Exult Forum

Hello.

Been searching around to see if anyone else has had this problem and seeing none, I've decided to post this message:

How exactly is one suppose to install Exult on Zaurus? And by that, I mean the more detailed instructions. Having been unable to get it started, I had some specific questions...

a)Is U7 \ SI data (meaning the information from the Static directory) to be placed in /mnt/cf/exult-data/u7 (is the .cfg suppose to say /mnt/cf/exult-data/u7/ instead?) within a "static" directory? I had taken it to mean without the directory...

b)From the simplified install instructions I did not realize that we had to also obtain the SDL for Zaurus (I suppose it's obvious for some, but it took some time before I realized that and only thanks to the AQPkg interface pointed it out to me the libraries were missing), but the libraries themselves depend upon an installation of Opie. So, is this release of Exult suppose to work with the original Sharp ROM or OpenZaurus?

Currently running a clean install of OZ3.1rc1 with default configuration of exult.cfg. Files are installed in the default compactflash directory where exult should expect the files to be. libSDL were installed (force dependencies because it failed to find the Opie-base package) as well as libSDL mixer.

> a)Is U7 \ SI data (meaning the information from the Static
> directory) to be placed in /mnt/cf/exult-data/u7 (is the .cfg
> suppose to say /mnt/cf/exult-data/u7/ instead?) within a
> "static" directory? I had taken it to mean without the
> directory...

The section of your ~/.exult.cfg file should point to the directory that contains the static dir.
In other words, if the says "/mnt/cf/exult-data/si" then you must have a /mnt/cf/exult-data/si/static directory holding the static info.

# ls -l /mnt/cf/exult-data/si
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4096 Jul 17 23:14 static


> b)From the simplified install instructions I did not realize
> that we had to also obtain the SDL for Zaurus (I suppose it's
> obvious for some, but it took some time before I realized
> that and only thanks to the AQPkg interface pointed it out to
> me the libraries were missing), but the libraries themselves
> depend upon an installation of Opie. So, is this release of
> Exult suppose to work with the original Sharp ROM or
> OpenZaurus?

The SDL library mentioned in the readme should be running on both the original sharp rom and the Opie one. The SDL package to use should be taken from http://gnurou.org/software/zaurus/feed/. Contact the package maintainer in case of pb.


> Currently running a clean install of OZ3.1rc1 with default
> configuration of exult.cfg. Files are installed in the
> default compactflash directory where exult should expect the
> files to be. libSDL were installed (force dependencies
> because it failed to find the Opie-base package) as well as
> libSDL mixer.

run exult from the command prompt and run it this way:
# ./exult 1> /tmp/exult.out 2> /tmp/exult.err

and post the content of both files here if any pb continues.

Enjoy!
Artaxerxes

Hullo again, and thanks for responding...

I've tried it previously with leaving the data in the static directory and it didn't work, but I've moved them back so that it reflects the need for the data information to be in directory "static".

For sake of troubleshooting I just reflashed the unit with OZ3.1rc1 again, and reinstalled just the packages necessary to get Exult running. From the feed forwarded, libSDL package continues to ask for qpe-base under an OZ installation (though opie-base should take care of the libraries...), but installs with force depends. libSDL-Mixer and Exult install without problems afterwards.

The original instructions to run "# ./exult 1> /tmp/exult.out 2> /tmp/exult.err" once in terminal produced nothing but the "File not found" error message. I tried running exult from the command line using just "exult" and had the error messages recorded in exult1: "# exult 1> /tmp/exult1.out 2> /tmp/exult1.err"

Produced an odd error message upon running:
Data path = /usr/local/share/exult
Segmentation fault

Here's the contents in full.

exult.err
./exult: No such file or directory

exult.out
(nothing)

exult1.err
Width 240

Loading of image 'MaximizeButton' is not ideal (either it doesn't exist or an extension was specified)


Loading of image 'opie-sh/opie-sh' is not ideal (either it doesn't exist or an extension was specified)

QImage::smoothScale: Image is a null image
QPixmap::convertFromImage: Cannot convert a null image
QImage::smoothScale: Image is a null image
QPixmap::convertFromImage: Cannot convert a null image

exult1.out
Exult version 1.1.0cvs
Built at: Dec 20 2002 17:24:50
Compile-time options: HAVE_ZIP_SUPPORT
Compiler: gcc, version: 2.95.2 19991024 (release)

Platform: Linux version 2.4.6-rmk1-np2-embedix-011228
Data path = /usr/local/share/exult

that's very strange indeed: if you actually ran exult the following way
# exult 1>/tmp/exult1.out 2> /tmp/exult1.err

then you should never see segmentation fault from the command prompt (since you redirected all output to a file).

btw, I should have precised that you should be in the directory in which the exult binary is to run ./exult

try again and let me know.

