Alcyone OS

[Fizyk]

I considered putting this into my BIOS thread, but I decided it deserved it's own

What is it?
Well, it's an OS Actually, at the moment it's just a command line frontend for my BIOS, sort of like command.com in DOS. I'm planning to develop it further, so it will have more functions.

What can it do?
Like I said, mostly it is just a command prompt. It only has few commands at the moment, but it is already quite useful! It will be a bit clearer, when I'll say, what commands it has:

• dir - obvious for those, that had contact with DOS It lists the content of the current directory.
• cd - change directory - pretty much self-explanatory, with this you can enter a directory or leave one.
• md - make directory - create a directory in the current one.
• del - delete a directory or a file. It won't delete non-empty directories.
• fdump - the last, and the most Alcyone-specific one. Previous ones you could encounter in DOS. This one comes from the way GMod CPU works. Enter "fdump [filename]", and the content of the floppy will be dumped to [filename]. This way you can write a program, compile it on a floppy, and then save on the flash drive.
• Not really a command - if you enter a file name, that ends with .bin or .com, if such a file exists it will be executed.

So with this OS you can write programs, store them on an EEPROM, and at the same time profit from the functionality provided by my BIOS, like easy console screen and keyboard access and the filesystem.

Short install guide
Ok, you say, it looks like fun, but how do I get it to work?

1. Download Alcor BIOS and Alcyone OS sources from GWCD SVN (https://svn.wireos.com:81/svn/gwcd_cpu). You need these files:
For Alcor BIOS: abios-hdd.txt, abios-keyboard.txt, abios-screen.txt, abios-system.txt, AlcorBIOS.txt.
For Alcyone: alcyone_inst.txt, kernel.txt

2. Build or download the computer - also available via GWCD SVN (https://svn.wireos.com:81/svn/gwcd_computers). If you want to build your own one, follow the guide in the BIOS thread.

3. If you use the dupe from the SVN, it should have latest version of the BIOS. If it doesn't, compile and load the BIOS - in the CPU tool panel, enter the path to the "AlcorBIOS.txt" file, hit "load", wait until it uploads, then click on the CPU in the computer.

4. Build a floppy - just wire a CPU to a data plug. Spawn CPU on a data plug, then wire "Memory" input of the plug to the CPU. Upload the installer to it: in the CPU panel, enter the path to "alcyone_inst.txt", load and click on the floppy CPU.

5. Connect the installer floppy to the computer and turn it on. The installer will start. Enter "format", hit enter. The installer will format the EEPROM and load the system to it.

6. Remove the floppy, turn the computer off and on again, and enjoy!

Short guide on how to write & install programs for Alcyone

Writing

It's very easy. Start as if you were writing an ordinary program. The only difference is that it must begin with db programsize. This is used by the system to determine the size of your program and it won't be executed, as it would be in normal programs.

After "db programsize" write whatever code you like. Remeber, that it will be executed by the system, so all BIOS interrupts will be available to it! You can use them to control console screen, keyboard and use files. The list of the interrupt functions is in the BIOS thread.

Normal programs usually end with nothing, or with an infinite loop. Don't do it like this here - when you want to end your program, use "retf" instruction. This will cause the system to return to the command line, so you will be able to execute other programs!

Installing

Once you have your program ready, build a floppy (point 4. in the installation guide) and upload the program to it. While Alcyone is running, connect the floppy to the data socket and enter "fdump program_name.com" - it will save the program on the disk. It is important, that your program name ends with .com. Now you can run it without the floppy inserted

Beware: if you insert the floppy while computer is not running and then turn the computer on, it will boot the floppy instead of the system. It will work, but if the program ends with retf, once it ends a disaster can happen.

Hope you will like it!

Screenshot list:
1. That's how it looks, when it's booted with no floppy and the system isn't installed.
2. Installer after formatting
3. Alcyone booted.
4. Demonstration of some commands.
5. Black Phoenix after executing his program on my OS

Applications

There are already a few additional applications, that work with Alcyone. Here are the links to their threads:
Alcyone Media Player
Alcyone Calculator
Alcyone Notepad
uZASM - a ZASM compiler written in ZASM (by Black Phoenix)

[Vbitz]

if i may be the first to say. cool DOS in GMOD. sweet. next thing is making a real harddive using basic gmod and wire.

[Nikita]

How about the commands to write programs on the fly? You know, just so you don't have to go into wire tools -> CPU -> editor and then put in a cartridge just to see a program doesn't work :P

Or you can make a cartridge containing such a program. Anyway, where the hell are all the CPU programs on our forum? Like calculators, notepads and paint?

[Pangamini]

Does it have a real file system, or it's just some cover to look like it?

[Schilcote]

Maybe you could write the ZasmC compiler on this OS

[Nikita]

No point, except as an addon to existing one, because CPU's assembler is same for all the OSes that are based on zCPU. Only things that change are OS function calls (API) and just a little file syntax.

[Schilcote]

I mean that he could make it so that you could compile your ZC code on a Gmod computer, so you wouldn't have to close Gmod.

[Nikita]

Well, if ZC is written in C, then you can make ZC compile ZC (lol) and run it on CPU.

[Fizyk]

Does it have a real file system, or it's just some cover to look like it?

A real one, based on DOS FAT, with some modifications to fit Wire HDD.

Maybe you could write the ZasmC compiler on this OS

I thought of that, but I have no experience in writing compilers, and writing a zASM compiler in zASM wouldn't be easy Besides, I made the OS in such a way that this won't be needed - you can compile programs using zCPU compiler and then dump floppies to the HDD.

[ben1066]

please help once ive installed the os on the premade computer i start up the floppy into the alcyone OS install, i then take out the floppy and turn the computer on. at the end of all the text it outputs it says End of execution. Also when i try to make my own i only get a black screen. i used the same on off method as BP.