Open PS2 Loader Project - v0.9

[yot]

Maybe someone encountered this error:

make[3]: Entering directory `/home/Administrator/ps2toolchain/scripts/ps2sdk/iop/debug/iop_sbusdbg'
Makefile:12: *** missing separator.  Stop.

<cut>

Any help on how to get a working setup of svn 1644 is appreciated.

Best regards
Northbear

Well
That missing separator means that you "Ctrl+C && Ctrl+V" some code and it changed "Tab" space into few "Space bar" spaces. So you have to delete that spaces and if you want to have formated code use Tab key instead.

****edit***
How get a working setup of svn 1644:

1. Comment out iop_sbusdbg fom /ps2sdksrc/iop/debug/Makefile f.e. like that:

# _____     ___ ____     ___ ____
#  ____|   |    ____|   |        | |____|
# |     ___|   |____ ___|    ____| |    \    PS2DEV Open Source Project.
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
# Copyright 2001-2004, ps2dev - http://www.ps2dev.org
# Licenced under Academic Free License version 2.0
# Review ps2sdk README & LICENSE files for further details.
#
# $Id: Makefile 1639 2009-10-13 19:07:18Z Herben $
# iop_sbusdbg cutted form SUBDIRS

SUBDIRS = iopdebug ioptrap sior

include $(PS2SDKSRC)/Defs.make
include $(PS2SDKSRC)/Rules.make

2. You have to change /ps2sdksrc/common/sbus/Makefile like in http://forums.ps2dev.org/viewtopic.php?p=85509#85509 (remember about Tab key

Now it compiles with make(not with make -j 2)!

If you want it to handle GetSyscall you have to add definition in /ps2sdksrc/ee/kernel/src/getkernel.c (I copied definition of GetSyscallHandler with the name GetSyscall) and the same thing in /ps2sdksrc/ee/kernel/include/kernel.h(before make!)

Good luck

[dlanor]

@dlanor
It's a little bit offtopic but am I right, that you need for every homwbrew with source code provided different PS2SDKs?

Not necessarily. Many different programs could be compiled with the same PS2SDK.
For example, I compile both the uLE and the GSM projects using the same PS2Dev libs (which includes PS2SDK). But for USBLoader using that same PS2Dev setup is not possible, as USBLoader demands newer versions of some libs (not just PS2SDK, but also gsKit).

And how you would install these for example if you want to compile uLE, OpenUSBLD etc.?

I keep each PS2Dev setup in a separate folder, named like "ps2dev1", "ps2dev2", etc, and all of those folders are stored in a master folder named "PS2_Dev" in the root of my "E:" HDD (the drive where I installed Cygwin). That master folder also contains some bash scripts which manipulate a symlink in my Cygwin work folder, so that this symlink named "/usr/local/ps2dev" always points to the currently active PS2Dev folder. Here is an example of the script used to activate the "ps2dev2" folder (as used for uLE and GSM).

rm /usr/local/ps2dev
ln -s /cygdrive/e/PS2_Dev/ps2dev2 /usr/local/ps2dev

As I currently have three separate PS2Dev setups, I also have three different scripts similar to that one. And to activate the wanted setup I simply use the mouse to pick up the proper script file from a directory window and drop it on my bash icon, and then bash modifies the symlink to point to the chosen ps2dev? folder. And this only needs to be done when switching from one setup to another, as the choice will persist until the next such change (regardless of rebooting etc).

Since my environment is setup to define $PS2DEV as using that symlink instead of a physical folder, all normal PS2Dev references are automatically resolved to paths within the currently activated ps2dev? folder.

My use of this method is one of the reasons why I don't use MinGW for PS2Dev work, since I do not think that MinGW supports linux-style symlinks for such use.

Best regards: dlanor

[dlanor]

This morning Herben committed some fixes to the stuff he broke in an earlier commit at ps2dev.org, so it is now possible to compile USBLoader with latest revisions of all PS2Dev libs. Or almost anyway...

In order to make it compile properly you will also need to open the USBLoader file ".\loader\syshook.c" and change each occurrence of the string "GetSyscall" into "GetSyscallHandler", since that PS2SDK function has been renamed.

