Copyright: Help File for VGB-Max Version 3.2 - 32-bit


Contents

Help File for VGB-Max Version 3.2

32-bit version

Contents:

            What is VGB-Max?

            System Requirements for Running VGB-Max v3.2.32

            How to Use VGB-Max v3.2

            Editing the List Files

            Error Messages

            VGB-Max Homepage


What is VGB-Max?

      VGB-Max is the ultimate front-end for the immensely popular VGB-DOS Gameboy emulator.   With VGB-DOS you can play almost any Gameboy game on your computer in up to twelve different colors, at different processing speeds, and lots more options that the hand-held system does not include.   However, like most DOS programs, VGB-DOS is powerful but has an awful interface that relies on lengthy command line parameters.   So not long after the debut of VGB-DOS, front-ends, or programs that work as a user-friendly shell around another program, began appearing for VGB-DOS.   VGB-Max is such a program.   And although VGB-Max is just one of many front-ends for VGB-DOS, no other one does as much as VGB-Max alone.

      VGB-Max surpasses its competition because it incorporates everything that any of them can do, and more.   It has a very user-friendly, yet powerful, interface that gives you control over every option of VGB-DOS .87, plus incorporates a few of it’s own. VGB-Max is the only front-end that comes with a data file that provides the full names and color tables for over 380 games and another file packed with over 1000 cheat codes for almost 100 games.   For more information, read the documentation file VGB-MAX.DOC.


System Requirements for VGB-Max v3.2

System Requirements for Running VGB-Max v3.2.32

      Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0

      4 megabytes of memory (8 megabytes recommended)

      4.7 megabytes of hard drive space

      VGB-DOS .87 or higher (when available)

      ROM images in GB file format


VGB-Max Homepage

      The VGB-Max Homepage is one of the hottest Gameboy emulation sites on the web.   Here you can find the most recent versions of VGB-Max  and Compare, often updated list files, news on recent developments, and dozens of links to the world’s most popular Gameboy emulation sites.   Why not check it out at

http://www.voy.net/~kdg/VGB-Max.html


Gameboy Hand-held Video Game System

      The Gameboy is a hand-held video game system developed by Nintendo in 1989.   The Gameboy has an incredibly large game library even though it’s LCD screen only supports four colors, all in varying shades of green. There are two models of Gameboys: regular and pocket sized.

Gameboy Specs:

            8-bit CPU running at 4 mhz

            8 kbytes RAM

            8 kbytes video RAM

            2.6" screen with 160x144 resolution

            4 channel stereo sound

            Runs on 4 AA batteries (regular) or 2 AAA batteries (pocket)

            6" by 3.5" size (regular) or 4.5" by 3" (pocket)

            10.6 oz (regular) or 4.5 oz (pocket)


How to Use VGB-Max v3.2

Basic Functions:

            Selecting Games

            Selecting Cheats

            Changing Colors

            Changing Background Gif

            Playing Games

Intermediate Functions:

            Changing Search Settings

            Changing Categories, Ratings, and Sizes Displayed

            Enabling and Disabling Cheats

            Setting Autofire Properties

            Changing Keys

            Changing Joystick Control

            Changing Visual Properties

            Changing Sound Properties

            Enabling and Disabling Sound

Advanced Functions:

            Changing Advanced Options

            Printing Lists

            Setting Autosave Feature

            Changing Game Properties

            Importing .CFG files

            Editing ALIAS.LST

            Editing CHEATS.LST

            Editing GAMES.LST

            Editing REVIEWS.LST


Editing the List Files

Editing List Files

The following files can be customized using a text editor:

            Editing ALIAS.LST

            Editing CHEATS.LST

            Editing GAMES.LST

            Editing REVIEWS.LST


Error Messages

The following error messages are given by VGB-Max v3.2:

            “ALIAS.LST not found.”

            “<cart>.CFG not found.”

            “<cart>.GB has a bad header.”

            “<cart>.GB not found.”

            “Cheat code not correctly formatted.

