Hacking AKAIO save file strange behavior

[radorn]

OK I have two misteries here I hope someone can explain.

First:
Suddenly (it didn't happen before), Save type settings are ignored.
Well, this is not entirely right.
If I set save type under 4Mbit, it seems to be ignored as the save file ends up being 4Mbit/512Kbyte anyway.
If I set it to 4M, or higher, file ends up being the desired size, though.

It did work right in the past, though.
I tried to erase akmenu4.nds and the __aio folder and reinstall everything from scratch, but it still keeps doing this.

Second:
I have an EZflash V expansion (phat, old version, it seems) and I enabled both "Backup GBA save at startup" and "Prompt Before Save/Load".
I like demos from the demoscene, and these don't save anything, so when I turn the DS back on I say NO at the prompt, but that doesn't stop the creation of a .gba.sav that I have to manually delete everytime. In fact, it seems the saves are created at load time because it's already there if I load a GBA image, shutdown the DS and check the microsd in my computer without booting AKAIO again. Why is this? could it be changed?

My equipment is:
-DS Phat
-acekard 2.1
-kingston 2GB microsd (the label says "Assembled in Japan", so I'd assume it's a japanese card, as the wiki recommends)
-as said above, an EZflash V expansion for phatties.

 

[Another World]

512 is the standard save type that flash linkers use (those that don't cache) as they don't know the save size before hand. i'm not sure what the issue is exactly, i've always kept mine to "auto" and have never had a problem. the only games i've manually set the save file, are games that team acekard told me required it. the only one i can recall right now is the legend of kage 2.

as for gba i have akaio set to:
nor mode auto
back up gba save on startup enabled
prompt before save/load enabled

i'm using a 3in1 lite.

i've yet to have an issue. everything saves correctly. i've even messed around and skipped a save backup due to a globalsettings problem, but akaio always grabs the correct data on the next proper reboot. you mentioned that you reinstalled akaio, but did you format? in the past i had a gba psram issue. what fixed it was a full format of my msd and then dropping akaio back on. if you aren't using akaio 1.4.1 proper, then try removing the optionlist.bin. in the older builds of akaio it was causing odd behavior.

good luck!
-another world

 

[Normmatt]

OK I have two misteries here I hope someone can explain.

First:
Suddenly (it didn't happen before), Save type settings are ignored.
Well, this is not entirely right.
If I set save type under 4Mbit, it seems to be ignored as the save file ends up being 4Mbit/512Kbyte anyway.
If I set it to 4M, or higher, file ends up being the desired size, though.

It did work right in the past, though.
I tried to erase akmenu4.nds and the __aio folder and reinstall everything from scratch, but it still keeps doing this.

Second:
I have an EZflash V expansion (phat, old version, it seems) and I enabled both "Backup GBA save at startup" and "Prompt Before Save/Load".
I like demos from the demoscene, and these don't save anything, so when I turn the DS back on I say NO at the prompt, but that doesn't stop the creation of a .gba.sav that I have to manually delete everytime. In fact, it seems the saves are created at load time because it's already there if I load a GBA image, shutdown the DS and check the microsd in my computer without booting AKAIO again. Why is this? could it be changed?

My equipment is:
-DS Phat
-acekard 2.1
-kingston 2GB microsd (the label says "Assembled in Japan", so I'd assume it's a japanese card, as the wiki recommends)
-as said above, an EZflash V expansion for phatties.

The bolded lines have always been true in AKAIO on the AK2/AK2i thus your entire post is useless.

Deleting the optionlist.bin and savelistex.bin files in __aio may help.

 

[radorn]

@Another World

I don't have saving issues, everything saves and restores correctly, but, in the case of GBA saves, files are created even when I say NO at the prompt. This is specially annoying when I play demos and other stuff that don't save anything at all and I need to manually delete them, as I already said.


@Normmatt

That may be the way AKAIO has always been, but, if you read carefully, and care to believe what I say, if only for the sake of communication, you'll notice these bits I said, both refered to the matter at hand:
"Suddenly (it didn't happen before), Save type settings are ignored."
AND
"It did work right in the past, though."

I don't know what caused it or if it was an error, but, before this, when I set 2M save file was 256Kbyte, 4K resulted in a 512byte save, 64K spat out an 8Kbyte file, etc. But now anything under 4M results in a 512Kbyte .sav file regardless.
An example is my save for release 0705, Phoenix Wright, which has a 2M save according to ADVANsCEne.
When I set it accordingly, the save file was, as espected, 256Kbytes, but now it insists in making new saves 512Kbytes instead, no matter if I manually set it for 2M.
Why did it work properly before and now it doesn't???

