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TAPgen V0.1   [2012]

TAPgen V0.1 Released by :
Onslaught [web]

Release Date :
6 May 2012

Type :
Other Platform C64 Tool

AKA :
tape loader generator, python (linux, windows, mac)

User rating:awaiting 8 votes (5 left)   See votestatistics

Credits :
Code .... Enthusi of Onslaught, RGCD
Loader .... Enthusi of Onslaught, RGCD

Download :

Look for downloads on external sites:
 Pokefinder.org


User Comment
Submitted by Neo-Rio on 7 October 2016
I think the issue was with a bug in the 1541U-II's (2.6k) tape mastering. It can chop bytes off the end of the TAP it is mastering. Hopefully future firmware solves this bug.
User Comment
Submitted by e5frog on 8 September 2014
Seem to work fine transferred to real tape.
User Comment
Submitted by e5frog on 7 September 2014
If you make an empty tap file in WinVICE it will ahve a data length of 4 all $00. JTAP on a TAPgen v0.1 file and an empty tap will add four $00 to the end of the file and increase length by 4 (surprise). However, it didn't help me loading my file on real hardware (1541U-II with tape extender). Perhaps there's some other bits and bytes that will do the trick?
User Comment
Submitted by e5frog on 7 September 2014
Works in emulation but not on real machine (with 1541U-II at least). Neither does Jar's Revenge load from 1541U-II Tape Extender. Many of the tap files I checked ended with 00 20 2B 4B - adding that didn't help. Also tried changing tap version to 0 instead of 1, worked in Vice but still not on real hardware.
I guess I'll try the recommended JTAP and see what it does to the file.
User Comment
Submitted by Richard on 5 September 2014
With response to "I've mastered a few games using this for fun, and interestingly while the resultant TAPs work in vice, on a real C64 under control of the the 1541 Ultimate II, the programs are jamming on depack after loading."

I found a strange solution to this problem, but it actually worked :)

Create a separate test TAP image using VICE. Then join it with JTAP. This will fix the autostop end detection on the 1541U2 when trying to load the program. :)
User Comment
Submitted by tlr on 26 March 2014
Well, vice doesn't emulate any analog effects of the tape so if you have a worn out cassette, bad azimuth, or trying to master something that is too tight in some way it may work in emulation but fail completely on the real thing.
User Comment
Submitted by Neo-Rio on 24 March 2014
I managed to master the TAP of Jars Revenge and it loaded OK from tape, even though the tap writer did not come up with a message to say it finished mastering (the screen stopped flashing and the datasette kept recording). Still, it's strange how the TAPs I made work in vice but not on a real 64.
User Comment
Submitted by tlr on 23 March 2014
Maybe tapgen uses higher bit rates? That might make it harder to get to tape.

I have a couple of other loaders that might work better for your purpose. PM if you are interested.
User Comment
Submitted by Neo-Rio on 23 March 2014
I don't think it's TAP writer. I think it's tapgen's created tap files. I've got python 2.7.6 on Windows 7 64-bit. Newer version of python could cause the issue maybe? I have noticed that using Tap writer on tapgen's TAPs, that doesn't give an "end" message when the TAP is finished writing. Maybe there's tail information missing from the TAPs?

It's a shame I can't get this working, because Tapgen accepts larger programs and has a faster tape loader than tape master 2.1 (sorry Richard!).
User Comment
Submitted by wacek on 23 March 2014
I think what you're saying suggests it might be a problem with the tap writer from enthusi not writing entire TAP contents to real tape.
I had some similar issues with enthusi's tap writer and big TAPs (6MB+), I sent the problematic files to enthusi and he promised to look into the issue and look where the bug is :)
User Comment
Submitted by Neo-Rio on 22 March 2014
Yes, I can master tapes with my set up (Tap writer 0.2 and 1541U2), and I've managed to master tapes with Bayliss's "Tape Master Pro v2.1". My tape is a typeI TDK... so I can't explain why the resulting tap from TAPgen works on vice, doesn't decrunch post-loading on a real C64 with 1541U2, and doesn't master properly onto a real tape :( Very weird. I'll have to test further. The failed decrunch on the real C64 could be due to de-exomizing over other decrunchers, but then it works OK under VICE... so... *shrug*
User Comment
Submitted by tlr on 22 March 2014
Can you master other .taps with the same set up?
What kind of tape are you using? You should be using Fe (type I) cassettes.
User Comment
Submitted by Neo-Rio on 22 March 2014
Tried mastering my own TAP onto cassette with 1541U2 and the TAP writer. It works up until it's time to display the scrolling test and play music, but then it barfs with a screen full of tiny black and white lines. I can't figure out what's wrong. My datasette is aligned good enough and I loaded the tape at the same alignment I saved it as. The TAP itself works in VICE 2.4, loads until game depack over 1541U2 tape adapter :S
User Comment
Submitted by Neo-Rio on 21 March 2014
I've mastered a few games using this for fun, and interestingly while the resultant TAPs work in vice, on a real C64 under control of the the 1541 Ultimate II, the programs are jamming on depack after loading.
User Comment
Submitted by Neo-Rio on 23 February 2014
Really awesome stuff. Only I wish I could use larger musics (that's a dream, not a complaint!) and change the FOUND filename on loading. I suppose I can hack the code to achieve the latter, but a nice CLI argument would have been nice.
User Comment
Submitted by Richard on 19 November 2012
Examples of programs that use this loader:

Jars' Revenge [tape]
User Comment
Submitted by enthusi on 8 May 2012
The progress bar 'automatically' aligns to the length of the program to load ;)
You can very easily generate your own TAP. Most SIDs etc will do.
A t64 does not contain any information suitable for loaders. Its basically the same as PRG+ZIP (just without compression ;-).
Well it stores the filenames properly but that's pretty much it.
User Comment
Submitted by Digger on 7 May 2012
Progress bar! That's rad! I need to dig the yellow submarine out.

Can you provide an example – .tap or .t64 file?
User Comment
Submitted by Richard on 6 May 2012
Neat, another loader for me to play with. :) Just gave it a go. Very easy to handle as well. Would love to see the borders cycle the colour stripes during loading, just like the X-Out loader :)
User Comment
Submitted by enthusi on 6 May 2012
Create your own tape loader for your game (up to 44 KB/173 Blocks) including loading tune, loading pic and scrolltext + charset.

Usage:
python tapgen_01.py -k picture.koa -g game.prg -t scrolltext.txt -s tune.sid -o tapegame.tap

use -h for help!
Should run right away for linux, windows, mac (python 2.8).

Game file up to 173 Blocks (must be exomized, start at $080d/2061)

SID file must be PSID file (incl. header) as you'd get it right from HVSC. Init/Play must be $1000/$1003 and size < $1000 Bytes. Not ALL will work but pretty much most should.

Loading picture in Koala format (10003 Bytes, bitmap-colmap-attrib-bg_color).
You can use pictures from Vice Snapshot Grabber 4.2 and from MultiColor V0.2.1 for example.

Scrolltext must be in a separate file containing the following ASCII chars:
@abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz[~]^< !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?

You NEED a more or less recent version of exomizer which will be called from within TAPgen like this:
exomizer sfx sys n2cload.bin -o n2cload.exo -q
(expected SYS is 2061/$80d, very OLD exomizers (v1.x) use 2059/$80b and will fail)

I recommend to use TAP Writer V0.2 > 512 KB to master any TAP to a real cassette in case you own a 1541ultimate.

That's pretty much it ;-)
Enjoy and report if things fail though they shouldnt...

Please credit any usage of this loader & enjoy :)

Cheers,
enthusi
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