Difference between revisions of "A78 Header Specification"

From 8BitDev.org - Atari 7800 Development Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(Adding Or Modifying an A78 Header on an Existing ROM)
Line 59: Line 59:
 
==Adding Or Modifying an A78 Header on an Existing ROM==
 
==Adding Or Modifying an A78 Header on an Existing ROM==
  
You can add or update an A78 header with the interactive command-line utility 7800header, which is distributed with 7800basic and the 7800 Assembly Quickpack.
+
You can add or update an A78 header with the interactive command-line utility 7800header, which is distributed with [[7800basic]] and the [[7800AsmDevKit]].
  
 
The utility displays the current header (or default header if the file is headerless) and you can set/unset hardware features with the displayed commands.
 
The utility displays the current header (or default header if the file is headerless) and you can set/unset hardware features with the displayed commands.
Line 87: Line 87:
 
> exit
 
> exit
 
</pre>
 
</pre>
 
  
 
==Adding an A78 Header to Source Code==
 
==Adding an A78 Header to Source Code==

Revision as of 01:01, 23 December 2015

History and Purpose

The A78 header was originally created by Dan Boris, in tandem with his A7800 emulator. The header, which is added to the beginning of ROM images, serves to tell the emulator which hardware should be present for the game to run correctly.

The format has since been expanded to incorporate new hardware, and is now being used by multiple emulators and the Concerto 7800 flash cart.

A78 Header Fields

A78 Header Fields
0000 01 41 54 41 52 49 37 38 30 30 00 00 00 00 00 00 .ATARI7800......
0010 00 43 6f 6d 6d 61 6e 64 6f 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .Commando.......
0020 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0030 00 00 02 00 00 00 03 01 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0040 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0050 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0060 00 00 00 00 41 43 54 55 41 4c 20 43 41 52 54 20 ....ACTUAL CART
0070 44 41 54 41 20 53 54 41 52 54 53 20 48 45 52 45 DATA STARTS HERE
color purpose size
  header version 1 byte
  ATARI7800 magic-text 16 bytes
  cart title 32 bytes
  rom size without header 4 bytes
  cart type 2 bytes
  controller 1 type 1 byte
  controller 2 type 1 byte
  TV type 1 byte
  save device 1 byte
  reserved  
  expansion module 1 byte
  header end magic-text 28 bytes

Adding Or Modifying an A78 Header on an Existing ROM

You can add or update an A78 header with the interactive command-line utility 7800header, which is distributed with 7800basic and the 7800AsmDevKit.

The utility displays the current header (or default header if the file is headerless) and you can set/unset hardware features with the displayed commands.

7800 A78 Header Info

    embedded game name : commando
    rom size           : 131072
    cart format        : Pokey@4000 SuperGame 
    controller 1       : Joystick 
    controller 2       : None 
    save peripheral    : None 
    xm/xboard          : not enabled 
    tv format          : NTSC

Commands: "save"           Save the A78 file and exit.
          "set [option]"   Set one of the options.
          "unset [option]" Unset one of the options.
          "name game name" Set the game name in the header.
          "exit"           Exit the utility. Unsaved changes will be lost.

Options:  rom@4000 bank6@4000 pokey@450 pokey@4000 supergame supergameram
          supergamebankram absolute activision tvpal tvntsc savekey hsc xm
          joystick1 joystick2 lightgun1 lightgun2 

> exit

Adding an A78 Header to Source Code

To add an A78 header to your DASM source code, you can add or include the header at the start of your source, and adjust the fields to encode the hardware your game requires.

        SEG     ROM
HEADER  ORG     ROMTOP-128
        DC.B    1  ; 0   Header version     - 1 byte
        DC.B    "ATARI7800"     ; 1..16  "ATARI7800   "  - 16 bytes
        DS      7,32
        DC.B    "Your Name Here"; 17..48 Cart title      - 32 bytes
        DS      HEADER+49-.,0
        DC.B    $00,$00,256->ROMTOP,$00; 49..52 data length      - 4 bytes
        DC.B    $00,$00  ; 53..54 cart type      - 2 bytes
    ;    bit 0 - pokey at $4000
    ;    bit 1 - supergame bank switched
    ;    bit 2 - supergame ram at $4000
    ;    bit 3 - rom at $4000
    ;    bit 4 - bank 6 at $4000
    ;    bit 5 - supergame banked ram
    ;    bit 6 - pokey at $450
    ;    bit 8-15 - Special
    ;   0 = Normal cart
        DC.B    1  ; 55   controller 1 type  - 1 byte
        DC.B    1  ; 56   controller 2 type  - 1 byte
    ;    0 = None
    ;    1 = Joystick
    ;    2 = Light Gun
        DC.B    0  ; 57 0 = NTSC 1 = PAL
        DC.B    0  ; 58   Save data peripheral - 1 byte (version 2)
    ;    0 = None / unknown (default)
    ;    1 = High Score Cart (HSC)
    ;    2 = SaveKey
        ORG     HEADER+63
        DC.B    0  ; 63   Expansion module
    ;    0 = No expansion module (default on all currently released games)
    ;    1 = Expansion module required
        ORG     HEADER+100      ; 100..127 "ACTUAL CART DATA STARTS HERE" - 28 bytes
        DC.B    "ACTUAL CART DATA STARTS HERE"
ROMTOP  ORG     $8000