I use 1.4.1 PROPER, and I have tried everything:
Updated loaders, using the oficial OSMENU NDS as a loader, changing and reviewing settings (even those which should not affect saves at all)... Seeing as nothing worked I reinstalled.
My reinstall procedure was like this:
DELETED "akmenu4.nds" AND the "__aio" folder from the card and then unpacked the contents of "[5069]AKAIO.1.4.1.PROPER.rar" into the root of my card (minus the readme). What you may call a "fresh" install.

Lastly, I don't want to be bitter or anything, but, please, pay more attention to what I write because I took my time to explain it carefully and now I'm just repeating what I said in the first post because you did not pay attention and/or disregarded what I said as unimportant and, hence, useless replies.

 

[Vague Rant]

PROTIP: Normmatt knows more about AKAIO than you.

 

[Normmatt]

@Another World

I don't have saving issues, everything saves and restores correctly, but, in the case of GBA saves, files are created even when I say NO at the prompt. This is specially annoying when I play demos and other stuff that don't save anything at all and I need to manually delete them, as I already said.


@Normmatt

That may be the way AKAIO has always been, but, if you read carefully, and care to believe what I say, if only for the sake of communication, you'll notice these bits I said, both refered to the matter at hand:
"Suddenly (it didn't happen before), Save type settings are ignored."
AND
"It did work right in the past, though."

I don't know what caused it or if it was an error, but, before this, when I set 2M save file was 256Kbyte, 4K resulted in a 512byte save, 64K spat out an 8Kbyte file, etc. But now anything under 4M results in a 512Kbyte .sav file regardless.
An example is my save for release 0705, Phoenix Wright, which has a 2M save according to ADVANsCEne.
When I set it accordingly, the save file was, as espected, 256Kbytes, but now it insists in making new saves 512Kbytes instead, no matter if I manually set it for 2M.
Why did it work properly before and now it doesn't???

I use 1.4.1 PROPER, and I have tried everything:
Updated loaders, using the oficial OSMENU NDS as a loader, changing and reviewing settings (even those which should not affect saves at all)... Seeing as nothing worked I reinstalled.
My reinstall procedure was like this:
DELETED "akmenu4.nds" AND the "__aio" folder from the card and then unpacked the contents of "[5069]AKAIO.1.4.1.PROPER.rar" into the root of my card (minus the readme). What you may call a "fresh" install.

Lastly, I don't want to be bitter or anything, but, please, pay more attention to what I write because I took my time to explain it carefully and now I'm just repeating what I said in the first post because you did not pay attention and/or disregarded what I said as unimportant and, hence, useless replies.

I programmed AKAIO thus I know exactly how it works. On the AK2 you cannot use any save type below 4Mbit as it will always default to 4Mbit This is to maintain compatibility with other flashcarts' save files. If your on the AKRPG then the saves should definitely work below 4Mbit, But seeing as that isnt the case. Your question is still useless.

 

[radorn]

@Vague Rant

did you even read any of what I said before making such a interesting contrubution?

I do know Normatt is directly involved in the development of AKAIO. Thanks, by the way, Normatt, and everyone else involved, for making it.
But I have experienced AKAIO making saves of the desired size even with settings under 4M and then suddenly, and for no apparent reason (like in not being preceded by any changes made to my setup) stopping to do it.What should I think about that, huh?
Maybe you are suggesting that I just dreamed it just because I know less about AKAIO than Normatt or someone else? That's not right, man.

@Normatt

...I swear that it worked like I explained before until just yesterday, and that I didn't make any changes prior to it stopping to do so. Today it suddenly stopped doing so and nothing I tried seemed to revert things.

 

[radorn]

Well, I see you are not interested in this.
I just wanted to say that, at least, you could have said that, since you did not program AKAIO to do what I experienced, you didn't have the slightest idea of how it could have happened, instead of saying that my post was useless.
I understand that you created AKAIO and if someone is to know how it works it's you. I understand that very well, but trust me when I tell you that I have seen AKAIO making save files under 4mbit, even if it seems to be impossible.
When I started using it, I noticed it created 512Kbyte saves (as they were set as unknown), and thinking it was too big I looked into the rom options and discovered I could set different sizes. After doing that, I wanted to verify the files were being made the correct size and, guess what? they were, so I'm quite sure it was not a dream, a confusion or anything like that.
Also, the official OSMENU doesn't have a size setting so it's not possible I had mixed up OSMENU and AKAIO.

You can think whatever about me or what I say, but at least you should be more considerate.

And, Vague Rant, I may not know as much as you, Normat or others about AKAIO, but I sure do know about what I do and see more than anyone else.

