1
General Discussion / Re: Hobbes Retirement
« on: January 13, 2024, 08:05:15 am »
Ah, so it's now hosted in another place, with no limits. Then of course, no problems with limited traffic. That's good.
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2
General Discussion / Re: Hobbes Retirement
« on: January 13, 2024, 01:48:09 am »
Yes, we need a central point to upload files. Other mirrors could be synced with it automatically. I have a cron task which run once a week, which starts
wget syncing files with hobbes. The problem with os2site.com is that Ian does not allow anybody mirroring it. Don't know a reason, maybe, he has a limited ISP
tariff at home, so it's a problem for him. I have a server at a datacenter with an unlimited connection. So, it's not a problem for me. So, other mirrors could be
synced automatically without a problem.
wget syncing files with hobbes. The problem with os2site.com is that Ian does not allow anybody mirroring it. Don't know a reason, maybe, he has a limited ISP
tariff at home, so it's a problem for him. I have a server at a datacenter with an unlimited connection. So, it's not a problem for me. So, other mirrors could be
synced automatically without a problem.
3
General Discussion / Re: Hobbes Retirement
« on: January 12, 2024, 08:09:29 pm »
Hi all. As an option, I could host the Hobbes archive too. I already have the mirror of it, which is synced with hobbes.nmsu.edu each week.
The mirror is in [ftp|http|https]://[ftp|hobbes].osfree.org/upload/mirrors/hobbes.nmsu.edu/.
It also has shortcuts for quick access as:
http://osfree.org/download/
http://hobbes.osfree.org/
ftp://osfree.org/download/
The missing part is still the web part for search etc.
Waiting for it when Hobbes admins publish it.
The mirror is in [ftp|http|https]://[ftp|hobbes].osfree.org/upload/mirrors/hobbes.nmsu.edu/.
It also has shortcuts for quick access as:
http://osfree.org/download/
http://hobbes.osfree.org/
ftp://osfree.org/download/
The missing part is still the web part for search etc.
Waiting for it when Hobbes admins publish it.
4
General Discussion / Re: Email Address Valery Sedletzki ?
« on: March 08, 2022, 12:14:21 pm »
Hi, Lars.
Please see the PM.
Please see the PM.
5
Applications / Re: VirtualBox and Failure to Create VirtualBoxClient COM Object
« on: November 04, 2021, 06:31:27 am »
> SET LIBCX_HIMEM=2
> I found that that is only needed by VBox. It can cause problems elsewhere.
2Doug: It is required with libcx. Otherwise, VBox libs will work with errors when loaded into high memory. So, it is required by some
of the libs used by VBox. These libs can be used in other programs, though. I'd recommend not setting libcx_highmem=2 in config.sys,
otherwise set it manually in CMD window, before running VBox. Or set it in the .cmd wrapper script for funning VBox. So, the setting
will be not global and is not used by other programs than VBox.
Regarding the VAL. VAL should not depend on present amount of available RAM. It is a virtual memory layout setting, and it should not
depend on physical memory. You may need to decrease THREADS and PROCESSES from the default to a sane value.
E.g., I have PROCESSES=156 and THREADS=511. The default is too large and it consumes much memory for required control
blocks. Also, I have EARLYMEMINIT=TRUE enabled. (without that, it can be to little memory below 16 MB for such drivers as uniaud,
fat32.ifs and genmac and I had problems when loading them).
You can also try loading some VBox libs to high shared memory. For that, there is highmem.cmd script supplied with VBox. It uses
highmem.exe utility from AOO, which marks binaries for loading into high memory. So, if using it, you can spend less lower memory.
Yes, programs like OpenOffice, VBox, Mozilla or some others, use much shared memory. So, with a 32-bit OS/2 they cause many
problems. These problems can be lesser if mark some libs for loading to high memory. This can do something about that.
> I found that that is only needed by VBox. It can cause problems elsewhere.
2Doug: It is required with libcx. Otherwise, VBox libs will work with errors when loaded into high memory. So, it is required by some
of the libs used by VBox. These libs can be used in other programs, though. I'd recommend not setting libcx_highmem=2 in config.sys,
otherwise set it manually in CMD window, before running VBox. Or set it in the .cmd wrapper script for funning VBox. So, the setting
will be not global and is not used by other programs than VBox.