Artaxerxes

Oddly enough, that's exactly how I ran it. "Segementation Fault" would show up afterwards and not be recorded in the logs. Perhaps that problem is with the terminal software itself...

In any case I went to /opt/QtPalmtop/bin and ran
./exult 1> /tmp/exult.out 2> /tmp/exult.err

I will post that data in a little bit, but something tantalizing has appeared in exult.err. Essentially, it says it could not find exult.flx anywhere, so I'm going to fiddle with the cfg a little bit first and see if that resolve the problem...

Ok, I solved the problem and managed to get Exult running.

I couldn't find where it was in the .exult.cfg file which allowed you to edit the setting of where the Exult data files themselves were located BUT I did discover based on the error messages that Exult did not look in /opt/QtPalmtop/share/exult for these files, but rather /usr/local/share/exult

This was the part that was different from the above error messages:
Data path = /usr/local/share/exult
dpath = ./data
Could not find 'exult.flx' anywhere.
Please make sure Exult is correctly installed, and the Exult data path is specified in the configuration file. (See the README file for more information)

(Hmm, what README file?... I don't see any from this ipkg file...)

I then created enough directories so that /usr/local/share/exult existed, then copied the files from /opt/QtPalmtop/share/exult to that directory.

Ran ./exult and the following error now results:

Data path = /usr/local/share/exult
exult.flx has a wrong checksum!
exult_bg.flx has a wrong checksum!
exult.si.flx has a wrong checksum!
This usually means the file(s) mentioned above are from a different version of Exult than this one. Please re-install Exult

(Note: if you modified the .flx files yourself, you can skip this chek by passing the --nocrc parameter.)

I decided this was probably just a flaw somewhere and went ahead and did ./exult --nocrc

Exult loads, however, only Serpent Isle shows up.

I don't see the Black Gate installation.

Strange... more error message suggesting why black gate didn't show up...

is_installed: '/mnt/cf/exult-data/bg//static/endgame.dat': no
is_installed: '/mnt/cf/exult-data/si//static/sispeech.spc' : yes
Starting a SERPENT ISLE game

I plan to test out the SFX files soon, and I'll probably reset the black gate static directory since it looks like some files are missing. But otherwise things seem to be working, except for the checksum and default cfg problems.

Alright, I've been able to get Exult, running more or less, on a fresh, reflashed OpenZaurus 3.1rc1 installation. Here are the instructions, more or less - it might be useful for someone to point this out to other Zaurus Exult users : )

First, Download libSDL, libSDL-mixer, and Exult ipkg files (Use the OpenZaurus "unstable" feed if you don't have them offhand)

Then via ipkg or AQPkg

1)Install libSDL - force depends

2)Install libSDL mixer

3)Install Exult

4)Place a copy of files located in /opt/QtPalmtop/share/exult in /usr/local/share/exult
(For those who wish to fine tune, note that *.txt files should remain in /opt/QtPalmtop/share/exult, and the .flx files in /usr/local/share/exult if using the default exult.cfg file. For ease, just have two copies in both folders)

5)Copy the static folder residing in the Ultima 7 and\or Serpent Isle directories onto CompactFlash - using either FTP transfer via USB or a PCMCIA\USB CF\SD drive to make it easier. Place the static folder in /exult-data/bg or /exult-data/si, so that U7 data files are in /exult-data/bg/static, and SI's in /exult-data/si/static

Exult will search for the "static" folder within the folders listed in the exult.cfg files.

6)As of yet I have not gotten to "improved" sound files to work - manual installation causes one to conflict with the other. I am going to need to work on that...

