploration: http://aminet.net/package/disk/moni/FileX-68K

### Icon sets that I like

* http://aminet.net/package/pix/mwb/MWBArchive

### Amiga demoscene

The Amiga still has an active demoscene.

* http://www.amigamega.com/demos.html

### AmigaOS Scripts

* Command reference: http://www.jaruzel.com/amiga/amiga-os-command-reference-help/

### Scalos

Scalos is a Workbench replacement. The website (as of 2023-04-09) is down.



## Concepts

### About icons

Amiga Icons in Workbench come from a sidecar `.info` file. The `.info` file contains:

* the icon image
* metadata to help launch the program if double-clicked in Workbench

Icons have a few types. You can edit the type in `SYS:Tools/IconEdit`:

* **Drawer** - Should be associated with a directory in the filesystem
* **Project** - Should be associated with something that is opened in another program (Ex: a text file that should be opened by `TextEdit`)
* **Tool** - Should be associated with an executable that is run when opened (Ex: a binary you created that can run from the Shell)

### About executables

Amiga executables and libraries are built out of **hunks**.



---



## Development

[[:amiga:amigaos:development|AmigaOS Development]]

## Hosted systems

* https://github.com/cnvogelg/amitools
  * Vamos for running 68k Amiga binaries in an emulator
  * HDF tools for manipulating hard disk files
  * Lower level dev tools

## Emulation

### FS-UAE

* Enable `mouse_integration = 1` in a machine's config for the mouse to not get caught by the Amiga. Needed for use with drawing tables and for my own sanity.
  * Unless you want to use something written in AMOS! Then turn it off.
* You can configure how/when `.uaem` metadata files are written to the host drive: https://fs-uae.net/docs/options/uaem-write-flags

#### Performance

Normally FS-UAE strives for accuracy. If you need speed (say, if you're setting up WHDLoad games), you can ramp up the speed a bunch:

```
accuracy = -1
uae_cpu_multiplier = 2000
```

#### Retargetable Graphics (RTG)

[[amiga:retargetable_graphics|Retargetable Graphics]]

#### Debian Bookworm

FS-UAE stopped working on Debian Bookworm. Steps to get it working again:

* `sudo ln -s /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri /usr/lib/dri`: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1451610/mesa-loader-failed-to-open-swrast-ubuntu-20-04
* `LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libstdc++.so.6 fs-uae-launcher`: https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/issues/11856#issuecomment-1117025272

## Internals

### Files with code in them