HDFmaker - A GUI to click together Next and esxDOS-Memorycard-Images and content

[Luzie]

Don´t know if this is right here or should go into "Emulators"...

Maybe someone finds this useful:

HDFmaker - A GUI to click together Next and esxDOS-Memorycard-Images and content

Testet under Windows 10 64-Bit

Latest Release of HDFMaker adjusted to latest SpecNext-Distro "System/Next v1.3.2":
Download HDFMaker v006.099 (about 267 MByte): https://www.magentacloud.de/lnk/5bClAPwd

[PeterJ]

Many thanks [mention]Luzie[/mention]. Moved to our new Next forum.

[Luzie]

Many thanks @Luzie. Moved to our new Next forum.

Thanks to you! But it can also "work without Next" as creator for .HDF-Files for the included SpecEmu (and it´s DivIDE Emulation)

[PeterJ]

Got you. Sorry. Moved again, but this time to Emulators!

[PeterJ]

Hi [mention]Luzie[/mention],

Are you able to shorten some of the file names please?



Many thanks

Peter

[Luzie]

Hi @Luzie,

Are you able to shorten some of the file names please?

Many thanks

Peter

Yes, I can try. But it must be run from \HDFmaker in Root of drive and not from deeper Subdirectory / Path.

[PeterJ]

Ohh OK. Didn't know that. Can't read readme until I've unnzipped Sure that will be fine then. Let me try later.

[Luzie]

Latest Release of HDFMaker adjusted to latest SpecNext-Distro "System/Next v1.3.2":
Download HDFMaker v006.099 (about 267 MByte): https://www.magentacloud.de/lnk/5bClAPwd

Remark to this Version of HDFMaker: Please don´t use "Copy System-Next Master 2020-05-07 ... nextZXOS 2.06I" as this results in Hangs in NextOS-Browser under CSpect and ZEsarUX. So please just use "System-Next v1.3.2"!

[PeterJ]

This is excellent [mention]Luzie[/mention],

I have to admit all the options were a bit bewildering to start with though!

I'm taking screenshots of Next games for ZXDB with Cspect and being able to just put the game files into the tests folder and re-create the SD card image is fantastic. I also like things like this that don't need installing. Just unzip and you are there. Portable apps are always a positive for me!

Can I make a couple of suggestions? Sorry if these are already there.

Provide the facility to add files I put in the tests folder to the existing SD card image rather than have to rebuild everytime I want to add new files.

Create batch file shortcuts to run the Emulators with the appropriate paths and files once you exit HDFmaker

Build a Linux version!

Thank you again for building a nice wrapper on top of the command line tools. Kudos to you to for giving full credit to the emulator creators as well.

[Luzie]

Can I make a couple of suggestions? Sorry if these are already there.

Provide the facility to add files I put in the tests folder to the existing SD card image rather than have to rebuild everytime I want to add new files.

Create batch file shortcuts to run the Emulators with the appropriate paths and files once you exit HDFmaker

Build a Linux version!

Hi [mention]PeterJ[/mention] thanks for your response and suggestions. I´ll see what I can add to HDFmaker in future versions for you.
Only thing most likely will NOT happen will be a Linux version. Sorry, but I´m a Windows Scripting Guy and don´t have enough spare time to do another OS-version.

btw.: These are the .BAT-Files for starting the Emulators directly with existing .HDF-/.RAW-Image:
\HDFMaker\Emulator\CSpect\0008_Start_CSPECT_with_HDFMAKER-HDFMAKER.RAW.BAT
\HDFMaker\Emulator\ZEsarUX\0001_HDFMaker_Start_ZEsarUX_ZXNext_TBBLUE_with_HDFMAKER-HDFMAKER.RAW.BAT
\HDFMaker\Emulator\SpecEmu\_SpecEmu-DivIDE-ESXDOS_085_GO!-Benoetigt-Admin-Rechte!.BAT
\HDFMaker\Emulator\SpecEmu\_SpecEmu-DivIDE-ESXDOS_086b4_GO!-Benoetigt-Admin-Rechte!.BAT
\HDFMaker\Emulator\SpecEmu\_SpecEmu-DivIDE-ESXDOS_086_GO!-Benoetigt-Admin-Rechte!.BAT
\HDFMaker\Emulator\SpecEmu\_SpecEmu-DivIDE-ESXDOS_087_GO!-Benoetigt-Admin-Rechte!.BAT

[PeterJ]

Thanks [mention]Luzie[/mention],

What was it developed in?