Regarding the VAL. VAL should not depend on present amount of available RAM. It is a virtual memory layout setting, and it should not
depend on physical memory. You may need to decrease THREADS and PROCESSES from the default to a sane value.
E.g., I have PROCESSES=156 and THREADS=511. The default is too large and it consumes much memory for required control
blocks. Also, I have EARLYMEMINIT=TRUE enabled. (without that, it can be to little memory below 16 MB for such drivers as uniaud,
fat32.ifs and genmac and I had problems when loading them).
You can also try loading some VBox libs to high shared memory. For that, there is highmem.cmd script supplied with VBox. It uses
highmem.exe utility from AOO, which marks binaries for loading into high memory. So, if using it, you can spend less lower memory.
Yes, programs like OpenOffice, VBox, Mozilla or some others, use much shared memory. So, with a 32-bit OS/2 they cause many
problems. These problems can be lesser if mark some libs for loading to high memory. This can do something about that.
6
Applications / Re: VirtualBox and Failure to Create VirtualBoxClient COM Object
« on: November 03, 2021, 11:55:08 pm »
This error usually means that something went wrong when loading VBOX binary: some lib is missing, or too little low shared memory, or etc.
Also, there is a ticket about it in the bug tracker: https://trac.netlabs.org/vbox/ticket/73.
In your case, probably, you miss uclip and gsoap libs, and maybe, something else.
Also, you have VAL=1536, which may be too low. Thry increasing up to 3072 or whatever.
Please look here https://trac.netlabs.org/vbox/ for the exact list of dependency libs.
Also, there is a ticket about it in the bug tracker: https://trac.netlabs.org/vbox/ticket/73.
In your case, probably, you miss uclip and gsoap libs, and maybe, something else.
Also, you have VAL=1536, which may be too low. Thry increasing up to 3072 or whatever.
Please look here https://trac.netlabs.org/vbox/ for the exact list of dependency libs.
7
Applications / Re: FAT Diskette with truncated long file name file
« on: November 03, 2021, 11:26:43 pm »
Hi Martin! AN didn't stripped LFN support from the IFS. They stripped exFAT and FAT12/FAT16 support. FAT32 depends on LFN
support, so it's not logical to disable them.
And, you, probably, need to eject the previous diskette before inserting another one. So, if you don't eject it, it will be cached.
use "eject a:" command
PS: Also note that with diskettes, performance may be very low, because of lack of caching. With flash disks and HDD's it's acceptable.
support, so it's not logical to disable them.
And, you, probably, need to eject the previous diskette before inserting another one. So, if you don't eject it, it will be cached.
use "eject a:" command
PS: Also note that with diskettes, performance may be very low, because of lack of caching. With flash disks and HDD's it's acceptable.
8
Storage / Re: exFat or FAT32 ?
« on: November 03, 2021, 03:06:00 am »
> I have got ArcaOS 5.0.2 and have installed a FAT32.IFS Netlabs driver (0.10-r384)
So, it indeed has exFAT support. Also, there is support for FAT12/FAT16 with LFN's.
> I have got serious problems with FAT32 partitions on my Hard Disc with FAT32. ArcaOS often hangs.
It's hard to tell why it could hang without some investigation. Did you tried to run CHKDSK? Maybe, some disk errors?
Also, we need some debug info got when it's hanging. There are some debug options. You can use f32mon utility to
see some debug on screen. Also, newer OS/2 loaders like QSINIT, os4ldr or arcaldr support debugging via system log buffer.
So, you can copy the log buffer from a device to a file, like in some drivers like danis506 or uniaud.
Also, there is COM port support. If the system hangs, then you could take a debug log via a COM port and a null modem cable.
All three options show the same log. The latter option is useful when system hangs, or TRAP's There are some tips in fat32.inf
about debugging. Also, you can ask me here.
So, if you wish to debug the problems, we can try. And, there is a bugtracker at http://trac.netlabs.org/fat32/, so
we could continue there.
