Creating your own IPFs

[dlfrsilver]

I have this compilation, and indeed, the game is the same as the retail version.

[Retroplay]

Originally Posted by Snoopy1234

How do I state the input file in Disk Analyse when it is a Stream 00.0.raw folder?

If the files is named track00.0.raw etc

disk-analyse -f"(whatever format)" track "(name of disk).ipf"

[Snoopy1234]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

I have this compilation, and indeed, the game is the same as the retail version.

Thanks for confirming that.

Originally Posted by Retroplay

If the files is named track00.0.raw etc

disk-analyse -f"(whatever format)" track "(name of disk).ipf"

The tracks are in a folder in the d-a root folder, so would it be folder/track or just track? I've tried most combinations of folder/track(00)(*.raw) etc and I get Failed to probe input file. Edit: Folder/track works ok now. Thx.

[BarryB]

An example:

I dump all my games in a folder, so, if I'm dumping an Amiga game with my Kryoflux and say it's Cannon Fodder then the my dtc command is this:

dtc -p -fCannonFodder[Amiga]/CannonFodder[Amiga](1of3)_ -i0 -i5 -l8

So that will create a folder called CannonFodder[Amiga] and in that folder will be the the stream name of Disk 1 which will be CannonFodder[Amiga](1of3)_00.0.raw all the way up to CannonFodder[Amiga](1of3)_83.1.raw so 168 tracks on an 84 track drive! The starting track will automatically have 00.0.raw appended to the stream name then increment the track/head as it dumps!

To dump Disk 2 I just change the (1of3)_ to say (2of3)_ so the stream names will then say CannonFodder[Amiga](2of3)_00.0.raw

and for Disk 3 change (2of3)_ to say (3of3)_ and the stream names will say CannonFodder[Amiga](3of3)_00.0.raw

Now in disk-analyse I copy the folder into the same directory as the disk-analyse program and I use the command:

disk-analyse -f"Cannon Fodder" "CannonFodder[Amiga]/CannonFodder[Amiga](1of3)_ " "CannonFodder_Disk1.ipf"

That will create an IPF called CannonFodder_Disk1.ipf

The only thing to note is you do not need to specify the start track in disk-analyse so 00.0.raw can be omitted and it will automatically look for the stream starting with 00.0.raw

The only other thing to change is the number of the disk to reflect which disk you are creating in disk-analyse, so Disk 2 will need to say:

disk-analyse -f"Cannon Fodder" "CannonFodder[Amiga]/CannonFodder[Amiga](2of3)_ " "CannonFodder_Disk2.ipf"

and for Disk 3:

disk-analyse -f"Cannon Fodder" "CannonFodder[Amiga]/CannonFodder[Amiga](3of3)_ " "CannonFodder_Disk3.ipf"

[BarryB]

If you are dumping with Greaseweazle then you have to create the CannonFodder[Amiga] folder first then use this command for an 84 track drive:

gw read CannonFodder[Amiga]\CannonFodder[Amiga](1of3)_00.0.raw --revs=5 --tracks=c=0-83

Then change the (1of3)_ part to reflect the disk!!

I issue a few more commands with Greaseweazle and use the following in a .BAT file:

@gw delays --step 9000
gw seek 0
@gw read {folder}\{stream}00.0.raw --revs=5 --tracks=c=0-83
@pause
gw seek 0

Sets less aggressive stepping and seeks to track 0 before and after dumping!! Just edit in your folder name in place of {folder} and the stream name in place of {stream}

[Snoopy1234]

Originally Posted by BarryB

If you are dumping with Greaseweazle then you have to create the CannonFodder[Amiga] folder first then use this command for an 84 track drive:

gw read CannonFodder[Amiga]\CannonFodder[Amiga](1of3)_00.0.raw --revs=5 --tracks=c=0-83

Then change the (1of3)_ part to reflect the disk!!

I issue a few more commands with Greaseweazle and use the following in a .BAT file:

@gw delays --step 9000
gw seek 0
@gw read {folder}\{stream}00.0.raw --revs=5 --tracks=c=0-83
@pause
gw seek 0

Sets less aggressive stepping and seeks to track 0 before and after dumping!! Just edit in your folder name in place of {folder} and the stream name in place of {stream}

@BarryB Thank You for a detailed example. I've bookmarked this page for future reference.

