FCE Ultra Save State Format

Updated:  Mar 9, 2003

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FCE Ultra's save state format is now designed to be as forward and backwards

compatible as possible.  This is achieved through the (over)use of chunks.

All multiple-byte variables are stored LSB(least significant byte)-first.

Data types:

       (u)int8 - (un)signed 8 bit variable(also referred to as "byte")

       (u)int16 - (un)signed 16 bit variable

       (u)int32 - (un)signed 32 bit variable

-- Main File Header:

The main file header is 16-bytes in length.  The first three bytes contain

the string "FCS".  The next byte contains the version of FCE Ultra that saved

this save state.  This document only applies to version "53"(.53) and higher.

After the version byte, the size of the entire file in bytes(minus the 16 byte

main file header) is stored.  If oldversion is set to 255, the 32-bit version

field will be used.  In this field, a version such as 0.98.10 is stored as "9810"(decimal).

The rest of the header is currently unused and should be nulled out.  

Example of relevant parts:

       FCS <uint8 oldversion> <uint32 totalsize> <uint32 version>

-- Section Chunks:

Sections chunk headers are 5-bytes in length.  The first byte defines what

section it  is, the next four bytes define the total size of the section

(including the section chunk header).

       <uint8 section> <uint32 size>

Section definitions:

       1        -        "CPU"

       2        -        "CPUC"

       3        -        "PPU"

       4        -        "CTLR"

       5        -        "SND"

       16        -        "EXTRA"

-- Subsection Chunks

Subsection chunks are stored within section chunks.  They contain the actual

state data.  Each subsection chunk is composed of an 8-byte header and the data.

The header contains a description(a name) and the size of the data contained

in the chunk:

               <uint8 description[4]> <uint32 size>

The name is a four-byte string.  It does not need to be null-terminated.

If the string is less than four bytes in length, the remaining unused bytes

must be null.

-- Subsection Chunk Description Definitions

Note that not all subsection chunk description definitions listed below

are guaranteed to be in the section chunk.  It's just a list of what CAN

be in a section chunk.  This especially applies to the "EXTRA" subsection.

---- Section "CPU"

       Name:        Type:                Description:

       

       PC        uint16                Program Counter

       A        uint8                Accumulator

       P        uint8                Processor status register

       X        uint8                X register

       Y        uint8                Y register

       S        uint8                Stack pointer

       RAM        uint8[0x800]        2KB work RAM

---- Section "CPUC" (emulator specific)

       Name:        Type:                Description:

       JAMM        uint8                Non-zero value if CPU in a "jammed" state

       IRQL        uint8                Non-zero value if IRQs are to be generated constantly

       ICoa        int32                Temporary cycle counter

       ICou        int32                Cycle counter

---- Section "PPU"

       Name:        Type:                Description:

       NTAR        uint8[0x800]        2 KB of name/attribute table RAM

       PRAM        uint8[32]        32 bytes of palette index RAM

       SPRA        uint8[0x100]        256 bytes of sprite RAM

       PPU        uint8[4]        Last values written to $2000 and $2001, the PPU

                               status register, and the last value written to

                               $2003.

       XOFF        uint8                Tile X-offset.

       VTOG        uint8                Toggle used by $2005 and $2006.

       RADD        uint16                PPU Address Register(address written to/read from

                               when $2007 is accessed).

       TADD        uint16                PPU Address Register

       VBUF        uint8                VRAM Read Buffer

       PGEN        uint8                PPU "general" latch.  See Ki's document.

---- Section "CTLR" (somewhat emulator specific)

       Name:        Type:                Description:

       J1RB        uint8                Bit to be returned when first joystick is read.

       J2RB        uint8                Bit to be returned when second joystick is read.

---- Section "SND" (somewhat emulator specific)

       NREG        uint16                Noise LFSR.

       P17        uint8                Last byte written to $4017.

       PBIN        uint8                DMC bit index.

       PAIN        uint32                DMC address index(from $8000).

       PSIN        uint32                DMC length counter(how many bytes left

                               to fetch).

       <to be finished>

---- Section "EXTRA" (varying emulator specificness)

       For iNES-format games(incomplete, and doesn't apply to every game):

       Name:        Type:                Description:

       WRAM        uint8[0x2000]        8KB of WRAM at $6000-$7fff

       MEXR        uint8[0x8000]        (very emulator specific)

       CHRR        uint8[0x2000]        8KB of CHR RAM at $0000-$1fff(in PPU address space).

       EXNR        uint8[0x800]        Extra 2KB of name/attribute table RAM.

       MPBY        uint8[32]        (very emulator specific)

       MIRR        uint8                Current mirroring:

                                       0 = "Horizontal"

                                       1 = "Vertical"

                                       $10 = Mirror from $2000

                                       $11 = Mirror from $2400

       IRQC        uint32                Generic IRQ counter

       IQL1        uint32                Generic IRQ latch

       IQL2        uint32                Generic IRQ latch

       IRQA        uint8                Generic IRQ on/off register.

       PBL        uint8[4]                List of 4 8KB ROM banks paged in at $8000-$FFFF

       CBL        uint8[8]                List of 8 1KB VROM banks page in at $0000-$1FFF(PPU).

       For FDS games(incomplete):

       Name:        Type:                Description:

       DDT<x>  uint8[65500]    Disk data for side x(0-3).

       FDSR        uint8[0x8000]        32 KB of work RAM

       CHRR        uint8[0x2000]        8 KB of CHR RAM

       IRQC        uint32                IRQ counter

       IQL1        uint32                IRQ latch

       IRQA        uint8                IRQ on/off.

       WAVE        uint8[64]        Carrier waveform data.

       MWAV        uint8[32]        Modulator waveform data.

       AMPL        uint8[2]                Amplitude data.

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