            “CHEATS.LST not found.”

            “Component(s) not found.”

            “GAMES.LST not found.”

            “<gif>.GIF not found.”

            “Invalid Name Specified.

            “No gif files found.”

            “No ROM images found.”

            “PKUNZIP.EXE not found.

            “REVIEWS.LST not found.

            “VGB component not found.”


About Box

The About Box gives information on version number, programmer, game producers’ copyrights, and the location of the VGB-Max Homepage.

    Command objects:	Ok button


Advanced Options Screen

The Advanced Options Screen allows you to change obscure options in VGB-Max and VGB-DOS.

    Command objects:	Execute radio buttons

Write to radio buttons

Show check boxes

Load check boxes

Other check boxes

Ok button

Cancel button

Information bar


Background Image Selection Screen Screen

Background Image Selection Screen

The Background Image Selection Screen allows you to change the gif file used as the background image in certain screen modes.   Image file names are shown in the list at the upper left.   The actual graphic is shown in the box below with the file size in the box labeled Size.

    Command objects:	Image list

Ok button

Cancel button

Information bar


Color Change Screen

The Color Change Screen allows you to change a specific color, with the mixed color shown in the box to the right.   The title bar of the Color Change Screen shows which color is currently selected.

    Command objects:	Red color scroll bar

Green color scroll bar

Blue color scroll bar

Ok button

Cancel button

Information bar


Edit Cheat Screen

The Edit Cheat Screen allows you to add or edit a cheat code or its effect.

    Command objects:	Code box

Cheat box

Ok button

Cancel button

Information bar


Game Properties Screen

The Game Properties Screen, also known as the List Editor, allows you to make permanent changes to VGB-Max’s data files, without using a text editor.

    Command objects:	Game name box

Alias dropbox

Category dropbox

Rating scroll bar

Cheats list

Add button

Edit button

Insert button

Delete button

Review box

Ok button

Cancel button

Information bar


Key Mapper

The Key Mapper allows you to change the key map.

    Command objects:	Keyboard

Ok button

Cancel button

Defaults button

Information bar


Main Interface Screen

The Main Interface Screen is where most of the work is done.   Games are listed in the box on the left, and the selected game’s information, including name, rating, producer, category, size, source file, and review, is shown in the box in the upper right.   Cheat codes for the selected game, if available, are shown in the box directly below the info box.   The colors used for the selected game are shown directly below the cheat codes.

    Command objects:	File menu

List menu

Game menu

Control Menu

Visual menu

Sound menu

Help menu

Minimize button

Exit button

Games list

Cheats list

Color boxes

Play button

Information bar


Print Screen

The Print Screen allows you to print lists to a printer, to disk as standard text, or to disk as HTML, in one of thirty-two formats.   Before printing, either the Printer Setup Screen or the Save As Screen will be displayed.

    Command objects:	To printer radio button

To file as text radio button

To file as HTML radio button

Complete list radio button

Shown in games list only radio button

Sources, cartnames,ratings, and sizes check boxes

Page heading(s) check box

Information bar


Print Setup Screen

Printer Setup Screen

The Printer Setup Screen allows you to change the destination printer and the print quality of a list to be printed.

    Command objects:	Name dropbox

Quality scroll bar

Ok button

Cancel button

Information bar


Save As Screen

The Save As Screen allows you to change the destination file name and directory of a list to be printed.

    Command objects:	File name box

Drive dropbox

Directory list

File type dropbox

File list

Ok button

Cancel button

Information bar


Search Settings Screen

The Search Settings Screen allows you to modify where VGB-Max looks for components.

    Command objects:	Search all drives radio button

Specify locations radio button

Drive boxes

Directory boxes

Ok button

Cancel button

Show on startup check box

Information bar


Sound Properties Screen

The Sound Properties Screen allows you to change the stereo and volume settings of VGB-DOS.

