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Overview

Emulator settings allow you to test your project directly from DevCPC using the devcpc run command with RetroVirtualMachine.
Only RetroVirtualMachine v2.0 BETA-1 R7 (10/07/2019) is supported. This is the only version with development features enabled.Download from: RetroVirtualMachine

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Basic Configuration

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RVM_PATH

Path to the RetroVirtualMachine executable.
devcpc.conf
# macOS
RVM_PATH="/Applications/Retro Virtual Machine 2.app/Contents/MacOS/Retro Virtual Machine 2"

# Linux
RVM_PATH="/usr/local/bin/RetroVirtualMachine"

# Windows WSL
RVM_PATH="/mnt/c/Program Files/RetroVirtualMachine/RetroVirtualMachine.exe"
  • Type: Absolute path to executable
  • Required for: devcpc run command
  • Platform-specific: Use the appropriate path for your OS
Finding RVM on macOS: 
# Right-click RetroVirtualMachine.app → Show Package Contents
# Navigate to Contents/MacOS/
# Full path is typically:
/Applications/Retro\ Virtual\ Machine\ 2.app/Contents/MacOS/Retro\ Virtual\ Machine\ 2
Finding RVM on Linux: 
which RetroVirtualMachine
# or check common locations:
/usr/local/bin/RetroVirtualMachine
/opt/RetroVirtualMachine/RetroVirtualMachine
Finding RVM on Windows (WSL): 
# Windows path: C:\Program Files\RetroVirtualMachine\RetroVirtualMachine.exe
# WSL path:
/mnt/c/Program\ Files/RetroVirtualMachine/RetroVirtualMachine.exe

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CPC Model Selection

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CPC_MODEL

Amstrad CPC model to emulate.
devcpc.conf
CPC_MODEL=464
  • Type: Integer
  • Options: 464, 664, 6128
  • Default: 464
ModelRAMDisk DriveTapeNotes
46464KB❌ No✅ YesOriginal model, tape only
66464KB✅ Yes✅ YesWith built-in disk drive
6128128KB✅ Yes✅ YesEnhanced model, 128KB RAM
Use CPC_MODEL=464 for maximum compatibility. Most games run on all models.

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Execution Modes

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RUN_MODE

Controls whether to run from disk (DSK) or tape (CDT).
devcpc.conf
RUN_MODE="auto"
  • Type: String
  • Options: "auto", "dsk", "cdt"
  • Default: "auto"
ModeDescriptionBehavior
autoAuto-detectUses CDT if CDT and CDT_FILES are configured, otherwise DSK
dskForce diskAlways runs from DSK image
cdtForce tapeAlways runs from CDT image
Command-line override: 
# Override RUN_MODE from command line
devcpc run --dsk    # Force disk mode
devcpc run --cdt    # Force tape mode
devcpc run          # Use RUN_MODE setting

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RUN_FILE

File to auto-execute when running in DSK mode.
devcpc.conf
RUN_FILE="8BP0.BIN"
  • Type: Filename (without path)
  • Optional: Leave empty for manual loading
  • Applies to: DSK mode only (ignored in CDT mode)
  • Example values: "8BP0.BIN", "LOADER.BAS", "GAME.BIN"

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Execution Behavior

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DSK Mode

When running from disk:
  1. Closes any existing RVM sessions
  2. Launches RVM with the specified CPC model
  3. Mounts the DSK image
  4. If RUN_FILE is set: 
    RUN"RUN_FILE"
  5. If RUN_FILE is empty: drops to BASIC prompt
Example session: 
Amstrad 64K Microcomputer (v3)
READY

RUN"8BP0.BIN"
[Game starts]

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CDT Mode

When running from tape:
  1. Closes any existing RVM sessions
  2. Launches RVM with the specified CPC model
  3. Mounts the CDT image
  4. On CPC 664/6128: Automatically switches to tape with |TAPE
  5. Executes RUN"" to load the first file
  6. Auto-play is enabled (tape runs automatically)
Example session (CPC 464): 
Amstrad 64K Microcomputer (v3)
READY

RUN""
[Tape loads automatically]
Example session (CPC 6128): 
Amstrad 128K Microcomputer (v3)
READY

|TAPE
RUN""
[Tape loads automatically]
DevCPC automatically handles the |TAPE command on disk-based models (664/6128) when running CDT files.

