[avrdude-dev] Blank skipping, multi-byte writes, notes on parallel ports

[Lou Cyphre]

Hello,

I have one suggestion, to speed up things on some uploads, and that is 
about blank skipping (0xFF bytes, after an erase).
I provided such a stuff on bootloaders for other systems, in the past; 
it could be effective in cases like a 'bootloader-only' upload, i.e. on 
an ATmega128 -- now I have to wait sending all the (useless) 0xFF bytes, 
before I reach at least 0x1F800, where the only meaningful bytes really 
reside.
Could be a command line option to "skip blank Flash pages".

The second subject is about support (being it a "standard" or not) for 
multi byte/word transmission, as described in
  http://tlw.com/bryce/robot/avr/
I'm using a totally custom board with an ATmega128, having an USB/IR 
interface, so I wouldn't use avrdude with this mode (I will support a 
similar feature it in my own communication layer), though it could be 
nice adding such support for anyone using the AVR910-style connection, 
in a standard-serial environment -- I'm using avrdude only for the SPI 
direct programming, with an AVRISP/pony interface, that I re-designed to 
be working on my 3.3 Volt system.

Last note is about parallel ports in a Windows environment.
I read, in archived articles, something about troubles with parallel 
ports, and I had my own ones here, too.
First problem: avrdude was connecting (and ponyprog too) though "loosing 
 connection" after a short while; trouble was caused by the FlexLM 
license manager, that I'm running for some Cadence dongles: even 
removing the dongle it messes up things all the time. Unless you stop 
the license manager from the control panel: that fixes everything.
Second problem: I thought to install a second parallel port board, to 
keep my dongles (having a couple of them...) on a separate port; yet 
have to understand whether this darn 'cheap board' can be remapped from 
PCI on a legacy LPT port, and how the heck doing it...
<silly>
Is it viable for avrdude to access I/O directly on PCI address...?
</silly>

Lou