New IPF decoder ("capslib") supports loading of raw files

[IFW]

The idea is to keep all revolutions iterated and sent to the program so it can eventually find good data as long as it keeps on reading the same track, or can properly return weak bit areas changing.
At the same time avoid using the last revolution if possible as that is guaranteed to produce a read error if the data is not index synced.
In other words ALL revolutions must be iterated if the program continuously tries to read the same track, but we should start the iteration with the very first revolution sampled to delay accessing the last revolution as much as possible.

Here is the "enhanced rule" of the revolution restart trick:

1, Any kind of disk operation not accessing data (change track, side etc) should never attempt to reset the revolution.
2, For each drive, if there is any kind of disk data access attempt by the program (read pio, dma, command etc):
a, Check if the track and side is the same as the last disk data access
b, If same track.side, go to (e)
c, If different track.side, this is a new track, reset the revolution.
d, Save the current track and side information where the last data access happened for this drive.
e, Carry out the disk operation.

An additional rule is to count DMA with zero size as no access - but that might cause issues; so far none found.

[Steven Seagal]

@IFW
I'll try to add support for this in Steem, but apparently I'll need some time.
Also the file extensions for each type.
And some example files somewhere to test and debug (I already have IPF files, and some raw that were uploaded here).
Does the set rev trick apply to IPF files as well?

[IFW]

Imho allow RAW as well as CTR, so people wouldn't have to rename thousands of files... some of the members were quite busy with imaging these on this board
Note that stream files as well CTR have RAW extension and no tools and emulators would work if RAW was renamed for streams, so you'd have to allow that anyway...

No, the revolution reset only applies to files that are effectively "played back" from continuously sampled tracks, ie. CTR, Stream, Draft - any raw format.
Another thing to keep in mind with raw formats is that with each revolution the number of data bits (bitcells) on a track can and does change; again this is due to drive speed wobble and index signal jitter, and the emulator should not assume that it's the same data and length always.

IPF has a single revolution recorded and is always seamlessly branching for data over index and gets randomized for weak bits, ie has "inifinite" number of revolutions (the library actually says so, if you query it), that always contain known good data. The track length does not change either, unlike raw data.

As for images, please email me.

[Steven Seagal]

After having looked at it better, next version of Steem (3.6.1) should support capslib v5.0, that is CTRaw (CTR) files.
Notice that files may be zipped or rared, as usual.
Of course for v5.1 we must wait the h files, lib, binary dll etc.
Not sure supporting RAW files should be a priority though, as I see difficulties ahead in the disk manager.
Anyway, with CTR the Caps/Ipf project is getting some momentum on the ST scene. Good job.

[mr.vince]

This is the latest revision of the SPS Decoder Library which will enable IPF & CT RAW files in many emulators like WinUAE, FS-UAE, Caprice, Hatari, Steem etc.

http://www.kryoflux.com/download/spsdec ... binary.zip
http://www.kryoflux.com/download/spsdec ... source.zip

More binary builds to follow. If you want to help comiling the lib for other platforms, let us know so we can post binaries here.

The source will soon be moved to a public repository.

[Steven Seagal]

This is the latest revision of the SPS Decoder Library which will enable IPF & CT RAW files in many emulators like WinUAE, FS-UAE, Caprice, Hatari etc.

Thanks for including Steem in the "etc.", at least it's been released for a while.

[mr.vince]

Really, no offence intended. I just picked some names randomly. Hatari came to mind, because Nicolas helped so much during the development of this major rewrite.

Actually, we started compiling a of all emulators we know of before you complained which will be used for a separate sticky on our forums.

So, again, please accept my apologies and let's not make it (the issue) bigger than it is.

[Steven Seagal]

There's no issue, no need to apologise.
It's not about me, it's about people knowing IPF/CTR is officially supported by Steem (since v3.5 for IPF, v3.6 for CTR).
I would get angry only if you forget Steem in your list. You don't want that, you've seen the movies.

[mr.vince]

Cool, we better don't MESS with STEEM Steve, otherwise committing HATARIkiri might be our last resort.

[smilie=greencolorz4_pdt_12.gif]

[AtariZoll]

Off topic, but guys, you pulled my tongue Actor in question is now 62 years old, and slow. Hollywood should really stop with making action movies with those grandpa's (including Arnold, Bruce, Silvester, etc . Just sad to watch.

[IFW]

Hard to Kill and a few others were awesome, the rest...

[npomarede]

Yes, I think he really softened too much since working on Steem

[Steven Seagal]

Those dinosaurs are still active because there's no new generation.





But let's not derail the thread.

[Steven Seagal]

Seriously now, the new "single sided drive" feature seems to work OK (Dragonflight CTR).