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PCem v17

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Reply 20 of 146, by Bruninho

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SarahWalker wrote on 2020-12-07, 14:05:

It'd be interesting to find out how PCem fares on an M1. There is an ARM64 backend for the CPU recompiler (though currently not for the Voodoo code generator), but it's only ever been tested on a Pi3 running Linux, wouldn't be entirely surprised if ARM64 Mac OS threw up issues.

Did anyone manage to compile for macOS? Be it Intel-based or M1-based Macs?

"Design isn't just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works."
JOBS, Steve.
READ: Right to Repair sucks and is illegal!

Reply 21 of 146, by almeath

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Bruninho wrote on 2020-12-14, 22:16:

Did anyone manage to compile for macOS? Be it Intel-based or M1-based Macs?

Versions 16 and 17 are available here, with build instructions for Mojave and Catalina. My thanks to @kyr0 who figured out how to get V14 to compile in 2019 and those on the PCem board who worked it out for V16+17. There is even a native Mac application wrapper and DMG available to download.

https://github.com/PCemOnMac

Today I figured out how to get both versions running in Big Sur. It is a bit of a work-around because currently it will not compile directly - you need to follow a slightly 'tweaked' build process in Mojave or Catalina and then transfer the binary to Big Sur with an additional dependency. The full instructions are there, but let us know on the Github page if you need any help. 😀

Apart from figuring out how to directly compile in Big Sur, we intend to look at the reported problem with degraded performance (on the Mac only) in version 17. Also, none of us in that group have ARM Macs so that is yet to be investigated as well.

I was planning to post this information on the PCem board - I only got my registration sorted out in the last day.

EDIT: I have fixed the build errors and I can now get v16 and v17 to successfully compile and run in Big Sur 11.2.1. The repositories and instructions have been updated.

DOSBox SVN for macOS (x86-64) - customized with Munt MT-32, Nuked OPL3, 3dfx Voodoo, Extra RAM, Large HD, and more.
https://github.com/almeath/DOSBox-SVN-64-bit-for-macOS

Reply 22 of 146, by Bruninho

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I've built both v16 and v17, however I could only run an machine with v17 (I'm on Big Sur 11.2), while v16 segfaults without even starting the machine.

"Design isn't just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works."
JOBS, Steve.
READ: Right to Repair sucks and is illegal!

Reply 23 of 146, by StLouisCPhT

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SarahWalker wrote on 2020-12-07, 14:05:

It'd be interesting to find out how PCem fares on an M1. There is an ARM64 backend for the CPU recompiler (though currently not for the Voodoo code generator), but it's only ever been tested on a Pi3 running Linux, wouldn't be entirely surprised if ARM64 Mac OS threw up issues.

Bruninho wrote on 2020-12-14, 22:16:

Did anyone manage to compile for macOS? Be it Intel-based or M1-based Macs?

PCem v17 does compile on the Arm Macs as native Apple Silicon quite easily once some minor additional code changes are made.

However, running is a different story.

Codegen_backend_arm64 has issues with block_write_data. I tossed my work on the shelf in December ( right about the time you were talking about it over here), with little to no desire in trying to resolve the issues as it has been more interesting to help work on porting emulators like Play and melonDS over to Arm macOS. If Sarah, almeath or kyr0 have the time to help figure it out, let me know.

Bruninho wrote on 2021-02-17, 02:53:

I've built both v16 and v17, however I could only run an machine with v17 (I'm on Big Sur 11.2), while v16 segfaults without even starting the machine.

If I remember correctly, the v16 segfault is due to code relating to setting the titlebar of the window.

Reply 24 of 146, by Bruninho

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StLouisCPhT wrote on 2021-03-15, 01:58:
PCem v17 does compile on the Arm Macs as native Apple Silicon quite easily once some minor additional code changes are made. […]
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SarahWalker wrote on 2020-12-07, 14:05:

It'd be interesting to find out how PCem fares on an M1. There is an ARM64 backend for the CPU recompiler (though currently not for the Voodoo code generator), but it's only ever been tested on a Pi3 running Linux, wouldn't be entirely surprised if ARM64 Mac OS threw up issues.

Bruninho wrote on 2020-12-14, 22:16:

Did anyone manage to compile for macOS? Be it Intel-based or M1-based Macs?

PCem v17 does compile on the Arm Macs as native Apple Silicon quite easily once some minor additional code changes are made.

However, running is a different story.

Codegen_backend_arm64 has issues with block_write_data. I tossed my work on the shelf in December ( right about the time you were talking about it over here), with little to no desire in trying to resolve the issues as it has been more interesting to help work on porting emulators like Play and melonDS over to Arm macOS. If Sarah, almeath or kyr0 have the time to help figure it out, let me know.

Bruninho wrote on 2021-02-17, 02:53:

I've built both v16 and v17, however I could only run an machine with v17 (I'm on Big Sur 11.2), while v16 segfaults without even starting the machine.

If I remember correctly, the v16 segfault is due to code relating to setting the titlebar of the window.

Try to contact kyr0 and almeath, they have set up a work on github (and I’m on gitter with them to talk about and test their binaries) to try and bring PCem to macOS, be it Intel or arm based macs. We need more arm based macs to test and develop it, too. I’ve tested their v17 on my intel macbook, and so far runs well, sure there are a few things that need to be sorted out. More help is always welcome.

"Design isn't just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works."
JOBS, Steve.
READ: Right to Repair sucks and is illegal!

