Tutorial_General_E - Aros the OpenSource OS running on UAE and real hardware

Tutorial General Aros Vision "Final"

Ideas behind the project

The idea for me was to do the perfect solution based on Aros. Perfect means for me to have everything what I need (or might need) available, updated and simple to use, if possible without needing the shell. If possible preconfigured. It is based on AROS 68k as free OS. Desktop is Magellan. Additionally it includes many additional components from Hollywood, AROS and Amiga (68k). This is combined and integrated by heavy configured Magellan.

In this version are many improvements integrated, including new ROMs (Bugfixes and improvements from Apollo branch), improved Multiview and Datatypes. Additional the new version of iGame and updated versions of f.e. MUIBase and WHDLoad. Source of new ideas was next to my own ideas and wishes discussions about other platforms and similar (mostly commercial) projects. My project is not commercial and offers more freedom. Because of that I have tried to implement as much as possible. Example is simple Backup/Restore to save f.e. user-startup and restore when problems arise.

Some of the features:

Inherits all features of Aros (Network, USB, RTG)

new roms (base change of ApolloOS)

new multiview and improved datatypes

modern preconfigured desktop (magellan)

many file formats can showed or played by double click

WHDLoad preinstalled using aros roms

ScummVM 2.6 and DosBox 0.74 installed

AFD and ISO can be mounted

full packer support including GUI

iGame to start demos and games

compiler integrated and preconfigured

many libraries, devices, commodities and handler additionally integrated

many shell commands added

backup/restore

update functionality

automatic download and installation of installer and fonts from menu

games, demos and picture for entertainment added

for many file formats are additional options added through context menu, f.e. conversion from other formats

support of file formats from other platforms like koala pictures (C64)

and so on

What is Aros 68k?

official website:

https://aros.sourceforge.io/

AROS is a open-source implementation of the 3.1-API with its desktop (wanderer) and is cross-platform available (f.e. for X86/X64 or ARM and 68l). Normally 68k software cannot executed directly because there is no JIT-compiler. Instead binaries must be compiled for every platform. Exception is Aros 68k where you can mix aros and amiga components. I make use of that extensively in my distribution to extend functionality. AROS is in many areas more sophisticated than 3.1 and includes components that require 3rd party components on 3.1.. This includes AHI, MUI implementation (Zune), network support, RTG (cybergraphx 3) and USB (Poseidon).

My Distribution

Idea is to create look & feel of amiga and to replace system components of original installation with AROS components and to extend the environment. This includes viewer and player, WHDLoad with aros roms, XAD to support packers and software like FTP client and PDF viewer. I have also replaced the limited wanderer desktop with Magellan and extensively configured to create a comfortable environment which makes use of as much as possible. Almost any amiga format is supported.

This is the start. Below is a docking bar to execute different programs (editor / calculator / calculator / SnoopDOS / Multiview / clock / screengrabber / DOpus4 / Aweb / FTP / Shell ). On the top there are ram drive, system drive, directory "work" and "Exchange". Exchange is a program for administration of the commodities.

Many functions are selected using menu on the top (right mouseclick). Also most programs are there direct accessible. A few examples (audio) are PlaySID and SIDBooster to play sid files. Hippo Player, SoundFX (SFX), CD-Player and BCDPlay to play music cd. Config REXXMAST start (error requester not important). At "developer" you can start ACE (compatible to amiga basic), Amiblitz3, AMOS (with many extensions) and AMOSUnity (AGA), After AMOSUnity closing you must reboot (this also happens with other programs and demos). Emulation you find DosBOX 0.74, ScummVM mit preinstalled games and other emulators (MasterGear, PC-Engine, Gameboy, MSX, NES). RAD offers RAD discs.

At tools many programs are accessible, including iGame. This software in installed in Extras/Tools.

In Work are games, whdload software (games and demos), samples (picture, mods, anims) and demos.

In sytem is a similar directory structure with applications as on 3.1. New is "Extras" where I installed all new programs.

On Extras there are subdirectories like Audio (music applications and player), Developing (all to program), Docs (documentations), Emulation (emulators), Internet (applications for web), Libs (Documentation for libraries), tools (additional programs), Work (game and demos).

With preferences you can change language (local) including time zones. This can be important because time is automatically synchronized. Input (language keyboard), network, palette, Zune (change the mui preferences), screenmode to change resolution. New is Assigns to define assigns independently.

Magellan

I use Magellan as desktop replacement. This makes it possible to create a environment that was impossible on AROS before and makes using it comofrtable. The screenshot shows magellan preferences where f.e. background picture is defined. This you find at Settings/Environment.

Context-Menu

One of the basic concepts of magellan is the "filetype". There you define what happens if you do a doubleclick on a file, which icon is used and the context menu is defined that opens if user right-clicks on the file. Identified is type by ending.

Examples of supported file formats:

directories (f.e. diashow, search files, pack)

Amiblitz

Amigaguide (Multiview)

AMOS Basic

Animations(APNG, CDXL, FLV, FLX, MOV, VOB, WMV, YAFA, AVI, FLC, FLI, IFF Anim, MP4, MPG)

Images (f.e. ADF und ISO)

PDF

Picture (PCX, TIFF, Amica Paint, different Atari formats, GIF, IFF, JPEG, PBM, PCD, PCX, PGM, PNG, PNM, PPM, TARGA, TIFF)

many conversion options between the formats

Sample (IFF, MPG, WAV, MOD, SID, MED, AHX, DIGI, HivelyTracker, XM)

Text (HTML, DOC,RTF, ASCII)#

all XAD-Archivs (ACE, AMIPack, ARC, ARJ, BZIP, CAB, CPIO, Crunch, DMS, GZIP, LBR, LHA, LhF, PAK, PC64, RPM, SFX, TAP, TAR, WAD, ZOO, 7zip, BZIP2, JAR, LZX, RAR, TGZ, ZIP)

These can be opened by doubleclick and unpacked.

Magellan is a relative modern desktop, You can make a connection between desktop and a program or drop applications or directories on it. Every window can be made smaller or small and opened again by clicking. Every window can be closed by pressing ESC. With STRG-TAB can changed between the windows.

The commodities are administrated with "Exchange". Some of these are from AROS, others from Amiga.

this is picture shown with multiview

shell

This is official page: https://aros.sourceforge.io/documentation/users/shell/introduction.php

I have more commands and handlers added.

mounting of ADF- and ISO files

ADF and ISO can be mounted by right-click on the file. Dismount by system menu.

Download from aminet

this is possible using Aweb or FTP. Both are possible using docking bar or menu on top. At FTP click connect and navigate to archive. With Aweb select archive and target directory.