Driver:RiscOS
Basic usage
Acorn Archimedes and the later Risc PC variants are rather simple computers to use. Follows a non-exhaustive list of catches about daily use:
OS is installed in BIOS ROM, doesn't need an external boot device. For normal SWs the most compatible of them is Risc OS 3.11, with few exceptions under Risc OS 2.x, check -listbios output if unsure.
Roughly:
- aa310 -bios 311 or aa310 -bios 201 for early SWs;
- aa3010 for mid to late SWs;
- aa5000 for stuff requiring ARM3 (i.e. "missing !Cache file" thrown with running a SW such as Hostages in aa3010) or offering HDD installation (either optional or mandatory).
The GUI is named Desktop (capitalized), the Terminal/Task window is CLI.
Desktop Mode
In Desktop mouse single left button click on a drive will fetch its contents, double click `!` prefixed "directories" to execute. Most SWs will just auto-execute its contents, a few others will instead move in Desktop task bar on bottom right, single click to execute it. Middle button on any item brings a context menu, including option to close previously opened Apps with Quit.
Pressing F12 brings a CLI prompt, escape by entering an empty line. Notice that CLI output will respect Scroll Lock, in case you get only a blinking cursor on bottom then you are in the wrong Scroll mode. Obviously given MAME keyboard default means you probably want to map that key to elsewhere.
On rpc700 and later (Risc OS 3.60+) pressing CTRL+F12 brings a Task window, which instead requires closing with a mouse to escape.
CLI mode
In CLI, fetching contents of a drive is done by first updating the current active drive by dir :<n> then Ex for the actual list of drive contents. dir :0 selects first floppy, dir :4 selects the Hard Drive (if there's any attached).
You can skip the first step if you have only one device attached (by default any system before aa5000)
Middle clicking bottom right icon (Acorn Computers logo unless on Risc OS 4.x+), brings a context menu for Desktop itself. Among other things this is where you can also Exit the Desktop, moving to a Supervisor CLI mode. This is mostly same as a regular CLI, the most important distinction is that some SWs may have a !Boot obey script inside which may require execution without Desktop thread being active. Type Desktop from a Supervisor to return in GUI mode again.
System Configuration
Basic configuration can be done via Apps.!Configure. Extended configuration is viewable in CLI thru Status, settable thru Configure. A non-exhaustive list of useful commands in there:
- Configure MonitorType <n|Auto> sets the monitor type. Auto Default is often 0 (TV mode), 3 for VGA, 4 for SVGA. Note that while (S)VGA is generally prettier is also not 100% compatible with everything (i.e. some games expects PAL-like 50 Hz refresh rates rather than 60+ Hz that VGA offers);
- Configure Mode <n|Auto> sets the video resolution and the pixel depth.
- Configure Drive <n> selects the boot device.
- Configure Floppies <n>, Configure HardDiscs <n> and Configure IDEDiscs <n> sets the number of floppy drives, SCSI and IDE discs present on system.
