Conference 7.286::atarist

985.0. "PCDesign and Memory Size Problem" by MPGS::RADOFF () Mon Oct 22 1990 12:33

    I have been successfully using a commercial piece of software PCBoard
    Designer from Abacus over the past few years in my 1 meg ST. 
    Recently, I expanded the ST's memory to 4 meg using a Zubair board. 
    PCBoard Designer now crashes with two bombs.  I have traced the problem
    to the expanded memory.  I complained to Abacus, who is aware of this
    problem.  Abacus has been unable to get corrective action from the
    author at this time.  They did indicate that another user with this
    problem used a work around, a program called HRAMDSK.  My conversation
    with Abacus seems to suggest that making PCBoard Designer think there
    was 1 meg might be done using this program to build a large
    RAM disk leaving 1 meg.  I tried this using SI_RAM, the RAM disk
    program I currenly own without avail.  I assume that PCBoard Design is
    using pointer and vectors to set up its graphics window, and building a
    large RAM disk doesn't fake it out.  I also tried two PD programs,
    MAKE1MEG and MAKE512.  These programs make the ST appear as 1 meg and
    512K systems.  However, after reset (necessary after running either
    program), the ST appears as either 1 meg or 512K, but it also knows
    there is 4 meg onboard.  Any suggestions, thoughts, ideas, how I could
    fake PCBoard Designer without my having to physically remove the
    extended memory every time I want to run it?
    
    	Thanks...Steve

I'm surprised that MAKE1MEG didn't work, as I think it sets the system
variable indicating the top of memory.  If the program is accessing memory
beyond what the system tells it exists, then its screwing up bad.

	Ray

    		( RUN IT FROM THE AUTO FOLDER )
    
YOU MUST RUN MAKE1MEG FROM THE AUTO FOLDER ( BEFOR OTHER AUTO PRG'S)
SO IT SETUP THE VARIABLES BEFOR OTHER PROGRAM USE THEM
    
I THINK YOUR APPLICATION USE MEMORY BEHIND THE SCREEN XBIOS(2)
IT WORKS FINE UNTIL YOU HAVE THE MAXIMUM 4M BYTES
THE MEMORY MANAGMENT CHIP PRODUCES AN BUS ERROR IF ACSESSED >4M
THE SCREEN MEMORY IS USUALY ON TOP OF MEMORY
BUT YOU COULD CHANGE IT WITH A XBIOS() COMAND.
    
    					FRED