Short:        JOST Launcher for kickstart 1.3
Author:       youen.chene@gadz.org (Youen Chéné)
Uploader:     youen chene gadz org (Youen Chéné)
Type:         util/misc
Version:      2.1
Architecture: m68k-amigaos >= 1.3
Distribution: Aminet

Game/Demo launcher for JOST exe to run .slave for WHDLOAD compatible
with 1.3 kickstart.

This is kind of a clone of TinyLauncher from "Master" Gibs (french will
understand this stupid joke).

The target setup for this launcher is a CDTV with 8Mo fast memory and
BlueCDTV/BlueSCSI SD Card hard disk. It runs on kickstart 1.3 only, and
is tested on:
 - a CDTV-like machine: 1Mo chip + 8Mo fast
 - a stock A500: 512K chip + 512K slow
 - an A500 with 1Mo chip and no other memory

You can fully control the launcher with your CDTV Remote, mouse mode
 or joy mode.

Version 2 is a rewrite in C of the Blitz Basic version, same look and
same config file. Measured on an A500 (512K chip + 512K slow), 250 games:

                          0.3            2.0            gain
  list on screen          23.4 s         10.8 s         2.2x faster
  fire -> jst starts      ~10.7 s        ~1.9 s         5.6x faster
  memory left for game    222K           407K           +83%
                                         (of 420K free)
  back after a game       list broken    same list, same selection
  number of games         255 max        no limit (tested with 3000)

Only 13K of the launcher stays in memory while a game runs: `jl` is a
small resident part, it unloads the menu (`jl-menu`) before starting
jst and loads it again when the game quits.

Source : https://github.com/youenchene/JOST_Launcher_v2

# How to install

Prequisites :
- Kickstart 1.3. Legit files can be bought from Amiga Forever
- You need `jst` in your `C:` folder. (https://github.com/jotd666/jst)
- Your WHDLoad games installed in a folder, unpacked (jst can't read
  XPK packed files)

1. Unpack the archive: `lha x jl.lha`
2. Copy both executables to `C:`, both are needed:
   `copy jl C:` and `copy jl-menu C:`
3. Set `scan_dir_1` in `jl-config.cfg` to your games folder and copy it
   to `S:`: `copy jl-config.cfg S:`
4. Run `jl`, press S (or 0 on the remote) then Enter to scan. The list
   is saved in `S:jl-inventory.data`, next starts don't need a scan.

Launch it through CLI or add `jl` at the end of your startup sequence.

Upgrading from 0.x: replace `C:jl` with the new one and add
`C:jl-menu`. Your `S:jl-config.cfg` and `S:jl-inventory.data` still
work.

# How to control

CDTV Remote (mouse mode or joy mode) :
- Arrow to navigate
- A or B button To launch
- 0 to scan your whdload games or demo folder.
- 1 to switch to folder mode
- B button to cancel a scan

Any joystick/joypad :
- Arrow to navigate
- Fire button To launch

Keyboard :
- Arrow to navigate
- Enter (or keypad Enter) To launch
- S to scan your whdload games or demo folder, C to cancel
  the scan
- F to switch to folder mode
- Escape to quit

# jl-config.cfg setup

scan_dir_1=Games:Games            mandatory, no trailing `/`
scan_dir_2..scan_dir_4            optional, more folders to scan
inventory_file=S:jl-inventory.data
folder_mode_by_default=true       start in folder mode
jst_command=jst                   command used to start a slave

`jst_command` is looked up in `C:` and started directly. If it can't be
loaded from there, it is started through a shell. It must be a normal
program: BCPL commands of the 1.3 C: directory (like Echo) can't be used.

In folder mode, games are grouped by the parent folder of their own
folder (`Games:Games/_Arcade/Pang` is in `_Arcade`).

A game whose folder doesn't exist any more shows "Could not start":
scan again.

# Release Notes

## 2.1
 - fix: screen cropped at the bottom on some real CDTV/A500 units
   (Kickstart 1.3 misreporting NTSC despite genuinely PAL hardware,
   seen on a real CDTV through an RGB2HDMI)

## 2.0
 - refactor: rewrite in C (was Blitz Basic 2), same look
 - fix: list broken and memory lost after launching a game (0.x started
   a new copy of itself after each game)
 - fix: games missing or out of order in the list above 255 games
 - fix: long slave file names cut at 30 characters
 - perf: jst is started directly, without a script, a shell or a
   `RAM:` file, with a 4K stack like the 1.3 shell
 - perf: the menu is unloaded while a game runs (13K stays resident)
 - perf: the inventory is saved in name order, next starts skip the
   sort
 - feat: selection kept when coming back from a game
 - feat: up to 4 scan folders (`scan_dir_2` to `scan_dir_4`)
 - feat: new optional config entry `jst_command`
 - feat: "Could not start" message when a game can't be launched
   (e.g. its folder was moved: 0.x started jst anyway)
 - feat: keypad Enter launches too
 - feat: C, B or button 2 cancels a scan
 - refactor: two executables, `jl` (resident, 8K) and `jl-menu` (the
   menu): copy both to `C:`
 - chore: releases built and published on GitHub

## 0.3
 - feat: folder view mode
 - refactor: display info
 - feat: display current JL version
 - feat: new optional config entry `folder_mode_by_default`
 - fix: display refresh before and after scan

## 0.2
 - feat: Add alphabetical order on games display
 - fix: hardcoded limit of 100 games
 - fix: Scan on 1.3 not working on more than the 1st folder
 - feat: new optional config entry `inventory_file`

## 0.1
 - Initial alpha version

# Download

https://github.com/youenchene/JOST_Launcher_v2/releases/latest