ULS :: Universal Loading System

Status: released, obsoleted

 

C O D E : C Y R A N O _ J O N E S

P C _ T O O L _ C O D E : G G N

C O N C E P T _ A N D _ T E S T I N G : S H 3

 

UNIVERSAL LOADING SYSTEM - OVERVIEW

The Jaguar Universal Loading System is designed to remove the hassle from the process of creating and producing both encrypted single-load CDs and your own similar personal CD Images for the Atari Jaguar.

*** ULS is effectively obsoleted by JiFFI ***

*** Use that instead! ***

Using our Windows application you will be able to produce bootable, encrypted Jag CD images which can then be burned to CD-R with freely-available authoring software. We also have a simple guide to burning Jaguar images made with ULS.

Now updated to V1.1 - allows use of old Jaguar Server types 2 & 3 files. If you have any files of other types & want us to support them, just send them along or point us to where we can find them.

 

WINDOWS APPLICATION

ULS is supplied in the form of a Windows exe. With the tool you can load in a .BJL/.COF/.ABS/.RAW/.JAG stored on your computer, specify the load/run addresses if required & output a DiscJuggler .CDI image, ready to burn & run on your Jaguar & JagCD. The tool will attempt to automatically detect the addresses required, but you can override these settings.

Note about .JAG files - .JAG should be Jaguar Server, but some files have been renamed to .JAG & they could really be anything - be careful & always look for official releases of files.

The output CDI image is compatible with version 6 of DiscJuggler - this is freely available in a perfectly usable demo form from the Padus website: "This time-unlimited, fully-functional demo is available for you to download, at no cost or commitment".

You could also try converting the image to your favourite burning software format, but we do not support or endorse that, however, as long as the software supports the Jaguar disc format & modern CDI images, it should be possible.

TARGET USERS

ULS should be useful to anyone who has a need to make encrypted Jaguar CDs & doesn't wish to waste their time & money, i.e. 2x CD-R each encrypted CD produced and time editing & running the batch files in order to produce the disc content. Either way, whether you're a JaguarCD user or a developer, you should find ULS takes some of the trouble out of the process.

Developers can use ULS to create bootable, encrypted CD images. These can then be burned for testing/production or used in conjuction with their favourite compatible emulator for quick testing. ULS also makes the production of serialised/unique Jaguar CDs a much simpler and far more cost-effective solution for those not producing at a duplication plant (i.e. burning them to recordable media at home one by one). This effectively makes ULS a control measure that allows the developer to trace their discs once they ship. To do this manually would require a lot of time, an unencrypted coaster produced for each successful disc made and that doesn't even take into consideration the possibility of human error considering all the steps required to produce individual, unique discs. With ULS you simply create your .COF or .BJL etc & let the application present you with an image of a perfectly encrypted, bootable JaguarCD image.

Jaguar fans can take their collection of BJL games & demos & easily make encrypted, bootable CD images (as long as the developer specifically allows this - please respect the wishes of Jaguar authors). Knock up some boxes or CD inserts & you'll have yourself a nice collection for your shelf, rather than a set of binaries on a computer.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

We devised & implemented a method for injecting Jaguar executables into a CD image without having it fail the hash check & without the need for a bypass cartridge. We DO NOT circumvent the protection in any way, this is simply a method of creating a valid encrypted CD image without the need for burning 2 CDs & having to build them from scratch.

LIMITATIONS & DISCLAIMER

You obviously cannot offer the program a .ROM or other cartridge image, that is simply not possible. There may also be some larger Jaguar executables that will work with, for example, a BJL setup, but will not work with our process. It's always best to try out your image first in an emulator before burning a disc - that costs nothing. This is essentially a tool for putting homebrew software onto CD with the minimum of fuss.

The produced CD will have the ULS bootsplash & Reboot warning audio track & data tracks. To obtain a version to your specifications, please contact us for details.

Reboot cannot guarantee your Jaguar files will work with our system - please take every precaution to ensure your executable will run from our produced image. If in doubt, feel free to contact us first.

Reboot accept no responsibility for any ill-consequences resulting from use of the ULS software or produced images. Use it at your own risk.

We offer this software as is, freely distributable as long as all files remain intact & contained in the original archive. This archive is not allowed to be published or made available anywhere other than where we, Reboot, allow it (for now, Jagware & AtariAge). If you would like to host the archive yourself or include it in some of your productions, it should not be a problem, we just ask that you please contact us first & we will arrange it. Thank you.