Author Archives: luigidifraia

ALBERT version 2.5.0 released

Posted on by

Version 2.5.0 of ALBERT, the pixel art editor for creating extended Commodore 64 images, is now available on its official homepage.

ALBERT 2.5.0 main window by Luigi Di Fraia

ALBERT 2.5.0 main window

This is a minor update delivering the following changes:

  • Added toolbar button tooltips with tool name and shortcut
  • Added the option to toggle pixel grids independently of reference grids
  • Added the option to toggle safe-to-draw region outlines
  • Added the option to flip preview window contents
  • Run container as host user via fixuid, ensuring correct file ownership on mounted volumes
  • Fixed radio menu item state not updating in sub-menus on macOS
  • Fixed vertical positioning of windows on macOS

Binaries are provided for Windows (x86_64), macOS (x86_64 and ARM64), and Linux (x86_64). Also, for Linux users, Docker images are published on Docker Hub here.

Stay tuned for more!

C64 Raster Effect Editor version 1.4.3 and C64 Pic Extender version 1.1.5 released

Posted on by

Version 1.4.3 of the C64 Raster Effect Editor is now available within my Software page. Likewise, version 1.1.5 of the C64 Pic Extender is also available within my Software page. With both, binaries are provided for Windows (i686 and x86_64), macOS (x86_64), and Linux (x86_64 and armv7l).

These are minor updates for a few enhancements. Common to both, aligning with the same changes I had done for ALBERT, are the below:

  • Improved the re-arrangement of data for MC pictures
  • Updated Exomizer to version 3.1.2

Changes to the C64 Raster Effect Editor also include:

  • Rationalised the stable code
  • Multiple about dialogs under macOS won’t be erroneously created any longer
  • Non-ASCII and space characters in the application path won’t impair the execution of exomizer under *nix

Stay tuned for more!

IECHost GUI client version 3.10.0 and DC2N4-LC GUI client version 4.4.3 released

Posted on by

Version 3.10.0 of the IECHost GUI client is now available within my Software page. Binaries are provided for Windows (i686 and x86_64), macOS (x86_64), and Linux (x86_64 and armv7l).

This is a minor update for a few enhancements, and a a new feature:

  • Added support for re-reading sectors with errors in a track range
  • Made a number of changes for maintainability
  • Fixed a menu item tooltip

Details of the changes are also available through the issue tracker.

Furthermore, version 4.4.3 of the DC2N4-LC GUI client is also available within my Software page. Likewise, binaries are provided for Windows (i686 and x86_64), macOS (x86_64), and Linux (x86_64 and armv7l).

This is a minor update for a few enhancements:

  • Rationalised some code as well as the building and bundling material
  • Improved the abort mechanism
  • Made a number of changes for maintainability

Stay tuned for more!

IECHost GUI client version 3.9.4 released

Posted on by

Version 3.9.4 of the IECHost GUI client is now available within my Software page. Binaries are available for Windows (i686 and x86_64), macOS (x86_64), Linux (x86_64 and armv7l).

This is a minor update for a few enhancements and some refactoring for maintainability:

  • Fixed the title of the file chooser dialog used to save the sector grid to a PNG file
  • Improved the abort mechanism
  • Increased the spacing between sector cells proportionally to zoom level
  • Included 64-bit versions of avrdude in the 64-bit Windows package

Details of the changes are also available through the issue tracker.

Stay tuned for more!

DC2N DMP to TAP conversion utility version 4.0.0 released

Posted on by

Version 4.0.0 of the DC2N DMP to TAP conversion utility is now available within my Software page. Binaries are available for Windows, macOS (x86_64 & arm64), and Linux (x86_64 & armv7l).

This is a major update:

  • The batch conversion mode was fixed.
  • The signature “C16-TAPE-RAW” is used in output files, when applicable.
  • The processing of options has been changed so that filename(s) are always the last argument(s).

