How to create cartridge images (.bin?) usable in js99er from EA5 files?

[Fabrizio Caruso]

All my homebrewed games are in EA5 format (multiple files per game).

I would like to run then on a browser and make them available to everyone by providing links to js99er with a link to a .bin
e.g.,
https://js99er.net/#/?cartUrl=http://tigameshelf.net/Files/Emu/bnp_8.bin

js99er online emulator can read cartridge files in .bin format (whatever it is).
Is there a tool to do the conversion from EA5 to a cartridge format that js99er can digest?

Ideally I would need a scriptable tool that I can include and invoke automatically in my build-chain.
Is there such a scriptable tool? Otherwise I will make do with a manual tool.

[+jedimatt42]

There are 2 GUI tools that will pack a set of EA5 files into a module with a ROM loader. Fred Kaal's 'module creator' over at hexbus.com/ti99geek. The second is classic99, under the debug tools there is a make module menu item, exact location and docs are in the PDF. 

 

For scriptable solutions, you can build a ROM loader, and DD the parts together into a .bin. understand the sample code over here http://www.stuartconner.me.uk/ti/ti.htm#bank_switching

 

 

[Asmusr]

I use a Java tool that can be invoked like this:

 

java -jar ea5tocart.jar bin\pinball "PINBALL 99"

 

Where pinball is the name of the first E/A#5 file, which must be in TIFILES format.

ea5tocart.jar

Edited October 7 by Asmusr

[+MarkB]

There are some utilities in the elfutils directory of the GCC installation.  These are elf2cart, elf2ea5 and ea5split.  I didn't write these - I inherited them from somewhere.  But it should be possible to write a simple standalone command line tool to convert ea5 to cart by reading the source for these utils.  If you do create a ea5 to cart util it could be a useful addition to these tools to include with gcc.

[Fabrizio Caruso]

@Asmusr thanks! The image works fine with Classic99 but not with JS99er (when loaded though the URL cartUrl parameter).

Edited 4 hours ago by Fabrizio Caruso

[Asmusr]

1 hour ago, Fabrizio Caruso said:

@Asmusr thanks! The image works fine with Classic99 but not with JS99er.

Please post an example of an image that doesn't work in JS99er.

[Fabrizio Caruso]

@Asmusr, sorry I need to correct what I wrote or make it clearer. The image may work with JS99er. It just does not work if I try to load it through the URL parameter cartUrl (https://js99er.net/#/?cartUrl=), e.g.,
https://js99er.net/#/?cartUrl=https://github.com/Fabrizio-Caruso/CROSS-LIB/releases/download/trexBETA/XTREX18.bin
or

https://js99er.net/#/?cartUrl=http://github.com/Fabrizio-Caruso/CROSS-LIB/releases/download/trexBETA/XTREX18.bin

By the way, I am using ea5tocart in my framework. I would like to include it. Who should I thank for the tool other than you for pointing it out? Are you the author?

Edited 4 hours ago by Fabrizio Caruso

[Fabrizio Caruso]

@Asmusr the cartridge does not work even if I just use the Load Cart button. It is a 32K cartridge which assumes there are 32K of available RAM. I suppose it loads everything into RAM at startup and runs everything from RAM. I don't even know how this is possible with bank switching.

[RickyDean]

@Fabrizio Caruso it works with the Load cart function, of course I don't know about the URL capability.

 

 

[Fabrizio Caruso]

@RickyDean Yes, indeed it works. I may not remember well. @Asmusrhave you just fixed the load something?
Load cart works for me. Loading with cartUrl does not (yet).

Edited 2 hours ago by Fabrizio Caruso

[Fabrizio Caruso]

@RickyDeanBy the way, I will re-release all my 9 games soon. They now work well and have been improved. I will make them available in both EA5 and .bin (cartridge) format.