How to convert an A8 .xex file to 5200 .bin or .rom file - small project

[BIGHMW]

The program in question is Lennart Bown's newly-fixed PAL/NTSC-switchable version of Yar's Strike.

 

Since we have up-and-coming talent here like @glurk somehow someway finding a way to take his A8 programs and fumble and stumble around and yet still  manage to get the job done, and with very little experience at that, as evident with his latest two attempts. Frostbite and Fishing Derby, I feel inspired and want to do the same as well.

 

I have the .xex file of this program and wanted to learn how to convert her, as she's only about a 4K size file, from the Atari 8-bit to my 5200 without having to go through the route of having to ask someone to do it for me.

 

simple, an A8 .xex > a 5200 .bin or .rom or .a52 if necessary

 

I have a Windows 7 laptop and a 5200 with an Atarimax multicart ready to test out my results.

 

Now I AM SERIOUS!!! I don't want any flack from anyone about this, this is a little DIY thing I wanted to do as I figure if glurk can do it, I can do it.

 

 

Yar's Strike PAL-NTSC.xex

[_The Doctor__]

glurk has more experience than you know, experience in many things makes what he is doing possible.

the process of conversion has been explained a number of times. You are not paying attention and only seem to be fixated on what you want.

[+Stephen]

Well, given that you only have an xex to work with, you will first have to disassemble it.  User jac is working on a great 6502 disassembler, you can search out posts to find it.  Then when you have the source code, you will just have to find everything that handles keyboard or joystick I/O, and anything else that may access ANTIC or GTIA which is mapped to different locations.

[+DjayBee]

9 minutes ago, Stephen said:

User jac is working on a great 6502 disassembler,

Is this available for the 5200?

[+Stephen]

8 minutes ago, DjayBee said:

Is this available for the 5200?

It's a PC app, but it will disassemble any 6502 code regardless of platform.

 

Here is the thread -

 

[BIGHMW]

Got it! Downloaded it, now that I've got it ready it's just a matter of being stepped through the process, like which folder or app to put the file in, so I can (somehow) get started on this little project.

[+Stephen]

Sorry Ray - but we cannot go through every single step of this in exquisite detail, because that would be more work than just converting the file.

 

If you really want to do this, then please use the search feature, and read as much as you can.  Seriously - figure out how to disassemble the XEX.  Once you get a disassembly, then you will need to assemble it back to an XEX.  If you can get those two steps working, then we can work on figuring out the memory map differences between 5200 and A8 machine.

 

This is not some simple snap your fingers and voila it is done type of work.  Hopefully, you will proceed with this so you can see what is involved every time you demand these ports.

[BIGHMW]

1 hour ago, Stephen said:

Sorry Ray - but we cannot go through every single step of this in exquisite detail, because that would be more work than just converting the file.

 

If you really want to do this, then please use the search feature, and read as much as you can.  Seriously - figure out how to disassemble the XEX.  Once you get a disassembly, then you will need to assemble it back to an XEX.  If you can get those two steps working, then we can work on figuring out the memory map differences between 5200 and A8 machine.

 

This is not some simple snap your fingers and voila it is done type of work.  Hopefully, you will proceed with this so you can see what is involved every time you demand these ports.

Maybe you're right @Stephen, perhaps it might be beyond even my own learning curve (age 56, and with a serious developmental condition at that!), but I don't want to inconvenience anybody on here by having them dom it for me, believe me, I have wanted to do a ton of different things even in my entertainment career but often got frustrated over the numerous and difficult (for me) procedures I needed to go through in order to achieve the goals. That's why I pretty much struck out in almost every endeavor, including the (now-defunct) Atari Report, and, my music career, in which is why my 27-year legacy has not gotten noticed outside Port Townsend city limits pretty much, even trying to get help from Cindy Margolis didn't pay off anything as she has pretty much ignored me throughout (and I even went to high school with her 40 years ago at that!) my numerous requests to help me get signed by Clear Channel or iHeartRadio or a major label or perhaps even a distribution deal of some sorts, I put out quality work, listen for yourself what I did back when I was The Heavy Metal Warrior doing hardcore/thrash back in the 90s (video down below), it's just frustrating that all that work hasn't paid anything and everything I did was a goddamn waste of time.

 

 

[+Stephen]

Maybe start slow, try out Fast BASIC.  Get a graphic to display on the screen, then hook up joystick code to move it.  Before you know it, you can have a Pong / Breakout clone going.

 

[glurk]

I looked at this "Yar's Strike."  IMO it would be a rather easy port, IF the source code were available.  But as it is, it uses lots of high memory that the 5200 does not have, so it can't really be ported directly without being re-assembled.

 

I always try to target my stuff to run on an 8K Atari 400 when possible, and use low RAM, so porting the two I just did was kind of trivial.

 

[DavidC]

3 hours ago, BIGHMW said:

 I put out quality work, listen for yourself what I did back when I was The Heavy Metal Warrior doing hardcore/thrash back in the 90s (video down below), it's just frustrating that all that work hasn't paid anything and everything I did was a goddamn waste of time.

 

 

 

 THIS IS AWESOME!!  I need a copy of this...are they for sale anywhere?  KICK ASS!

