is there any software for converting atariwin snapshots to cassette files?

[xxx]

hi,

 

is there any software for converting atariwin snapshots (a8s) to cassette files (.cas)?

[Mclaneinc]

My initial thought is that its not possible to make them stand alone for the simple reason that its purely is just a snapshot and would normally require possible interaction with the loading media again. Well that and having iirc to load the original media in and then load in the snapshot..

 

I've also got a feeling there's more in depth tech reasons why its not possible but I'm happy to be wrong..

Edited June 7, 2016 by Mclaneinc

[baktra]

There is no such software (and will never be). A conversion of a8s snapshot to cassette image file is... nonsensical.

What exactly are you trying to do?

[Rybags]

I don't think there's even been attempts to convert A8S to disk file (executable).

For starters, isn't it a compressed file format?

 

Some Altirra versions can create real machine loadable snapshots so that makes it more sense to use to begin with.

An alternate way could be in either emulator to write out the Ram contents as well as hw register states then have a loader which can restore state from that to a real machine.

A problem with that is you need a block of Ram for the loader to live in and what works with one program won't with another.

 

Doing this stuff on tape, a PITA anyway. Anything over about 32K becomes an absolute epic to load.

[xxx]

There is no such software (and will never be). A conversion of a8s snapshot to cassette image file is... nonsensical.

What exactly are you trying to do?

it can b done on the c64

[Mclaneinc]

It might be but it depends on the way the save state system is written but in the end to make a safe 'snapshot' would result in a dump of the same size as a regular version (or bigger) and in to cas format?

 

Not a real sensible ideal?

 

As asked before, why do you want this...

[Rybags]

In the day, the snapshot carts for C64 were within the budget of tape users.

Atari I don't think got any snapshot system of merit until the modern day. There was "The Impossible" and probably others but they relied on a game being able to survive and run from a system reset warmstart condition.

 

Also, C64 disk protection was usually more complicated and hard to crack than on Atari, mainly due to the fact a standard drive could easily duplicate the weaker systems. On Atari you needed a Happy board or similar. So, generally the Atari games would be properly cracked where on C64 the scene sometimes got lazy and just released snapshots.

[xxx]

It might be but it depends on the way the save state system is written but in the end to make a safe 'snapshot' would result in a dump of the same size as a regular version (or bigger) and in to cas format?

 

Not a real sensible ideal?

 

As asked before, why do you want this...

because some games arent available as .cas files

[Kr0tki]

In such case, try using xex2cas to convert a game to CAS.

[Rybags]

In almost every case just converting an available Xex to work on tape would be more efficient. Snapshots will tend to be much bigger files though could use compression. A good case though for snapshots would be for when you want to resume an in progress game.

[Shawn Jefferson]

You want to load games that didn't come originally on tape, from tape, in 2016? Why?

 

I guess if you have free time you are willing to burn up, you could set the CPU speed down to about 1% during the load of an ATR in the emulator.

[Mclaneinc]

Naughty Shawn

 

I do have to say its an odd request, if they were not on tape in the first place then what will be so different by taking a game that is filed and converting it to CAS?

 

Obviously you are going to get a little incredulity as to why you would want a cas file in the days of DISK images?

 

Its not like C64 stuff with Mix-e-loads or Invada Load to enjoy while the cassette meanders the long road of monotony...

 

Paul.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Mclaneinc

[xxx]

You want to load games that didn't come originally on tape, from tape, in 2016? Why?

 

I guess if you have free time you are willing to burn up, you could set the CPU speed down to about 1% during the load of an ATR in the emulator.

because i have a real atari xe with a tape deck and no drive

[xxx]

Naughty Shawn

 

I do have to say its an odd request, if they were not on tape in the first place then what will be so different by taking a game that is filed and converting it to CAS?

 

Obviously you are going to get a little incredulity as to why you would want a cas file in the days of DISK images?

 

Its not like C64 stuff with Mix-e-loads or Invada Load to enjoy while the cassette meanders the long road of monotony...

 

Paul.

because i have a real atari xe and only have a cassette deck for it

[Mclaneinc]

Do yourself a favour and get a SIO2 SD, cheaper than a drive and huge content storage...

 

Hoping to survive just by a tape deck and looking to get support for it is slim...