[A83] Re: What is the problem with flash writes (in general)
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[A83] Re: What is the problem with flash writes (in general)
Well, the reason MirageOS stores it's AppVar in archive instead of in RAM is
so settings, etc. are not erased if the RAM is reset. And AppVars are just
like any other variable on the calc, any program can create them. If you
want, you can turn a program into an appvar (or vice versa) by changing the
type byte in the VAT.
The nice part about write-back as opposed to external data files is that if
you want to delete the program, you only have to worry about one file. I've
seen peoples' calculators with MirageOS, but they still have a bunch of Ion
modules, and they have breakout and diamonds levels, but not the actual
games. Of course, with applications you don't have any choice, but for
programs it's often nicer to have things internal: high scores, settings,
and the like (excepting some things, like the password example you
mentioned). Of course, to a point, it's all a matter of preference.
-Dan Englender
----- Original Message -----
>
> Apps can do it, I don't know about other programs. Apps can create an
APPVAR
> and bcall ArcUnarc. It might be wondered, however, what the point of this
> would be, since the sorts of data usually stored in APPVARs is (usually)
> small stuff, which best resides in RAM. An exception to this is TI's
> ridiculous Transformation Graphing App, which for animations creates a
> picture of each and stores all of them into an APPVAR. This thing can get
> huge, and it might be nice to archive it in this case (isn't going to be
> changed once its created anyway, unless its deleted...)
>
> Generically speaking, writing back to the program is bad style. The only
> case where it might be useful is high scores. Using something such as an
> APPVAR ensures that settings are specific to individual calculators.
> Consider the all to common problem of someone getting a password program
> from someone else, but not knowing what their password was, and then the
> person they got it from mysteriously dies... Okay that last part doesn't
> usually happen but you get the point.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: assembly-83-bounce@lists.ticalc.org
> [mailto:assembly-83-bounce@lists.ticalc.org]On Behalf Of james l
> Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 10:22 AM
> To: assembly-83@lists.ticalc.org
> Subject: [A83] What is the problem with flash writes (in general)
>
>
>
> Not really that no one has been able to do them in their programs, but the
> fear of failure.
>
> "Minimum 1,000,000 program/erase cycles per sector
> guarantead" -Am29F400B.pdf
> (amd's tech doc on it)
>
> Writing to it for everything, would be a hazard, but having programs do
> write-back to the flash for storage, shouldn't hurt at all. (if we could
do
> it)
>
>
> Just my .02USD
> James L.
>
>
>
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