NEXT FAQ’s

[stupidget]

Happy Christmas all of ya.

Thought it might be a good idea to start a FAQ for all things NEXT related.

I’ll got first, how do I connect my NEXT to an FTP server over WiFi? I’ve connected my NEXT to my home wife but could do with working out how to connect to an FTP server to download files.

[DouglasReynholm]

I too would appreciate a brief summary and any links to what can be done with ZX Next wi-fi , if anyone could help please?

[Mpk]

Can I use a USB wireless keyboard?
And a wireless gamepad? What's the best one ( of both ) to get.

[Xela]

links to what can be done with ZX Next wi-fi

https://github.com/em00k/next-zxdb-downloader
https://em00k.itch.io/getit
https://www.specnext.com/forum/viewtopi ... =17&t=1715
https://github.com/nihirash/internet-nextplorer

[Xela]

Can I use a USB wireless keyboard?
And a wireless gamepad?

If you can find a PS/2 wireless keyboard and mouse, then yes - you can use them.

[Seven.FFF]

The Next FAQ is here. It’s part of the public wiki so you can add to it.

https://wiki.specnext.dev/FAQ

[jamesh]

+100 for updating existing FAQ. Just one thing I found recently, at least some parts of the FAQ are either quite outdated or were not quite correct.

P.S. yes, that about that joystick stuff, if I am reading docs and sources right.

[Seven.FFF]

I replied in more detail in your joystick post, and hopefully we will get to the bottom of it there.

I agree that section of the FAQ is out of date, and I’ll try to improve it.

I’m personally a big proponent of going directly to the port and nextreg docs, as they are guaranteed to be up to date master docs (Allen maintains these as he adds hardware features). But I recognize that they can be pretty opaque, and secondary documentation sources are also important for regular end users. However there isn’t anybody maintaining these - quite often they ware written once by somebody in the community, who never comes back to maintain it. So the more copies of info you have, the more likely some are to be wrong.

[jamesh]

Thank you. Speaking of FAQ/wiki updates, pardon my ignorance, does it have "discussion" feature? My proposal is simple: it's an overkill to introduce a proper ticket/bug tracker, but having a page out there with the list of bugs/potential enhancements/etc. may help. Meaning "something wrong with the docs, go to /FAQ:Discussion and add your thoughts". WDYT?

P.S. .ps2mode utility, does it work for anyone?

[Seven.FFF]

The issue trackers are on gitlab where the hardware and software lives. One tracker for FPGA hardware issues, and another for distro issues, which covers NextBASIC, NextZXOS, the boot firware/updater program, dot commands, and third party software included on the card.

It's not reasonable to expect end users to guess whether a particular problem lies in hardware or software, so sometimes issues get raised in the wrong place, but it doesn't really matter and they all get looked at by the Team, or relayed to the maintaining dev.

There's a few odd cases like .ps2mode, where dot commands were donated early on without source, and have never been maintained. It's a guess but I think this one is by Victor, who isn't actively involved in maintaining anything at all since 2018. I think for years now the mode can only be switched while in config mode (by the boot firmware program), so that dot command should probably be removed.

[jamesh]

Oh, apologies, I clearly have troubles expressing my ideas on Boxing Day. Thanks for sharing details about existing issue trackers.

However, what I meant to say was this: We clearly see some people (myself including) willing to contribute to the FAQ/docs updates, but sometimes we simply lack the knowledge. Hopefully, it is still worth collecting feedback. Like my confusion with the joystick setup. Wiki itself seems to be the right place for that kind of data. Is there a TODO page for the Wiki or something similar?

[stupidget]

I too would appreciate a brief summary and any links to what can be done with ZX Next wi-fi , if anyone could help please?

So I’ve got my NEXT to connect to the ZX-DB over WiFi. Go here:

https://github.com/em00k/next-zxdb-downloader?search=1

Download the ZXDB-DL folder and copy it to the root of your SD card. On your NEXT browse to the ZXDA-DL folder and run zxdb-loader.bas . Now you can search for and download games to your NEXT.

No need to download the dot folder as the NEXT KS2 already has http installed.

[Mpk]

So I’ve got my NEXT to connect to the ZX-DB over WiFi. Go here:

https://github.com/em00k/next-zxdb-downloader?search=1

Download the ZXDB-DL folder and copy it to the root of your SD card. On your NEXT browse to the ZXDA-DL folder and run zxdb-loader.bas . Now you can search for and download games to your NEXT.

No need to download the dot folder as the NEXT KS2 already has http installed.

I didn't have to do any of that - ZXDB-DL is preinstalled, just browse to the folder, under wifi l, and run it.
Search doesn't work very well, but it's there.

[stupidget]

Ah right I suppose I should have RTFM

[Mpk]

In ZXDB-DL, how can I type [ ] characters in search ?

I'm trying to download my crap games from last year, but they're prefixed with [CSSCGC] so I can't search.

[MtM]

The Next is lucky to have some very responsive and capable folks involved in it,
you only need to see some of the replies from the founders on this thread alone
to see that, they always seem very helpful to me.

Although I am not on FB you can read the public pages without being a member for
the group, which is not a bad source of info, albeit it can sometimes suffer a bit
from new people asking old questions, but that can happen anywhere I guess.

If you look at the FB pages for any length of time I think nearly all the questions
asked previously have been answered.

Personally, the info I like the most is the up to date games info, I still look at

https://www.specnext.com/software-directory/

but I do not know if this is the best or most up to date list for software tbh.

[Xela]

https://www.specnext.com/software-directory/

but I do not know if this is the best or most up to date list for software tbh.

The information there is a little out of date. You can find more up-to-date information here: https://www.clivetownsend.com/next/
and here: https://zxart.ee/eng/software/software- ... :title,asc

[Seven.FFF]

In ZXDB-DL, how can I type [ ] characters in search ?

I'm trying to download my crap games from last year, but they're prefixed with [CSSCGC] so I can't search.

I passed this on and it’s being looked at. Can you give a specific SC link to one of your games so we can test with that, please?

[Mpk]

I passed this on and it’s being looked at. Can you give a specific SC link to one of your games so we can test with that, please?

Hey, thanks.
Here you go :
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/3 ... m_The_Past

You should play it, it's AMAZING.

[Mpk]

Does anyone have one of these? And does it work with the Next?


https://shop.8bitdo.com/products/8bitdo ... mega-drive

[Xela]

Does anyone have one of these? And does it work with the Next?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/specnex ... 999401076/

[cmal]

According to this video, it does work. I do not have a Next yet but I went ahead and purchased one anyway to use when my Next arrives.

[jamesh]

Does anyone have one of these? And does it work with the Next?

Yep, works fine.

[Mpk]

Magic. Thanks everyone. Ordered.

[stupidget]

Is it possible to save a snapshot of a NEXT game? I know you can use the NMI button to save a snapshot of a running Speccy game but I wondered if it's possible for a NEXT game?