Changes to the DC2N Shell Extension for Windows:

  • Registry keys were aligned with best practices in terms of being set under “Software\Classes”.
  • Registry edits are available for all users (HKLM hive) or the current user only (HKCU hive).
  • Registry edits can be undone using the “/uninstall” parameter.

Stay tuned for more!

IECHost GUI client version 3.9.3 released

Posted on by

Version 3.9.3 of the IECHost GUI client is now available within my Software page. Binaries are available for Windows, macOS (Intel), Linux x86_64 and armv7l.

This is a minor update for bug fixing:

  • Fixed failure handling holistically
  • Updated copyright date in the about dialog
  • Fixed changelog date for v3.9.2

Details of the changes are also available through the issue tracker.

Stay tuned for more!

IECHost GUI client version 3.9.2 released

Posted on by

Version 3.9.2 of the IECHost GUI client is now available within my Software page. Binaries are available for Windows, macOS (Intel), Linux x86_64 and armv7l.

This is a minor update for bug fixing:

  • Correctly handle failures when “Format II” returns an error

Details of the changes are also available through the issue tracker.

Thanks to SLC for reporting the issue in the first instance.

Stay tuned for more!

Publishing 64-bit versions of my applications for Windows

Posted on by

As we’re heading into 2025, I decided to start distributing 64-bit versions of my applications for Windows. Updates for existing 32-bit versions will still be published and supported for some time, but given the fact that they are targeted to users running Windows XP 32-bit or later, I might eventually not update, publish, and support them any longer.

Windows 64-bit binaries for DC2N4-LC and IECHost GUI clients are now available for download from my software page. If you are interested in helping me to test them on Windows 10/11, do get in touch using my contact form if:

  • you experience an issue with either one of them,
  • you can reproduce such issue at will, and
  • the corresponding 32-bit version is not affected.

ALBERT version 2.0.1 released

Posted on by

Version 2.0.1 of ALBERT, the pixel art editor for creating extended Commodore 64 images, is now available on its official homepage.

This is a minor update delivering the following changes:

  • Fixed the logic to reposition the pencil for connecting lines when undoing or redoing changes
  • Fixed the setting of border color in non-extended hires mode
  • Fixed the clipping region for flood fill in extended hires mode
  • Fixed the visibility of connecting lines so that they are visible with any background color

Binaries are available for Windows and macOS (Intel). For Linux users, Docker images are published on Docker Hub here.

Stay tuned for more!

ALBERT version 2.0.0 released

Posted on by

Version 2.0.0 of ALBERT, the pixel art editor for creating extended Commodore 64 images, is now available on its official homepage.

Binaries are available for Windows and macOS (Intel). For Linux users, Docker images are published on Docker Hub here.

This update delivers the following changes:

  • When the pixel pen tool is active, pressing Shift and a mouse click draws a connecting line to the mouse pointer position
  • Persist the open/closed state of the script and preview windows too
  • Fixed the lookup of sprite attribute byte from the previous row when color switching is not allowed
  • Added the option to drag the program into the Applications folder when mounting the DMG for macOS
  • Rationalised several UI items/wording
  • Added support for embedding a preview in project files (not backward compatible)
  • Show “(unsaved)” in the app title bar to advise a project has changes not yet saved to file
  • Added the “Open Recent” menu, including dynamic removal of invalid entries
    PRG files are saved and exomized in a temporary folder before being moved to their user-selected location
  • PRG file export runs in a separate thread
  • Added support for sending PRG files to an Ultimate device
  • The actual fraction of work completed is now tracked by the progress bar while loading/saving a project or saving workstages
  • Added a context menu to keep the preview window on top

A few more sample projects are also included in each distribution package and in a separate archive.

Dulcis in fundo, I am including a few visuals here:

ALBERT: About dialog by Luigi Di Fraia

ALBERT: About dialog

ALBERT: open project dialog by Luigi Di Fraia

ALBERT: open project dialog

ALBERT: open recent menu by Luigi DI Fraia

ALBERT: open recent menu

ALBERT: macOS drag to install window by Luigi Di Fraia

ALBERT: macOS drag to install window