Groups > alt.folklore.computers > #161248

Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break

From	jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com>
Newsgroups	alt.folklore.computers
Subject	Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break
Date	2016-03-20 13:56 +0000
Organization	"Have EDDT, will travel"
Message-ID	<PM00052E7B5D9EC43F@aca40d30.ipt.aol.com> (permalink)
References	<PM00052E54A86D1850@users-ibook-g4-6.unknown.dom> <PM00052E54A86D1850@users-ibook-g4-6.unknown.dom> <PM00052E54A86D1850@users-ibook-g4-6.unknown.dom> <dl5olkF5jcnU1@mid.individual.net>

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Rod Speed wrote:
> jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> wrote
>
>> Subject says it all.  There is a caveat:  Since all debugging steps are
>> dependent on the feedback of the last n steps, I cannot be precise
>> and I will try to document the assumption I make based on a fictional
>> feedback with each debugging steps.
>>
>> The first step is to find out how and where ADVENT keeps track of
>> points.  There are many, many ways to do this.  Note that the
>> maximum number of points is 256 which suggests 256 bits are assigned
>> to keep track of which point in the game action has been achieved.
>>
>> First,
>>
>> SET WATCH FILES VERSION
>> R ADVENT
>>
>> The versions are interesting and may help.  The FILES will tell me
>> how ADVENT writes its data to keep track of points.
>>
>> If ADVENT writes into a data file, then I'd do a FILCOM
>> of a new data file without any points with a file which
>> has all the points sans the 256th one.  that will give me
>> the address of the words where the bits are set.  Then
>> it's easy to set a breakpoint using the SET BREAK command
>> with a mask whenever that bit is referenced.
>>
>> So a MIC file should be created to play the entire game and a
>> break will occur whenever that bit is referenced.  thus, one
>> would find the room and items required to get the last point.
>>
>>
>> If the data is kept in the EXE (this is a snarly method of
>> programming but people do it), then that implies that the
>> EXE has to be writtable.
>
> And this method won't work if they don’t.
>
>> I would then play the game until the first point is about
>> to be achieved.  Exit the game.  Write-lock the EXE file.
>> Then either RUN or CONT the game, depending on how the
>> write-lock was done.  Now try to get the point.  An error
>> message from the monitor (can't recall the precise format)
>> will complain giving data about the locations which couldn't
>> be written.
>>
>> Another possible method of determining where the points are
>> written is to FILCOM a virgin ADVENT.EXE with a completed,
>> sans one point, ADVENT.EXE.
>>
>> These last two methods may take some examining of the EXE
>> files.  You can do that by running FILDDT and looking at
>> the addresses which are interesting.
>
> So you don’t in fact find the last point using SET BREAK, as we said.

From a previous post of mine and the text above, you have the address,
the mask and can break when any of those bits are referenced.
>
>> There are many other ways to debug the program.  You can
>> put in a patch  with FILDDT which will do stuff
>> depending on the code.  One does not need DDT loaded with
>> the EXE to do any of the debugging.  I probably would not
>> want DDT in my address space because it's extra code
>> to ignore and it does strange things with one's adddress space.
>>
>> If you did think you needed DDT, then you would have to go
>> to a TOPS-20 system,  and type:
>>
>> GET ADVENT
>> DDT
>> ^C
>> SAVE ADVENT
>>
>> Then you can look using DDT commands but there won't be
>> symbols with this program.  After playing around on the -20,
>> you can go to a TOPS-10 system, verify that the addresses
>> you are interested in are the same or determine the offset
>> from the -20 core copy.  Then you can set the appropriate
>> address break and run the MIC game playing file to determine
>> the objects and rooms you need for the 256th point.
>>
>> Now, these techniques are just from the top of my head.
>
> Pity that you STILL haven't shown how SET BREAK can be
> used to work out the last point.

You haven't understood what I wrote.
>
>> There are a lot more, including watching the game
>> being played from the POV of the monitor, but this is
>> considered "cheating" ;-).  (I guess noone here would
>> understand the cheating reference but JMF and TW would.)
>
> That last is even sillier than you usually manage.

So you don't want to learn.  that's fine with me.

/BAH

>

Thread

Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-19 13:23 +0000
  Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-03-20 06:46 +1100
    Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-20 13:56 +0000
      Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-03-21 04:51 +1100
        Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-21 12:24 +0000
          Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Morten Reistad <first@last.name.invalid> - 2016-03-21 13:53 +0100
            Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-03-22 04:23 +1100
              Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-22 13:40 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-03-23 05:01 +1100
            Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Rob Doyle <radioengr@gmail.com> - 2016-03-22 01:50 -0700
              Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Morten Reistad <first@last.name.invalid> - 2016-03-22 13:22 +0100
              Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-22 13:40 +0000
            Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-22 13:40 +0000
              Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break usenet@only.tnx (Questor) - 2016-03-26 07:32 +0000
          Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-03-22 04:24 +1100
          Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2016-03-22 10:20 -0500
            Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-23 13:23 +0000
  Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2016-03-21 13:58 +0000
  Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2016-03-21 14:00 +0000
    Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-22 13:40 +0000
      Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2016-03-22 10:24 -0500
  Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break usenet@only.tnx (Questor) - 2016-03-22 07:19 +0000
  Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break usenet@only.tnx (Questor) - 2016-03-22 07:19 +0000
    Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Morten Reistad <first@last.name.invalid> - 2016-03-22 13:20 +0100
    Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-22 13:40 +0000
      Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-03-23 04:55 +1100
      Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break usenet@only.tnx (Questor) - 2016-03-26 07:32 +0000
        Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Morten Reistad <first@last.name.invalid> - 2016-03-26 09:55 +0100
          Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-26 13:24 +0000
            Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-03-27 04:11 +1100
              Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-27 13:26 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-03-28 04:25 +1100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2016-03-28 15:58 -0500
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-29 13:55 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Morten Reistad <first@last.name.invalid> - 2016-03-29 17:17 +0200
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-30 13:58 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2016-03-29 16:17 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2016-03-29 17:57 +0100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2016-03-29 17:14 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2016-03-29 17:17 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2016-03-29 17:48 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Ibmekon <Ibmekon> - 2016-03-29 21:35 +0100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2016-03-29 23:20 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Andrew Swallow <am.swallow@btopenworld.com> - 2016-03-30 05:33 +0100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "764hho" <764hho@nospam.com> - 2016-03-30 17:23 +1100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Ibmekon <Ibmekon> - 2016-03-29 19:28 +0100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2016-03-31 11:10 -0500
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Ibmekon <Ibmekon> - 2016-03-31 19:20 +0100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-30 13:58 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2016-03-30 16:32 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2016-03-30 16:55 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "764hho" <764hho@nospam.com> - 2016-03-31 04:09 +1100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2016-03-31 06:22 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2016-03-31 11:13 -0500
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break JimP. <blue@cwahi.net> - 2016-03-31 21:00 -0500
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "764hho" <764hho@nospam.com> - 2016-03-31 03:49 +1100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-03-30 05:29 +1100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-30 13:58 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-03-31 03:41 +1100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2016-03-31 12:41 +0000
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2016-04-01 05:03 +1100
                Re: Debugging Adventure using Address Break usenet@only.tnx (Questor) - 2016-04-15 08:34 +0000

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