[haynor666]

I'm using something like this:

@title amiga dump script
@set login=[your login]
@set pass=[your password]
@set uploaddir="[your upload directory"
@echo.
@timeout 1 >NUL
@set /p UserInputPath=What Directory would you like to use for dumping?
@if NOT exist "%UserInputPath%" (
      @mkdir "%UserInputPath%"
   )
:start
@echo.
@set /p GameName=Please input disk name?
@echo.
@if NOT exist "%UserInputPath%\%GameName%" (
      @mkdir "%UserInputPath%\%GameName%"
   )
@timeout 1 >NUL

@echo.
@echo ripping
@echo.
@timeout 1 >NUL
@gw.exe read --retries=50 --revs=5 --raw "%UserInputPath%\%GameName%\%GameName%00.0.raw" 2>>"%UserInputPath%\%GameName%\%GameName%GW.log"
@timeout 1 >NUL

@echo.
@echo converting to adf
@echo.
@timeout 1 >NUL
@DTC.exe -l15 -f"%UserInputPath%\%GameName%\%GameName%.adf" -i5 -m1 -f"%UserInputPath%\%GameName%\%GameName%" -i0 -e83 >>"%UserInputPath%\%GameName%\%GameName%DTC.log" 2>>"%UserInputPath%\%GameName%\%GameName%DTCerror.log"
@timeout 1 >NUL

@echo.
@echo packing
@echo.
@timeout 1 >NUL
@7z.exe a -y -r -ms=on -mx9 -mmt=4 -m0=LZMA2 -mfb=256 -md=384m -myx=9 "%UserInputPath%\%GameName%.7z" "%UserInputPath%\%GameName%\"
@timeout 1 >NUL

@echo.
@echo sending to ftp 
@echo.
@> ftp.txt echo Open ftp2.grandis.nu
@>> ftp.txt echo %login%
@>> ftp.txt echo %pass%
@>> ftp.txt echo cd %uploaddir%
@>> ftp.txt echo quote pasv
@>> ftp.txt echo binary
@>> ftp.txt echo send "%UserInputPath%\%GameName%.7z"
@>> ftp.txt echo disconnect 
@>> ftp.txt echo quit
@>> ftp.txt echo bye
@timeout 1 >NUL
@ftp -s:ftp.txt
@goto start

[sean_sk]

Originally Posted by BarryB

If you are dumping with Greaseweazle then you have to create the CannonFodder[Amiga] folder first then use this command for an 84 track drive:gw read CannonFodder[Amiga]\CannonFodder[Amiga](1of3)_00.0.raw --revs=5 --tracks=c=0-83Then change the (1of3)_ part to reflect the disk!!I issue a few more commands with Greaseweazle and use the following in a .BAT file:

@gw delays --step 9000gw seek 0@gw read {folder}\{stream}00.0.raw --revs=5 --tracks=c=0-83@pausegw seek 0

Sets less aggressive stepping and seeks to track 0 before and after dumping!! Just edit in your folder name in place of {folder} and the stream name in place of {stream}

Hi BarryB,

I find what you mention here to be very intriguing.
I have a Geaseweazle v4 and I have a couple of question as I am always trying to learn more about this:

1. What does setting less aggressive stepping do and what is the benefit? Does it change the result of the dump in any way? What about writing it back to a new disk?

2. I have my entire retail collection backed up as SCP. How does it compare to Kryoflux Raw? Would I be better off with RAW?

Thanks a bunch.

[BarryB]

Uploaded to The Zone a dump of 'Top Cat Starring In Beverly Hills Cats' as there is no official IPF of this!

Unsure what the exact format of this is as 3 formats work in disk-analyse: Infestation, Rainbird and Robocod!!

[Retroplay]

hmm, interesting.

Only two differences found between infestation and rainbird generated ipfs and that's just the CAPS header not the actual game data.

[BarryB]

Originally Posted by sean_sk

Hi BarryB,

I find what you mention here to be very intriguing.
I have a Geaseweazle v4 and I have a couple of question as I am always trying to learn more about this:

1. What does setting less aggressive stepping do and what is the benefit? Does it change the result of the dump in any way? What about writing it back to a new disk?

2. I have my entire retail collection backed up as SCP. How does it compare to Kryoflux Raw? Would I be better off with RAW?

Thanks a bunch.

1. Just means the heads move slower when seeking or stepping to the next track which makes the read process smoother but longer. Compared to my Kryoflux a Greaseweazle seems to step a lot faster and I thought it was being too aggressive so Keir explained the delays / --step options!

2. SCP seems to capture as much information as RAW, I just use Kryoflux RAW dumps as that's the only format the SPS Team will process.