You should really edit the config file to have exult look for its data files in /opt/QtPalmtop/share/exult. It's completely pointless to copy them to /usr/local/share/exult manually. The documention and FAQ on this website contain instructions.

and instead of copying files, symlink them. It takes less room.

Artaxerxes

To wjp_: Interesting. Before you suggest to me to look through the (sparse) documentation, FAQ, and readme I suggest you actually look at them yourself for the Zaurus. There is no readme in the Zaurus package, the FAQ on Zaurus installation is sparse, and the documentation is nearly non-existent.

As for the config file itself - having fiddled with the config file on the desktop and the Zaurus for quite some time, I really would love it if you could please point out WHERE and WHICH setting in the .exult.cfg files you can change Exult's setting for looking for its own (not game) data files. In specific - No, the documentation does not make it clear where you can edit this.

http://exult.info/docs.php#path_config, right?

It seems perhaps you seem to know more about the config file, and perhaps you've even installed it on the Zaurus and gotten it to work with the default settings. So, then, are you suggesting I edit the , , or , or ? I am not editing the location of the game data files (though I've changed the savegame_path to the secure digital memory card) but rather searching for a place to change where Exult looks for the exult_bg and exult_si flx files.

Finally, yes, symlinking the directory back to /opt/QtPalmtop/share/exult would have worked just as well, but I don't lose memory space having left the key bindings in the QtPalmtop directory (didn't just edit them to /usr/local/share/exult since it would just easier). It really makes no difference, except an aesthetic one: I like putting files where programs will search for them as oppose to referring.

you want to edit/add the "config/disk/data_path" setting

To make it perfectly clear, since I just had to do the same thing ... you want to edit ~root/.exult.cfg and change the top of the file from:





to




/opt/QtPalmtop/share/exult/



NOTE: This works for the Sharp 2.38 ROM, too, as that's what I just got it working with. The only thing left for me to wonder about is why I can't install the exult ipkg file to the SD card ... it barfs when I try, but I can install it to internal memory just fine. Not a big deal, I was able to get the data files (which are the meat) on the SD card and specify their location via the directive.

BTW, a big hearty thanks from me for this ... the little glitches are nothing once the game is running and they can probably be fixed in an updated ipkg file anyway.

/Jahf

So that's what is for.

*sigh*

(It wouldn't be so bad if Document section 2.3 explained that out a little more clearly... It does become more obviously only after scrutinizing the format of the cfg file as one does with HTML files...)

Anyway my own experience has been that Sharp ROM's ipkg install utility always seem to have problem when installing to either CompactFlash or Secure Digital disks. Not having used the ipkg command from terminal mode I'm not sure what is the reason.

It's possible, of course, to move all the files manually to card. You could free up some memory space doing that.

1.move all the files in /opt/QtPalmtop/share/exult to /mnt/card/opt/QtPalmtop/share/exult and edit the to reflect this change.

2.Move the exult binary in /opt/QtPalmtop/bin to /bin/card/opt/QtPalmtop/bin and edit the exult.sh files to reflect this change (/opt/QtPalmtop/bin/exult --nocrc to /mnt/card/opt/QtPalmtop/bin/exult).

3.Don't forget to play around with the directory where exult saves to.

3.exult.png (exult icon), exult.sh (shortcut that runs exult with the nocrc check), .exult.cfg and exult.desktop (desktop shortcut that points to exult.sh) probably will have to remain where they presently are so that Opie (or Qtopia in your case) can link to these files.

(Well, maybe you could move exult.sh too)

I have not experimented with what happens (and if it does work) when the binary itself is moved.

Obviously, if you want to change the directory names, you could do that too.

I forgot to add that with OpenZaurus (possibly with the Sharp ROM as well) running files to and from the Secure Digital card might be a rather slow, especially if you're using certain types of disks (SanDisk 128 mb, for instance).

With OZ, the operating system insists on exchanging files in "sync". This can be disabled in favor of speed, but leaves open the potential for data loss.

Well, I'm going to try see if I can get the sound effect files to work now, and perhaps come up with a fixed ipkg file that installs fine by default.

and please folks keep in mind there IS a difference if you run ipkg from the terminal and if you use the package installer that comes with the zaurus.
You've been warned.

Artaxerxes