With that one change of the USBLoader source it will compile error-free with the latest PS2Dev libs, including PS2SDK at SVN rev 1660.


However, it still remains an open question whether or not USBLoader functionality is affected by the revision levels of both PS2SDK and other libs. I don't know...

Best regards: dlanor

[dlanor]

I have discovered that several games which worked fine from USB drives in rev62 of USBLoader now freeze during the load attempt, before the main game elf has been launched.

This applies to both of the revisions rev73 and rev75, both when compiled using PS2SDK 1611 (as I used for USBLoader rev62) and when compiled using the latest PS2SDK 1660.

Apparently some of the changes in recent USBLoader revisions have had a negative effect on the USB functionality, possibly having been tested mainly with networked games.

Since the USB functionality has now lowered below that of networked functionality, I think it will be necessary to refocus the development efforts for a while, partly to regain the USB functionality that was lost and partly to achieve some much needed improvements on it too.

Below is a detailed description of the screen changes during a failed attempt to boot "Soul Nomad" from USB with rev75:

Purple - Less than 1 second
Yellow - Appx 4 seconds
Green - Appx 4 seconds
Purple - Less than 1 second
Yellow - Appx 4 seconds
Black - Eternally (frozen)

And here is a detailed description of the screen changes during a successful boot of "Soul Nomad" from USB with rev62:

Purple - Appx 5 seconds
Green - Appx 5 seconds
Purple - Appx 5 seconds
Black - Appx 1 second (Game elf possibly started, but not yet displaying anything)
Black + Now Loading == Game elf definitely started, which then proceeds to run game normally

Naturally I used the same USB device and installed ISO for both of those tests, and performed both tests on the same PS2 console too. The only real difference between these tests is the choice of USBLoader elf revision (and of course the results this led to).

Occasionally (very rarely) that game may also freeze during a boot with rev62, in which case it happens during the second purple screen, which then stays purple forever. So having it freeze on a black screen is still unique to the newer revisions of USBLoader, and must indicate some error in them.

Since that freezing occurs at the point where I would expect the game elf to be launched, I suspect that something has messed up either the elf launching process, or something in the system environment that the elf needs in order to initialize properly.

Best regards: dlanor

[yot]

This morning Herben committed some fixes to the stuff he broke in an earlier commit at ps2dev.org, so it is now possible to compile USBLoader with latest revisions of all PS2Dev libs. Or almost anyway...

In order to make it compile properly you will also need to open the USBLoader file ".\loader\syshook.c" and change each occurrence of the string "GetSyscall" into "GetSyscallHandler", since that PS2SDK function has been renamed.
<cut>
Best regards: dlanor

Or you have to add definition "GetSyscall" in /ps2sdksrc/ee/kernel/src/getkernel.c (I copied definition of "GetSyscallHandler" with the name "GetSyscall" right below) and the same thing in /ps2sdksrc/ee/kernel/include/kernel.h after that when you make && make release ps2sdk you don't have to change string "GetSyscall" into "GetSyscallHandler" every time trying to compile Open USB Loader

[dlanor]

Or you have to add definition "GetSyscall" in /ps2sdksrc/ee/kernel/src/getkernel.c (I copied definition of "GetSyscallHandler" with the name "GetSyscall" right below) and the same thing in /ps2sdksrc/ee/kernel/include/kernel.h after that when you make && make release ps2sdk you don't have to change string "GetSyscall" into "GetSyscallHandler" every time trying to compile Open USB Loader

Either way should have exactly the same effect on the compiled program, causing exactly the same opcodes to be compiled.

Personally I prefer to edit the source code of the program to match the new standard, rather than to add a duplicate function to PS2SDK, but either way will work all the same.

Best regards: dlanor

[dlanor]

Today I decided to test FF12 again, to see if there was any change in its MC inaccessibility under USBLoader, only to discover that the game no longer launches at all. Apparently it freezes shortly after the game elf is launched, without any indication of network activity beyond that point, though there was some briefly after the screen turned black. This failure to launch FF12 has been verified both for USB and networked loading.