    Command objects:	Stereo radio buttons

Volume scroll bar

Test button

Ok button

Cancel button

Information bar


Startup Screen

The Startup Screen is the first thing to appear once VGB-Max is run.   The progress box at the bottom tells what VGB-Max is doing at that moment, and occurs in the following order: “loading”, “loading settings” (or “using default settings” if settings file not found), “set search parameters” (shown only when the Search Settings Box is to be shown on startup), “searching for components”, “loading game data”, “loading cheat data”, “preparing interface”, and “freeing memory”.


Visual Properties Screen

The Visual Properties Screen allows you to change the screen mode, color depth, and visual processing speed.

    Command objects:	Screen mode radio buttons

Color depth radio buttons

Display speed scroll bar

Interrupts per update scroll bar

Interrupt period scroll bar

Ok button

Cancel button

Information bar


File Menu

The File Menu allows you to perform many actions that the main interface allows, plus access screens that change the behavior of VGB-Max.

    Command objects:	Play command

Advanced Options command

Search Settings command

Save .LST commands

Print command

Exit command


List Menu

The List Menu allows you to change which categories, ratings, and sizes appear in the games list.

    Command objects:	Attribute commands

Include all commands


Game Menu

The Game Menu allows you to change how games are played.

    Command objects:	Properties command

Import .CFG command

Autosave command

Enable & disable cheats commands

Autofire commands


Control Menu

The Control Menu allows you to change the input commands for VGB-DOS.

    Command objects:	Key map command

Enable & disable joystick commands

Swap buttons & keys commands


Visual Menu

The Visual Menu allows you to change the visual properties of VGB-DOS.

    Command objects:	Properties command

Background gif image command

Color commands


Sound Menu

The Sound Menu allows you to change the audio properties of VGB-DOS.

    Command objects:	Properties command

Enable & disable sound commands


Help Menu

The Help Menu allows you to access this help file and other information.

    Command objects:	Contents command

Index command

About command


Error: "ALIAS.LST not found."

Error: “ALIAS.LST not found.”

Cause:	 The ALIAS.LST file was not found in the VGB-Max directory.

Effect:	 No aliases will be recognized.


Error: "<cart>.CFG not found."

Error: “<cart>.CFG not found.”

Cause:	 The saved options file for the ROM image displayed could not be found.

Effect:	 VGB-Max will not import the .CFG file.


Error: "<cart>.GB has a bad header."

Error: “<cart>.GB has a bad header.”

Cause:	 The ROM image displayed has an invalid file header.

Effect:	 The ROM image displayed will not be referenced by VGB-Max.


Error: "<cart>.GB not found."

Error: “<cart>.GB not found.”

Cause:	 The ROM image displayed has been erased or moved since startup.

Effect:	 The ROM image displayed can not be played.


Error: "Cheat code not correctly formatted."

Error: “Cheat code not correctly formatted.”

Cause:	 The cheat code is incorrectly formatted or no effect has been specified.

Effect:	 The cheat code and effect will not be added to the list until properly formatted.


Error: "CHEATS.LST not found."

Error: “CHEATS.LST not found.”

Cause:	 The CHEATS.LST file was not found in the VGB-Max directory.

Effect:	 No cheat codes will be available.


Error: "Component(s) not found."

Error: “Component(s) not found.”

Cause:	 At least one of the components could not found in the selected directories.

Effect:	 VGB-Max will not begin search until all components are found or the “automatically search all drives” option is selected.


Error: "GAMES.LST not found."

Error: “GAMES.LST not found.”

Cause:	 The GAMES.LST file was not found in the VGB-Max directory.

Effect:	 All games will be unrecognized.


Error: "<gif>.GIF not found."

Error: “<gif>.GIF not found.”

Cause:	 The gif file displayed has been erased or moved since startup.

Effect:	 The gif file displayed can not be shown by gif viewers.


Error: "Invalid name specified."

Error: “Invalid name specified.”

Cause:	 No name for the ROM image selected has been typed in.

Effect:	 The Game Properties Screen will not accept changes.


Error: "No gif files found."