PS: Sorry about a late answer, I was busy
So, it indeed has exFAT support. Also, there is support for FAT12/FAT16 with LFN's.
> I have got serious problems with FAT32 partitions on my Hard Disc with FAT32. ArcaOS often hangs.
It's hard to tell why it could hang without some investigation. Did you tried to run CHKDSK? Maybe, some disk errors?
Also, we need some debug info got when it's hanging. There are some debug options. You can use f32mon utility to
see some debug on screen. Also, newer OS/2 loaders like QSINIT, os4ldr or arcaldr support debugging via system log buffer.
So, you can copy the log buffer from a device to a file, like in some drivers like danis506 or uniaud.
Also, there is COM port support. If the system hangs, then you could take a debug log via a COM port and a null modem cable.
All three options show the same log. The latter option is useful when system hangs, or TRAP's There are some tips in fat32.inf
about debugging. Also, you can ask me here.
So, if you wish to debug the problems, we can try. And, there is a bugtracker at http://trac.netlabs.org/fat32/, so
we could continue there.
PS: Sorry about a late answer, I was busy
9
Applications / Re: FAT Diskette with truncated long file name file
« on: November 03, 2021, 02:19:32 am »
Why not use fat32.ifs? It has full support of VFAT LFN's. And it supports all of these FAT variants: FAT12/FAT16/FAT32/exFAT.
PS: if there are some problems when using the IFS, please report me to Netlabs trac (http://trac.netlabs.org/fat32/), not
to ArcaNoae bugtracker, as I'm not working for Arca.
PS: if there are some problems when using the IFS, please report me to Netlabs trac (http://trac.netlabs.org/fat32/), not
to ArcaNoae bugtracker, as I'm not working for Arca.
10
Storage / Re: exFat or FAT32 ?
« on: September 27, 2021, 04:00:43 pm »Since a few days, I thought that the only way to store data together with other OS is FAT32. Then I put a EXFAT pre-formatted SD card of my new Smartphone into the USB adapter, and - what a surprise - it can be accesses without any problems with ArcaOS without formatting via DFSEE.
-- Only if you installed the official version of fat32.ifs from Netlabs. The version supplied with ArcaOS is ripped off. It has exFAT and FAT12/FAT16 support
removed.
I have got serious problems with FAT32 partitions on my Hard Disc with FAT32. ArcaOS often hangs.
Quote
Now my question:Yes, exFAT supports files with 64-bit lengths, so no 2 GB limit on file size. Also, SDXC cards are formatted in exFAT by default, so no need to reformat.
(1) Is it better to format my USB sticks used for data transport between ArcaOS and other OS with EXfat instead of FAT32 ?
Quote
(2) Can I format a HD partition with EXFAT ?Yes. Windows version of exFAT format utility has artificial limitation that only removable media can be formatted with exFAT. But other OS'es have no
limitations.
Quote
(3) Is there a OS/2 tool (dfsee?) where I can format a partition with EXFAT?Yes, standard fat32.ifs FORMAT routine. You should format with /fs:exfat parameter. But you need the fully functional fat32.ifs version (the one from
Netlabs).
Quote
(4) What about performance and stability on ArcaOS in comparison to FAT32 ?The same. As the code is mostly the same.
Are you sure you have the version from ArcaOS? Please provide the bldlevels of fat32.ifs and ufat32.dll/uunifat.dll here.
11
Storage / Re: FAT32 - Netlabs or AN?
« on: March 16, 2021, 10:02:29 pm »
Found this thread a bit late, but I'll answer some points
2Doug Bissett:
> I don't even consider using anything except the AN FAT32 driver. It seems to have a problem, or two, but nothing as bad as what 9.13 has (I don't even remember what the problems were). I did try the other one (with ExFAT, and FAT16, support), but decided that it wasn't really any better, and the FAT16 was interfering with the old OS/2 FAT16 support (not to mention the questionable legality of using it). At the time, I had no need for ExFAT, and still don't. It seems that nobody is using ExFAT anymore, even Microsoft doesn't seem to be pushing it.
