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PostPosted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 9:33 pm 
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Awesome!!!! :wink:

It worked great!

Now...how do I make a multicart using .atr files instead of .exe ?


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 Post subject: Please help me!
PostPosted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 10:03 pm 

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I have an Atari 400 with 64k of RAM and a 1050 drive. I ordered the 8 mbit "maxflash" cart. Now that I have the cart I realize that I do not have either of the 2 things you need to use the cart, namely:

1. SIO2PC

or

2. A floppy with the FLASH PROGRAMMING utility (I mistakenly thought this would come with the cart)

So it seems like I'm in a "can-opener in a can" type situation. I don't have an XL, nor do I have a floppy with the flash programming utility. I love my 400 because it has 4 joystick ports. Can anyone tell me how to proceed? My main goal is to make a multicart of my favorite games I have on floppies/carts and of course, to make the coveted M.U.L.E. cart (I have both the official game I got off eBay a few years ago and a copy on a floppy with the copy-protection removed). I work for Sony/Naughty Dog and I'm really jazzed about being able to bring in my 400 and play games with my co-workers without having to hassle with a drive. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would be most grateful.


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PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 1:48 am 
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jetset wrote:
Awesome!!!! :wink:

It worked great!

Now...how do I make a multicart using .atr files instead of .exe ?


You cant really make a multicart out of ATR files (yet), but you can make a single disk cart (best for 1mb carts, it just fits) or a multidisk cart, which does use multiple ATR images, but you end up with them spread across drive numbers.

Image #1 would end up being drive #1, image #2 drive #2, etc. This type of code is used to make the Ultima 4 cart. Four drives are emulated, one for each floppy side.

The procedure for making a multidisk cart is almost the same as an exepacker cart.

Just use the -multidisk switch instead of the -exepacker switch, and the target directory should contain ATR files instead of EXE images.

To make a single disk-cart (like the MULE cart) you can use the -diskpacker option.

maxflash.pl -diskpacker -1mb -flasher C:\target_image.atr

That will create a 1mbit flash cartridge image from target_image.atr. Once programmed that should boot as if it were a real disk, assuming its compatible. Packing ATR images is much more problematic than using seperate game files.

Steve


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 Post subject: Re: Please help me!
PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 1:53 am 
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troyzilla wrote:
I have an Atari 400 with 64k of RAM and a 1050 drive. I ordered the 8 mbit "maxflash" cart. Now that I have the cart I realize that I do not have either of the 2 things you need to use the cart, namely:

1. SIO2PC

or

2. A floppy with the FLASH PROGRAMMING utility (I mistakenly thought this would come with the cart)

So it seems like I'm in a "can-opener in a can" type situation. I don't have an XL, nor do I have a floppy with the flash programming utility. I love my 400 because it has 4 joystick ports. Can anyone tell me how to proceed?


The best thing to do is to pick up an SIO2PC adapter:

http://www.atarimax.com/sio2pc/

The images for an 8mbit cart are way too large to fit onto a standard floppy disk, they can be as large as 1MB, which is about 15x the size of a standard Atari floppy disk. :(

With 1mbit carts the images can fit onto floppy disks, but only if you use standard sized ATR images as the source, and then you still need some way to transfer those images from the PC to the Atari, which SIO2PC makes a breeze.

If you dont want to go to all that trouble you can pick up a 48k compatible MULE cartridge here:

http://www.atarimax.com/freeshippingsale/

The MULE cartridge image available in the forum can also be programmed onto a 1mbit flash cartridge if you have an SIO2PC setup or some other way to transfer the flash image to your Atari.

Steve


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 9:03 am 
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classics wrote:
jetset wrote:
Awesome!!!! :wink:

It worked great!

Now...how do I make a multicart using .atr files instead of .exe ?


You cant really make a multicart out of ATR files (yet), but you can make a single disk cart (best for 1mb carts, it just fits) or a multidisk cart, which does use multiple ATR images, but you end up with them spread across drive numbers.

Image #1 would end up being drive #1, image #2 drive #2, etc. This type of code is used to make the Ultima 4 cart. Four drives are emulated, one for each floppy side.

The procedure for making a multidisk cart is almost the same as an exepacker cart.

Just use the -multidisk switch instead of the -exepacker switch, and the target directory should contain ATR files instead of EXE images.

To make a single disk-cart (like the MULE cart) you can use the -diskpacker option.

maxflash.pl -diskpacker -1mb -flasher C:\target_image.atr

That will create a 1mbit flash cartridge image from target_image.atr. Once programmed that should boot as if it were a real disk, assuming its compatible. Packing ATR images is much more problematic than using seperate game files.

Steve


Ok then!
How can I get game files in .exe format ? Can .atr files be converted ?


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PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 3:02 pm 
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Oh, and regardless of whether or not I can somehow use my atr files...

THANK YOU STEVE!!!!

I've gone in 24 hrs. from zero knowledge to being able to build and program my own multicart. I really appreceate your help and patience. :wink:

P.S.
Check out my submission in the 8mb Flash Cart Images Forum.

YEAH BABY!!!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 4:07 pm 
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jetset wrote:
Oh, and regardless of whether or not I can somehow use my atr files...

THANK YOU STEVE!!!!

I've gone in 24 hrs. from zero knowledge to being able to build and program my own multicart. I really appreceate your help and patience. :wink:


:D I'm glad we got it worked out, youre welcome. :D

You can get EXE games here:

http://ape.dyndns.org:8084/

Generally speaking, ATRs cant be converted to EXEs, they are usually ATRs because they are too complex to be EXEs. (or someone would have cracked them into EXEs already)

That EXE archive is not completely comprehensive, you will probably find other archives around the internet. There is a list of EXE sites in the last chapter of the Maxflash documentation, but I've been told a lot of those links are down now.

If you really want a to use ATR images some 1mbit flash cartridges might be worth getting, since they are better fitted to using one ATR game per cartridge.

Quote:
P.S.
Check out my submission in the 8mb Flash Cart Images Forum.

YEAH BABY!!!


Will do. :D

Steve


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:12 pm 
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@ jetset: thanks for the email telling me to check out this thread here at atarimax :wink:

@ Classics: YOU ARE THE MAN!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:08 pm 

Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2005 9:55 pm
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You ought to sticky this :)


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 6:29 pm 
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Consider it stuck. :D


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:45 pm 
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'Nuther question...
I saw somewhere mentioned about using the "-osb" option...how does one do that?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 8:05 pm 
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Just add -osb to the command line like:

maxflash.pl -exepacker -8mb -flasher -osb C:\gamefiles

This is take 8192 bytes away from the space available in your cartridge for the OS ROM image.

When you insert the cart it will automatically install and patch the Atari 800 OS, like an instant translator.

This occurs before you ever see the multicart menu, so if you are able to get the menu up for the cart when you insert it, its working. :) If you insert the cart into an Atari 800 it will detect the OS is already installed and not complain.

Steve


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:26 pm 
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classics wrote:
You can get EXE games here:

http://ape.dyndns.org:8084/



Steve is this part of your site? The link is no longer working... :cry:


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:40 am 
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Seems to be up again. :oops:


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 Post subject: Re: Help ?
PostPosted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 3:09 pm 
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I'm unsticking this thread since most of the advice in it only pertains to the old scripting kit.

Steve


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