Error: “No gif files found.”

Cause:	 No gif files could be located anywhere on the system.

Effect:	 Gif viewers will be disabled.


Error: "No ROM images found."

Error: “No ROM images found.”

Cause:	 No games could be located anywhere on the system.

Effect:	 VGB-Max terminates execution.


Error: "PKUNZIP.EXE not found."

Error: “PKUNZIP.EXE not found.”

Cause:	 PKUNZIP.EXE could not be located in the VGB-Max directory.

Effect:	 ZIP files will not be searched for ROM images and any game that is archived in a ZIP file will not be played.


Error: "REVIEWS.LST not found."

Error: “REVIEWS.LST not found.”

Cause:	 The REVIEWS.LST file was not found in the VGB-Max directory.

Effect:	 No reviews and/or notes will be available.


Error: "VGB component not found."

Error: “VGB component not found.”

Cause:	 VGB-DOS could not be located.

Effect:	 VGB-Max terminates execution.


Editing ALIAS.LST

      The ALIAS.LST file contains information on games that are practically identical to another.

Two things to remember while editing this file:

               Comments are made by placing an asterisk (*) character in

                    the first character position on a line.

               Structure is very important; misplacing a character can cause

                    VGB-Max to crash or display the wrong information.

Structure of ALIAS.LST:

      Game name:

               Full name referenced in GAMES.LST, beginning at character

                    position 1.

      Alias game name:

               Full name of a game to remove from the games list if both games are found,

                    beginning at character position 40.


Editing CHEATS.LST

      The CHEATS.LST file contains all the code codes and their effects.

Three things to remember while editing this file:

               Comments are made by placing an asterisk (*) character in

                    the first character position on a line.

               Structure is very important; misplacing a character can cause

                    VGB-Max to crash or display the wrong information.

               Each game must be separated by one blank line.

                    Comments do not count as a blank line.

Structure of CHEATS.LST:

      Game name:

               Full name referenced in GAMES.LST, beginning at character

                    position 1.

      Codes:

               Codes begin on new lines at position 3   Each section of the

                    code must be separated by a minus sign (-).   For codes

                    that require more than one patch you can separate the

                    patches by a plus sign (+).

      Effects:

               Effects follow the code with a space between the code and

                    the effect.


Editing GAMES.LST

      The GAMES.LST file contains all the game data, including names, ratings, categories, and color tables.

Two things to remember while editing this file:

               Comments are made by placing an asterisk (*) character in

                    the first character position on a line.

               Structure is very important; misplacing a character can cause

                    VGB-Max to crash or display the wrong information.

Structure of GAMES.LST:

      Internal cartname:

               Maximum of 16 characters, beginning at character position 1.

      Full name:

               Maximum of 35 characters, beginning at position 18.

      Rating:

               One character, at position 53, representing the rating of the

                    game as one of the following: one star (1), two stars (2),

                    three stars (3), four stars (4), a game that emulates

                    poorly (E), or unknown (U).

      Category:

               One character, at position 54, representing what category

                    the game falls in: action (A), adventure (D), educational/

                    quiz (E), fighting (F), head-to-head (H), puzzle (P),

                    racing (G), role-playing (R), sports (S), or unknown (U).

      Primary background color:

               Six characters, beginning at position 56, in RGB format.

      Secondary background color:

               Same as above except beginning at position 63.

       Tertiary background color:

               Same as above except beginning at position 70.

       Background outline color:

               Same as above except beginning at position 77.

      Primary sprite color:

               Same as above except beginning at position 85.

      Secondary sprite color:

               Same as above except beginning at position 92.

      Tertiary sprite color:

               Same as above except beginning at position 99.

      Sprite outline color:

               Same as above except beginning at position 106.

      Primary window color:

               Same as above except beginning at position 114.

      Secondary window color:

               Same as above except beginning at position 121.

      Tertiary window color:

               Same as above except beginning at position 128.

      Window outline color:

               Same as above except beginning at position 135.