How could FAT12/16 support interfere with IBM's FAT support, interestingly? Is not that Lewis Rosenthal who said you that nonsense? (I heard such a statement from him, withou any proof). If you would understand how IFS works, you'd know that only one IFS can mount a partition at a time, so they cannot conflict in any way. If one IFS has mounted a partition, anoyther one will fail. And you can choose, which IFS should mount a FAT partition. If /fat switch is not specified on fat32.ifs command line, then IBM's kernel driver is in use. If /fat is specified, then FS is remounted with fat32.ifs.
Regarding the exFAT, it is very useful if you use digital cameras. The SDXC cards are formatted with exFAT by default. So, if you need to copy data from someone else' camera without a reformat, you can use the Netlabs driver. if it's your own camers, you can reformat the card, of course. But no guarantee that the camera will support FAT32. In fact, it shouldn't, as the SDXC spec requires only exFAT support and FAT32 is optional. Also, exFAT supports files bigger than 2 GB. If you use FAT32 on latest cameras, you couldn't be able to copy videos larger than 2 GB, which lasts, with good quality, is about half an hour. So, you decide which FS to use. SDXC spec mandates exFAT support, but FAT32 support is optional. So, you're wrong saying that exFAT is not needed and even MS does not use it.
> (not to mention the questionable legality of using it)
What's the rubbish is that? Why it's not legal? Because AN fears Microsoft? There are several exFAT drivers for Linux. Nobody proved so far that they are illegal, the same for our driver.
2Rich Walsh: The BASEDEV is optional feature. QEMUIMG.DLL is optional too. You can delete it if you wish. The BASEDEV was created to be able to mount disk images with FS other than FAT/FAT32/exFAT. For example, ISO9660/CDFS works fine. Originally, I created support for mounting a FAT/FAT32/exFAT images to a subdirectory on FAT/FAT32/exFAT serving as a mountpoint. This is done by fat32.ifs itself as OS/2 cannot mount a FS to a subdirectory (only to a drive letter). Later, I created a BASEDEV for mouning other FS'es at a drive letter. The cachef32.exe daemon runs a thread which loads a QEMUIMG.DLL, monitors the IFS with FSCTL for open/read/write/close commands, and executes these requests via QEMUIMG.DLL. For a BASEDEV, I just decided to create a second similar thread monitoring the BASEDEV with IOCTL's. They are similar, so, both were put into cachef32.exe. Of course, it is possible to create a separate small daemon, but I just decided to use cachef32.exe to run worker threads. At least, fat32.ifs and cachef32.exe are present in any system, so no need to run more daemons if you need a loopback device support. So, I don't see a problem with this.
Regarding software patents and other rubbish. exFAT and FAT12/16 support is not more patented than FAT32. So, if M$ didn't sued us for using FAT32, then we could sleep in peace with FAT and exFAT as well. Specially for AN, I did created a version without exFAT support with all exFAT code ifdef'ed. So, if you fear M$ so much you could compile it without exFAT support at zero effort. No need to fork the IFS. But you forked it, not me. If someone wants a crippled version without disk image support as well -- no problem, I could #ifdef that too, if needed. Or I can create disk image support as a standalone package, as a compilation option. Unfortunately, I see almost no feedback, so no wonder.
Regarding not having performance improvements. This is indeed planned in the future, but there are some problems on the way. fat32.ifs is a 16-bit driver and has problems with bigger cache sizes. It's good that AN repaired (almost) the cache code. In my latest versions, I even backported the AN changes. But that code is still buggy so it's disabled so far. Also, my version is made sector-size independent. I successfully tested 2048-byte sectors on CDRW's formatted with FAT/FAT32/exFAT. But the cache code has 512-byte sectors hardcoded, that's another problem. I'd like to support other sector sizes in the cache as well. But then, caches with size bigger than 2048 KB, is required. But for that, I probably, need to wait until I convert the IFS to a 32-bit version (this is planned, and not only because of cache, it's also because 64-bit seek required for large files support is not working on 16-bit IFS-es, so I need to port it to 32 bits anyway. I also plan to port fat32.ifs to osFree in the future, so this is another reason to create a 32-bit IFS. I'd probably find a way to create a 16-bit or 32-bit version via an #ifdef).
