Build instructions: Manjaro host, VICE-emu 3.8 guest

1. Objective: Create an instance that can be freely redistributable using VirtualBox. VB was chosen specifically for the multi-platform nature of the build. I would like to create a docker, but I'm not there yet.
2. Materials:
   1. Manjaro Install CD (manjaro-kde-22.0-minimal-221224-linux61.iso - latest avail at time of writing)
   2. QEMU/KVM to provide the Manjaro Host
   3. VICE 3.8 archive dl'd from Sourceforge
   4. Jim Brain's 1.15a version of tcpser dl'd from GitHub.com

Build instructions

1. Installing the Manjaro host on the VirtualBox hypervisor
   1. Create the VirtualBox virtual machine using the generic linux 64-bit profile using the following specs:
      1. Virtual hard drive: 60 GB
      2. RAM: 4 GB
      3. CPUs: At least 2, I find 4 is good. More than four CPUs doesn't present a notable difference on my server. YMMV. This will be a setting you may want to toy with after everything is running.
      4. Attach the Manjaro ISO and start the virtual machine.
      5. Once booted to the live CD, select "Start Installer" at the bottom of the dialogue box.
      6. Select your language and select 'Next'.
      7. Set your timezone of choice and select 'Next'.
      8. Select your appropriate keymaps and select 'Next'.
      9. Select 'Erase disk' and 'Swap to file' and select 'Next'.
      10. Enter your user information. For example:
          1. Name: VICE User
          2. Username: viceemu
          3. Computer Name: vice-virtualbox
          4. Password: viceemu
          5. Note - I like my virtual machines to auto login and use the same password as root. There are pros and many cons to this. Use your discretion.
      11. Select 'Next'.
      12. Verify the information is correct and select 'Install'.
      13. Last chance to back out, select 'Install now'.
      14. Time passes.
      15. Do not check the box "Restart now" and click on "Done".
      16. Use the VirtualBox to remove the virtual install CD and power off the computer.
      17. Using the VirtualBox Management Interface, "Start" the VM.
      18. The first boot will take some time.
2. First boot and updating the Manjaro operating system.
   1. Minimize the Welcome screen and adjust the resolution of the virtual's "Display" to a comfortable resolution. Right-click on clean desktop and select "Configure Display Settings" from the context menu. Larger values require more processing power. VICE looks and runs great on an 800x600 display, but you are going to want a little working area until finished. I suggest 1440x900. It is not that of a drain on resources and it is temporary.
   2. Set "Power Management" While still in the "System Settings" dialog.
      1. Under the "On AC Power" tab, uncheck "Screen Energy Saving" and click "Apply" on the bottom right.
      2. Under "Workspace Behavior | Screen Locking" Uncheck the two boxes to the right of "Lock screen automatically". Click "Apply".
      3. Dismiss the dialog box.
   3. Updating the Operating system. Use the VB interface to enable bidirectional clipboard sharing, and you may copy and paste from outside of the OS -- easier if you have a multiple monitor setup.
      1. To gain root status, open a terminal and type

sudo -i

and enter your password. You are now the all powerfull root.

1. 1. 1. Set the system to update to your country.

pacman-mirrors --country United_States
pacman -S --needed yay #enter Y at the prompt.
exit #returns you to standard user.
yay #enter password at prompt

1. 1. 1. Enter Y at any replacements suggested unless you have reasons not to. Most of these will be for the operating system and have nothing to do with VICE.
      2. Answer Y at "Proceed with the installation"
      3. Time passes. Take a nap unless you have a crazy-fast system. I don't.

Setup build environment and download needed dependencies for tcpser and VICE-emu

sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel gtk3 glew dos2unix xa glib2-devel

Building tcpser

• Set up the build location

cd
mkdir -p sandbox/git
cd sandbox/git

• Download and make tcpser

git clone https://github.com/go4retro/tcpser
cd tcpser
make clean
make

• Copy tcpser to an acceptable location

sudo cp tcpser /usr/local/bin/

Download VICE-emu

cd ~
mkdir sandbox/src
cd sandbox/src
wget https://sourceforge.net/projects/vice-emu/files/releases/vice-3.8.tar.gz
tar -xvf vice-3.8.tar.gz
cd vice-3.8
./autogen.sh

The next is a little trick which will enable the build of several different configurations of VICE with the same source tree. Make a build directory outside of the source tree, configure and make in that directory.

cd ..
mkdir gtk3ui
cd gtk3ui
../vice-3.8/configure -C --enable-gtk3ui --disable-pdf-docs 
make -j $(nproc --all)

Time passes, even on a fast system, this will take a while...but, we are almost there. ...and install

sudo make install

Make a desktop icon with the branded icon and launch instructions

1. Right-click on clean desktop and select "Create Link to Application"
2. Replace "Link to Applicaton" with "SuperCPU 64" or whatever you wish.
3. Click on the generic icon.
4. Click on "Browse..." in the lower-left corner of the dialogue box that pops up.
5. Navigate to "~/sandbox/src/vice-3.8/data/common/" and select desired icon - "SCPU_64.png" sounds good.
6. Under tab "Application" again replace "Link to Application" with "SuperCPU 64"
7. In the textbox labled "Program" enter "xscpu64".
8. In "Arguments" put whatever command-line arguments to make your life easier. This is where I put the list of drives I want to connect vice to on startup.
9. Dismiss the dialogue box, double-click on the desktop icon and you in. You may now configure VICE in whatever way you wish. Adding JiffyROMs, if you have them or others from a myriad of choices.

Enjoy,
Jazzy J
2023-03-11