How To: Create an SD Card Image

[Gerry]

I'm not communicating my issue very well. Using the -sdcard switch with the Mac x16emu emulator requires a .img (or apparently a .VHD) file which is a image of the sdcard. The official release of the latest SD card zip file decompresses to a root directory with the rest of the real files organized in subdirectories. Copy those directories directly to an SD card, plug it into a real X16 and Bob's your uncle (it works!). But for an emulator to see and use these files, it needs to be converted into a disk image (file types .VHD or .IMG) but a Mac can't make the .img file but by third-party applications and, as far as I know, not a .VHD file at all. Macs use the .dmg filetype for the same thing. I tried using a .dmg file made for the -sdcard switch but all I got was gobbly gook.

The only solutions I see for Mac users are, one, use a Windows machine to make the image, two, have someone post the .img and .VHD files to the website for download or, three, spend some money to by a Mac app to make them. For me, the question becomes, are Mac users being left in a chicken and the egg dilemma? I hope not as we like the X16 emulator too and really appreciate having it available. So what can I do to help fix this catch-22?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Gerry

[Gerry]

I'm not communicating my issue very well. Using the -sdcard switch with the Mac x16emu emulator requires a .img (or apparently a .VHD) file which is a image of the sdcard. The official release of the latest SD card zip file decompresses to a root directory with the rest of the real files organized in subdirectories. Copy those directories directly to an SD card, plug it into a real X16 and Bob's your uncle (it works!). But for an emulator to see and use these files, it needs to be converted into a disk image (file types .VHD or .IMG) but a Mac can't make the .img file but by third-party applications and, as far as I know, not a .VHD file at all. Macs use the .dmg filetype for the same thing. I tried using a .dmg file made for the -sdcard switch but all I got was gobbly gook.

The only solutions I see for Mac users are, one, use a Windows machine to make the image, two, have someone post the .img and .VHD files to the website for download or, three, spend some money to by a Mac app to make them. For me, the question becomes, are Mac users being left in a chicken and the egg dilemma? I hope not as we like the X16 emulator too and really appreciate having it available. So what can I do to help fix this catch-22?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Gerry

[TomXP411]

Thank you for your time and answers. That worked for me, I got the x16emu to run with the sdcard.img image and it loaded. That image is blank with no files. So the next questions; where do I find the latest .img file with files or how do I turn the latest SDcard_root subdirectory into an .img file on a Mac?

Thanks again,
Gerry

You don't need an .img file, unless you're doing very specific performance testing. Otherwise, just use the -fsroot parameter to point the emulator to whatever directory you expanded the SD Card Starter Kit into. I usually just create a directory named "fsroot" underneath the emulator directory on my systems, so it's easy to find. I also create several startup scripts with different parameters, based on what file sets I want to start with.

So my startup usually looks like

x16emu.exe -fsroot C:\cx16\fsroot -scale 2 -echo

[TomXP411]

I'm not communicating my issue very well. Using the -sdcard switch with the Mac x16emu emulator requires a .img (or apparently a .VHD) file which is a image of the sdcard.

No, it doesn't. That's just one way to do it, and it's the worst way. The only reason to use an .img file is if you're exercising the built in CMD-RDOS ROM code. Otherwise, just use the hostfs interface, which works just fine with loose files.

[Gerry]

Thank you so much for your answer. I will try your solution this afternoon. As I said before, there's a lot of information on this site.
Where can I find documentation on the emulators along with the switch options? I don't want to burn you out asking a thousand minor questions when I want to use this resource after I've tried doing what the documentation says and have questions. To me, the documentation is the first-level of support and you SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) are second-level support.

Thank s again,
Gerry

[TomXP411]

Thank you so much for your answer. I will try your solution this afternoon. As I said before, there's a lot of information on this site.
Where can I find documentation on the emulators along with the switch options? I don't want to burn you out asking a thousand minor questions when I want to use this resource after I've tried doing what the documentation says and have questions. To me, the documentation is the first-level of support and you SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) are second-level support.

Thank s again,
Gerry

There should be two different documents in the emulator download - an X16 Reference Guide, and the emulator documentation. If you can't find those, you can look at our GitHub repositories:
* https://github.com/X16Community/x16-docs
* https://github.com/X16Community/x16-emulator

[Gerry]

Just to let you know Tom, the -fsroot switch doesn't work in the Mac emulator. According to the docs, the -fsroot defaults to the x16emu directory and when I run the emulator with that switch it complains that it failed to resolve the argument to -fsroot. How is the directory name for the DOS files need to be referred to in the fsroot switch? I tried a dash, a forward slash, a reverse slash, no slash but nothing worked. I will post screen shots in later but letting you know. Also, I got all of -fsroot options listed in the Terminal window. The path to the emulator is long so perhaps I need to movethis all up to my home directory. I'll have more info later.

Gerry

[TomXP411]

Just to let you know Tom, the -fsroot switch doesn't work in the Mac emulator. According to the docs, the -fsroot defaults to the x16emu directory and when I run the emulator with that switch it complains that it failed to resolve the argument to -fsroot. How is the directory name for the DOS files need to be referred to in the fsroot switch? I tried a dash, a forward slash, a reverse slash, no slash but nothing worked. I will post screen shots in later but letting you know. Also, I got all of -fsroot options listed in the Terminal window. The path to the emulator is long so perhaps I need to movethis all up to my home directory. I'll have more info later.

Gerry

It should be something like -fsroot /path/to/your/files

[Yazwho]

If you're on Windows, BitMagic -- The Emulator can also help create sdcard images.

You can load files into the virtual sdcard, modify them within the emulator, and then write the sdcard image out for re-use!

Its still pre-beta, but for most cases its very usable. Just note, The Emulator doesn't have an auto updater.

https://github.com/Yazwh0/BitMagic/releases/tag/latest

[Gerry]

Okay, I think I figured some of this out. I apologize for taking longer than expected to update my post. Next, there are two issues. First, the full path for the DOS files directed by fsroot switch needs to be defined. Trying to append onto the emulator's directory doesn't work. It took some testing but moving the emulator directory higher to the top of the directory got it working.

Second, it appears there is a character limit as to how long the path for fsroot to the DOS files. I had my Emulator directory buried pretty deep. I was just trying to be neat. When I shortened the path to the DOS files it started working. I included some screen grabs showing how the emulator responded to the DOS files long path and how the fsroot switch is defined.

It's nice to offer some new information after asking you all for help.

Is this a bug or a feature?

Thanks,
Gerry

P.S. - This is true for both the Mac and Windows versions of the emulator.