PS: disk image/loopback support is still unfinished alpha-quality feature. I'd like some feedback regarding the image mounting feature and exFAT, but none so far. I am not aware of someone using these features, except myself.
2Doug Bissett:
> I don't even consider using anything except the AN FAT32 driver. It seems to have a problem, or two, but nothing as bad as what 9.13 has (I don't even remember what the problems were). I did try the other one (with ExFAT, and FAT16, support), but decided that it wasn't really any better, and the FAT16 was interfering with the old OS/2 FAT16 support (not to mention the questionable legality of using it). At the time, I had no need for ExFAT, and still don't. It seems that nobody is using ExFAT anymore, even Microsoft doesn't seem to be pushing it.
How could FAT12/16 support interfere with IBM's FAT support, interestingly? Is not that Lewis Rosenthal who said you that nonsense? (I heard such a statement from him, withou any proof). If you would understand how IFS works, you'd know that only one IFS can mount a partition at a time, so they cannot conflict in any way. If one IFS has mounted a partition, anoyther one will fail. And you can choose, which IFS should mount a FAT partition. If /fat switch is not specified on fat32.ifs command line, then IBM's kernel driver is in use. If /fat is specified, then FS is remounted with fat32.ifs.
Regarding the exFAT, it is very useful if you use digital cameras. The SDXC cards are formatted with exFAT by default. So, if you need to copy data from someone else' camera without a reformat, you can use the Netlabs driver. if it's your own camers, you can reformat the card, of course. But no guarantee that the camera will support FAT32. In fact, it shouldn't, as the SDXC spec requires only exFAT support and FAT32 is optional. Also, exFAT supports files bigger than 2 GB. If you use FAT32 on latest cameras, you couldn't be able to copy videos larger than 2 GB, which lasts, with good quality, is about half an hour. So, you decide which FS to use. SDXC spec mandates exFAT support, but FAT32 support is optional. So, you're wrong saying that exFAT is not needed and even MS does not use it.
> (not to mention the questionable legality of using it)
What's the rubbish is that? Why it's not legal? Because AN fears Microsoft? There are several exFAT drivers for Linux. Nobody proved so far that they are illegal, the same for our driver.
2Rich Walsh: The BASEDEV is optional feature. QEMUIMG.DLL is optional too. You can delete it if you wish. The BASEDEV was created to be able to mount disk images with FS other than FAT/FAT32/exFAT. For example, ISO9660/CDFS works fine. Originally, I created support for mounting a FAT/FAT32/exFAT images to a subdirectory on FAT/FAT32/exFAT serving as a mountpoint. This is done by fat32.ifs itself as OS/2 cannot mount a FS to a subdirectory (only to a drive letter). Later, I created a BASEDEV for mouning other FS'es at a drive letter. The cachef32.exe daemon runs a thread which loads a QEMUIMG.DLL, monitors the IFS with FSCTL for open/read/write/close commands, and executes these requests via QEMUIMG.DLL. For a BASEDEV, I just decided to create a second similar thread monitoring the BASEDEV with IOCTL's. They are similar, so, both were put into cachef32.exe. Of course, it is possible to create a separate small daemon, but I just decided to use cachef32.exe to run worker threads. At least, fat32.ifs and cachef32.exe are present in any system, so no need to run more daemons if you need a loopback device support. So, I don't see a problem with this.
Regarding software patents and other rubbish. exFAT and FAT12/16 support is not more patented than FAT32. So, if M$ didn't sued us for using FAT32, then we could sleep in peace with FAT and exFAT as well. Specially for AN, I did created a version without exFAT support with all exFAT code ifdef'ed. So, if you fear M$ so much you could compile it without exFAT support at zero effort. No need to fork the IFS. But you forked it, not me. If someone wants a crippled version without disk image support as well -- no problem, I could #ifdef that too, if needed. Or I can create disk image support as a standalone package, as a compilation option. Unfortunately, I see almost no feedback, so no wonder.
