Edit system-configuration files

[VresiBerba]

Noticed that several of the WHDLoad games I have installed have mouse movements set way too sensitive. So, is there a way to externally edit these without creating template system-configuration files, renaming them for each different configuration and using a file handler to simply overwrite the old one in each, and every devs folder?

[Wepl]

You can edit it using the Workbench 1.3 preferences program.
For example install a wb13 (http://whdload.de/apps/Workbench13.html) copy the system-configuration from your game therein, edit and copy back.

[VresiBerba]

Originally Posted by Wepl

You can edit it using the Workbench 1.3 preferences program.
For example install a wb13 (http://whdload.de/apps/Workbench13.html) copy the system-configuration from your game therein, edit and copy back.

That is what I used to do back in the day, I thought that perhaps there's a simpler way to do this these days.

[daxb]

I don`t know if there is a description of system-configuration file but if not I would guess that you can hex edit it to change mouse speed. Without description save/create three system-configuration files each different mouse speed setting (nothing else changed). Then compare the three files. With some luck only one byte has changed every time. If that works you can more automate it by a macro or script or something else.

[VresiBerba]

Originally Posted by daxb

I don`t know if there is a description of system-configuration file but if not I would guess that you can hex edit it to change mouse speed. Without description save/create three system-configuration files each different mouse speed setting (nothing else changed). Then compare the three files. With some luck only one byte has changed every time. If that works you can more automate it by a macro or script or something else.

I suppose you could do that, but frankly just making a couple of them with different configurations and save under different names and just transfer them over when needed would be by far less clunky and time consuming. It's just a file you can move from one place to another, really.

[Amiga1992]

It's a shame there is no new tool to change those. Having to boot up an old Workbench isn't always the best idea.
Is the format of this file documented anywhere?

[Minuous]

Yes, it is documented in the ROM Kernel Manuals:

The Preferences structure in 1.3 and earlier versions of the OS is a static 232 byte data structure defined in <intuition/preferences.h> as follows:

struct Preferences
{
/* the default font height */
BYTE FontHeight; /* height for system default font */
/* constant describing what’s hooked up to the port */
UBYTE PrinterPort; /* printer port connection */
/* the baud rate of the port */
UWORD BaudRate; /* baud rate for the serial port */
/* various timing rates */
struct timeval KeyRptSpeed; /* repeat speed for keyboard */
struct timeval KeyRptDelay; /* Delay before keys repeat */
struct timeval DoubleClick; /* Interval allowed between clicks */
/* Intuition Pointer data */
UWORD PointerMatrix[POINTERSIZE]; /* Definition of pointer sprite */
BYTE XOffset; /* X-Offset for active ’bit’ */
BYTE YOffset; /* Y-Offset for active ’bit’ */
UWORD color17; /***********************************/
UWORD color18; /* Colours for sprite pointer */
UWORD color19; /***********************************/
UWORD PointerTicks; /* Sensitivity of the pointer */
/* Workbench Screen colors */
UWORD color0; /***********************************/
UWORD color1; /* Standard default colours */
UWORD color2; /* Used in the Workbench */
UWORD color3; /***********************************/
/* positioning data for the Intuition View */
BYTE ViewXOffset; /* Offset for top lefthand corner */
BYTE ViewYOffset; /* X and Y dimensions */
WORD ViewInitX, ViewInitY; /* View initial offset values */
BOOL EnableCLI; /* CLI availability switch (OBSOLETE)*/
/* printer configurations */
UWORD PrinterType; /* printer type */
UBYTE PrinterFilename[FILENAME_SIZE]; /* file for printer */
/* print format and quality configurations */
UWORD PrintPitch; /* print pitch */
UWORD PrintQuality; /* print quality */
UWORD PrintSpacing; /* number of lines per inch */
UWORD PrintLeftMargin; /* left margin in characters */
UWORD PrintRightMargin; /* right margin in characters */
UWORD PrintImage; /* positive or negative */
UWORD PrintAspect; /* horizontal or vertical */
UWORD PrintShade; /* b&w, half-tone, or color */
WORD PrintThreshold; /* darkness ctrl for b/w dumps */
/* print paper descriptors */
UWORD PaperSize; /* paper size */
UWORD PaperLength; /* paper length in number of lines */
UWORD PaperType; /* continuous or single sheet */
/* Serial device settings: These are 6 nibble-fields in 3 bytes */
/* (these look a little strange so the defaults will map out to 0) */
UBYTE SerRWBits; /* upper nibble = (8-number of read bits) */
/* lower nibble = (8-number of write bits) */
UBYTE SerStopBuf; /* upper nibble = (number of stop bits - 1) */
/* lower nibble = (table value for BufSize) */
UBYTE SerParShk; /* upper nibble = (value for Parity setting) */
/* lower nibble = (value for Handshake mode) */
UBYTE LaceWB; /* if workbench is to be interlaced */
Preferences 333
UBYTE WorkName[FILENAME_SIZE]; /* temp file for printer */
BYTE RowSizeChange; /* affect NormalDisplayRows/Columns */
BYTE ColumnSizeChange;
UWORD PrintFlags; /* user preference flags */
UWORD PrintMaxWidth; /* max width of printed picture in 10ths/in */
UWORD PrintMaxHeight;/* max height of printed picture in 10ths/in */
UBYTE PrintDensity; /* print density */
UBYTE PrintXOffset; /* offset of printed picture in 10ths/inch */
UWORD wb_Width; /* override default workbench width */
UWORD wb_Height; /* override default workbench height */
UBYTE wb_Depth; /* override default workbench depth */
UBYTE ext_size; /* extension information -- do not touch! */
/* extension size in blocks of 64 bytes */ };

[VresiBerba]

It would be so cool if someone could create a tool to edit the system-configuration file. Open a dialogue window, browse to the file, open it and be presented with a similar interface of the original preferences program, edit the configuration and save the file in its original location.