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2006-02-15 21:42

Wanderer
Account closed

Registered: Apr 2003
Posts: 478

IFFL

Before I begin, let me say that I *have* tried without asking for help. I've downloaded a variety of IFFL programs and all have failed. I have read up on IFFL and understand it, I just can't do it :)

*ahem* Okay, now then...

I am in the midst of writing a game with multiple levels. It features an intro, levels, end page and high score page. Each page loads the next page through KERNAL load routines, so it consists of standalone files for now.

What I would like to do is to one-file them into an IFFL version. I don't mind if it features a loader file, I'd just like to pack the various files into one.

First, each file is not just level data... that is to say, they begin at $0801 and execute, so it isn't just loading data into upper memory. Each file needs to be executed as a standalone program. Due to wanting to use all available RAM, linking them together is not feasable because this reduces the amount of free memory available to me.

Now then.. I have tried to download Burglar's IFFL program as well as many others. The process seems quite simple enough. Link them through a "linker" which makes it one file. However in the case of Burglar's program, there is no depacker in the linker. The standalone depacker doesn't advise you what filename to use, but it DOES begin with a STA $xxxx which means you just load the Accumulator with the file # and run his depacker.

I have tried at least 6 other IFFL linkers and while some of them do create a single file, the depacking portion (normally written to disk after it links) results in just filling the RAM with garbage every time.

Keep in mind IFFL is new to me, it had only just begun to come out when I left the scene so I don't know how to use it. I understand the linking concept (make a single IFFL file), I understand the depack concept (you load the accumulator with the file, JSR, it unpacks from the IFFL file according to the track and sector). I have seen IFFL packers as well which I *think* crunches the IFFL one file even more.

To say the least I am confused and I'm asking for help. I'm not keen on asking for help but I need it...

So essentially what I require is:

- a way to link approximately 6 files that begin at $0801 into one file and that can be called one by one as I need them. I understand each file will need a copy of the unpacker code and the proper LDA #$xx before calling the routine.

- it must work on NTSC

- not only a way to link the files into one, but a proper depacker as well. The best program I could find would pack them but then gave you a Turbo Assembler code for a depacker which gave errors when trying to compile it.

- I know this can be done because my game Jailbreak consisted of 4 files that were done with ECA Linker, and made into a single file. As it needed to, it would unpack the next file necessary.

Any help, suggestions of a POSITIVE nature would be appreciated. I have tried everything under the sun and I really would prefer it to be a single file.

... 43 posts hidden. Click here to view all posts....

2006-02-16 00:24

Jazzcat

Registered: Feb 2002
Posts: 1044

To my knowledge lamer labels haven't used IFFL since around 1996/7.

2006-02-16 00:33

Krill

Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 2980

It's actually possible to only scan (quickly) on demand, that is, have a scan-routine in the loader code, so scanning is not needed beforehand but only for some of the files - if you load the files sequentially (more likely in demos than in games), no scanning is needed at all, actually.
Anyways, the loader should of course be flexible enough to also handle other drives than 1541. Which is not so easy since there is no seek function in the kernal to hook for more modern media - extra routines are needed for every one of them. So the "cool" look of an iffl-ed game will fade away quickly if you try it on non-1541/71 drives.. IFFL-loaders only make sense if a game that would not fit on 1 diskside un-iffled fits after iffl-reducing the sector allocation overhead. That's pretty seldom though. Better go for Dreamload, Covert Bitops loader or other loaders that support non-1541 drives and load separate files.

2006-02-16 00:37

Wanderer
Account closed

Registered: Apr 2003
Posts: 478

I liked Dreamload however I found that if you used it once, it would fail to work (and in fact crash) when you attempted to initialize it again without powering off the 1541.

I also didn't care for the $0400 effect, and was able to relocate that off screen but the above mentioned problem still remained.

It is actually a wonderful program considering that you could play music, etc. as it loaded, and it loaded amazingly fast too.

2006-02-16 00:39

Krill

Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 2980

$0400 effect? To my knowledge, Dreamload doesn't "feature" any loading/depacking effects.

2006-02-16 00:50

Wanderer
Account closed

Registered: Apr 2003
Posts: 478

I'm quite sure that once you initialized the loader, that code would be put on the screen at about $0500. As the program loaded, you could also see the 255 bytes of data being put on the screen, once per sector.

I'll give it another look but I'm 99% sure. :)

2006-02-16 00:54

Dishy

Registered: Mar 2002
Posts: 241

Talking about IFFL cracks reminds me of all the great quality cracks that I´ve got in my archive from Satan&Ray/G*P/VSN/F4CG. Vision had in my opinion a real cool IFFL-system. Actually one of the best in the scene! It was made by Zagon/Vision, which Satan and Ray used quite a lot and were some of the best active topquality crackers left in Denmark in 1993. I´ve uploaded a few of them in here at CSDb! Those versions rocks, I think - and damn do I miss those days in the crackingscene, when I see old cracks like these, also with so great tunes in the intros!

