Da Vinci Update

[mickey]

So how will it know which bankswitching method to use if the game is not in VIN format?  Will a conversion program be availible?  I'm still so confused ...

 

I guess I could work on getting a list together, but lists already exist, do a search online. You could also look at the configuration file that stella uses, or any emulator would have to have access to (I dont really know because I have never used an emulation setup, just an educated guess). I would imagine, unless its magic, that bankswitching needs to be identified for the cuttle cart also. There really is no way around it. Maybe with the invention of the vin file format, or maybe one of the other formats described recently on the stella mailing list, this wont be a problem, you just download the file and go. But at least in the beginning, these files wont exist until users produce them.

 

I could share my script that creates vins from bins for those who need it, that wouldnt be a problem. It is a simple script that searches the stella config file and the sizes.txt file from Kevin Horton (http://www.tripoint.org/kevtris/files/sizes.txt) to produce vins.

 

I was afraid that this would be a problem for people who dont want to be as technically involved, but like I said before, at least for a while its unavoidable.

 

Once a bin is downloaded to the flash card and the correct bankswitch type is supplied, you will not need to know it again (unless you delete the file from the flash card). But the software allows you to upload to your PC with a vin file, so after you download the bin from your PC and supply the information needed, you can upload it back to your PC as a vin and not worry anymore. But honestly it is a ton easier to use or write a script to just make copies of the bins you have.

 

If a better solution than the vin is available, I would be happy to accommodate it. Many alternate solutions were discussed, but none were implemented that I know of, so I stuck with the vin (which only contains information for Da Vinci, emulators need more information).

 

Hope this clears it up a little, but I fear I did the opposite. I wouldnt worry about it too much because the information is available one way or another, and you only need it once, and it will most likely be supplied for you.

 

Please, any feedback here would be great from the programmers or the people who know, this is not just a Da Vinci problem, its an emulator one also.

[raindog]

If no one else does it, I'll be writing a program to take a pile of .bins and stella.pro (Stella config file) and convert them to .vins as soon as this thing is actually being sold (assuming the .vin format is documented.) For my own purposes I'll probably also write a Linux shell script that strips off the .vin header and executes the stripped .bin from a temp directory.

 

This sort of thing has actually been a long time coming IMO, though recent discussions on stella-list seem to indicate a demand for even more meta-data integrated into the .bin files somehow.

 

As for the da Vinci vs. Cupcakus' project, I find the flash-based idea more appealing but I just bought both a PC-based linker and flash card based linker for the GBA (Flash Advance Linker Extreme and GameWallet respectively.) So chances are I'll buy both of these products as well, they'll go nicely with the Cuttle

 

Rob

[mickey]

If no one else does it, I'll be writing a program to take a pile of .bins and stella.pro (Stella config file) and convert them to .vins as soon as this thing is actually being sold (assuming the .vin format is documented.)

 

The vin format will be documented, not a problem.

 

I would also be willing to discuss ways to make the format expanable to emulator use. Having a different file formats for each piece of hardware and software seems silly. If anyone is willing to work over a format, or the vin format, maybe we can iron out something that is usable for everybody in the future.

 

I am fairly new to the Atari scene but from the sounds of it raindog is right, this has been a long time coming.

 

Vern

[SS]

So chances are I'll buy both of these products as well, they'll go nicely with the Cuttle

 

Or you could just send your CuttleCart to me, Rob! I'll be sure to give it a good home and feed it every day.