==============================================================================

Using the Simple DirectMedia Layer on Atari

==============================================================================

If you want to build SDL from sources to create SDL programs on Atari:

see sections I - II.

If you want to create SDL programs on Atari using SDL binary build,

download it from my web site (URL at end of this file).

If you want to configure a program using SDL on Atari,

see sections IV - VI.

==============================================================================

I. Building the Simple DirectMedia Layer libraries:

(This step isn't necessary if you have the SDL binary distribution)

Do the classic configure, with --disable-shared --enable-static and:

Tos version (should run everywhere):

--disable-threads

Tos does not support threads.

MiNT version (maybe Magic, only for multitasking OS):

--disable-pthreads --enable-pth

Mint and Magic may supports threads, so audio can be used with current

devices, like Sun audio, or disk-writing support. Like Tos, interrupt

audio without threads is more suited for Atari machines.

Then you can make ; make install it.

==============================================================================

II. Building the Simple DirectMedia Layer test programs:

Do the classic configure, then make.

Run them !

==============================================================================

III. Enjoy! :)

If you have a project you'd like me to know about, or want to ask questions,

go ahead and join the SDL developer's mailing list by sending e-mail to:

sdl-request@libsdl.org

and put "subscribe" into the subject of the message. Or alternatively you

can use the web interface:

http://www.libsdl.org/mailman/listinfo/sdl

==============================================================================

IV. What is supported:

Mouse (XBIOS, GEM, Ikbd)

Video (XBIOS (Fullscreen), GEM (Windowed and Fullscreen))

Audio (Hardware, XBIOS, GSXB, MCSN, STFA, /dev/audio if threads enabled)

Threads (Multitasking OS only via GNU pth library)

Shared object loader (using LDG library from http://ldg.atari.org/)

Audio CD (MetaDOS)

- Driver combinations:

Video Kbd Mouse Timer Joysticks Joypads OpenGL

xbios ikbd ikbd vbl(2) ikbd hardware OSMesa

xbios gemdos xbios vbl(2) xbios hardware OSMesa

xbios bios xbios vbl(2) xbios hardware OSMesa

(2) If you build SDL with threads using the GNU pth library, timers are

supported via the pth library.

==============================================================================

V. Environment variables:

SDL_VIDEODRIVER:

Set to 'xbios' to force xbios video driver

Set to 'gem' to force gem video driver

SDL_VIDEO_GL_DRIVER:

Set to filename to load as OpenGL library, if you use SDL_GL_LoadLibrary()

Set to 'mint_gsxb' to force Atari GSXB audio driver

Set to 'mint_mcsn' to force Atari MCSN audio driver

Set to 'mint_stfa' to force Atari STFA audio driver

Set to 'mint_xbios' to force Atari Xbios audio driver

Set to 'mint_dma8' to force Atari 8 bits DMA audio driver

Set to 'audio' to force Sun /dev/audio audio driver

Set to 'disk' to force disk-writing audio driver

SDL_ATARI_EVENTSDRIVER

Set to 'ikbd' to force IKBD 6301 keyboard driver

Set to 'gemdos' to force gemdos keyboard driver

Set to 'bios' to force bios keyboard driver

SDL_JOYSTICK_ATARI:

Use any of these strings in the environment variable to enable or

disable a joystick:

'ikbd-joy1-[on|off]' for IKBD joystick on port 1 (hardware access)

'xbios-joy1-[on|off]' for IKBD joystick on port 1 (xbios access)

'porta-pad-[on|off]' for joypad on port A

'porta-joy0-[on|off]' for joystick 0 on port A

'porta-joy1-[on|off]' for joystick 1 on port A

'porta-lp-[on|off]' for lightpen on port A

'porta-anpad-[on|off]' for analog paddle on port A

'portb-pad-[on|off]' for joypad on port B

'portb-joy0-[on|off]' for joystick 0 on port B

'portb-joy1-[on|off]' for joystick 1 on port B

'portb-anpad-[on|off]' for analog paddle on port B

Default configuration is:

'ikbd-joy1-on' (if IKBD events driver enabled)

'porta-pad-on portb-pad-on' (if available on the machine)

port[a|b]-[pad|joy?|lp|anpad]-* strings are mutually exclusives.

On such a port, you can only use a joypad OR 1 or 2 joysticks OR

a lightpen OR an analog paddle. You must disable joypad before

setting another controller.

The second joystick port on IKBD is used by the mouse, so not usable.

Another problem with the IKBD: mouse buttons and joystick fire buttons

are wired together at the hardware level, it means:

port 0 port 0 port 1

mouse left button = joystick fire 0 = joystick fire 1

mouse right button = joystick fire 1 = joystick fire 0

Descriptions of joysticks/joypads:

- Joypads: 1 hat, 17 buttons (Atari Jaguar console-like).

- Joysticks: 1 hat, 1 button.

- Lightpen, analog paddles: 2 axis, 2 buttons. The 2 buttons are those

affected to 1 button joysticks on the same port.

==============================================================================

VI. More informations about drivers:

OpenGL:

The default is to use the Mesa offscreen driver (osmesa.ldg). If you want

to use an older OpenGL implementation, like mesa_gl.ldg or tiny_gl.ldg,

your program must use SDL_GL_LoadLibrary() to do so, and retrieve the

needed function pointers with SDL_LoadFunction(). In all cases, the OpenGL

context is taken care of by SDL itself, you just have to use gl* functions.

However, there is one OpenGL call that has a different prototype in the old

implementations: glOrtho(). In the old implementations, it has 6 float as

parameters, in the standard one, it has 6 double parameters. If you want

to compile testdyngl, or any other SDL program that loads its OpenGL

library, you must change the glOrtho() prototype used in this program. In

osmesa.ldg, you can retrieve a glOrtho() with double parameters, by

searching for the function "glOrtho6d".

Xbios video:

Video chip is detected using the _VDO cookie.

Screen enhancers are not supported, but could be if you know how to

use them.

ST, STE, Mega ST, Mega STE:

320x200x4 bits, shades of grey, available only for the purpose

of testing SDL.

TT:

320x480x8 and 320x240x8 (software double-lined mode).

Falcon:

All modes supported by the current monitor (RVB or VGA).

Clones and any machine with monochrome monitor:

Not supported.

Gem video:

Automatically used if xbios not available.

All machines:

Only the current resolution, if 8 bits or higher depth.

IKBD keyboard, mouse and joystick driver:

Available if _MCH cookie is ST, Mega ST, STE, Mega STE, TT or Falcon.

Hades has an IKBD, but xbios is not available for video, so IKBD

driver is disabled.

Gemdos and bios keyboard driver:

Available on all machines.

Mouse and joystick xbios driver:

Available on all machines (I think).

Joypad driver:

Available if _MCH cookie is STE or Falcon.

PTH timer driver:

Available with multitasking OS.

Available on all machines (I think).

Audio drivers:

Cookies _SND, MCSN, STFA and GSXB used to detect supported audio

STE, Mega STE, TT:

8 bits DMA (hardware access)

STFA, MCSN or GSXB driver if installed

Falcon:

8 bits DMA (hardware access)

STFA, MCSN or GSXB driver if installed

STFA driver:

http://removers.free.fr/softs/stfa.html

GSXB driver:

http://assemsoft.atari.org/gsxb/

MacSound driver:

http://jf.omnis.ch/software/tos/

MagicSound driver (MCSN,GSXB compatible):

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/didierm/

X-Sound driver (GSXB compatible):

http://www.uni-ulm.de/~s_thuth/atari/xsound_e.html

--

Patrice Mandin <pmandin@caramail.com>