[Luzie]

Thanks @Luzie,

What was it developed in?

GUI is written as .AHK-/AutoHotkey-Script. ( https://www.autohotkey.com/ )

[PeterJ]

Thank you. That looks like an interesting language. Sort of Bash scripts for Windows UI

[PeterJ]

Hi [mention]Luzie[/mention],

Are you planning an update for the new version of esxDOS? Also have you thought of adding Fuse as one of the supported emulators?

Just to say again how invaluable this program has been with my task of taking Next screen. Much appreciated.

Thanks

[akeley]

Can I use these hdf files on DIV device with esxDOS somehow?

[Luzie]

Can I use these hdf files on DIV device with esxDOS somehow?

Not direct. But if you copy all files under \HDFMaker\Files4SD\ to root of your CF-Card it should work.

[akeley]

Admittedly, I don't even know what it really means, to use hdf on real ZX instead of normal DIV/SD or CF way. Can you actually use it on real hardware? What would be a benefit of this?

[Luzie]

Hi @Luzie,

Are you planning an update for the new version of esxDOS? Also have you thought of adding Fuse as one of the supported emulators?

Hi [mention]PeterJ[/mention] I´m working on it. Maybe a new release supporting esxDOS 0.88 tomorrow. Adding Fuse needs more time. Hope to include the feature "Update Tests-Directory in HDF" for you too.

[Luzie]

Admittedly, I don't even know what it really means, to use hdf on real ZX instead of normal DIV/SD or CF way. Can you actually use it on real hardware? What would be a benefit of this?

As far as I know, you could use .HDF-Files directly on "Real Hardware". It´s just a container-format for Harddisk-Data used by e.g. Emulators.

[Luzie]

Just to say again how invaluable this program has been with my task of taking Next screen. Much appreciated.

Hi [mention]PeterJ[/mention] how do you create your Screenshots? From within running Next-Emuation (and maybe save those screenshots to the HDF-File) or do you save them via a Windows-Snapshot-program? I think you use the last one. If not, do you need an option for HDFmaker to get files from .HDF-Image back easily?

[PeterJ]

Hi [mention]Luzie[/mention],

There is a new option within Cspect that I use. You just press CTRL + F3 and it saves a PNG file in the home folder of the emulator.

[Luzie]

New Version HDFmaker v007.071:

-Added esxDOS v0.8.8 FINAL
-Updated: Dr. Slumps NEW NMI.SYS v0017
-Added: New File Browser for ZX-UNO by bob_fossil (Load with Hotkey J in New NMI)
-Updated: ZEsarUX
-Updated: #CSpect
-Added: Fuse v1.5.7 (yet only running with divIDE on esxDOS 0.8.7)
-Added Option "Just copy/update \HDFmaker\Files\TESTS Directory (incl. Subdirs) into .HDF, .RAW and Files4SD-Directory, start selected Emulators and Exit" hinzugefügt.

Download HDFMaker v007.071 (about 228 MByte zipped): https://www.magentacloud.de/lnk/fvilASKo

[PeterJ]

Thank you [mention]Luzie[/mention],

Excellent

[PeterJ]

Hi [mention]Luzie[/mention],

Are you planning an update for your excellent HDFmaker to include esxDOS 0.88 support for Fuse, and maybe include the latest version of CSpect?

Thanks

Peter

[Luzie]

Hi @Luzie,

Are you planning an update for your excellent HDFmaker to include esxDOS 0.88 support for Fuse, and maybe include the latest version of CSpect?

Thanks

Peter

Dear [mention]PeterJ[/mention] ,
for CSpect I think you just need to unpack latest version of CSpect over the files in \HDFMaker\Emulator\CSpect\
I´ve already updated my version to support esxDOS 0.8.8 for Fuse with divIDE or divMMC-Emulation.
I would make some small changes and checks and inform you about a new release soon (takes some days, maybe on sunday).

Cheers

Luzie