Proper method to load .prgs from pi1541?

[pentode1]

Is it possible to load .prgs from the built-in utility using a pi1541? I'm sure there are nuances to the Commodore file system and the SKpico that I don't understand; when I open the F7 file menu, I get "error reading directory entry" and "error reading from device" in alternating fashion.
I have some .prg in the root directory (the pi1541 root). The pi1541 works fine otherwise, no issues. What am I missing?

[frntc]

I haven't tried a Pi1541, but the config tool only uses kernal functions, no fancy stuff at all. Does it work if the files you upload are within a D64 container?

[pentode1]

I just checked, the behavior is the same - it gives one of those 2 error messages, and if you try again it gives the other. It alternates between the 2 messages if you keep trying.
I am able to list the contents of the drive and use it as normal, and FB64 sees everything just fine too.
EDIT: it's very possible I'm misunderstanding some basic commodore file system naming convention... Is there some specific format the filenames need to be in, upper or lower case, extension or no extension, etc? I've tried every combination I could think of and the behavior is always the same.

[LouDnl]

It works, I checked.

Missed your reply where you said that, thanks.

[hpingel]

Missed your reply where you said that, thanks.

You didn't miss it because I didn't say it yet.

Here is some picture proof coming up. (I will attach some photos.)

[hpingel]

Sure. Other than the fact that the guy who designed it said "Optionally you can connect momentary contact buttons that can aid in the use of the Pi1541."

The key word being "optionally". I guess the expectation in this little Sidkick community is that all users will be experts in the design and function of every piece of hardware that might ever be connected to the C64, as well as the function of all software involved.

As in "C64 noobs not welcome." Gotcha. I'll move on to something else.

If I offended you in any way while trying to help you with your problem I regret this and have to say that it was not my intention.

You are right that the documentation of Pi1541 by Stephen White states that the push buttons are optional. Here I didn't check the wording in the docs before claiming that they are mandatory. But:

a) It doesn't solve the problem that you need the push buttons for the use case you want to achieve.
b) I think it is maybe beginner friendly to consider the push buttons as optional but I personally (after using Pi1541 since 2019) would recommend to rewrite the documentation and state that they are "optional but recommended". This is already kind of in the documentation at this time. Stephen White says:

"Optionally you can connect momentary contact buttons that can aid in the use of the Pi1541.
(these are optional and are not required if you are going to use a USB keyboard connected to your Pi)"

This already indicates that there are features available that can be triggered either by pushbuttons or by USB keyboard.

And my point is: Because you have neither pushbuttons nor USB keyboard you are here and have opened this discussion which is actually a pure Pi1541 discussion and is not related at all to SIDKick Pico.

[hpingel]

In the meantime I tested FB64 on Pi1541 which I rarely use and it appears that when you enter a D64 in FB64 and then leave FB64 via Exit or Quit that Pi1541 is then in emulation mode for that D64.

I would like to stress that in the way described above you are able to load a PRG from inside a D64 by using FB64 without ever touching any push buttons on the Pi1541. This would be a workaround for you as you don't like pushbuttons. :-)

[pentode1]

Never assume a man is anti-button simply because he has no buttons. 😉

[pentode1]

Since things seem to be going off track here, I'll just steer things back to my original question, and please forgive me if I'm not a C64 expert.

Is there a procedure I can follow to load files from the pi1541 to the SKpico using the built-in utility? Thanks!

EDIT: problem possibly solved, once I have a chance to fully test I will report back here in the hope of helping other beginners like me and close the thread.

[hpingel]

EDIT: problem possibly solved, once I have a chance to fully test I will report back here in the hope of helping other beginners like me and close the thread.

This sounds promising! I tested it myself with my Pi1541 and it works for me so I hope that you were able to fix it for yourself too.

[pentode1]

Yes, with respect to the .prg issue I was having, it was down to a lack of knowledge about how Pi1541 works. I didn't see anything in the main documentation that suggested that its functionality would be limited by a lack of optional features. I only ever needed to use it at a very superficial level and given that I am essentially new to the C64 it never occurred to me to dig deeper into the inner workings of the Pi1541.

As you and others have discovered, if you mount a disk image with buttons or a keyboard, the Sidkick utility sees the contents just fine.