Regarding not having performance improvements. This is indeed planned in the future, but there are some problems on the way. fat32.ifs is a 16-bit driver and has problems with bigger cache sizes. It's good that AN repaired (almost) the cache code. In my latest versions, I even backported the AN changes. But that code is still buggy so it's disabled so far. Also, my version is made sector-size independent. I successfully tested 2048-byte sectors on CDRW's formatted with FAT/FAT32/exFAT. But the cache code has 512-byte sectors hardcoded, that's another problem. I'd like to support other sector sizes in the cache as well. But then, caches with size bigger than 2048 KB, is required. But for that, I probably, need to wait until I convert the IFS to a 32-bit version (this is planned, and not only because of cache, it's also because 64-bit seek required for large files support is not working on 16-bit IFS-es, so I need to port it to 32 bits anyway. I also plan to port fat32.ifs to osFree in the future, so this is another reason to create a 32-bit IFS. I'd probably find a way to create a 16-bit or 32-bit version via an #ifdef).
PS: disk image/loopback support is still unfinished alpha-quality feature. I'd like some feedback regarding the image mounting feature and exFAT, but none so far. I am not aware of someone using these features, except myself.
12
Programming / Re: Python 3.x?
« on: July 01, 2020, 05:48:50 am »
Paul, good luck with porting Python 3! I also would like to have Python 3 on OS/2, because I have some things I'd like
to have, like Electrum Bitcoin wallet, which requires a latest and greatest Python to work ok. I use it on Linux and it is good
to have on OS/2 too. Also, Web Automation tools, like Selenium, use Python 3 too. And many more programs written in
Python 3
PS: Electrum uses PyQt for user interface, which is quite big. Though, we seem to already have PyQt4 for Python 2.x.
to have, like Electrum Bitcoin wallet, which requires a latest and greatest Python to work ok. I use it on Linux and it is good
to have on OS/2 too. Also, Web Automation tools, like Selenium, use Python 3 too. And many more programs written in
Python 3
PS: Electrum uses PyQt for user interface, which is quite big. Though, we seem to already have PyQt4 for Python 2.x.
13
Programming / Re: Git : SVN plugin
« on: May 10, 2020, 09:11:23 pm »
git-svn is broken and never worked, so no way
14
Networking / Re: Virtualbox, NAT and using ICAT
« on: May 05, 2020, 11:47:58 pm »
Ah, so you need to run ICAT in a VirtualBox VM, not a MUT in VirtualBox. Sorry, didn't understood the question for the first time.
15
Networking / Re: Virtualbox, NAT and using ICAT
« on: May 05, 2020, 11:39:07 pm »
2Lars: Why do you try to debug OS/2 with ICAT and did not try usual debugging via a COM port and standard kernel debugger? It's easier to setup, and
I debug my drivers and IFS'es this way. It's possible to use standard terminal emulator like Putty in Windows, Minicom in Linux and DTerm in OS/2. These
terminal emulators support using a named pipe or a local socket instead of a usual COM port. And VirtualBox (including the OS/2 port of it) supports redirecting
a VM COM port to a host pipe/socket. I wrote (an unfinished) document about debugging of OS/2 drivers in VBox (and not only). It is included into my VBox
additions distribution (docs\debug.txt in the Additions ISO). If you have more questions, you can ask me here.
PS: For ICAT, you can do a portmapping with NAT in VirtualBox. It should be not very hard. Yes, TAP/TUN option may not work with some wifi
cards (though, it works fine with mine). But NAT option does not depend on it.
I debug my drivers and IFS'es this way. It's possible to use standard terminal emulator like Putty in Windows, Minicom in Linux and DTerm in OS/2. These
terminal emulators support using a named pipe or a local socket instead of a usual COM port. And VirtualBox (including the OS/2 port of it) supports redirecting
a VM COM port to a host pipe/socket. I wrote (an unfinished) document about debugging of OS/2 drivers in VBox (and not only). It is included into my VBox
additions distribution (docs\debug.txt in the Additions ISO). If you have more questions, you can ask me here.
PS: For ICAT, you can do a portmapping with NAT in VirtualBox. It should be not very hard. Yes, TAP/TUN option may not work with some wifi
cards (though, it works fine with mine). But NAT option does not depend on it.