#452 Bug around EDSK "Stored data length" extension

[Gergely Szasz]

This patch makes fuse can load disk images (EDSK) with sector data includes CRC and GAP3 bytes. See: https://simonowen.com/misc/extextdsk.txt "Stored data length" point 4.

At now fuse open Cabal and NORC, but neither work. So we need some further investigation...

One of the problems of [bugs:#450]

[Sergio Baldoví]

Thanks Gergely. Applies over patch from [bugs:#451]. I see this patch breaks a lot of titles, e.g.,

Alien Storm (1991)(U.S. Gold).dsk
Batman - The Movie (1989)(Ocean).dsk
Operation Wolf (1988)(Ocean).dsk
Renegade (1987)(Imagine Software).dsk

And in some cases produce a segmentation fault:

Edd the Duck (1990)(Impulze).dsk
Golden Axe (1990)(Virgin Games)(Side A).dsk
Monty Python's Flying Circus (1990)(Virgin Games).dsk

This patch needs a revision.

[Gergely Szasz]

Thanks Sergio,

I fixed the patch... and now Cabal and Narc works too.

[Sergio Baldoví]

I see the last patch fixes the emulation of:

Cabal (1989)(Ocean)[samdisk].dsk
NARC (1990)(Erbe Software)(Side A)[re-release].dsk
Robin of Sherlock (1992)(Zenobi Software)[re-release].dsk

and is more stable as fixes a lot of crashes. The are still a few segmentation faults introduced by this patch:

Boil An Egg (2015)(sunteam)(+3)[CSSCGC].dsk
Mummy, Where's my Bra (2015)(sunteam)(+3)[CSSCGC].dsk
NARC (1990)(Ocean).dsk
Saint Dragon (1990)(Storm Software).dsk
Simpsons - Bart vs the Space Mutants (1991)(Ocean)[t +5].dsk
Sword of Ianna, The (2017-09-30)(Retroworks)(+3)(ES).dsk
ZxZvm - Anchorhead - An Interactive Tale of Lovecraftian Horror (1998)(Michael S. Gentry).dsk
ZxZvm - Heist - The Crime of the Century (1997)(Andy Phillips).dsk
ZxZvm - Windhall Chronicles Volume One - The Path to Fortune (1996)(Jeff Cassidy - Christopher E. Forman).dsk

Mostly 80 track disk images. Please, note that NARC is another disk dump (604a4c7e8e096e6d58fee2d70e9bf2c9399aef1762fbafe4335da5b24f53b5f6).

Unfortunately this patch breaks more than 200 titles (Invalid disk geometry), e.g.,

Alien Storm (1991)(U.S. Gold).dsk
Batman - The Movie (1989)(Ocean).dsk
Operation Wolf (1988)(Ocean).dsk
Renegade (1987)(Imagine Software).dsk

So there has been progress, but it's still not ready.

[Gergely Szasz]

Thanks Sergio again :)

The 'next step' is here.

I tested this patch with:
- all of my .dsk files (1385 files from wos) - to open only
- all .dsk with some 'special' format (e.g. 8k track) 84 pieces - to open and start game

Problems with:
- to open -- there are 14 disk image which cannot opened because 'geometry error'. All of them are unformatted disks (256 byte .dsk - only Disk-Info part). Same with 'master' fuse.
- to open and start game : two of them are 'amstrad' images, 4 (really 2 -- turbo_outrun_[ab] and turbo_outron_erbe_[12] start up, but after i select 'transmission', start to load and never end... Same with 'master' fuse.

Mummy... (http://csscgc2015.lofi-gaming.org.uk/crapgames/MummyBra.dsk) - load but not start (press play on tape)
Boil an egg... (http://csscgc2015.lofi-gaming.org.uk/crapgames/BoilAnEgg.dsk) - the same as above
NARC... - not found
Simpsons.. - not found
Sword of Ianna ... (http://www.retroworks.es/php/download.php?file=ianna-3dos-1_1.zip) -- 80 track and 40 track: load start and work
ZxZvm - Anchorhead ... (http://www.planetemu.net/rom/sinclair-zx-spectrum-dsk/zxzvm-anchorhead-an-interactive-tale-of-lovecrafian-horror-1998-micheal-s-gentry) - works
ZxZvm - Heist... (http://www.planetemu.net/rom/sinclair-zx-spectrum-dsk/zxzvm-heist-the-crime-of-the-century-19xx-andy-phillips) - works
ZxZvm - Windhall ... (http://www.planetemu.net/rom/sinclair-zx-spectrum-dsk/zxzvm-windhall-1-chronicles-volume-1-the-path-to-fortune-19xx-jeff-cassidy) - works

All of above fail with 'master' fuse as well.

BTW: Where can i found your test disks? Is there any site where i can download all of them?

[Sergio Baldoví]

The 'next step' is here.

All regressions have been fixed. Thanks!

to open -- there are 14 disk image which cannot opened because 'geometry error'. All of them are unformatted disks (256 byte .dsk - only Disk-Info part). Same with 'master' fuse.

I'm aware of the unformatted disk images (sides B), but was going after the regressions introduced by this patch. That's a separate issue.

to open and start game : two of them are 'amstrad' images, 4 (really 2 -- turbo_outrun_[ab] and turbo_outron_erbe_[12] start up, but after i select 'transmission', start to load and never end... Same with 'master' fuse.

I was not aware of these. IMO is something to investigate or report, but also a separate issue.

Mummy... (http://csscgc2015.lofi-gaming.org.uk/crapgames/MummyBra.dsk) - load but not start (press play on tape)

It's a deliberate crap game with jokes. Needs LOAD “MUMMY.BRA” and RUN.

BTW: Where can i found your test disks? Is there any site where i can download all of them?

SPA2 for spanish titles, WOS archive, "less MIA" posts in WOS forum and TOSEC compilation at archive.org.

So we are at the point where 3 disk dumps have been fixed without introducing regressions. Hopefully with better CPC support. The patch needs a bit of cleanup but looks good to me.

[Sergio Baldoví]

to open and start game : two of them are 'amstrad' images, 4 (really 2 -- turbo_outrun_[ab] and turbo_outron_erbe_[12] start up, but after i select 'transmission', start to load and never end... Same with 'master' fuse.

Looks like one side is loader + Amstrad data and the other side is Spectrum +3 data:

1. Insert side A
2. Loader prompts "Turn disk over"
3. Switch disk to side B
4. Press any key
5. Select transmission
6. Play

[Gergely Szasz]

All of above fail with 'master' fuse as well.

All of above does the same with 'master' fuse as well.

[Sergio Baldoví]

Thank you. Committed in [d789c0].