Pseudo-GUI for Win32 PS2DEV tools

[dlanor]

It's not a real GUI of course, but it lets you invoke makefiles via 'sh' and 'make', and make other similar operations, simply by picking files up with the mouse and dropping them on some icon, and that's good enough for me anyway. It's certainly more convenient than all the tedious typing required by the usual command-line methods.

What you need:
Working Win32 PS2DEV setup, plus the ZIP archive at bottom of this post.

How to install:
Just copy the folder inside the ZIP to your main PS2DEV folder,
and then create some shortcuts to the batch files it contains.

How to use:
Drag makefiles to different icons for 'make all', 'make clean' or plain 'make', or drag data files (pictures, IRX binaries, or whatever) to either of two icons to convert them to C or assembly source statements, suitable for inclusion.
Edit: That was v0.1, so there's even more stuff available now.

Of course, the executables that perform the real work should already be in your PS2DEV setup. I only provide you with some batch files and shell scripts that allow you to access those executables in a GUI-like manner.

Best regards: dlanor

Edit: Upgraded the attached ZIP to latest version (currently v0.3).
Read more details in a post made later today (01-11-2004).

[dlanor]

The first post has been upgraded with a new attachment.

Version 0.2 adds a drag-drop batch for opening a shell window for 'sh' in the folder where the dragged file resides. This is useful when you need to enter commands manually inside a source folder.

Version 0.2 also adds proper handling of the environment variable SHELL, to ensure that other tools (notably make.exe) never call the command shell of Windows.

Other improvements are internal, in the sense that users never deal directly with them, such as the unification of the wrapper scripts into a single one.

Best regards: dlanor

[dlanor]

The first post has been upgraded with a new attachment.

Version 0.3 adds a drag-drop batch for stripping unneeded symbols and debug data from an ELF. BE CAREFUL, as some ELFs that are already stripped may be damaged by this operation. ALWAYS work with backup, NEVER on unique files.

Version 0.3 also adapts the package to work around some problems of sh.exe, which caused compilation to fail for some sources using methods that were affected by the bugs. (ie: Using programs residing in source folder)

As usual there were also some other internal tweaks...

Best regards: dlanor

PS:
If you guys find this stuff useful, or quite useless, let me know,
as there is no point in posting the stuff if no one else will use it.
DS.

[Chandler]

I tried your tool, it could be usefull. The problem i experience is when i try to compile i still have problem to compil, sources are not clean for win32, maybe you could do a sticky with an up-to-date of every sources and libraries existing with tutorial for win32. I think that with this a lot of people who want to enter the dev scene will give a try, many don t try cause it s not clean for new users. I have tons of sources, tons of ideas...and nothing right for win32 users...

Sorry for my bad english

[dlanor]

Chandler:
One problem with many PS2 source files found on the net is that they were written for old development lib versions, or old GCC versions, which are no longer supported. There is no easy fix for that. It will be necessary to edit at least the makefiles of such projects to adapt to the specifics of the libs and/or compilers used. I've done that for a few sources only.

That problem should not apply to most of the modern sources available from ps2dev.org via CVS, which should all (?) use the ps2sdk libs. But then again, many Win32 programmers are not familiar with CVS, so this may be a problem in itself.

Another problem with the available Win32 PS2Dev tools is that there is a bug in the wildcard expansion of at least three of the command exe-files, those being rm.exe, cp.exe and mv.exe . They work fine when invoked manually but fail completely when invoked by a 'makefile' with a wildcard argument. There is no perfect solution to that either, except creating new versions of those exe files, but I make do by using similar files from DJGPP instead. (CygWin versions might be better...)

I'm afraid that making a list of ALL up-to-date info on sources and libs for Win32 PS2Dev is still beyond my abilities. Please remember that I'm still just a newb at PS2Dev stuff... And as for creating a 'sticky' for that subject, that will be up to the moderators, as always.

Best regards: dlanor

[EugeneWE3RD]

I also like to add to what dlanor posted above about PS2 progs developed using old development libs. Well, PS2SDK is now the default PS2 development library but many PS2 progs such as PSMS, PGEN, et al were originally developed using libraries such as PS2LIB, NEWLIB, LIBCDVD, et al & these PS2 progs need these libraries to compile & these PS2 progs which use these libraries will need to have parts of the code re-written to be able to use PS2SDK.

[Chandler]

Chandler:
One problem with many PS2 source files found on the net is that they were written for old development lib versions, or old GCC versions, which are no longer supported. There is no easy fix for that. It will be necessary to edit at least the makefiles of such projects to adapt to the specifics of the libs and/or compilers used. I've done that for a few sources only.

Every libs versions are still available, i have a lot of libraries even if you can t found what you are searching
The authors tell in some "read me" what are the libraries to use to compil (until someone arrive to modify the makefile..).

You've done that for a few sources only, and i think if you post your changes (or the entire archive with all the changes) a lot of people who tried unfortunately will be happy and use it like an help to try compile another sources they can't for now. It will boost a little dever's who do this each time they can t compile PS2Mp3 source or Pgen etc...

That problem should not apply to most of the modern sources available from ps2dev.org via CVS, which should all (?) use the ps2sdk libs. But then again, many Win32 programmers are not familiar with CVS, so this may be a problem in itself.

It could be usefull to post every week a Ps2 Cvs zip, my cvs is up to date every week so it will serve to re link the sources we want to update to ps2sdk, i can post this if needed for ps2-scene but many of us know how to do too.

Another problem with the available Win32 PS2Dev tools is that there is a bug in the wildcard expansion of at least three of the command exe-files, those being rm.exe, cp.exe and mv.exe . They work fine when invoked manually but fail completely when invoked by a 'makefile' with a wildcard argument. There is no perfect solution to that either, except creating new versions of those exe files, but I make do by using similar files from DJGPP instead. (CygWin versions might be better...)

I'm afraid that making a list of ALL up-to-date info on sources and libs for Win32 PS2Dev is still beyond my abilities. Please remember that I'm still just a newb at PS2Dev stuff... And as for creating a 'sticky' for that subject, that will be up to the moderators, as always.

Best regards: dlanor

A tutorial can be done for the sources that many people still can't compil according to theses bugs. But i repeat that the few we know how to compil will be a boost for new dever or people who want to give a try.

If Ps2-scene need people like you, me or anyone who is able to give information on how to do, i'll post all the help and archives i can and i am sure you ll do this too And i am sure like this that soon we will see updates of old homebrews/tools quickly from more new dever's. Not a bad idea i think..