Hacking AKAIO 1.3b2

[zincsterio]

we can make it a "default alt loader" thing, but typically AKAIO runs a lot of stuff just fine. I (annd I believe Norm) haven't felt the need to make the alt loader a "global" thing. It also eliminates use having to do the "which loader are you using?" question, since you know if it becomes a global thing, someone will set it, a game won't work, and he'll bitch that AKAIO doesn't work.

You should also know in some cases, especially now that we've publicized the external loaders change in 1.3, AKAIO will be capable of being more up-to-date.

Case in Point: Chrono Trigger was fixed first in gelu's loader, then AKAIO. We just hadn't released 1.3 to the public yet.
Once this becomes a public final release, it is capable of being more up-to-date at points than AK's official loader.

Okay, I understand your point.

But I still have a couple other questions. So is the Acekard 2 is not open source, only the RPG? Is there a way for us to sign a petition or otherwise contact Acekard to ask them to open source, or at least provide an updated source? We can surely say this would be beneficial to their sales, since AKAIO would only help improve the firmware as a whole.

 

[Smiths]

technically we were getting the AK2 source pretty easily for a bit... then they just stopped delivering it. As far at the AK@ going open source: it can't. Bootleg Carts are the main concern of the company, and rightfully so.
it's the reason we don't have Korean support in AKAIO; the AK team claims their region locking code for the AK2 (hardware check) wasn't compatible with AKAIO.

Grin and bear it

 

[zincsterio]

Okay, it's clear now. But one more question if you're bear with me. I thought gelu's code is for the RPG (where he fixed Chrono Trigger), does that also affect the Acekard 2?

 

[Smiths]

it can

 

[golden]

hey guys, what's the possibility of an in game text reader anytime soon for the AK series?
http://www.dragonminded.com/?loc=ndsdev/DSOrganize

You got it wrong, I wanted an in game text reader, not just any text reader. I have DSOrganize already.

The main reason I wanted the in game text reader is because of playing Phoenix Wright games on the go to check on some things on an FAQ during a trial and it would be really really annoying to have to save and restart each time.

QUOTE

2 - DSOrganize don't work ingame. And I think that it's easier to ask in the AceKard Foruns to official kernel support it.

C'mon, everybody knows that the actual team suck at this stuff and don't make requests people ask for on the forum. I am hear because smiths and normatt are good guys and they actually listen to what some people have to say.

 

[Maikel Steneker]

I've got a little problem when using AKAIO v1.3b2. When I have updated the cheat database and it tries to return to the loader, it freezes with two black screens. I don't know know if it's been said before, I just thought I'd post it

I'm using a Kingston MicroSDHC card 8 GB Class 4 if it matters.

 

[Smiths]

C'mon, everybody knows that the actual team suck at this stuff and don't make requests people ask for on the forum. I am hear because smiths and normatt are good guys and they actually listen to what some people have to say.

We do listen, but in these regards with RTS and IGG... you have to bug AceKard.

The yearn to add things like this died way back when Norm put in a slow motion code (initial AKAIO, unreleased) that was in-game adjustable speed-wise.
Then AceKard released an updated loader (providing us with the source), and it totally broke his code.

And I believe they had a copy of the source with the slow motion code.

 

[Tomy Sakazaki]

1 - AKAIO allows to choose your default definitions for patchers, like Soft Reset, Cheat Engine and Download and Play, but you can choose an alternate setting for individual games. In the individual game menu you can choose an alternative loader for every ROM, but you can't define a default option for this.

I am just suggesting that we have a setting, that lets you specify which loader to use as default. I understand that for each individual game, you can choose a custom setting. But is it possible, given now the AKAIO loader and menu is separated, that we could let the user choose which loader to use for all games (unless specified otherwise for each individual ones)?

I really appreciate everything AKAIO has accomplished. But given we don't have a newer source available, I'm just guessing that most users would like to use the most up to date official loader.

