Mega Depacker
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Mega Depack
===========
Release 2.13
============
Coded by Mike Watson
====================
This version finished - 04/06/1993
==================================
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Written in 100% 68000 assembler, who needs compilers to do GEM based programs?
----------------------------- Shareware message ------------------------------
----------------------------- Shareware message ------------------------------
----------------------------- Shareware message ------------------------------
----------------------------- Shareware message ------------------------------
----------------------------- Shareware message ------------------------------
All versions MEGA DEPACK from version 2.10 upwards are now SHAREWARE. The
amount of work put into it and answering letters has meant I feel a small
donation from anyone who uses it worthwhile.
When registering please include an SAE/IRC's and a disk if you would like
the lastest updates and/or any new projects I have planned.
If you are unable to pay or you have written some nice pd/shareware then I
always like receiving new s/w. Any FALCON stuff however will be most
appreciated!!
Any PD libraries are welcome to include this program in their catalogue. I
would appreciate a shareware contribution or something similar (Floppyshop
are always generous with free pd disks).
If do disk based magazines then you may use this program.
If you do then please send me a copy of the disk as you are getting it for
nothing!!
I still retain copywrite on my own source and the packer authors to theres.
You may not modify,change or rip off any code without my prior permission
Note - this documentation MUST be included with the program file if you do
distribute it.
------------------------------- The legal bits -------------------------------
This program has been tested as completely as possible and only makes legal
system calls without any 'hacking around' and as such should not cause any
damage. If for any reason damage is caused then I cannot be held for
responsible for it. You use the program at you're own risk. To guard
against any mishaps you should save the depacked files out as a different
name or in a different folder.
------------------------------ How to use it ---------------------------------
Firstly decide on how you wish to use the program, Mega Depack 2 can run as an
accessory or a program.
TO RUN AS AN ACCESSORY
======================
Rename it as MEGA_DP2.ACC and copy it into the root directory of your boot
disk. MEGA_DP2.RSC must also be present in the same directory.
TO RUN AS A PROGRAM
===================
Leave it as MEGA_DP2.PRG and copy it where you like. DO NOT copy it into the
auto folder because it uses GEM which is not initialised until after the auto
folder programs have been run.
NEW OPTION
==========
As from version 2.10 MEGA DEPACK will now accept simple parameters on the
command line. You may either specify a single filename or a directory.
In either case the unpacked files will overwrite the packed ones and any disk
or memory errors will be ignored.
Owners of machines with TOS v2 or greater can drag the program onto the
desktop and then directories or files can simply be dragged to it. If doing
this then you must set the default directory as APPLICATION and the PATH must
be the FULL PATH. This has also been tested with TERADESK and seems to work
so i see no reason why it shouldn't work with other deplacement desktops.
The command line has been tested on TOS v4.0 (on my FALCON030!).
Please remember that it is a simple commandline so please don't upset it too
much! I wouldn't trust it past *.* or single filenames in fact!!
LOADING
=======
To load in a file for unpacking click on the LOAD button. A fileselector will
appear and you can select a file for unpacking. The file will then be loaded
and an attempt will be made to unpack it. If a successful attempt is made then
the SAVE button will be made selectable.
SAVING
======
Clicking on the save button will bring up a file selector where you can select
the file to save to. Clicking on cancel will abort the save process.
BATCH
=====
Next up is the batch option. Click on the BATCH button and the option to do a
RECURSIVE or normal batch mode will be given.
RECURSIVE batch will search all sub directories whilst a normal batch will
only do the files in the selected directory.
After this a file selector will appear, select the path that the files will be
loaded from.
A new file selector will now appear, this time select the destination path
where the files will be saved to. If you select cancel then the load path will
be used. After this the files will be loaded,depacked and saved to the
destination.
SPECIALS
========
There are some files which cannot be easily recognised and require the user to
decide themselves on how to unpack it.
The clashes are - ice 2.0 and 2.2 have header Ice!.
all pompey datafiles have trailer POPI.
atom v3.1,3.3 and thunder 1,2 all have header ATOM.