Reply 25 of 146, by Shambler

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I'm attempting to work out the changes needed to at least compile for arm macOS and having some trouble - wouldn't mind a pointer or two (though sounds like there's other issues to consider once its compiled)

Happy to test though - using a M1 machine now and would like to have PCEM on the go

Reply 26 of 146, by almeath

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Shambler wrote on 2021-04-06, 06:35:

I'm attempting to work out the changes needed to at least compile for arm macOS and having some trouble - wouldn't mind a pointer or two (though sounds like there's other issues to consider once its compiled)

Happy to test though - using a M1 machine now and would like to have PCEM on the go

Thanks contacting me on Github. I will try to assist you from there, as these are Mac and M1 specific issues.

DOSBox SVN for macOS (x86-64) - customized with Munt MT-32, Nuked OPL3, 3dfx Voodoo, Extra RAM, Large HD, and more.
https://github.com/almeath/DOSBox-SVN-64-bit-for-macOS

Reply 27 of 146, by ZellSF

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leileilol wrote on 2020-12-02, 05:13:
Some games that can work with the Banshee emulation now: - Command & Conquer Renegade - Dance Dance Revolution - Empire Earth - […]
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Some games that can work with the Banshee emulation now:
- Command & Conquer Renegade
- Dance Dance Revolution
- Empire Earth
- Evil Dead: Hail to the King
- Max Payne
- Oni
...and probably many many more unlisted games from the period of 1999-2001 that ignore secondary video devices, as well as a bunch of indie/free games that use OpenGL.

Also since it's banshee, it's got the big res thing going, of course. Know that it's the PCI versions that are emulated as the bus bandwidth isn't going to be great anyway (a lot of 1998's new video cards were promoting unplayablly high resolutions for the time, like 1920x1440). However, that very bottleneck can be useful for reaching 100% execution in some cases. 😀

I should also remind everyone to uninstall their Voodoo graphics/Voodoo2 drivers if try Banshee or Voodoo3 on existing Voodoo'd PC configs. Issues can happen.

How are you setting up widescreen resolutions in PCem?

Reply 33 of 146, by mgtroyas

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appiah4 wrote on 2021-04-07, 11:49:

My main issue with PCem is how LONG it takes to set up hard drives..

Well, now you can create HDDs on VHD sparse format instead of IMG, so it doesn't write all the image to disk, but autogrows it when needed.

Reply 34 of 146, by Namrok

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Krathoon wrote on 2021-06-09, 01:21:

I have one problem with PCem. I have a Pentium with Voodoo 2 setup on one and it does not play cd audio worth a crap. It stutters. If I use a cd image, it works fine.
This is annoying because many old games use cd audio.

I don't know if this is still the case, but I think around PCem v15 or v16 I was having this problem trying to play Warlords III. I went digging through the source code, wondering if there was anything I could do. It looked like all the code for reading physical CDs was lifted directly from DosBox, but the way it was integrated into the main emulation thread caused it to start, stop and hitch constantly. It appeared to read a sector, then wait until the emulator told it the machine you are emulating would have read another sector. Then it would do that. Then it would wait again, etc. I suspected the constant, piecemeal, halting reads were playing havoc.

For my own edification I thought about putting in some read ahead buffering on a second thread to try to smooth these things out, and also to see if I was even remotely correct in my assessment. But then I had a kid instead. I regret none of my choices. Still a thing I may attempt one day though, if the problem isn't solved before then. I'm not sure how many people even use PCem to play physical media.

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Reply 35 of 146, by appiah4

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mgtroyas wrote on 2021-06-10, 10:35:
appiah4 wrote on 2021-04-07, 11:49:

My main issue with PCem is how LONG it takes to set up hard drives..

Well, now you can create HDDs on VHD sparse format instead of IMG, so it doesn't write all the image to disk, but autogrows it when needed.

Ok, that fixes my main gripe so I'll give it one more try 😀

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Reply 37 of 146, by Garrett W

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Unfortunately, it seems like its creator and main contributor, Sarah Walker, decided to nuke the website and forums after a barrage of transphobic bile against her. The message on the forum is especially bleak "I'm done. This isn't fun anymore."
I admit, I have not been following the project very closely to know what exactly went down, but transphobia has no place in this community.
I don't get how people can be this cruel to others, more so to people that have dedicated many years of their lives to hard work that benefits us all. Sarah, you have my support and that of many, many others. And yes, you are right, this isn't fun or worth it in the end.

Reply 38 of 146, by Zup

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The forums are worse. They've been deleted and the page only says:

Information

I'm done. This isn't fun anymore.

Lately, Sarah Walker was thinking about leaving PCem and going into other projects. Someone mentioned 86box and awaken some bad memories from the past. So it seems that:
- Someone hacked PCem page. I really hope that this is the reason behind the main page and forum downtime, because the only other thing I can think of is...
- Someone pissed her off and she has finished PCem the worst way. I understand that people can get very nasty (specially through internet) and that having devoted so much time to be heavily critisized can lead to such a breakdown. But that's a sad way to end this project after many years of efforts and achievements.

Please, get back soon! Even if only PCem page is restored and the project frozen, many people will be thankful.

I have traveled across the universe and through the years to find Her.
Sometimes going all the way is just a start...

I'm selling some stuff!

Reply 39 of 146, by xcomcmdr

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The bitbucket page lands on a 404.

Zup wrote on 2021-06-13, 16:08:

- Someone pissed her off and she has finished PCem the worst way. I understand that people can get very nasty (specially through internet) and that having devoted so much time to be heavily critisized can lead to such a breakdown. But that's a sad way to end this project after many years of efforts and achievements.

Last edited by DosFreak on 2021-06-13, 20:49. Edited 1 time in total.