NETBOOT65 FOR THE APPLE ][

TO USE

unzip the archive somewhere on your local hard drive
start the bin/tftp_server.rb script (e.g. by double-clicking on it)
boot up the client/utherboot.dsk (either in AppleWin, or using ADTPro to transfer to a real Apple 2 disk)

When Utherboot.dsk boots, it runs a program called "UTHERBOOT.PG2" that does the following

checks for an uthernet in slot 3
broadcasts a DHCP request to get an IP address allocated
broadcasts a TFTP request for a directory listing for anything matching "*.PG2"
displays a menu containing whatever files the TFTP server lists as available.
Once a file is selected, it is downloaded via TFTP, and executed

ADDING MORE FILES

Only single-load files can be used (this may change in a future release). The files need to be in "PG2" format, which is essentially a DOS 3.3 Binary file. The first 2 bytes of the file must be the load address (little-endian, i.e. low/high), and then the next 2 bytes must be the file length (excluding the 4 byte header). The files also need to have a file extension of ".PG2" (in upper case, if your operating system of choice is case sensitive).

If you use CiderPress (http://ciderpress.sourceforge.net/) to extract files from a DSK image, they will not be in the correct format, however there is a script that will convert such files (including, for example, the games supplied with the Apple 2 Game Server - http://a2gameserver.berlios.de/). If you run bin/import_ags_games.rb and specify the path to a folder containing files extracted with CiderPress, e.g. the Apple 2 Game Server "games" directory, a copy of all the games will be placed in the boot/ folder (converted to the appropriate format) - NB due to a limitation in the menu selection code, only the first 128 PG2 files in the boot/ folder can be selected.

Alternatively, you can use dsktool.rb (http://dsktool.rubyforge.org/) to extract files - it will retain the appropriate file header during the extraction. For example, to extract the "DIG DUG" game from the online copy at http://mirrors.apple2.org.za/ftp.apple.asimov.net/images/games/action/digdug.dsk.gz, do the following:

cd to the netboot65/boot folder
execute 'dsktool http://mirrors.apple2.org.za/ftp.apple.asimov.net/images/games/action/digdug.dsk.gz -e "DIG DUG" -o DIGDUG.PG2'

REQUIREMENTS

Uthernet in slot 3 (to use under AppleWin, you will need winpcap installed)
a DHCP server on your network
a working ruby installation

LIMITATIONS

These may be fixed in a future release.

Uthernet must be in slot 3
Only single-load programs supported
Only BRUNable files supported (i.e. not Applesoft or Integer BASIC)
No more than 128 programs will be displayed in the menu
no HGR font, starfield or plinkity plonkety "music"

CREDITS

IP65 - lightweight IP+UDP stack written in CA65 assembler, by Per Olofsson - http://www.paradroid.net/ip65

TFTP extension to IP65 - Jonno Downes - jonno@jamtronix.com

INSPIRATION

Apple 2 Game Server - http://a2gameserver.berlios.de/

AppleWin - http://applewin.berlios.de/

comp.sys.apple2 regulars - http://groups.google.com.au/group/comp.sys.apple2/

LICENSE

NETBOOT65 is licensed under the same terms as IP65, the Mozilla Public License Version 1.1. For details, please visit http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/

SOURCE CODE

Available at http://sourceforge.net/svn/?group_id=250168

AUTHOR

Jonno Downes - jonno@jamtronix.com