Editing REVIEWS.LST

      The REVIEWS.LST file contains short reviews and/or notes on games.

Two things to remember while editing this file:

               Comments are made by placing an asterisk (*) character in

                    the first character position on a line.

               Structure is very important; misplacing a character can cause

                    VGB-Max to crash or display the wrong information.

Structure of REVIEWS.LST:

      Game name:

               Full name referenced in GAMES.LST, beginning at character

                    position 1.

      Review:

               Review and/or notes starting on a new line at character position 3 and using

                    only that line.


About command:

    Shows the About Box.


Add button:

    Opens the Cheat Edit Screen to add a cheat to the end of the cheats list.


Advanced Options command:

    Shows the Advanced Options Screen.


Aliases:

    A game that is essentially the same as another, but with a different name.


Alias dropbox:

    Click to display a list of games that can be aliased by VGB-Max, meaning that VGB-Max will ignore them.


Attribute commands:

    When checked, games with matching attributes are shown in the games list.


Background gif image command:

    Opens the Background Image Screen.


Blue color scroll bar:

    Scrolling up increases blue in mix.

    Scrolling down decreases blue in mix.


Cancel button:

    Closes the active screen without saving changes.


Cancel button:

    Cancels the print job.


Category dropbox:

    Click to display a list of categories that a game can be assigned to.


Cheats list:

    Clicking on a cheat activates the desired effect.

    Clicking on it again deactivates the effect.


Cheats list:

    Click on a cheat to select it for editing.


Check boxes:

    When checked, the option is activated.


Check commands:

    When checked, the option is activated.


Code box:

    The code should be typed in here.   Each section of the code must be dived by minus signs and each patch must be separated by another non-space character (a plus sign is recommended).


Color boxes:

    Double-clicking or right-clicking opens the Color Change Screen so that the selected color may be changed.   Pausing the mouse over a color box will show the hexadecimal value representation of that color.


Color commands:

    Clicking opens the Color Change Screen so that the selected color may be changed.


Color depth radio buttons:

    Selects whether VGB-Max will use the colors chosen by the user on the Main Interface Screen or substitute a grayscale color scheme when games are played.


Color tables:

    Sets of colors, with each game having a distinct set.


Command line parameters:

    Commands that follow the filename of a program and modify attributes used in that program.   For example, VGB-DOS -backgroundcolor0 #FF0000 is a command line parameter used by VGB-DOS to change the primary background color to red.


Contents command:

    Opens this help file at the contents.


Defaults button:

    Resets the keys to defaults.


Directory list:

    Changes the directory to save the printed list to.


Directory boxes:

    Changes the directory for location of component.


Display speed scroll bar:

    Scrolling to the right increases display speed.

    Scrolling to the left decreases display speed.

    Scrolling all the way to the left unsynchronizes the display rates.


Drive box:

    Changes the drive to save the printed list to.


Drive boxes:

    Changes the drive for location of component.


Delete button:

    Deletes the selected cheat in the cheats list.


Edit button:

    Opens the Cheat Edit Screen to edit the selected cheat in the cheats list.


Effect box:

    The cheat code’s effect should be typed in here.


Execute radio buttons:

    Determines which VGB file to run games with.


Exit button:

    Saves settings and exits VGB-Max.


Exit command:

    Saves settings and exits VGB-Max.


File header:

    A 512 byte identification tag at the beginning of .GB files.


File list:

    Shows files with matching attributes in the selected directory.


File name box:

    Type in the name of the file to save here.


File type dropbox:

    Shows a list of file extensions that can be shown in the file area.


Game properties command:

    Opens the Game Properties Screen.


Games list:

    Clicking on the name of a game shows that game’s information and allows it to be played.


Game name box:

    The full name that VGB-Max will call the selected ROM image can be typed in here.


Gif:

    Graphical interchange format.


Green color scroll bar:

    Scrolling up increases green in mix.

    Scrolling down decreases green in mix.


HTML:

    Hypertext markup language.


