App: VisualBoyAdvance Portable
category: emulation
version: 1.8.0beta3
license: GNU GPL
homepage: http://vba.ngemu.com/
wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VisualBoyAdvance
download: http://www.ormus.info/downloads.html
description:
VisualBoyAdvance is a Gameboy/GBA emulator, the most complete one. Here's a feature list:
* save game state at any point
* graphic filters to enhance display: 2xSaI, Super 2xSaI, Super Eagle, Pixelate and Motion Blur
* full screen support
* screen capture (through menu or configured key)
* joystick support
* speed up button
* Gameboy Printer emulation
* Gameboy GB, SGB, GBC and GBC on GBA emulation types
* SGB border support
* auto-fire support
* translation enabled (for emulator only)
* hacking capabilities, including search engine, Gameboy Gameshark and GameGenie support and GamesharkAdvance and CodeBreakerAdvance support
* import Gameshark Game Saves, codes, etc...
* import battery files from other emulators
* export battery files to other emulators
* sound recording
notes: The programm needs a while to removed itself from memory when closed (about 30 seconds). Please be patient when trying to eject the drive.
latest updates:
29th June 2007 - final version
- added spanish, french and german language packs
- no longer beta, as no bugs are known
15th April 2007 - beta 4
- fixed paths as suggested by Udi (thanx!)
17th March 2007 - beta 3
- fixed TEMP folder, that was left behind
- updated VisualBoyAdvance to 1.8.0 beta3
11th March 2007 - beta 2
- Registry backup and restore should work now
- path adjusting in vba.ini fixed
- check the readme for details
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Well Looking good, Though it looks a tad bit like John Hallers 7-ZipPortable one but modified, instead of having
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Emulators\VisualBoyAdvance deleted just have HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Emulators as most emulators don't use the registry name of Emulators if you want I can provide for you a sourceforge mirror and a link on my site to yours
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
It's just the 7z icon of the installer, because it was created with 7-Zip. I'm not sure how to change the icon (beside 'hacking' the resource).
Actually HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Emulators is deleted as well, but only if it's empty after deleting HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Emulators\VisualBoyAdvance. So IF the key is used, the settings of the current user are not removed by accident.
well it's not the icon I was talking about I was talking about the nsis script you used and as for the icon use reshack, I do quite of portable apps my self as I run my own portable apps site called portableappsworld.com but if you have any question you'd like to ask email me at portableappsworld@gmail.com
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
Thanx, I'll change the icon with the tool you mentioned ...
I've based the nsis installer on the KeePass and Audacity installers by John (as credited in the readme). But everything should work or did you encounter any problems?
No no problems on my end, works great almost like mine worked, I'll set up a mirror for your app at portableappsworld.com and if you wanted to register I could set you up as an administrator for a section of your own
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
I'll have to give this a try. I was planning on doing this one myself. But if you'd like to take the lead, I can set you up with a home for it here on PortableApps.com.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Sure, already got the next ones in the making (ZSNES, WinUAE, nethack and more...). Feel free to contact me at ormus7577{at}loben.net
You've definitely, piqued my interest. I'll be more than happy to test any/all of those apps should they find their way to the PortableApps forums. Also, ever considered a PAF for the LucasArts game interpreter ScummVM? That'd be another surefire hit IMHO.
I'll put it on my list... It's GPL'ed, so should be fine, never been much into those Lucasarts games, though I played all the way through Maniac Mansion back in my C64 days...
Several years ago I invested in one of the LucasArts treasuries -- well worth the $24.95 it cost! It came with Monkey Island 1 & 2, Day of the Tentacle, Dig, and Full Throttle (all Scumm games).
it's just to create the right directories on your flash drive.
I have Visual Boy Advance 1.8.0-beta 3, Visual Boy Advance 1.8.0, Gens v2.14, Snes9X v1.43, Epsxe 1.6.0, 1.4.0, 1.5.2 All working portable.
One thing missing with my setup, it don't start with the portable apps logo so i still have to replace mines when u add them to the site.lol
Are these emulators open source. I never checked, maybe so if u have such a long post on it or u would have removed it already.
Never curse the alligator till you done cross the bridge.
