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MirageOS v1.2

Platform: TI-83+/TI84+ (FlashApp)
Released On:  May 12th, 2004

Produced By: Detached Solutions
E-Mail: mirage@detachedsolutions.com


MirageOS Homepage Goto: User's ManualSoftware ArchiveDeveloper Info

Welcome to the MirageOS Homepage! Here you will find a great amount of information about our TI-83 Plus Flash Application shell, such as a Features List, a User's Manual with screenshots, Documentation for Assembly programmers who want to develop for MirageOS, and an Archive of all available Graphical User Interfaces for our shell. Located below, we have provided general information about MirageOS, and a brief summary of all its features. Near the bottom of this page are links to the other major sections of this homepage, which contain more detailed information and content pertaining to this great new shell we have developed.


What Is MirageOS?

MirageOS is a Flash Application for the TI-83 Plus and TI-84 Plus that functions as a shell to manage and execute Z80 Assembly and TI-BASIC programs. This shell is similar to ION for the TI-83/83+, however, MirageOS has a greater amount of features for the User and the Programmer. It is compatable with previous TI-83 Plus formats, and establishes a new and enhanced program format as well. There is a convenient Interface that has many innovative features, which makes this FlashApp one of the best developments for the TI-83 Plus so far.

Although MirageOS seems like a new Operating System with its many abilities, it does not replace the TI-OS, and infact works along side it. This shell is comparable to an Operating System, but like a mirage, it seems to be something that it isn't... Despite that fact, MirageOS contains a great deal of features that we are sure will please the TI-83 Plus public. Read through the many paragraphs below that describe all the things our Flash Application shell can do...


Features Of MirageOS

  • Supports Several Program Formats - Our shell can run programs of several different formats and shells, such as MirageOS-specific, ION, BASIC, TI-OS ASM. BASIC program execution is now supported on all hardware/operating-system combinations.

  • Powerful Program Manager - This is the Built-In, Graphical Interface for the shell that displays all compatible programs by name in a scrollable list. The Program Manager has a Function Bar, which contains a great amount of commands that you can carry out to organize and manage your programs. You have the ability to Rename any program on your calculator, Un/Archive them from/into FlashROM, Protect/Unlock programs so that they can or can't be edited from the TI-OS, Hide programs so that they dont show up in the PRGM menu, and Unhide them accordingly. From the Function Bar, you can also view the amount of FreeRAM and FreeROM of the calculator without having to goto the Mem menu, and you can transfer programs to other 82/83/83+ calculators. More info about the Program Manager is described in further features.

  • External User Interfaces - We support External Interface files that can use the functionality of the shell and display programs in their own creative manner. The four GUIs provided so far list programs by Name, Description, and Button Image individually, and there is also a Command Prompt Interface. These are all optional to have on your calculator, but some users may prefer to use them over the Program Manager.

  • Supports Program Folders - MirageOS lets the user organize their programs into many folders within the Program Manager, which are optional to have except for the MAIN directory. Folders can be created with custom names, programs can be moved in and out of them, they can be renamed, and deleted. In the Program Manager, all folders are listed and can be Opened and Closed so that their contents can be shown or hidden temporarily.

  • Custom Sorting of Folders - You have the ability to Sort the programs in each of your folders by name. By default, MirageOS sorts the folders automatically when starting up, incase you have loaded new programs onto the calculator that are out of order. This feature is sometimes slow, however, when you have a lot of programs to be sorted, so we give the option to turn off Auto-Sort at start-up.

  • Battery Power Friendly - The shell runs in Low-Power mode while it waits for a keypress from the user so that it does not constantly execute at full-speed and waste Battery Power. We support Auto-Power-Down (APD), which turns the calculator off automatically after 3 minutes of inactivity. There is also the ability to instantly Power-Down your calc without having to exit the shell and press 2nd+ON from the TI-OS. When inside of MirageOS, you can press the ON key to shut down the calculator, and press ON again to turn the calc back on and resume in the shell.

  • Custom Info For Programs - MirageOS allows for Assembly programs to have long descriptions that can be displayed when searching through the list of programs to run, just like most other shells have. Our shell also allows for BASIC programs to have long, customized descriptions, which is an innovation that we think a lot of TI-83 Plus BASIC developers will enjoy. Our shell also allows for MirageOS-specific programs to have custom images that are 15x15 pixels in size, which can give a graphical representation of that program like an icon. These images are used mostly in the Buttons Interface, but they can also be seen from the Program Manager when you have that option set.

  • Built-In Password Protection - From the Options Screen of MirageOS, where the user can change many aspects of the shell and the TI-OS, Password Protection can be enabled. The user has the ability to set a Password that will be prompted for when entering the shell from the TI-OS, and after the calculator is turned back on from being shut down or APDing. This feature allows security for the user from people that should not be using their calculator, and the Password is stored into FlashROM so the shell is still safe if the RAM is reset.