 

[Tokiopop]

Well, I see you are not interested in this.
I just wanted to say that, at least, you could have said that, since you did not program AKAIO to do what I experienced, you didn't have the slightest idea of how it could have happened, instead of saying that my post was useless.
I understand that you created AKAIO and if someone is to know how it works it's you. I understand that very well, but trust me when I tell you that I have seen AKAIO making save files under 4mbit, even if it seems to be impossible.
When I started using it, I noticed it created 512Kbyte saves (as they were set as unknown), and thinking it was too big I looked into the rom options and discovered I could set different sizes. After doing that, I wanted to verify the files were being made the correct size and, guess what? they were, so I'm quite sure it was not a dream, a confusion or anything like that.
Also, the official OSMENU doesn't have a size setting so it's not possible I had mixed up OSMENU and AKAIO.

You can think whatever about me or what I say, but at least you should be more considerate.

And, Vague Rant, I may not know as much as you, Normat or others about AKAIO, but I sure do know about what I do and see more than anyone else.

Umm... I don't think you understand anything at all.

And for the record, there is a difference between 4MB and 4Mb. You're confused. Nothing suddenly changed, you just didn't notice/realise.

 

[Another World]

lies!!

computers are based on magic, code means nothing. the way the firmware is coded to work always comes after the magic of the situation as misinterpreted by the brain!

-another world

 

[Tokiopop]

lies!!

computers are based on magic, code means nothing. the way the firmware is coded to work always comes after the magic of the situation as misinterpreted by the brain!

-another world

OHMIGOD I KNEW IT!

I'mma grow me a MacBook from this here magic bean

 

[radorn]

Well, I see you are not interested in this.
I just wanted to say that, at least, you could have said that, since you did not program AKAIO to do what I experienced, you didn't have the slightest idea of how it could have happened, instead of saying that my post was useless.
I understand that you created AKAIO and if someone is to know how it works it's you. I understand that very well, but trust me when I tell you that I have seen AKAIO making save files under 4mbit, even if it seems to be impossible.
When I started using it, I noticed it created 512Kbyte saves (as they were set as unknown), and thinking it was too big I looked into the rom options and discovered I could set different sizes. After doing that, I wanted to verify the files were being made the correct size and, guess what? they were, so I'm quite sure it was not a dream, a confusion or anything like that.
Also, the official OSMENU doesn't have a size setting so it's not possible I had mixed up OSMENU and AKAIO.

You can think whatever about me or what I say, but at least you should be more considerate.

And, Vague Rant, I may not know as much as you, Normat or others about AKAIO, but I sure do know about what I do and see more than anyone else.
Umm... I don't think you understand anything at all.

And for the record, there is a difference between 4MB and 4Mb. You're confused. Nothing suddenly changed, you just didn't notice/realise.


Of course I know 4megabit and 4megabyte are different (if that's what you meant with your FUZZY units "MB" and "Mb"), that's why I know 4megabit are 512kilobyte. You'd have gotten that if you had paid more attention reading. Maybe it's you who don't understand anything at all.

And you "forgot" to turn black the "to do what I experienced" after "since you did not program AKAIO", since that's the complete phrase. Again, it seems it is you who don't understand anything at all, or perhaps you are trying to tergiverse the meaning of what I say.

I don't know what's your problem, man, but you are very pretentious to tell me what I have seen or not.

QUOTE(Another World @ May 6 2009, 11:08 PM)

lies!!

computers are based on magic, code means nothing. the way the firmware is coded to work always comes after the magic of the situation as misinterpreted by the brain!

-another world

yeah, thanks for understanding me and my magic mind. Any other pearls of wisdom?

For the record:
I'm not lying. If you need to think I am lying to feel comfortable and sleep at night, you are quite pathetic.

 

[Tokiopop]

No, I udnerstood. I was just seeing what you'd do. Plus it looked kinda funny

You're the only one who has 'seen' this happen. I suggest you lay off what ever you're inhaling, and give it to me. Now. Right now.

 

[radorn]

I inhale a mixture of mainly nitrogen and oxigen, and then some water vapour, some noble gases and carbon dioxide. There's also some carbon monoxide and other shit. They call it "Air" and it's easy to get. I don't think you need my help for that.

I realize I'm the only one that has, or at least the only one that noticed or that publicly said something about it. Whatever, I don't care.
Unfortunatelly it had happened in my DS for more than a month until it stopped for whatever reason, so I can't accept it didn't happen just because someone says so, even if it is the programmer.
I don't know, maybe some of you would accept that, but I can't.

I was just seeking help to restore what I though was the normal operation of AKAIO, but it seems it's not and has never been, according to it's creator, whose honestity I'm not doubting.
I'm just pissed about his lack of consideration and that of his "supporters" (PROTIP-man, etc), who gratuitously doubt about my honestity and/or my judgement.

ANYWAY. As far as I'm concerned, this shit is closed.
However it happened, it no longer happens and probably will never happen again.

Now, to "change" topic. I haven't had a response about the GBA save "mistery".