[DavidC]

EPIC!

 

 

[BIGHMW]

1 hour ago, DavidC said:

 

 THIS IS AWESOME!!  I need a copy of this...are they for sale anywhere?  KICK ASS!

They will be, you can get one through myself in the not-so distant future.

 

Meanwhile if you have access to one of those (slowly-disappearing) YouTube downloading sites you can always convert the audio to an .mp3 file and do it that way!!! Unlike some program developers here on AA I DON'T MIND if someone pirates MY work, just as long as word gets around of my work that is well more valuable than $$$ ever could be!!!

[DavidC]

39 minutes ago, BIGHMW said:

They will be, you can get one through myself in the not-so distant future.

 

Meanwhile if you have access to one of those (slowly-disappearing) YouTube downloading sites you can always convert the audio to an .mp3 file and do it that way!!! Unlike some program developers here on AA I DON'T MIND if someone pirates MY work, just as long as word gets around of my work that is well more valuable than $$$ ever could be!!!

 I don't know how to do that, but that's cool, would rather pay you for a legit copy.  I hit you up on FB, sent a FR.  And to stay more on topic, Atari BASIC is pretty easy, you should dig into it a little to learn the fundamentals, the BASIC's haha.  You might surprise yourself..

[BIGHMW]

Already accepted your friend request.

[BIGHMW]

Although I know that Len might not recommend it (due to a fear it might cut into physical tape sales in the future) but right now I just got finished uploading an .mp3 audio file (to get the word out of my work via the old act of file-sharing like the good-old days of pre-Metallica-lawsuit Napster and that shit) that I made of the full album using one of those YouTube downloading sites I bookmarked and right now I am in the process of downloading an .mp4 video of this clip as well for future use on other video sites like Dailymotion, Vimeo, etc.

 

Share, share, share!!! Unlike major label artists (like Metallica) or some program developers like here on AA I WELCOME downloading and sharing of my work, it worked for Cindy Margolis, it better sure as hell work for me. The record labels (Warner/Sony/Universal) will eventually start phoning and e-mailing Len Enders (he doubles as my [defacto] management) asking to sign me to that eventual distribution deal

 

 

S.M.F. “…And Proud Of It” (full album).mp3

[DavidC]

Thanks Ray!   And when this is available for sale, I WANT IT!   Autographed, please.  Heavy Metal Warrior FOREVER!!!! 

[+JAC!]

On 3/3/2022 at 5:01 PM, DjayBee said:

Is this available for the 5200?

The platform setting in DIS6502 defines which system equates files are loaded.

The 2.2 version supports selecting Atari 5200 as platform via the command line: DIS6502.EXE /5200

In the 3.x version this was changed to /ATARI800, /ATARI5200, /ORIC,.... There you can also choose the platform when creating a new workspace.

[Synthpopalooza]

ok a question:

 

There is a tetris game that I remixed awhile back (The Wall by @itaych) and someone wanted a 5200 port of it.  I have the source code (it's in XASM) so how does one go about porting this to 5200?

[mellis]

On 4/12/2022 at 2:44 PM, Synthpopalooza said:

ok a question:

 

There is a tetris game that I remixed awhile back (The Wall by @itaych) and someone wanted a 5200 port of it.  I have the source code (it's in XASM) so how does one go about porting this to 5200?

In light of the posts that preceded this one, I am not sure if you are joking.  If you are, it's pretty funny.

 

In case you aren't joking, here are the steps (since this question seems to be quite popular): 

1. Obtain a memory map showing where the 8-bit's custom chips appear.

2. Obtain a memory map showing where the 5200's custom chips appear (same chips, different memory locations).

3. Determine if the 8-bit program uses the OS, and if it does, rewrite those portions so that the program does not use the OS at all.

4. Determine where the 8-bit program access the controller inputs, and change those routines to scan the 5200's controllers.

5. Replace all of the 8-bit custom chip memory locations with 5200 memory locations.

6. Ensure that the program is only using RAM from 0 - $3FFF. 

7. Ensure that the program instructions appear in the $4000-$BFFF range.

8. Get familiar with the assembler, linker, and debugger, and prepare to spend quality time with them.

 

And there you go!  Only 8 steps, all of which require non-trivial programming and analysis skills.

[glurk]

Synthpopalooza- I think @Wrathchild could help you with this.  He set up a forum for 5200 conversions where (if you share the source, which would be held in confidence) several other programmers would be able to assist.   They helped get my Activision "Tennis" A8 port working on the 5200.

 

I'm personally having some medical issues at the moment, but I did briefly look at that game, and I have a 'hunch' it might not be too difficult to port over. 

[BIGHMW]

On 4/20/2022 at 9:45 PM, glurk said:

Synthpopalooza- I think @Wrathchild could help you with this.  He set up a forum for 5200 conversions where (if you share the source, which would be held in confidence) several other programmers would be able to assist.   They helped get my Activision "Tennis" A8 port working on the 5200.

 

I'm personally having some medical issues at the moment, but I did briefly look at that game, and I have a 'hunch' it might not be too difficult to port over. 

Get well soon @glurk!!!