Mega Starforce +3 cracked by Ray for GenesisProject
Mega Starforce +3
(Big fans of Crossfire/EPIC, shouldn´t read this scroll,hehe;)

Eon +5 cracked by Ray for GenesisProject
Eon +5

Fred's Back +3 Ray for GenesisProject (Not IFFL but LM-packed! Best version around, that I´ve seen!)
Fred's Back +3

IFFL versions rules!

Maybe I should call Satan or Ray and here if they still have Zagon´s IFFL system. Mayby that could help you Wanderer:)

And actually I think CSDb should have a special topic for IFFL versions, when you upload cracks! CSDb V2 should focus a little more on the crackingscene too;) Otherwise I will probably - as an old member of CHROMANCE - have to make the old crakingmag ARE WE THE BEST, so we can get some more focus on the old illegal-scene! AWTB-online or GamersGuide-online in cooperation with CSDb and C64heaven.com... Heh, why not? ;) Would love that part of the C64-internet-scene... :)

...off to sleep!:)

*****Once A Scener - Always A Scener*****

2006-02-16 00:57

Wanderer
Account closed

Registered: Apr 2003
Posts: 478

I knew I wasn't on crack. :)

http://www.ontarioghosttowns.com/ccs8.jpg
(Dream Loader upon calling $8000)

My first time seeing IFFL was on Creatures 2 in 1992, right before I left the scene. It seems that different groups have designed their own versions since then which is very impressive.

2006-02-16 04:34

Jazzcat

Registered: Feb 2002
Posts: 1044

Dishy: sounds real cool! Yeh I remember Satan real well, was trading with him (snail rulez) in the early 90s. Regarding focus on cracking scene - Vandalism News still has a first release list and coverage of all aspects of C64 cracking. Check the latest issues! Some oldschool emphasis in the new publication RECOLLECTION which will come out later this or next month.

Check the IFFL loader used in Devious Designs. Should work on most things. ;)

2006-02-16 06:53

Mason

Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 461

Quote: Talking about IFFL cracks reminds me of all the great quality cracks that I´ve got in my archive from Satan&Ray/G*P/VSN/F4CG. Vision had in my opinion a real cool IFFL-system. Actually one of the best in the scene! It was made by Zagon/Vision, which Satan and Ray used quite a lot and were some of the best active topquality crackers left in Denmark in 1993. I´ve uploaded a few of them in here at CSDb! Those versions rocks, I think - and damn do I miss those days in the crackingscene, when I see old cracks like these, also with so great tunes in the intros!

Mega Starforce +3 cracked by Ray for GenesisProject
Mega Starforce +3
(Big fans of Crossfire/EPIC, shouldn´t read this scroll,hehe;)

Eon +5 cracked by Ray for GenesisProject
Eon +5

Fred's Back +3 Ray for GenesisProject (Not IFFL but LM-packed! Best version around, that I´ve seen!)
Fred's Back +3

IFFL versions rules!

Maybe I should call Satan or Ray and here if they still have Zagon´s IFFL system. Mayby that could help you Wanderer:)

And actually I think CSDb should have a special topic for IFFL versions, when you upload cracks! CSDb V2 should focus a little more on the crackingscene too;) Otherwise I will probably - as an old member of CHROMANCE - have to make the old crakingmag ARE WE THE BEST, so we can get some more focus on the old illegal-scene! AWTB-online or GamersGuide-online in cooperation with CSDb and C64heaven.com... Heh, why not? ;) Would love that part of the C64-internet-scene... :)

...off to sleep!:)

*****Once A Scener - Always A Scener*****

Well Well - Ray of Genesis Project wasnt the only one who did a single file version of Fred's Back. I did it for the first one under Mechanix: Fred's Back +2

Also did it with Fred's Back 2 for Epic: Fred's Back II +2

2006-02-16 09:21

MagerValp

Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 1078

Quote: You could check the IFFL tutorial from covertbitops, that has material ..ahem.. "learned" from several sources. It doesn't integrate a depacker by default but shouldn't be hard to add.

http://covertbitops.c64.org/rants/iffl.htm

Btw. IFFL files are (IMO) not so nice for copying flexibility, compatibility (since custom drivecode has to be used or fast scanning & loading will be practically impossible) etc.

Lasse, I don't think your 2-bit loader is stable. The handshaking is a little too barebones so sometimes it gets confused and transfers a garbage byte or locks up. If you do

ldx #0
loop:
txa
sta $0400,x
jsr loader_send
jsr loader_recv
sta $0500,x
eor $0400,x
sta $0600,x
inx
jmp loop

and put an echo server on the drive side (jsr drv_recv : jsr drv_send : jmp loop) you'll get errors quite quickly.

As for IFFL systems, in Ultima IV I put the scanning logic on the C64 side, mainly because there are over 800 files so you can't fit the t/s/o tables in drive ram. On the 1541/70/71/81 I use a fast read_track_links routine, and for the CMD FD and HD I use a readsector fallback that only xfers the first two bytes of every sector.

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