Never curse the alligator till you done cross the bridge.
I've found a few problems during tests:
- save file paths are relative to rom file and not relative to the executable. meaning if the rom file is not in the rom directory (e.g. a subdirectory) then saving fails. I'll adjust the paths to absolute paths by changing the drive letter on start.
- paths are not reset on start. No idea why, but I'll fix it.
- recent0 file is not kept (should be for autoload most recent file option). I'll fix it.
- plus I'll fix the icon of the installer
- John, would it be ok if I create a portableapps.com-style splash screen?
Expect a new test release during the weekend...
I have a feeling that John'll send you an email about getting it added to the site, so you'll then be able to use the logo.
----
Ryan McCue
Current Fav. Songs:
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
here is my mirror
http://portableappsworld.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=4
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
Thanx for your effort, but can you please take the mirror down for now?
That version still has a quite few bugs/problems and I would like them fixed before there is a 'real' release...
Ok then
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
Thank you for understanding...
I appreciate your effort, but it's easier to have the download in one place only (while it's not final). Now I can easily update the exe at my server and noone will download an outdated one. It's a very small download and I got loads of traffic available at my hosting so we'll be fine without a mirror for now...
Ok, the path update problems are fixed.
The other things will be adressed tomorrow, then I'll put up another test version...
*Bump*
New Version available, topic is edited...
Okay, so I always thought Visualboy Advanced was okay with portableapps, as I have been using it for a bit now. Never ran into problems in the past. Although, I like your version as it includes it in the startup menu!
So, now that I have installed yours, do you know of a way to move my already saved file over to this app? I tried putting the file in the data/save folder, but it does not register.
If it is not compatible, that is fine, just thought I would try.
It should work... Have you tried to put is into the data/battery directory? I'll do some testing tonight...
By the way: You are right, it is quite portable. But the launcher takes care of the paths in the .ini file and cleans up the registry after running.
by the way you need to add this line in your cleanup section
RMDir /r "$TEMP\${NAME}\"because I found in my temp folder a folder marked as VisualBoyAdvancePortableyour friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
got it to work. Dummy me tried to put it in the save file.
Thanks
Good to hear, was about to test it...
And thibeaz, you are right, I will update the launcher. Thanx.
Good! Two week ago I just bought another 2.5" HDD only use it for store the GBA, PCE ROMs and its emulators also the collection of NDS ROMs files.
Okay, tested Breath of Fire 1 & Golden Sun 1 and loaded my old save, work fine!
Will Test other games later.
BTW, why this is ver. 1.7.2 ? I thought my last download stand alone is Ver. 1.8.x
Anyway its work fine. Good work!
I will try to put the MagicEngine for PCE ROM in to the Portable Apps Menu too
correct, there is a VisualBoyAdvancePortable folder inside the temp folder.
B.Rgds,
Alex
Ok, I've updated the emulator to 1.8.0 beta 3 and fixed the problem with the folder in the temp directory... enjoy!
Everybody interested: check the topic (on top) for the update link.
can u help or fix this problem i place the roms in the rom folder and start them by double-clicking on them but it keeps giving me error saying cant save and blah blah. plz do sumin and this is one of the best portable app and a great job.
I think the double-click is the problem. The save/rom/etc paths are adjusted in the launcher of VBA portable. If the double-click starts the vba.exe directly, then no paths are adjusted.
Try to start VBA with the portableapps.com menu, my guess is, that saving will work then...
i tried the thing you told me to do still dose't work. it says
error creating file h:/.../data/battery/game.sav
I have VBA (stable and beta) and I have searched the registry manually and with professional progs and the only thing trace is the
MRU cache. so this is a nice attempt, and a good idea, but it isnt really needed.
besides, VBA is already mentioned on portablefreeware.com
But there’s no sense crying over every mistake,
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
VBA creates registry entries, I even checked the source code to confirm that.
Other than that, running from an USB device is not the only point of portableapps.com. The above file is in the valid installer format and uses the portableapps.com directory structure. Meaning you can easily backup the data/app with the supplied backup application.
Plus it adjusts any paths in the vba.ini to the correct drive letter. VBA saves absolute path information, so using the removable device on another PC (and having a different drive letter there) would 'break' your ini file...
