New GamePos files are typed &3F7. Old files are typed &0D0 and will not be accepted by newer versions of Desktop Hacker. However, their contents are compatible, so old GamePos files may be converted simply by re-typing them.
GamePos files are (optionally compressed) copies of what's inside a stopped game's application memory whilst being hacked, with the following small header. The contents of a stopped game's application memory follow.
Position | Length | Contents |
---|---|---|
0 | 4 | "Game" |
4 | 4 |
Version ID string - currently 'D100' or 'D101' D means Desktop Hacker (the creator). dHacker only loads 'D's. Extra data is added to the end of the file only, so dHacker can load files from later versions, and later versions will detect the bundle terminator, and know to stop. Any changes to bundle format can be controlled by taking note of the version number. |
8 | 4 | Compression ID string. 'None' for no compression, or 'Sqsh' for compression using RISC OS 3's Squash module. Other compression types may be defined. The error 'Unknown compression type' will appear with other types. |
12 | 0 or 4 | On compressed files only - length of following decompressed data. |
There then follows (at 12 or 16) the data. When decompressed, it is exactly the same as what is stored from &8000 in a stopped game. There is a BASIC routine to decompress a game file with compression method 'Sqsh' in !GameInfo.!RunImage, look for 'Squash_Decompress' to find it.
Squashed game files are only supported by Desktop Hacker version 1.06 and later, and dHInfo version 1.04 and later.
Files with version ID 'D101' are only understood by Desktop Hacker 1.07 and later. They are only produced when the 'Don't keep screen memory' option has been switched on.
From &8000 upwards, the data is stored in bundles of:
Position | Length | Contents |
---|---|---|
+0 | 4 | Offset to next bundle |
+4 | offset-4 | Data |
+offset | ... | Next bundle |
The order of bundles is important. A null data length (ie. offset of 4) may be used. An offset of 0 terminates the list of bundles, and is the last word in the file.
Order of bundles defined so far under IDs 'D100' and 'D101':
Screen memory contents bundle. Screen memory must be a fixed number of pages. Transfer from a machine with a small page size to one with a bigger page size may cause problems (the screen appearing too far up, and flickering, generally) if the page boundaries where the screen starts don't coincide.
Under files of ID "D101" or greater, a data length of 4 has a special meaning (as 4 bytes screen memory seems a tad unlikely!): the one word in such a bundle if the length of screen memory. The actual contents of screen memory in this case are not stored, to save memory on machines that are short on RAM.
Miscellaneous info bundle.
Position | Length | Contents |
---|---|---|
+0 | 4 | Mouse shape number and linkage flag (as from OS_Byte 106) |
+4 | 4 | Mouse X co-ordinate |
+8 | 4 | Mouse Y co-ordinate |
+12 | 4 |
Flags
bits 0-29 as from OS_Byte 200 (Escape/Break state) |
+16 | 4 | Keyboard disable state (as from OS_Byte 201) |
+20 | 4 | Escape key number (as from OS_Byte 220) |
+24 | 4 | MonotonicTime when game was interrupted |
+28 | 4 | Key initial delay (OS_Byte 11) when game interrupted |
+32 | 4 | Key repeat delay (OS_Byte 12) when game interrupted |
Further data may be added to this bundle in future. Under Desktop Hacker 1.00, bit 30 of flags (+12) will always be unset. It is impractical to read mouse bboxes directly, more accurately than full- screen/infinite as there is no SWI to do this. However, Future versions of Desktop Hacker may trap the OS_Word calls that set the mouse bbox, and save the bbox, which would allow this. In this case, bit 30 will again become reserved, a new bundle will be added, and the version ID will be increased to D102.
Screen info bundle. (If only screen context save areas were more flexible, I could just use them, but no...)
Position | Length | Contents |
---|---|---|
+0 | 4 | Text foreground colour (*) |
+4 | 4 | Text background colour (*) |
+8 | 4 | Text foreground tint |
+12 | 4 | Text background tint |
+16 | 4 | Graphics foreground colour |
+20 | 4 | Graphics backgound colour |
+24 | 4 | Graphics foreground tint |
+28 | 4 | Graphics background tint |
+32 | 4 | Graphics foreground action |
+36 | 4 | Graphics background action |
+40 | 4 | Text window left |
+44 | 4 | Text window bottom |
+48 | 4 | Text window right |
+52 | 4 | Text window top |
+56 | 4 | Graphics origin X |
+60 | 4 | Graphics origin Y |
+64 | 4 | Graphics cursor X |
+68 | 4 | Graphics cursor Y |
+72 | 4 | Text cursor X |
+76 | 4 | Text cursor Y |
+80 | 4 | VDU status register |
+84 | 4 | ScreenStart offset |
+88 | 4 | DisplayStart offset |
+92 | 4 | Screen bank (**) |
+96 | 4 | Display bank (**) |
+100 | 4 | Border colour word (ReadPalette) |
+104 | 4 | Mouse colour 1 word (ReadPalette) |
+108 | 4 | Mouse colour 2 word (ReadPalette) |
+112 | 4 | Mouse colour 3 word (ReadPalette) |
Further data may be added to this bundle in future.
(*) These values are not accurate in any mode with >16 colours, so you'll notice changing text colours in Desktop Hacker sometimes. This is not my fault - OS_ReadVduVariables simply doesn't return the correct values sometimes!
(**) The default screen bank (0) in this position is not allowed - you will have to work out the real screen bank number from the shadowness of the mode, if the game has specified a default bank.
Further bundles may be added in future. The Version ID will only be increased when the internal format of existing bundles changes, as old versions will refuse to load newer IDs. Bundles marked 'further data...' may be extended without increasing the version ID, so be prepared for them being longer than documented here - always use the bundle length header word to get the length.
Format of list files
Writing code for Desktop Hacker
Technical stuff