  • Hotkeys in the TI-OS - Since MirageOS is a Flash Application, it has the ability to implement Keyhooks into the TI-OS, and adds more functionality that could not be done with a regular Assembly program. When using the TI-OS normally, like at the Homescreen, you have the ability to start the shell by holding ON and pressing the APPS key. Another Hotkey we have implemented is being able to Power-Down the calculator from anywhere in the TI-OS, and then resume there without being sent back to the Homescreen. This is done by pressing ALPHA and then ON, and is beneficial for things like being in the Basic Editor of the calculator. The last Hotkey we have added allows protection of the Memory Menu. If this option is enabled in the shell, access to the Mem menu by pressing 2nd+Mem will be rejected, and this is helpful in protecting variables from being deleted like the AppVar, which contains your shell Password.

  • Tasker Interrupt In Programs - One of the coolest features that MirageOS contains is the ability to carry out certain Tasks while ION and MirageOS programs are executing. We use an Interrupt Routine, enabled during programs, that allows special Hotkeys to accomplish various tasks at any point in a program. The tasks we have incorporated are changing the contrast level, Powering-Down and resuming the program later, quitting back to the shell or the homescreen at any point (like a Teacher-Key), speeding up and slowing down the program execution, and even taking screenshots of the LCD anytime and sending that to one of the PicX variables. This feature does not work in Basic programs, and even some ION programs, but will work in most, if not all, MirageOS programs.

  • Assembly Program Development - MirageOS enhances ASM program development for the TI-83 Plus by allowing MirageOS developers access to many more built-in subroutines than ION provides. These routines are for general use, and are well optimized for speed since size wasnt a big problem in our FlashApp. It also allows for MirageOS programs to be smaller since they do not have to include routines straight into their sources, but can call the built-in ones instead. We also give a system of easily adding a user Interrupt routine along with the Tasker Interrupt routine, so that MirageOS programs have the ability to execute code outside of their main code. There are various other features for development purposes too, which are all explained in the Developer Information section of this MirageOS Homepage.

  • System Memory Benefits - By using MirageOS, there are many underlying features that aren't seen, but improve the usage of programs on your calculator, regarding the RAM and FlashROM. As a Flash Application, the shell resides in ROM and executes there, as opposed to being located in RAM to run programs. For this reason, Assembly programs have more potential FreeRAM to use, and can be larger in size, nearly 24 Kb. MirageOS can run programs that have been Archived into the FlashROM for long-term storage, by moving the data to RAM first. Some programs write back data to themselves, for saving things such as high-scores, however, that causes an Archived program to be Re-Archived, which is somewhat harmful to the FlashROM if there are many writes. Our shell gives the option to Not write back programs, with the only downside of not being able to save recent data changes in the program. Another thing is that External Levels for programs may be located in RAM, or in FlashROM where they are safer, and MirageOS handles them appropriatly either way. Lastly, there is no limit on the number of programs the shell can detect, as some shells have. The only limitation for the number of programs you can keep on your calculator is the amount of memory available.

  • Environmentally Friendly - MirageOS supports kindness to the environment in which we live in. We advocate to "Save The Whales", which implies other Environmentally-Friendly actions, and respect for the creatures of this planet... Thank you for your support. :)

    NOTE:  No animals were harmed during the development and testing of this Flash Application.



   MirageOS User's Manual

View this large and comprehensive guide to find out any information relating to the usage of our Flash Application shell. This guide has detailed documents about all of the functions that can be carried out, all the options and their purposes, what keys do what in any part of the shell, and tips on how to improve your usage experience with MirageOS. Here you will also find many screenshots that we have taken from every section of the shell, and we point out the various aspects of each screen that is useful for the user to know.


   MirageOS File Archive

This section of our website contains a listing of software and files relating to MirageOS, specifically the Graphical User Interfaces that are available to the public, and also any Assembly source material we provide to other developers. We have chosen not to include the Assembly programs and games made by the public for MirageOS, because to manage all the files that will emerge in the future would be too much for our staff to handle while they work on their own projects. We will leave the archiving of any TI-83 Plus programs to the other major TI websites, which we support, and the TCPA will also take part in releasing RAM programs that coincide with our Flash Application shell.


   Developer's Information

Here you will find a great amount of information regarding Assembly Program Development for our Flash Application shell. We provide documentation on the required format that MirageOS-specific programs must have, and the files needed that allow you to compile them for the TI-83 Plus. We also provide information about the development standards that programmers should take on when writing for this shell, as well as the Include files that contain RAM locations and subroutine entry point addresses that are used. We give thorough information about the Built-In subroutines of our shell, their Input and Output info, the Registers used in the routines, and even sample sources on programming usage of the routines. This section of our webpage also contains information about how to create Graphical User Interfaces that can be used with MirageOS.


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Last Modified: 2004-08-18 18:56:45 GMT