Anyone know how to use CD-Tool to build PS1/2 images?

[marzsyndrome]

Hello there, random newbie thought he'd invade this forum to ask a good question, and generally seek some help.


Does anyone here know about CD-Tool? It's one of those programs that not only edits CD images, but also allows you to make new ones, or make significant hacks or patches to them. Consulting the FAQ, it looks like it can even apply subheader settings to XA/STR files (similar to what $ony's CD-ROM Generator can do), a feature sadly sorely lacking in all other PS1-rebuilding methods I know of (mkisofs, PSXCDGen). I'm really keen on trying it out and seeing what it's capable or not capable of doing.

Only problem is....... it's extremely complicated to use. It warns that you essentially need to know enough about the Lua programming language before you can truly work out how to use it, or make/edit scripts for it. And yours truly knows diddly squat about programming, sad to say. I really want to use this program because like I've said/implied, other disc-building methods have their own respective flaws, namely....


$ony's CDGEN - the official tool, and a sure-fire way of making good PS1 images from scratch. Its broken recording function, however, forces one to use third-party tools to get the right sort of script needed - CTI - to get around the problem and make an image. But there's one problem... CTI doesn't appear to retain the timestamps on folders, replacing them with newer ones. This really aggravates me as I like to try to keep everything looking as identical as possible to the original CD layout. Sure, a program like UltraISO would allow me to change the timestamps afterwards, but the critical flaw in that program - and the one leaving me to hope for an alternative, yet similar tool out there - is that saving the image afterwards results in everything literally being rebuilt, right down to losing the original LBA order information. >.<

PSXCDGen - an offshoot of CDGenPS2, it is perhaps the easiest way of building a simple PSX CD yet, certainly making it simpler than the older CDGEN. It even retains all the original timestamps (for files and folders) in the resultant image afterwards. However, it lacks any means of applying the correct subheader setting to XA and STR media files, resulting in them not working properly under PSX hardware/emulation afterwards. Another notable flaw is that it does not license the images properly, resulting in one having to remember to use license-editing tools or replace the first 37632 bytes with license data by means of a hex-editor.

MKISOFS - a general tool that's just handy for building images full stop, regardless of the format. And, like PSXCDGen, it retains all timestamps without modification. Somehow I seem to have a real preference for command-line tools over even some of the finest GUI equivalents available. But also like PSXCDGen - and despite including some decent (yet limited) XA-format support - there is no means of subheading the PS1-specific media formats. (In addition, it does not seem to be able to add license data at the beginning, even if you use the "-generic-boot" parameter and reference a license file. It also outputs images in cooked format rather than raw, although another program - mkpsxiso - can convert it to the right format for you, as well as apply a referenced license file to the new image.)


Which leaves CD-Tool as my one remaining hope. An example LUA script for building an image can be found in the ScummVM-PS2 archive (any version), but I couldn't make head nor tail of it enough to adapt it to my own liking. So basically, I am hoping that someone around here could help me in working out basic and easy-to-understand use of the tool and its scripts, so that I don't have to keep staying up all night tearing my hair out over matters like this all the time.


I'm hoping I'm not breaking any rules here first and foremost. I've been using only my own originals to experiment with for the time being, and I am not asking for assistance in seeking out any particular programs. I am mainly seeking to find a good tool that will allow me to build custom PSX movie CDs and experimental content-rips of some games from scratch, without modifying any information such as timestamps in the process.

I'm not even sure if I'm posting in the right section, or indeed the right forum, but seeing as a lot of programming knowledge flows around here, I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask you folks and see what comes out of it.

Thanks.

[ps2dragon]

How about Munge Explorer, it looks like the same kind of application as CD-Tool. I heard a lot of good things about it when I originally found out it existed, but I haven't tried to use it yet.

[marzsyndrome]

Isn't that more to do with opening certain data file formats and extracting stuff out of them, though?

Also I don't know if it even properly supports PS1 stuff...

[ps2dragon]

Yea you're probably right, I really don't know. I just wanted to point it out, since it fits into this category of what you were talking about.

[Berion]

Sony's CDGen doesn't have a broken recording function. It's work only with a few models (including cd emulator). They are many *.cti converter. Something like iml2iso for PS2. I've never build image with time stamps or even subheader data but I think it's unnesessary for most of games (for many are patches in asm to "disable" this crap ;]).

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PSXCDGen - doesn't license properly? o.O

[marzsyndrome]

Sony's CDGen doesn't have a broken recording function. It's work only with a few models (including cd emulator). They are many *.cti converter. Something like iml2iso for PS2. I've never build image with time stamps or even subheader data but I think it's unnesessary for most of games (for many are patches in asm to "disable" this crap ;]).

Patches? To disable XA/STR stuff? Whatever for???

PSXCDGen - doesn't license properly? o.O

Yup. Try running an image built with PSXCDGen through pSX afterwards and notice the boot-up screen. No logo. No license text. While CDs with this sort of thing will appear to run okay through an emulator, it is said they're less forgiving on real hardware. The fact that PSXCDGen doesn't appear to give you a choice as to what region to license the image with should be a warning sign in itself.


Anyhoo, does nobody here know enough about Lua to deal with CD-Tool?

[kevstah2004]

UltraISO has options for making PS2/PS1 ISO's it asks you for a SYSTEM.CNF then puts the files in order.
If you put a in PS2/PS1 game in your drive and click Open CD/CVD then Properties, Label you'll have the correct licensing info.

[marzsyndrome]

I must have missed this then! Is it pretty easy to follow? It didn't seem so obvious to me after all the time I spent using UltraISO.

Also, if it's making a new one from scratch, does it allow you to apply subheader info to media files?

[Berion]

Patches? To disable XA/STR stuff? Whatever for???

For disable sub channels checks, not playing XA/STR in game of course.

[...] Try running an image built with PSXCDGen through pSX afterwards and notice the boot-up screen. No logo. No license text. [...]

Because You didn't license it. ;] Different between CDGenPS2 and PSXCDGen is only one: possibility licence image file without PSX Boot Screen Editor and other apps like this.

I was using it long, long ago, but I'm sure this appplicaction could license image which created.

[kevstah2004]

I must have missed this then! Is it pretty easy to follow? It didn't seem so obvious to me after all the time I spent using UltraISO.

Also, if it's making a new one from scratch, does it allow you to apply subheader info to media files?

Well I always get the LBA info using IsoBuster get a filelist.txt then sort it into order by using a spreadsheet program.
If you click Layout in CD/DVD Generator and then right click Location you can change the LBA of a file to match up properly to the original dvd/cd I don't think timestamps matter. I tried it with SvR09 and noticed when I was adding the files the LBA was out by 200 eg SYSTEM.CNF was added as 269 instead of 469 so I had to adjust it.