New SIDE loader with floppy disk manager running uFlash | Video
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Jonathan "flashjazzcat" Halliday posted a video showing uFlash - the program for flashing ROMs on memory expansion cartridges such as Ultimate 1MB, Incognito, MaxFlash, etc. - running from the new SIDE Loader.
We see the directory listing in the file chooser; then the ROM file is loaded and flashed. Everything happens using the Atari computer's CIO (central input/output) mini disk manager.
"Basically the architecture of the Atari driver in the operating system (DOS) allows programs to be opened with the path "D1:filename.ext", and this does the same thing: Since there is no DOS present when loading an XEX file, the loader provides one that works with FAT," Halliday explained to Atariteca.
"Flashjazzcat" notes that this method has several advantages. "For example, if you have a 512KB ROM file to flash, instead of loading it from a floppy disk using the Atari computer you can place that file on the FAT partition of your compact flash card (CF card) and quickly load it from there."
It would also be possible to load multi-stage games and use uFlash to flash the ROM directly from the FAT to the CF card. "I don't know if I'll ever make it read/writeable; but it will be read-only for now. Hopefully, I'll jailbreak it one day," he added.
Finally, you still have to write code to return a formatted directory to the application (for programs that want to list file names), so the FAT16/32 directory has to be converted to DOS 2.5 format.
It should be noted that the original loader created by Sebastian "Candle'O'Sin" Bartkowicz has the same functionality.
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