AMSTRAD CPC Enthusiasts L@@K Here!

[WalkToFreedom]

Hi all. While sorting out the AMSTRAD Emu for my cab. I came across a public FTP server with 3700+ CPC roms. So I created a tool to download them all and generate a database XML file to run in HS. Thought I would share it with you guys. Here is a summary:

Cpceek (Supposed to sound like Cp-seek)

Tool for downloading Amstrad CPC game ROMs from QUOI DE NOUVEAU SUR FTP.NVG.NTNU.NO thanks to Nicolas Campbell for make his server freely available.

What does this tool do?

1. Downloads 'whatsnew.txt'. This file has the latest news about updates on the FTP server.

2. Downloads '00_index_full.txt' (contains detailed ROM info and more) and generates a list of ROMs to download.

3. Only downloads ROMs you don't have or where the file size differs.

4. Generates a XML game info list based on the info found in the CPC index file.

5. Generates a Hyperspin database file (XML list) for all ROMs you have downloaded.

Usage

Install .NET 4.0 if you don't already have it (you should do as RocketLauncher.0 uses it I think)

Set the 'RomsPath' in the Cpceek.exe.config file.

Run Cpceek.exe

NOTE: You can close the tool at any time without the worry of a incomplete download etc as the tool checks if the file has fully downloaded and will download again if need be.

Download here:

https://github.com/WalkToFreedom/Cpceek/blob/5369387086ed9cc403a0868c2941386fb9c1cee5/Cpceek/bin/Release/Cpceekv1000.zip?raw=true

Or get the source code here:

https://github.com/WalkToFreedom/Cpceek

[WalkToFreedom]

BTW this is the module I used. Slightly modified one I found here in the forums. Which supports ZIP->DSK format.

MEmu = WinAPE
MEmuV = v2.0.a18
MURL = http://www.winape.net/
MSystem = "Amstrad CPC"
; WinAPE v2.0 Alpha 18
; by djvj
; 1.0
;
; Notes:
; You cannot pass a game name to the emu through CLI, but the emu will autolaunch the game set in its ini file.
; Run the exe manually and goto Settings->General, check "Disable Automatic Update"
; On the Display tab, check "Hide Control Panel", "Hide Menus" and "No Right-Click Menu". "Linear Palette" will slightly darken image if you enable it.
; On the Sound tab, check "44 kHz" and "16 bit".
; On the Input tab, set your controls and hit OK.
; Press F10 to turn on fullscreen then ALT+F4 to exit and save your settings.
; Roms should be zipped
;----------------------------------------------------------------------------
StartModule()
FadeInStart()

IniWrite, %romPath%\%romname%%RomExtension%\:%romname%.dsk, %emuPath%\WinAPE.ini, Drives, Drive(0)

Run(executable . " """ . romPath . "\" . romName . romExtension . """ /A", emuPath)

WinWait("ahk_class TfrmCover") ; waiting for logo to show
WinHide, ahk_class TfrmCover ; making logo dissappear!

WinWait("Windows Amstrad Plus Emulator ahk_class TfrmEmu")
WinWaitActive("Windows Amstrad Plus Emulator ahk_class TfrmEmu")

FadeInExit()
Process("WaitClose",executable)
FadeOutExit()
ExitModule()

CloseProcess:
   FadeOutStart()
   WinClose("ahk_class WineAPE-CPC")
Return

[Silverback]

WalkToFreedom...if this all works i will be very happy as i have left my CPC config until last....will try it out.

Nice job!

[WalkToFreedom]

Great! Another straggler like me. Be keen to know how you get on!

[relic]

does thsi work with all diffrent systems or just amstrad cpc

[justinwebb]

does thsi work with all diffrent systems or just amstrad cpc

lol just CPC clearly

[WalkToFreedom]

It's just designed to work with Amstrad CPC at the moment but I believe the server has Spectrum games too so it could be modified for them also. In fact it could be modified to to download from any FTP server. The source code is available in the link in the first post.

[WalkToFreedom]

Someone has mentioned copyright so I have included this statement from the Server owner:

*******************************************************************************

* IMPORTANT NOTE CONCERNING COPYRIGHT OF CPC SOFTWARE IN FTP.NVG.NTNU.NO *

*******************************************************************************

Some of the software found in the directory hierarchy under pub/cpc/ is

copyrighted. When known, the copyright owner/author is always shown in the

00_index_full.txt file.

The intent of this software collection is not to make any money at all. It is

not to prevent the copyright owners from receiving extra money either. To my

knowledge, none of this software is commercially available now. I believe that

most copyright owners are either pleased or do not care about having their

software included here.

However, if you are one of the copyright owners (or can speak on behalf of one)

and you do not want your software available here, please e-mail me and the

software will be removed from the site.

Nicholas Campbell (nich <AT> durge <DOT> org)

[horseyhorsey]

Dudes. CPCE is the best emulator. Use it!

[WalkToFreedom]

Dudes. CPCE is the best emulator. Use it!

Hi horseyhorsey. I know you are an Amstrad enthusiast as have seen you in almost every Amstrad post! Thanks for the info about CPCE trying it out now and seems to be working great! Did you still have the CPCE ahk? I found an old thread that says find it on GIT but it's not there?

Thanks!

[rascaluk]

I was using win ape until this thread. Thanks horse.

Re the ahk. I found it in my git folder

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[horseyhorsey]

Cool. Djvj added it to modules. Should all be there still. .

[horseyhorsey]

I know you are an Amstrad enthusiast as have seen you in almost every Amstrad post!

Lol. Like flys round........

[WalkToFreedom]

OK. So I found this module on google code emu v1.94 ahk v2.0.1 is that the most current version? General where are the modules stored?

[zerojay]

Everything's in Git.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[WalkToFreedom]

Well if it's in Git, the search tools don't bring up anything. Can't someone just post a link to the repo?

[WalkToFreedom]

Oh. And I wanted to +1 CPCE. Looks brill on my CRT @ 384x288 progressive goodness!

[horseyhorsey]

Cool. One thing I always keep forgetting to mention about this emulator is the ability to record game play into snapshots which are very small in size. They can then be replayed back at any resolution.

I have a few hundred videos but if you ever feel the need to capture some games, do it & send me the snapshot and I'll pop them into mp4.

http://pastebin.com/pYY7PWeD

[WalkToFreedom]

Cool. Djvj added it to modules. Should all be there still. .

Ok. Will let you know about the vids. Djvj added it to modules where? Also, can't find any reference to it in Git

[horseyhorsey]

Pull from Git should be HyperLaunch\Modules\CPCE

[zerojay]

Horsey, are those mp4 videos available anywhere yet?

Great easy setup, by the way. The first time I ran the downloader, it wouldn't create the Hyperspin XML even though I said yes. No biggie, just reran it. Nice one guys.

[WalkToFreedom]

Horsey, are those mp4 videos available anywhere yet?

Great easy setup, by the way. The first time I ran the downloader, it wouldn't create the Hyperspin XML even though I said yes. No biggie, just reran it. Nice one guys.

Glad to hear it worked. Did if give you an error when you said yes to created the HS xml file?

[zerojay]

No error, nor was there anything to speak of in the log. The file simply wasn't created.

[horseyhorsey]

Horsey, are those mp4 videos available anywhere yet?

Great easy setup, by the way. The first time I ran the downloader, it wouldn't create the Hyperspin XML even though I said yes. No biggie, just reran it. Nice one guys.

Circo did have a load over there but they've been sitting there for a while so I knocked up some scripts to convert them with the fades etc. Will upload when get round to doing other bits.

[rascaluk]

That's where mine was so it is there.

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