When this occurs you are given a choice of depackers to use or a chance to
exit. Choose what you think is the right depacker. It will more than likely
crash or produce garbage if it is the wrong choice so save it out as a
different file name and check it. If something is wrong then try again with
another option.
HELP
====
Help on the packers supported and on how to use the functions is available
here.
-------------------------------- Extra bits ----------------------------------
A new feature of v2 is the ability to recognise several popular file formats.
Some may be packed others may not but mega depack2 will reccommend a package
to view/use/depack the file.
The current files recognised are LHARC, ARC, ZOO, PK ZIP, IFF, DEGAS unpacked,
NEO pics, NEO animation object files.
If MEGA DEPACK 2 cannot depack a file but suspects that it may have been
packed then please send it to me. If you have written a new packer then I
would also like to receive it.
Ways to spot packed files :-
Mega depack may say that it could be packed.
The file was packed by yourself.
It displays a mesage when loaded e.g 'blah packer v555555 depacking'.
Flashes the colours in a hypnotic fashion.
-------------------------- Future enhancements -------------------------------
Future enhancements to this program are :-
Use of similer techniques employed by the 'naughty' unpacker to try to
unpack unknown program types - MAYBE!!
Multi task properly in MULTITOS. It runs but doesn't multitask.
Will be a pain actually - memory problems trying to allocate ram for
depacking files.
----------------------------- Acknowledgements -------------------------------
Steve Delany at Floppyshop - the best pd/shareware library in the uk!
Keith Frisby - supplier of packers and also the first person
to write to me.
Gordon & Dave - asteroids - the business.
DML - photochrome simply the best iff convertor on
the st.
Gus - for liking star trek and for having a strange
sense of humour (totally trek tastic matey!).
My cd collection - for providing musical help in the form of
New Order, The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth
(nice to see them getting some recognition at
last - they have and always will beat nirvana
any day!), Public Enemy, 808 state, The Byrds,
The shamen, NIN, The Revolting Cocks ,
primal scream and many others no mainstream
rubbish here *8}
MAC SYS DATA - putting together some powerpacker source.
The authors of all the - Axe (ICE the best on the FALCON!!)
packers. - Altair (atomic - 3.5 the business!)
- DC software (dcsquish)
- Eagle of Sentry (Sentry packer)
- The Firehawks - Speed packer) v3 looks great!
- Ingo Ruddat - Super Packer 3.
- JMP (Qpack)
- JPM (pompey & thunder)
- Mike Coates (bytekiller)
- Ozz (automation & lsd)
- Ralph Hartmann (happy - a brave early attempt,
birdies med rez fix was possibly the only
useful contribution he's ever made to the st!)
- Rob Northern - very convoluted depacker?
- Russ Payne (bytekiller)
- Thomas Questor/Markus Fritze (pfx packer)
- Tim & Andrew Knipe (jam/jek, g'day!)
- Tom Hudson (degas)
- Trio inc (spectrum 512 - unispec & digispec
are superb!)
- Vermillion Pawn (!?) (ivory dragon - strange)
- any other packer authors I forgot.
----------------------------- Packers supported ------------------------------
program/packer versions formats
============== ============ ================================================
4pak programs
atomic 3.1/3.3/3.5 programs and datafiles
3.3b programs
automation 2.31/2.51 programs and datafiles
automation 5.01 programs and datafiles
ba pack programs
bytekiller 2.0/3.0 programs
Russ Paynes
dcsquish 1.0/1.2/1.4 programs
degas elite picture files pc1-3
gollum programs(both huffed and not)
happy programs
ice 1.1/2.0/2.2 programs and datafiles
2.3/2.4
ivory dragon programs and datadiles
fire 1.0/2.0 programs and datafiles
jam 1/2/3/4 programs and datafiles (lzh,lzw,jam,ice)
jek 1.2/1.3 programs and datafiles
lsd 1.2 programs and datafiles
pfx 1.1/2.1 programs
pompey 1.5/1.9/2.6 programs and datafiles
pompey 1.7/1.9x/2.3 programs
3.0
powerpacker 2 datafiles
qpack 2 programs and datafiles
ROBN ? recent programs and datafiles
sentry 2.05 programs
spectrum 512 picture files
speed packer 2/3 programs(+grazey's) and datafiles
stos programs
superior programs
superpacker 3 programs and datafiles (3 prog types)
thunder 1 programs
thunder 2 programs and datafiles
unknown programs (used to pack concerto on STF 37)
unknown2 programs (used to pack sentrys tracker?)