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Complete Examples

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Example 1: DSK with Auto-Execution

devcpc.conf
# Emulator configuration
RVM_PATH="/Applications/Retro Virtual Machine 2.app/Contents/MacOS/Retro Virtual Machine 2"
CPC_MODEL=464
RUN_MODE="dsk"
RUN_FILE="8BP0.BIN"
Usage: 
devcpc build && devcpc run
# Automatically loads and runs 8BP0.BIN

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Example 2: CDT with Tape Loading

devcpc.conf
# Emulator configuration
RVM_PATH="/Applications/Retro Virtual Machine 2.app/Contents/MacOS/Retro Virtual Machine 2"
CPC_MODEL=464
RUN_MODE="cdt"

# CDT configuration
CDT="${PROJECT_NAME}.cdt"
CDT_FILES="loader.bas 8BP0.bin"
Usage: 
devcpc build && devcpc run
# Mounts tape and auto-loads with RUN""

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Example 3: Auto-Detect Mode

devcpc.conf
# Emulator configuration
RVM_PATH="/Applications/Retro Virtual Machine 2.app/Contents/MacOS/Retro Virtual Machine 2"
CPC_MODEL=6128
RUN_MODE="auto"        # Uses CDT if available, otherwise DSK
RUN_FILE="LOADER.BAS"  # Used when running DSK

# CDT configuration (optional)
CDT="${PROJECT_NAME}.cdt"
CDT_FILES="loader.bas 8BP0.bin"
Usage: 
devcpc build && devcpc run
# If CDT is configured: runs from tape
# Otherwise: runs from disk with LOADER.BAS

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Example 4: Manual Loading

devcpc.conf
# Emulator configuration
RVM_PATH="/Applications/Retro Virtual Machine 2.app/Contents/MacOS/Retro Virtual Machine 2"
CPC_MODEL=664
RUN_MODE="dsk"
# RUN_FILE not set - manual control
Usage: 
devcpc run
# Drops to BASIC prompt, manual loading:
READY
CAT
LOAD"LOADER.BAS"
RUN

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Platform-Specific Examples

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macOS (Intel)

devcpc.conf
RVM_PATH="/Applications/Retro Virtual Machine 2.app/Contents/MacOS/Retro Virtual Machine 2"
CPC_MODEL=464
RUN_FILE="8BP0.BIN"

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macOS (Apple Silicon)

devcpc.conf
# Same path as Intel
RVM_PATH="/Applications/Retro Virtual Machine 2.app/Contents/MacOS/Retro Virtual Machine 2"
CPC_MODEL=464
RUN_FILE="8BP0.BIN"

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Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

devcpc.conf
RVM_PATH="/usr/local/bin/RetroVirtualMachine"
CPC_MODEL=464
RUN_FILE="8BP0.BIN"

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Windows WSL (Ubuntu)

devcpc.conf
RVM_PATH="/mnt/c/Program Files/RetroVirtualMachine/RetroVirtualMachine.exe"
CPC_MODEL=464
RUN_FILE="8BP0.BIN"

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Troubleshooting

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RVM Not Found

Error: 
✗ RetroVirtualMachine no encontrado
Solution:
  1. Verify RVM is installed
  2. Check the path is correct: 
    ls -la "/Applications/Retro Virtual Machine 2.app/Contents/MacOS/Retro Virtual Machine 2"
  3. Update RVM_PATH in devcpc.conf

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Wrong RVM Version

Issue: Development features not available Solution: Download v2.0 BETA-1 R7 (10/07/2019) specifically. Later versions removed development APIs.

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CDT Not Loading

Issue: Tape doesn’t auto-load Solution:
  1. Verify CDT_FILES is configured
  2. Check files are in correct order
  3. Ensure RUN_MODE="cdt" or RUN_MODE="auto" with CDT configured

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DSK Not Executing

Issue: Game doesn’t start automatically Solution:
  1. Set RUN_FILE in devcpc.conf
  2. Verify the file exists in the DSK: 
    devcpc build
# Check output for DSK contents

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Tips

Quick testing: Use devcpc build && devcpc run to compile and test in one command.
Multiple models: Test on different CPC models by changing CPC_MODEL and rebuilding.
Force mode: Use --dsk or --cdt flags to quickly test both media without editing config.

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See Also

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