FYI, I've tried to explain what you wanted to dib

 

[PanzerWF]

Nice stuff, thanks for releasing a public beta and not keeping all for yourselves

I'll be sure to test it out once I get my hands back on an AK2 heh.

 

[golden]

C'mon, everybody knows that the actual team suck at this stuff and don't make requests people ask for on the forum. I am hear because smiths and normatt are good guys and they actually listen to what some people have to say.

We do listen, but in these regards with RTS and IGG... you have to bug AceKard.

The yearn to add things like this died way back when Norm put in a slow motion code (initial AKAIO, unreleased) that was in-game adjustable speed-wise.
Then AceKard released an updated loader (providing us with the source), and it totally broke his code.

And I believe they had a copy of the source with the slow motion code.

seems like the manipulated you guys so you couldn't release the slow motion code no? that's what it seems like to me.

 

[Narin]

I've got a little problem when using AKAIO v1.3b2. When I have updated the cheat database and it tries to return to the loader, it freezes with two black screens. I don't know know if it's been said before, I just thought I'd post it

I'm using a Kingston MicroSDHC card 8 GB Class 4 if it matters.

I can confirm this as well, I get two white screens instead of two black screens though.

 

[Bergunzo]

I got some ideas for next version of AKAIO; I don't know if they're possible or useful but I'll try anyway:

1- Possibility to choose to (1) At startup go to the main menu (MicrosdCard,Gbagame,Shortcut) or (2) At startup go to folder where last played game is

2- Add a possibility to go back to START menu after you press More-> (like More-> and

 

[Takoru]

Thanks smiths and normatt, great update!
I just got one problem... - everytime i try to start a .nds-file, I'm getting 2 white or 2 black screens.
I don't know what's the problem for this cause, but I tried many options with the SD Card Speed, no one worked.
With AKAIO 1.2, every game worked fine...
Btw.: Now it's possible to copy and paste your games to the flash save, if you've a shdc card! (it wasn't possible for me in AKAIO 1.2)
Edit: It's not working with my 8GB SDHC and my 2GB SD Card from Sandisk... =/

 

[Giovannin]

Idem as Takoru, can't load games from SD, SanDisk 8GB.
Anyway great work on 3in1, thank you very much!

 

[n/a]

Okay, so in other words you're using some odd sorting scheme over multiple directories. I just tested exactly as you illustrated above, and it's still fine. I soft reset out of the game back into the loader exactly in the same directory as the game.

So the real question is why are you getting a bug with one and not the other, and if that's a problem you need fixed then I suggest troubleshooting it before bringing it here. Are you using some sort of long filename for one and not the other? Multiple words? Unusual characters? Specific game? For all I know, you're trying to name them in Japanese and using small paragraphs for filenames. You should understand that Smiths has already stated that they're not interested in tracking down every bizarre bug that surfaces when people are using habits outside of normal operation, and will not idiot-proof the loader. And it sounds like you may be using some bizarre convention that won't surface for most people.

I'm not using some "odd sorting scheme", I just keep everything organized, instead of just dumping everything on the root of the card all unorganized. For example, Homebrew has it's own folder with sub-folders for different genres and the other files have their own folder with sub-folders for different genres. As for the "file names", those are unchanged, I do not rename the files as there is no need to, because the OS will show you the internal name (great feature guys!). Is "Organization" a "habit outside of normal operation"? And what is "Normal"? Ask five different people to give you the definition of "Normal" and you'll get five different answers. "Normal", is unique and individual, not global. So I could say, "Normal" for me, is "Organization" or "Order", and for you, "Normal" could be "Disorganization" or "Disorder", I don't know. ...Anyway, the problem still arises no matter where the file (0168.nds (trimmed or untrimmed)) is located, for example, it could be in a folder (or sub-folders) or on the root of the NAND of the card. But when "Soft Reset" is used to exit the rom, everything still gets messed up with the OS' UI. Now, if I go to the roms own settings and set "no save" for it, load the file (0168.nds) and then exit the file with "Soft Reset", the OS' UI is not messed up and everything is fine. Repeating the mentioned steps with any file that has caused a problem, will not mess up the OS' UI. So maybe there is a problem with how the OS accesses the save info from the memory when "Soft Reset" is used?