vic2 used by some games companies
54 packers supported
92 different file formats
----------------------------- History for v2 ---------------------------------
VERSION 2 (beta) completed on 29/09/1992.
VERSION 2 release completed on 11/10/1992
VERSION 2.01 release completed on 23/11/1992. Updated for speed packer 3.
Nice packer, strange way of saving out files. Its exec files don't have a
depacker. You have to use a supplied prog which locks into the trap 1 vector.
The first line of the packed file is a trap 1 statement and its this that
triggers off the depacker.
VERSION 2.02 completed on 28/11/1992
VERSION 2.10 completed on 10/02/1993
This is the biggest upgrade since v2.
Fully tested with TOS v4.0(FALCON tos) and I think I've uncovered another
bug in the ROM when doing so!!
Updated for recursive batch mode. Wow at last a use for the LINK instruction!!
Updated for handling command lines.
Updated to change 4PAK recognition as certain C compilers produced the same
bytes in the header that I was checking for.
Updated for Atom v3.3b program files.
Updated for powerpacker files.
VERSION 2.11 completed on 23/02/93
Updated for SUPER PACKER 3.
Fixed FALCON bug (hopefully, was caused by GEMDOS finding memory for small
files that expanded well out of that range.)
Updated for the current release of Rob Northerns packer.
Rewrote recursive batch mode and dispensed with LINK method.
VERSION 2.12 completed on 22/04/93
Updated for Grazey's version of Speedpacker3.
Updated for another unknown packer.
Updated Atomic 3.5 check because people tend to edit the text I was
checking against.
VERSION 2.13 completed on 04/06/93
Updated for ANOTHER version of Speedpacker3.
Updated for PA packer.
Mike Watson - 04/06/1993
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Enough of the interest . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . and on with the plugs
(with apologies to DOUG!!)
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SINISTER DEVELOPMENTS are a group of computer enthusiasts who aim to
produce top quality software for the ATARI ST/E/FALCON and AMIGA computers.
All of it so far has been shareware or PD but who knows what the future may
bring!!
Here is a list of what we have done:-
If you want any of these productions then send a cheque for œ5 made payable
to SINISTER DEVELOPMENTS and state your choice of game.
1) ASTEROIDS
Our first ever production. Featured in PUBLIC DOMAIN and on the ST REVIEW
coverdisk. The best conversion of ASTEROIDS on the ST (modest (huh?)).
Full 50 frames a second gameplay in MONO and COLOUR flavours and possibly
more fudged code than you can shake a stick at but a great game.
2) CENTIPEDE
The follow up to ASTEROIDS and featured on the ST FORMAT coverdisk. A
great version of the classic ATARI shoot 'em up with more than a hint of
MILLIPEDE to it. Super smooth 50hz action and quite a high FUDGE amount
too!!
3) GALAXIANS
Our latest release. A coin op conversion that isn't based on an ATARI
design!! Another classic conversion that does it at 50hz!! No comment on
the game that took it's place on the ST FORMAT coverdisk.
4) ASTEROIDS - AMIGA
Our first AMIGA production!! OVERSCAN and sampled sound effects to full
effect!!.
5) A new utility to make MULTITOS look more like windows!! And will be of
use to everyone!!
6) I suspect that centipede and galaxians may be ported to the AMIGA.
7) The same does not hold true for the FALCON, I have something MUCH more
special planned in the FALCON games dept (admittedly not as good as some
of the stuff I saw the other week but then I don't have any mad friends
who do 3d for breakfast!!).
8) Anyone for ASTEROIDS for the PC ?????
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