Smc Adators

[White Demon]

Sure, I understand I support the RTFM theory. But, instead of flaming and having an admin say "this has been discussed before *LOCKED*", they should put their efforts into make the forum a better place. Like perhaps if noone replys having the ADMIN (who should be trying to make the forum a better place) say:

This topic has been discuessed before. I'm going to lock this topic to keep the down the amount of threads on this topic. If you check the FAQ, it answers a lot of these questions:

HYPER LINK TO PIECE OF FAQ WITH INFO

The search functionallity of the forum also serves this purpose, here are a few threads that I got from the search functionallity that discuss this:

HYPER LINK TO THREAD 1
HYPER LINK TO THREAD 2
HYPER LINK TO THREAD 3

Thank You,
Forum Admin

That's all I'm trying to get accross. Just that the people who are here regularly should be trying to put forth effort into making the place the best forum for GP32 discussions, by NOT flaming. Those people should know better and should be trying to help people out, not yelling at them to SEARCH, or making fun of their speling..

​

Great idea sure, but since when has it been the moderator's job to search for threads that have been discussed before? THAT'S WHY THE SEARCH IS THERE FOR EVERYONE TO USE. Maybe flaming just saying 'use the search ***head' or similar to all noobs is not good, just say it nicely, along the lines of 'this topic has been discussed before, please use the search function to find similar threads'.

instead of making a new bios (impossable) couldnt some one code a program that spoofs the gp32 in to thinking that a 512 sd card is multiple 128 smc card or some thing along that line? just thought of the idea. dont flame me lol.

Bourbon

​

Yeah that was the idea with the "Virtual" SMC's. So maybe you have to use custom firmware that has a shortcircut of holding the SELECT button down on startup. From there you can choose normal SMC mode or Virtual SMC mode.

In virtual mode it's looking for a particular file structure on the SMC (Or SD), it would be as follows:

ROOT
|----1x128
|----2x128
|----3x128
\----4x128

This would read the directories as 4 Virtual SMC's each of 128meg in size. Lets say you're using a regular SMC of 128meg but you still want to use it in Virtual Mode:

ROOT
|----1x64
\----2x64

So really you can have an adapter that takes ANY type of ramdisk and use it as an SMC of max 128meg of memory. Then you can seperate your roms and types of games into pages. Perhaps even go the length of looking for a text file in the Virtual SMC's directory named "name.txt" that has a string to use as the text of the menu:
ROOT
|----1x128 (name.txt = "NES \ SNES")
|----2x128 (name.txt = "Retail Games")
|----3x128 (name.txt = "HomeBrew Games")
\----4x128 (name.txt = "Genesis")

Thoughts?

​

This would seem like a good idea, but even if the GP32 could do it, it is most likely impraticable. Since not only would you need the GP32 bios that could do it, but you would also need a companion program for Windows (and Linux and Mac users would want one to, can't leave them out) that would be able to see these virtual 'pages' and switch between them, since if you just put the card into a card reader the computer would only see the first 'page' (the first 128MB of the card), or maybe not even see anything at all if these virtual pages cause a non FAT (FAT12, whatyever it is) standard format.

 

[bourbon]

Sure, I understand I support the RTFM theory.  But, instead of flaming and having an admin say "this has been discussed before *LOCKED*", they should put their efforts into make the forum a better place.  Like perhaps if noone replys having the ADMIN (who should be trying to make the forum a better place) say:

This topic has been discuessed before.  I'm going to lock this topic to keep the down the amount of threads on this topic.  If you check the FAQ, it answers a lot of these questions:

HYPER LINK TO PIECE OF FAQ WITH INFO

The search functionallity of the forum also serves this purpose, here are a few threads that I got from the search functionallity that discuss this:

HYPER LINK TO THREAD 1
HYPER LINK TO THREAD 2
HYPER LINK TO THREAD 3

Thank You,
Forum Admin

That's all I'm trying to get accross. Just that the people who are here regularly should be trying to put forth effort into making the place the best forum for GP32 discussions, by NOT flaming. Those people should know better and should be trying to help people out, not yelling at them to SEARCH, or making fun of their speling..

​

Great idea sure, but since when has it been the moderator's job to search for threads that have been discussed before? THAT'S WHY THE SEARCH IS THERE FOR EVERYONE TO USE. Maybe flaming just saying 'use the search ***head' or similar to all noobs is not good, just say it nicely, along the lines of 'this topic has been discussed before, please use the search function to find similar threads'.

instead of making a new bios (impossable) couldnt some one code a program that spoofs the gp32 in to thinking that a 512 sd card is multiple 128 smc card or some thing along that line? just thought of the idea. dont flame me lol.

Bourbon

​

Yeah that was the idea with the "Virtual" SMC's. So maybe you have to use custom firmware that has a shortcircut of holding the SELECT button down on startup. From there you can choose normal SMC mode or Virtual SMC mode.

In virtual mode it's looking for a particular file structure on the SMC (Or SD), it would be as follows:

ROOT
|----1x128
|----2x128
|----3x128
\----4x128

This would read the directories as 4 Virtual SMC's each of 128meg in size. Lets say you're using a regular SMC of 128meg but you still want to use it in Virtual Mode:

ROOT
|----1x64
\----2x64

So really you can have an adapter that takes ANY type of ramdisk and use it as an SMC of max 128meg of memory. Then you can seperate your roms and types of games into pages. Perhaps even go the length of looking for a text file in the Virtual SMC's directory named "name.txt" that has a string to use as the text of the menu:
ROOT
|----1x128 (name.txt = "NES \ SNES")
|----2x128 (name.txt = "Retail Games")
|----3x128 (name.txt = "HomeBrew Games")
\----4x128 (name.txt = "Genesis")

Thoughts?