I'm not sure exactly what changes caused this loss of compatibility, but for me FF12 now fails to launch with either of rev75, rev76, rev 77. I never had rev74, so that one is unsure, and the problem does not exist in rev73, which launches FF12 fine just like older revisions.

So the ability to launch FF12 was lost in a commit either for rev74 or rev75.

At present the best revision available to me is rev71, since this has both good USB compatibility (lost in rev73, then regained in rev76) and compatibility to FF12 (lost in rev75 and still lost).

Best regards: dlanor

[oruchreis]

How can I use smb function? Can someone tell how to load games over samba network? I read a lot of post, but I didn't find exact way to load over net. I created a folder with "PS2SMB" name, and I shared it with the same name. But when I try to start network connection, it gives an error. I tried both rev62 and rev77. My PS3's ip address is 10.0.0.80, and my pc's ip address is 10.0.0.5.

Also, I can't save the settings, it gives a writing error. My machine is ps3 pal 60gb.

Regards.

[dlanor]

How can I use smb function? Can someone tell how to load games over samba network? I read a lot of post, but I didn't find exact way to load over net. I created a folder with "PS2SMB" name, and I shared it with the same name.

So far so good, but at the PC end you must also ensure that the "Guest" account is active and that the share has permissions set to allow the "Guest" account read access to that share. If you have 'simple file sharing' active, then both those conditions should already be fulfilled.

But when I try to start network connection, it gives an error. I tried both rev62 and rev77. My PS3's ip address is 10.0.0.80, and my pc's ip address is 10.0.0.5.

Your subnet 10.0.0 does not match the default subnet of USBLoader which is 192.168.0 and the specific IP addresses also differ from the defaults used. This means that you must configure the network settings properly and save them. Do part of that in the "Settings" submenu "Network config", though you must also use the main "Settings" command "Save changes" for the entire network config to be saved. And for the saving to be successful you need a PS2 MC with a proper SYS-CONF folder.

Also, I can't save the settings, it gives a writing error. My machine is ps3 pal 60gb.

Saving settings is a two step operation. One step is to save the IPCONFIG.DAT file into the PS2 memory card as "mc0:/SYS-CONF/IPCONFIG.DAT". The other step is to save the "usbld.cfg" file into the same MC folder, and it is this file that contains the address of the PC (as used for SMB connection).

If you get an error message in the attempt to save settings it probably means that you do not have the folder "mc0:/SYS-CONF/" and need to create this first. This you can do with the FileBrowser of uLaunchELF, by browsing to the root of "mc0:/" and there using the R1 menu command "New Dir". This opens a virtual keyboard where you can use gamepad to enter the name "SYS-CONF". (I'm not sure if you can also use a USB keyboard, like I do on a real PS2.)

Btw: Since I do not have a PS3 (and no intent to get any) I have no idea how PS2 MC usage works on that console, or if it is even possible to use it as it needs to be done here. But since others involved in the project do use PS3, I assume that it can be made to work, one way or another...

Best regards: dlanor

[jimmikaelkael]

Today I decided to test FF12 again, to see if there was any change in its MC inaccessibility under USBLoader, only to discover that the game no longer launches at all. Apparently it freezes shortly after the game elf is launched, without any indication of network activity beyond that point, though there was some briefly after the screen turned black. This failure to launch FF12 has been verified both for USB and networked loading.

I'm not sure exactly what changes caused this loss of compatibility, but for me FF12 now fails to launch with either of rev75, rev76, rev 77. I never had rev74, so that one is unsure, and the problem does not exist in rev73, which launches FF12 fine just like older revisions.

So the ability to launch FF12 was lost in a commit either for rev74 or rev75.

At present the best revision available to me is rev71, since this has both good USB compatibility (lost in rev73, then regained in rev76) and compatibility to FF12 (lost in rev75 and still lost).

Best regards: dlanor

This is kinda strange, I noticed it yesterday. If I use all IOP modules and EE loader from r77, along with GUI from r73 then FF12 run.
I'm a bit lost and actually wondering about what in UI could cause this...