My CD32-compilation HOWTO...

[frostwork]

Hi all!
As of request here's a little CD32-compilation HOWTO...
I'm far off being good at writing HOWTOs so
any comments,questions,suggestions are welcome!

Requirements:

- computer with some space left for working dir and iso
- Amiga (-compatible) OS
- a cd-burner
- cd-burning software (I think any will do, I use k3b)
- the cd32-developer-kit
or at least isocd,cd32.tm or cdtv.tm

HOWTO:

- make sure that your software doesn't miss
any requirements like libs, assigns, devs
- you need a usual AmigaOS-structure in the root
dir of your workingdir/cd
(I have S:, C:, fonts:, libs: here)
- of course you need a working startup-sequence
in s:, several libs in libs: fonts in fonts: etc...
- in order to give your software the maximum of memory
a RAD-device should be created
- some kind of dashboard is quiet useful
f.e. the ArcadeGameSelector or the menu-system from
the "Now that's what I call games" CDs
- optional a modplayer or anim-player and the proggie
"joypad" from aminet in CD32goodies.lha which f.e. lets
you choose from different start-up-sequences plays an anim
before menu appears or other things like that...

OK, some steps to get at least one game work on the cd32:

1) startup-sequence (everything after # is explanation)
Basic structure is from the Amiga-Experience-CD and
not my work...
-------------------------------------------------------

;FreeAnim # cd32.tm needs this, cdtv.tm doesn't
DoubleSpeed # guess what
Assign >NIL: RAD: EXISTS #
IF NOT WARN #
FAILAT 99999 #
IF NOT EXISTS RAD:OK #
ECHO >RAD:OK #
Assign T: RAM: # RAD
Assign ENV: RAM: #
Assign S: RAD:S #
Execute RAD:S/Startup-Sequence #
ELSE #
HardReset #
ENDIF #
ENDIF #
SetPatch >NIL: # name is program
Assign T: RAM: #
Assign ENV: RAM: #
Assign Menu: CD32:Menu # assign for AGS
cd32:c/joypad green # optional "DO-THIS-OR-THAT
if warn # ON-STARTUP-IF-I-PRESS-THIS-
cd32:c/atd cd32:anim/1.anim # OR-THAT-JOYPAD-BUTTON"
endif #
cd32:c/joypad red #
if warn #
cd32:c/atd cd32:anim/1.anim #
endif #
CD CD32:Menu # lets get into the menu-dir
HiP HIDE Songs.mod # play random mod from playlist
# called Songs.mod
Title # show title-picture called "Image01.iff"
Menu # start the menu
Execute RAM:.run #

2) The Menu (here the ArcadeGameSelector)
-----------------------------------------

It will display any "script.start" you have under Menu:
The script can lead to a directory or start a an app.

directory-script:

---
Assign Menu: CD32:Menu/Pinball
CD32:Menu/Menu
Execute RAM:.run
---

Menu: is simply re-assigned and Menu is restarted...
Of course the given dir must exist

app-script:

---
IF EXISTS RAM:.run
Execute CD32:C/MakeRAD
else
cd cd32:games/Wendetta
start
endif
---

The CD32 will reset and execute everything between
"else" and "endif".
Please no RAD-questions, I don't know anything
about that...

A mini-example "dir" under Menu:

---
Songs (dir) # contains mod, look 3)
Puzzle (dir) # dir for puzzle.start
Racing (dir) # dir for racing.start
Image01.iff # image shown by title on startup
Menu # menu system
Menu.iff # background for the menu
Puzzle.start # script for puzzle-dir
Racing.start # " " racing "
Songs.mod # mod-playlist, look 3)
Title # gfx-viewer for title-picture
---

3) Songs.mod
---------------

An example "songs.mod"-playlist which for
Hippoplayer has to be installed:

---
HiPPrg
SYS:Menu/Songs/BrianTheLion02.mod
SYS:Menu/Songs/ChuckRock.mod
SYS:Menu/Songs/Jaguar.mod
SYS:Menu/Songs/ProjectX.mod # and so on...
---

SYS: is the root-dir of your cd,
subdirs and mod should exist of course...


4) using ISOCD
-------------------
- start it via shell
- click on source, cd your working-dir, click OK
- click image, choose path & imagename for your iso, click OK
- click Options
- fill out "VolumeID"-"Application"
(very likely you don't have to fill everything but who cares;
I use "cd32" everywhere, especially for ID, as assigning for
scripts is easier, if you don't change the name too often...

IMPORTANT in order to make the cd bootable! :

- click on TM File, and choose either
cdtv.tm or cd32.tm ,click OK

there are some games only working with cd32.tm
and not with cdtv.tm and vice-versa!
But cdtv.tm seems to be more compatible and doesn't show
this ugly cd32-animation everytime you start, so I'd
recommend the cdtv.tm

- leave options with OK
- click Examine; your source dir and size will be checked
maximum size of the iso is somewhere at 734 MB...
- when examine is ready click on build to build your iso


Please no questions about other options of Isocd!
I never read the manual, if there exists one (?)...

Use your favorite cd-burning-software to burn the iso
- loading speed in cd32 depends heavily on your CD
and on lowest possible burning-speed!!!!

Have fun!

[Paul]

Added to FAQ
http://eab.abime.net/faq.php?faq=ami...#faq_cd32_faqs