[BarryB]

Originally Posted by Retroplay

hmm, interesting.

Only two differences found between infestation and rainbird generated ipfs and that's just the CAPS header not the actual game data.

Another Hi-Tec game: Yogi & Friends in the Greed Monster also works with either rainbird/robocod format!!

[Abaddon]

Originally Posted by BarryB

Uploaded to The Zone a dump of 'Top Cat Starring In Beverly Hills Cats' as there is no official IPF of this!

Unsure what the exact format of this is as 3 formats work in disk-analyse: Infestation, Rainbird and Robocod!!

Infestation just calls psygnosis_a with a different track length (5120) and if I recall there is only 1 sync whereas rainbird uses a double sync

Robocod has special checksum routine, sums the data and adds 1 to the checksum if the carry is set for each addition. The other 2 use standard amigados checksums.

I will have to take a look at the loader for Top Cat to verify which is the correct format, but more than likely it is rainbird.



Update: I just checked the loader code for Infestation and Top Cat....they are identical. The psygnosis_a decoder handles single and double syncs. I will probably remove the Infestation entry and change the format to rainbird. Top Cat does indeed use rainbird based on the checksum calculation.

[dlfrsilver]

Originally Posted by BarryB

Another Hi-Tec game: Yogi & Friends in the Greed Monster also works with either rainbird/robocod format!!

Rainbird ZZKJ format yep.

[BarryB]

Originally Posted by Abaddon

Infestation just calls psygnosis_a with a different track length (5120) and if I recall there is only 1 sync whereas rainbird uses a double sync

Robocod has special checksum routine, sums the data and adds 1 to the checksum if the carry is set for each addition. The other 2 use standard amigados checksums.

I will have to take a look at the loader for Top Cat to verify which is the correct format, but more than likely it is rainbird.



Update: I just checked the loader code for Infestation and Top Cat....they are identical. The psygnosis_a decoder handles single and double syncs. I will probably remove the Infestation entry and change the format to rainbird. Top Cat does indeed use rainbird based on the checksum calculation.

Thanks for checking, seeing as one other Hi-Tec title used rainbird ws wondering if Top Cat did as well!

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

Rainbird ZZKJ format yep.

Is the dump good enough for an unofficial SPS IPF?

[dlfrsilver]

the dump is all fine

[BarryB]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

the dump is all fine

Good news, i've uploaded an unofficial IPF to The Zone using the rainbird format

[sean_sk]

Originally Posted by BarryB

1. Just means the heads move slower when seeking or stepping to the next track which makes the read process smoother but longer. Compared to my Kryoflux a Greaseweazle seems to step a lot faster and I thought it was being too aggressive so Keir explained the delays / --step options! 2. SCP seems to capture as much information as RAW, I just use Kryoflux RAW dumps as that's the only format the SPS Team will process.

Thanks for the explanations, really appreciate it. Will try it out.

I noticed that SPS has only one version of Lotus 2 in it's database which is the earlier version. I have the later version, which I have as part of the Lotus Trilogy collection (and was also the version included in later retail boxed versions of Lotus 2). It features the number "2" instead of the "II" in its loading screen and also the "Gremlin" and "Magnetic Fields" intro screens.

Is it worth uploading a dump of that to the zone for you guys to look at and making an IPF out of?

[rygar]

Originally Posted by sean_sk

Thanks for the explanations, really appreciate it. Will try it out.

I noticed that SPS has only one version of Lotus 2 in it's database which is the earlier version. I have the later version, which I have as part of the Lotus Trilogy collection (and was also the version included in later retail boxed versions of Lotus 2). It features the number "2" instead of the "II" in its loading screen and also the "Gremlin" and "Magnetic Gields" intro screens.

Is it worth uploading a dump of that to the zone for you guys to look at and making an IPF out of?

Yeah....please upload your dumps

[Snoopy1234]

Originally Posted by sean_sk

Thanks for the explanations, really appreciate it. Will try it out.

I noticed that SPS has only one version of Lotus 2 in it's database which is the earlier version. I have the later version, which I have as part of the Lotus Trilogy collection (and was also the version included in later retail boxed versions of Lotus 2). It features the number "2" instead of the "II" in its loading screen and also the "Gremlin" and "Magnetic Fields" intro screens.

Is it worth uploading a dump of that to the zone for you guys to look at and making an IPF out of?

Not meaning to tread on your toes bud but I hadn't seen any developments on the question so - Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 (Lotus Trilogy)(Gremlin) stream 5 revs and d-a IPF in the zone