By 0168, you're specifically meaning Mario Kart, right? I just tried that specific game, on my NAND, under two subdirectories, and cannot reproduce your issue.

The only thing I can think of, other than typical troubleshooting, is run Mario Kart, power off your DS (don't soft reset), then plug your RPG in to your PC and check the contents of /__aio/lastsave.ini You can check the path's accuracy by running DOS prompt and manually changing to that directory (for example cd e:\nds\test3~1 on mine)

Hey dib, thanks for trying to help. Yes "0168" is Mario Kart. I did what you suggested, but unfortunately I still run into the same problem. One thing I noticed is, the save file for "0168" was "1MB" when I was using akAIO 1.2, but when I started using the akAIO 1.3 Betas, the save file dropped down to "512KB", and according to the nfo file for "0168", the save file should be "256Kb". Why did the save file drop half of it's size when I started using akAIO 1.3?

What format is you NAND? Mine is "FAT32". Also, when you select "Help" from the "START" menu, what number and letter is shown beside "HW:" at the bottom of the "Help" window? I'm assuming "HW" stands for "HardWare". Anyway, for me it says "HW: 0d".

About "Soft Reset", could the reason be that it's always failing (accept for a couple of files "1443" and "2847") because of something to do with "DMA"? Or that there is not much of a delay (or no delay at all) when accessing the save information from Memory? Or because of messed up registered save file sizes? This just doesn't make sense and is a bit frustrating, as this feature works fine in 1.2 and also, no one else seems to be experiencing the same problems as I am. I think it was mentioned that a lot of (Bliss) code got cleaned up and/or removed and also new code was added in. During processes like this, sometimes things can get broken. So my questions are, did something get removed or was changed that shouldn't have been? And/or did something that was added is not communicating well or at all with other code? The reason I say what I say and ask what I ask, is because I haven't changed anything on my end, the only thing that has changed in all of this, is the akAIO OS.

It's like I'm in some Bizzaro world!

 

[n/a]

@ Takoru and Giovannin

If you are using the akRPG card, I think it was mentioned that running games with akAIO 1.3b2 off the microSD on akRPG is broken and that the problem has been fixed and will be ready for the next release.

 

[Normmatt]

@ Takoru and Giovannin

If you are using the akRPG card, I think it was mentioned that running games with akAIO 1.3b2 off the microSD on akRPG is broken and that the problem has been fixed and will be ready for the next release.

Correct.

AKRPG problems:
1.3b1 couldn't run games from the nand (my fault).
1.3b2 couldn't run games from the sd (Smiths fault).

 

[Takoru]

@ Takoru and Giovannin

If you are using the akRPG card, I think it was mentioned that running games with akAIO 1.3b2 off the microSD on akRPG is broken and that the problem has been fixed and will be ready for the next release.

Correct.

AKRPG problems:
1.3b1 couldn't run games from the nand (my fault).
1.3b2 couldn't run games from the sd (Smiths fault).

Okay, thanks for your answer, normatt. =)
So I'll just wait for the next version.
Btw.: Really great work, AKAIO > every firmware out there!

 

[ArangeL]

AKAIO could fix the "Wii-DS Connection" or it be a fault from the flashcard?

 

[Smiths]

As mentioned many many many times before. Norm and I do not have SDHC cards.
I just upgraded my 512MB sandisk MicroSD to a 2GB one, and I think that's about as large as I'm going.
So if there are errors in SDHC cards, please try the panasonic formatter (that seems to be common advice), and see if other users of 1.3b2 on an AK2 are having problems.

If it is not loading SDHC on the RPG in 1.3b2... tough. We told you it's broken. We told you I killed it in 1.3b2. So submitting more errors about the RPG not running games off the SD will only serve to piss us off because you don't read.

Same thing with the RTS PLEZZZ!!! posts.