 

[Hopawarty]

They came.
They told you.
Now
You read
You go.

Funny thing is your arguing with the guy who made it!

 

[radorn]

to say something as worthless as that you could as well have said nothing.

And by the way, I'm not arguing Normatt about what he programed AKAIO to do.
HE (and others) argued about my honestity and judgement when said what I have seen happen on my DS with AK2.1 running AKAIO, and I'm not going to accept it because I verified it thoroughly. I wouldn't even have asked about it if I haven't had verified it.
See the difference?

"Funny thing is" I was just asking for help and my post was called useless, my judgement and honestity were mocked, and I was short of being called an idiot.
I was called a liar, actually, although I'm not sure how serious that was. Not that it being a joke would make the fact any less annoying when we take into account that I was being serious and honest about all this.

 

[Another World]

you can't verify what isn't programmed to happen. that is the point they are trying to make. if you set a smaller size akaio has always, since the very beginning, defaulted to 512k save type. on the rpg you would experience a different experience because the rpg caches the save and then writes the actual save file size on the next boot up. the ak2/2.1/2i/ak+ does not have this ability.

you may think it happened that way, but in actuality it did not. it can not.

this thread is pointless now. why argue on a forum? let it go and move on.

as for gba, i have confirmed on 1 ak2, 2 ak 2.1s and 1 rpg that akaio does not write a gba save file if you tell it not to. the problem is on your end, with your kit, with your setup, with your install, with your msd, or with your acekard. it is not an akaio issue.

*please* do not post back with a rebuttal for each of my statements which explain your distraught over my forum persona as it challenges your true belief system of the way akaio behaves in your world.

-another world

 

[radorn]

it's funny to be called crazy and/or troubled and that I live in "my own world" by someone that call himself "another world"...

You say it's impossible for it to happen because it's not programmed for it to be, and knowing what I know about electronics, programming and shit, I THOROUGHLY AGREE.
*PLEASE* STOP EXPLAINING THAT TO ME.
The problem is IT HAPPENED.

Look. When I started using AKAIO, I didn't set room options to see how it ran with the defaults, but I soon realized saves were being made 512Kbytes big. As it seemed strange to me, I looked into it and found the save type setting, and observed it being often set as "Unknown/Auto", which I guessed was the reason all saves were 512Kbyte. After setting it for a given game, deleting the existing save (after having backed it up in my computer), running it again so a new save was generated and THEN looking up the size of that new save, observing these saves being made the size I had indicated in the menu.
4K -> 512bytes
64K -> 8kbyte
512K -> 64kbyte
2M -> 256kbyte
and finally 4M -> 512kbyte
(no need to continue the list, I guess)

Since it made sense to me for this to be that way, I assumed it was the normal operation of AKAIO, but then it stopped to do so and I started this topic to discover that AKAIO was not meant to do that at all.

You can say whatever you want but the truth is you were not here to see it. You can refuse to believe it and even say so publicly, that's fine, but you can't affirm it didn't happen and call me a liar/crazy/whatever.
I already said that I agree that what's not programmed to happen won't happen, but, against all logic, IT DID HAPPEN AND I AM SURE IT DID BECAUSE I VERIFIED SO THE WAY I JUST EXPLAINED. I'm not stupid, even if you think I am.

And thanks for you reply on the GBA question. Just want to say that I never said it was an AKAIO issue. What I did was describe what was happening and then I asked why it happened and if/how I could change it. If I ever get access to a camera I'll try to record a video.

 

[Another World]

whatever you say there "radorn." i guess things work backwards in pipalo.

i just tried to do what you said and each time akaio made a 512k save. i went back as far as akaio 1.2 and tested it on 1 ak2, 2 ak 2.1s. so, again, in reality, you are wrong. what you think happened, never happened. you are confused, your memory is false, the event did not go down ad you recall it, etc. as you stated numerious times, coding does what coding does. this can't happen because the code does not allow for it.

if anything the save was already in the savelistex.bin so the next time akaio already knew the correct save type. i don't know if savelistex.bin works that way on the ak2, norm would have to chime in.

but as it was stated many times the initial save file for any rom is 512, a default standard among flash linkers.

 

[radorn]

I don't know what's "pipalo" (and to clarify I used quotes on your nick because I was quoting it, not mocking it, like you seem to be doing with mine)

I appreciate the work you spent testing this. I can understand that you have a hard time believing me when your experience says otherwise. But I'd appreciate you'd stop saying stuff like "it never happened" and "you are confused" "your memory is false" etc etc etc...
Don't expect me to explain how it happened or why because I don't know, but it definitelly happened, and not just punctually, but for at least a month.
Also you should keep to yourself any considerations about my mental ableness or state in the moment of registering that moment; if only for the sake of politeness.
I'm really getting full of being called things here.