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Hi there,
Got a newly acquired joey joebags linker, and a 256M cart.
I know there are some files to use in the setup.rar from ninstruments, but I'm not sure how to use them.
I know that LSDJ by default only gets a 32K save on the 256M when you add it to the menu, but I've heard of a workaround to expand that to 128K.
Anyone know how to do this?
Have you contacted Ben directly? He is very responsive on Facebook.
Yeah, I have. But I think he's very busy at the moment with a load of new products coming in and being shipped out. Thought someone else would know.
It feels like an up-to-date set of instructions needs to be written!
Has no-one ever tried to use the files in the setup.rar from ninstrument.com to patch lsdj.gb?
I understand there's a patched version of 4.7.3 floating around somewhere, but try as I might I can't find it.
Help? I'm sure a more-knowledgeable-person-than-I will have the answer.
There's an extra Menu256_LSDJ-Fix.exe file for doing this. Is there something like that in the zip file you have downloaded? This file should assign SRAM properly.
I have no means of uploading the file i have atm. So maybe search around for it on google.
Will experiment with that. There are a ton of files in all these downloads, and I get the impression that some of them are just there because they *used* to be useful, but aren't now.
But no idea which is which!
Update: LSDJ 4.8.0 and the file you named above doesn't work. You have no ability to save your song AT ALL!
Update 2: Okay, so now I get it - I didn't *need* to save. I turned off the cart and turned it on later with no change in my song. So whilst it was pretty cool that I didn't have to explicitly save, obviously that means I only have 32K save and therefore only 1 song.
Last edited by Psynaptik (Jan 29, 2017 1:14 am)
I own two 256M carts and they came loaded with 3 instances of LSDJ each as well as a 4th ROM. Each save has 128kb accessible. Sounds like a ROM configuration issue using the ROM-packer on his site?
EDIT: Suh
Last edited by MaxDolensky (Feb 21, 2017 2:12 am)
Ah yes - I had that when I got this gear second hand. I dumped those four banks and can write them back with no problem.
It's just that I'd like to have some control over what goes on my flash cart. I can flash back 3 copies of 4.7.3 with 128K ram because I dumped all 4 of the banks before I did anything else. But I wanted to put just 1/2 copies of lsdj plus some games on there.
I can't just add 'Dump1' to the menu builder program (it doesn't build properly) and I've tried adding lsdj is various permutations, with or without patches. None of it comes out right.
I'd also like to know so I can write an up to date guide on this to help others!
I have no Windows machine at hand today but i'll try to use my work pc tommorow to help you out with that.
Also, i thought it's a standard feature that LSDJ buffers your current song in SRAM as long as you work on it.
Ah, didn't know about the LSDJ buffering thing.
I'm going to go through a few other ways of doing things this afternoon and let you know how I get on.
Thanks for help so far.
**Later Edit:**
Have tried flashing LSDJ 4.7.3 vanilla, and 4.7.3 with either of the 2 patches that are in the setup.rar from ninstruments.com.
All flashed with Menu256_LSDJ_Fix.exe and all I get is LSDJ 'one song' version.
Re: patching - have downloaded and installed ips XP 1.11.2600 and used to try flashing 4.7.3 with LSDJ_Patch_1_001.ips and LSDJ_SRAM_MOD_Linker.ips, but no luck. Just end up with LSDJ 4.7.3 with no save capability (this is on a DMG).
Am flashing to a 256M with latest (3.18c) joey software, using the python script (having faffed about with getting Tcl installed and pyUSB).
Am on Windows 10, although operating system shouldn't make a difference really.
**Later Later Edit**
Patched 4.7.3 with both patch files - same result (can only work on one song).
Am using 4.7.3 because the date of all the files in the setup.rar predate 4.8.0.
Last edited by Psynaptik (Jan 29, 2017 6:27 pm)
Did you also use the LSDJBuilder.exe to make 8k LSDJ ROMs prior to assembling them with the (LSDJ Fix) menu builder?
It should show you that it does not assign flash while adding LSDJ (8k version) but in the end it actually does when it compiles it. Keep in mind you can only have 3 instances of LSDJ on 1 256 cart like that. I think... (Flash locations should show you 256, 512, 768, 0 when compiled)
I had email contact with ben about a few things regarding his carts and flasher 1 and a 1/2 years back. I'll look this up this afternoon. Maybe there's some knowledge about that there.
I wasn't sure what the LSDJBuilder.exe was for, and it seems to only take a patched file...question is which one?!
What I get when adding the LSDJ rom in the menu builder is that it's 32k, where I was expecting something larger. I know that when I used the dumps of the banks from before (when there were 3 LSDJs with full save capabilities) it shows up as 256 etc. as you say, so I kind of knew that it wasn't going to work, but had a go anyway.
Thanks for your help. When I get this sorted I'll write a readme.txt/blog post on how to patch lsdj and get it working so that someone can learn from my pain! Kind of surprised that that hasn't been done already though....
Copied right out of a mail from ben:
As for IPS patching.
You take your LSDJ ROM, IPS patch the SRAM MOD IPS file
Then run it through the builder program which generates an 8mb file
Then compile using the compiler with the LSDJ fix in it.
I have a new IPS patch too for the newer USB linker. I'll find it and send it to you
Which verifies what i said and answers your latest question about which IPS patch to apply.
Another mail:
If you could get a screenshot and how u triggered the bug that would be cool. There is a guide on Ninstrument.com how to compile LSDJ. Little things like NOT ticking SRAM etc...
Ok, i did never find the mentioned guide and ben did never get around sending it to me. But maybe try out the part with not checking the Save option when adding LSDJ? Who knows. Otherwise i have no further info. Hope you'll get it to work and write the guide about it!
Maybe also try emailing Ben again.
Someone should write newer software that does the same process but easier for the user. Preferably also in Python or Javascript so anyone could use it easily on any system etc. But i think only Ben would be able to do so as it's his carts and only he knows the internals?
Okay, that's all great, I'll give it a shot tomorrow when I have chance.
There *is* a guide of some sort on ninstrument.com, but doesn't have details about how to build LSDJ. But I'll have another look and see what I can come up with. The only guides I can find are the "BennVenn User guide.pdf" and the guide in setup.rar on this page: http://www.ninstrument.com/?page_id=1758.
I think Benn is busy pushing out some new products, so I've sent him a few messages on FB and just need to wait for him to get back to me I think.
My aim is to put something together where someone can patch their LSDJ rom and then compile as they like to Benn's 256M. We'll see how this goes!
Last edited by Psynaptik (Jan 30, 2017 8:18 pm)
@zemzelett - you absolute legend! Got it working. Would appear that I needed to add the LSDJBuilder.exe into the mix.
That at least builds an LSDJ 4.7.3 with save capability. Going to try adding other roms and following same steps for LSDJ 4.8.0 now, will update....
Okay, so 4.8.0 doesn't work with those patch files (as expected), but since there aren't any major feature differences between 4.7.3 and 4.8.0 that's not really a problem.
Thanks for your help. Got a load of work to deal with now (since I've spent too long on this issue!) and I'll try to get to writing a guide later this week.