​

This would seem like a good idea, but even if the GP32 could do it, it is most likely impraticable. Since not only would you need the GP32 bios that could do it, but you would also need a companion program for Windows (and Linux and Mac users would want one to, can't leave them out) that would be able to see these virtual 'pages' and switch between them, since if you just put the card into a card reader the computer would only see the first 'page' (the first 128MB of the card), or maybe not even see anything at all if these virtual pages cause a non FAT (FAT12, whatyever it is) standard format.

​

But coudnt u just partition it like u do a hard drive?then wouldnt nead a special progarm to make the virtual cards. also it wouldnt have to be a bios it would only have to be a .fxe kinda like sulbmans .fxe firmware but just a card reader, only thing you would have to put ur emus and roms for example on the same partitiond card.

Bourbon

 

[trooper]

Sounds a bit pointless to me. You might as well just use 4 seperate cards, As there does not seem to be any other benefit other than reduced card swapping (well physically anyway).

Trooper

 

[White Demon]

But coudnt u just partition it like u do a hard drive?then wouldnt nead a special progarm to make the virtual cards. also it wouldnt have to be a bios it would only have to be a .fxe kinda like sulbmans .fxe firmware but just a card reader, only thing you would have to put ur emus and roms for example on the same partitiond card.

Bourbon

​

OK, yes it could be an fxe to select the partition, but as for the partitioning thing, well you need a program to do that to begin with, and you couldn't do that with an fxe on the gp32, only a firmware with such ability could do that.

As another example of partitioning requiring software, when you set up Windows/Linux on a PC, there is a partitioning program in the installer to begin with. And as for reading your partitioned card on a PC (when you want to add/delete files), you would need a program to read the partitions, since the PC sees card readers (and I think it's the same with the GP32, not sure since I use a card reader) as a removable drive. Therefore, if I have a card that's split into four partitions, and put it in my card reader which has it's own drive letter, it's not gonna suddenly bring four separate drives is it? So there's another program I would need on my PC to read the four partitions when I put it in my card reader.

Maybe it would be nice, but it can't be done, and even if it could the amount a complementary softweare you would need (both on GP32 and on your PC) would be too much to make it worthwhile. I think Trooper said it best above, it really would be a pointless exercise in the end.

 

[Thraka]

This would seem like a good idea, but even if the GP32 could do it, it is most likely impraticable. Since not only would you need the GP32 bios that could do it, but you would also need a companion program for Windows (and Linux and Mac users would want one to, can't leave them out) that would be able to see these virtual 'pages' and switch between them, since if you just put the card into a card reader the computer would only see the first 'page' (the first 128MB of the card), or maybe not even see anything at all if these virtual pages cause a non FAT (FAT12, whatyever it is) standard format.

Maybe it would be nice, but it can't be done, and even if it could the amount a complementary softweare you would need (both on GP32 and on your PC) would be too much to make it worthwhile. I think Trooper said it best above, it really would be a pointless exercise in the end.

​

No, the method I was explaining was using the folder structure of the card as the virtual smc. So you just need a normal reader that reads the type of card the adapter uses. Then I just go to explorer and right click Create New Folder and name it 1x128 and another named 2x128.

If someone did do it and it did work or researched up to a point at least, it's not a worthless exercise. For an OPEN SOURCE PLATFORM, these are the kinds of things that drive it, if people stopped making things like the GPS or the Wireless Multiplayer adapter or the joystick fixes or software that pushes the limits or new firmwares that enable new functionallity, GP32 would die. You should create everything under the sun for it because it attracts more attention and new peoples..

 

[Thraka]

We could move this to dev forum

 

[Squidge]

Using a folder structure would not be practical, as it would need an immense amount of work to turn it into an emulatable smc card, unless you completely rewrote the smc library, which again means that every application would need to be recompiled, including the bios.

For example, if the bios says "Give me block 926", how do you know what goes there unless you map an entire 128mb smc into memory from your directory structure?

Partitions are much better, as you can say "block 0 - x" is card 1, and "block x+1 - y" is card 2, etc. Then you can just add or subtract an offset when the os asks for a sector. Still means rewriting the smc layer though...

Only way I see it is some kind of FPGA chip controlling an SD card and emulating an SMC slot, with a switch to allow selection of virtual card. All done in hardware (and logic of course for the FPGA).

 

[Thraka]

Using a folder structure would not be practical, as it would need an immense amount of work to turn it into an emulatable smc card, unless you completely rewrote the smc library, which again means that every application would need to be recompiled, including the bios.

For example, if the bios says "Give me block 926", how do you know what goes there unless you map an entire 128mb smc into memory from your directory structure?

Partitions are much better, as you can say "block 0 - x" is card 1, and "block x+1 - y" is card 2, etc. Then you can just add or subtract an offset when the os asks for a sector. Still means rewriting the smc layer though...

Only way I see it is some kind of FPGA chip controlling an SD card and emulating an SMC slot, with a switch to allow selection of virtual card. All done in hardware (and logic of course for the FPGA).

​

Oh good call!! That reminds of the old Playstation 1 where the first memory cards that were "bigger" than the standered were pages of cards where you pushed a button to change which page you were on.. That actually seems like the best way to do it, all on the SMC hardware side and not the software side. We would just have to find someone who knew how to do make something like that and start selling them.. I would pick one up thats for sure!!

 

[White Demon]

Yeah that could work... but seriously I don't forsee anyone doing it anytime soon. The market is far too niche to support it, even if everyone in said market started buying 'em.

 

[Thraka]

Yeah that could work... but seriously I don't forsee anyone doing it anytime soon. The market is far too niche to support it, even if everyone in said market started buying 'em.

​

Good point.. But I also dont see myself buying the GPS adapter either

 

[c0ncept]

to sum up then: possible but very very unlikly to ever happen ever.