Image list:

    Clicking on an image name opens that image for viewing.


Import .CFG command:

    Imports the options in <cart>.CFG file into VGB-Max.


Include all commands:

    Clicking activates all attributes of the selected class.


Index command:

    Opens the index for this help file.


Information bar:

    Shows information about a screen object when the mouse is moved over it or it is selected.


Information bar:

    Shows the number of games found and listed, the number of cheats available for the select game, and information about a screen object when the mouse is moved over it or it is selected.


Information bar:

    Shows the found status of the Virtual Gameboy, games, and gif components, and information about a screen object when the mouse is moved over it or it is selected.


Insert button:

    Opens the Cheat Edit Screen to insert a cheat before the selected cheat in the cheats list.


Interrupt period scroll bar:

    Scrolling left decreases the amount of time between interrupts.

    Scrolling right increases the amount of time between interrupts.


Interrupts per update scroll bar:

    Scrolling left decreases the number of interrupts per screen update, enabling faster emulation.

    Scrolling right increases the number of interrupts per screen update, enabling slower emulation.


Keyboard:

    Dragging an unused key into the desired command box swaps keys.


Key map:

    A code that identifies which keys activate buttons.


Key map command:

    Opens the Key Mapper.


LCD:

    Liquid crystal display.


Load check boxes:

    When checked, the selected file will be loaded on startup. It is recommended that the three list files always be checked.


Minimize button:

    Minimizes VGB-Max.


Name dropbox:

    Shows a list of installed printer devices that can be used as the destination printer.


Ok button:

    Closes the active screen and saves changes.


Ok button:

    Closes the active screen.


Ok button:

    Prints the list.


Play button:

    Executes VGB-DOS.


Play command:

    Executes VGB-DOS.


Print command:

    Opens the Print Screen.


Print complete list radio button:

    Printed lists will contain a list of all games found.


Print page heading(s) check box:

    When checked, printed lists will contain table heading(s) and show the numbers of games listed and found.


Print quality scroll bar:

    Scrolling left decreases the print quality.

    Scrolling right increases the print quality.


Print shown in games list only radio button:

    Printed lists will contain a list of all games currently listed in the games list.


Print to file as HTML radio button:

    Printed lists will be written to disk in HTML 3.2 table format.


Print to file as text radio button:

    Printed lists will be written to disk in standard format.


Print to printer radio button:

    Printed lists will be sent to the printer spool.


Rating scroll bar:

    Scrolling left decreases the selected game’s rating.

    Scrolling right increases the selected game’s rating.


Red color scroll bar:

    Scrolling up increases red in mix.

    Scrolling down decreases red in mix.


Review box:

    Reviews and/or notes for the selected game can be typed in here.


RGB:

    Red-Green-Blue.   The first two characters, or byte, represents red; green is represented by the middle byte and blue by the last one.   Range of byte values include all hexadecimal numbers between and including 00 and FF.


ROM:

    Read only memory.


Save .LST commands:

    Saves the selected .LST file to disk.


Screen mode radio buttons:

    Selects the screen attributes.


Search all drives radio button:

    Select to allow VGB-Max to search all drives for components.


Search settings command:

    Opens the Search Settings Screen.


Show check boxes:

    Click to have VGB-DOS display the desired message(s).


Sound properties command:

    Opens the Sound Properties Screen.


Specify locations radio button:

    Select to allow you to manually specify the locations of components.   Components must be found in selected directories to begin search.


Stereo radio buttons:

    Selects the stereo quality.


Test button:

    Plays a sound effect to test the selected volume.


Unrecognized games:

    Games that could not be referenced in GAMES.LST.   Such games will use default settings governed by VGB-Max for all intensive purposes.


VGB-DOS:

    Virtual Gameboy: MS-DOS Port.


Visual properties command:

    Opens the Visual Properties Screen.


Volume scroll bar:

    Scrolling to the right increases volume.

    Scrolling to the left decreases volume.


Write to radio buttons:

    Determines which file to save options to.