Delete the vba.ini in the data/settings directory (or move it/rename it). You had a previous beta installed and updated to beta3? That could result in the above error message...
Hi, tried and found some problems. The NSIS launcher is designed to launch the app from the root of a pendrive. If you run it not from the root/PortableApps/VisualBoyAdvance folder you will have wrong path in your ini, so please change the code at line 250 to this:
WriteINIStr "$PROGRAMDIRECTORY\vba.ini" "preferences" "romdir" "$EXEDIR\Data\rom"
WriteINIStr "$PROGRAMDIRECTORY\vba.ini" "preferences" "gbromdir" "$EXEDIR\Data\gbrom" WriteINIStr "$PROGRAMDIRECTORY\vba.ini" "preferences" "batteryDir" "$EXEDIR\Data\battery"
WriteINIStr "$PROGRAMDIRECTORY\vba.ini" "preferences" "saveDir" "$EXEDIR\Data\save" WriteINIStr "$PROGRAMDIRECTORY\vba.ini" "preferences" "captureDir" "$EXEDIR\Data\capture"
This fixed it for me. And another suggestion to the NSIS code: if you use the registry.nsh as an included file, please attach it! Or please use the registry.dll file instead and rewrite all the ${registry::XXX} to registry::XXX because it causes a lot of errors. And please write to the comment what plugins we should have to compile the script, because it would speed up the re-compiling. Ok, the error messages give it all out, but anyway...
But the idea is cool, and the launcher works as charm, I played a Super Mario, and now I was playing Tony Hawk 2 and it is so much fun :D! Keep up the good work ;)!
Thank you for all your input! I admit, that I don't have much clue about nsis. I took one of John's nsis scripts and adjusted it
I'll check out your suggested improvements and will create a new version.
Well it works I made the same adjustments after a bit. Even included it in my own personal version of VBAPortable I might release it (with proper citation of which functions I borrowed from what author of course ;))
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
Why want you to release your own private version? That would mean two different versions out there? You have already discussed it at #comment-26123. So, why not just waiting till ormus7577 got the next release and than replace your own with the OFFICIAL? John had given support for ormus7577, so it will be an official PortableApps software if I'm right. Why are you doing more effort than needed? The same is happening with the PAM: everybody is doing improved releases, but the official version will make all of them redundant. So, please support ormus7577, and don't release your own version ;)!
Well obviously I'm not going to post it here. I've been in enough trouble with John right now and eventually if things work out I'll be working along side John himself (as soon as he emails me back)
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
Hi there,
Here's beta4, feel free to download and test it:
http://www.ormus.info/archives/17-VisualBoyAdvance-Portable-Beta-4.html
Aren't necessary export the reg key, cause the key don't have anything...
No one setting go in registry
And according to the latest available source there is still the possibility, that registry entries are made (I think only by plugins though - iirc). And the application itself still creates the key, I just copy it away on close.
Other than that, I have to handle the local registry settings anyway, as the current user might have an older version installed, that still relies on the registry settings. We don't want to break that, do we?
Ormus if you want I made a few changes to VBA in general (with the source) that makes it so that it never writes a registry but only to the ini file. but I'll only give it to you only if you really want it. And if you want it you don't have to add anything saying that I provided the vba build. But like I said only if you want a copy I'll give it to you but if not I'm not twisting arms
because thats your decision if you want it or not
EDIT: I forgot before you execute make sure you delete the VBA regkey so that you can truly verify that it is portable (Just to prove my point that it is)
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
But I don't think it's necessary. The registry handling has to stay in the launcher anyway to save possible settings of the local machine.
But I did modify VBA's source so that it's portable only the ini needs changing so that it stays within the directory parameters for sotring game saves and stuff.
btw Great work on the launcher
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
what do you load into the thing
plz post what i need to do
Never knock on Death's door: ring the bell and run away! Death really hates that!
Matt Frewer
First of all you must get a rom of a game you own (most preffered) and then (Of COurse make sure the rom is a GameboyAdvance rom) and go to the directory that the rom is located with the Open Dialogue box and enjoy
-----------------------------
"I don't fear Computers. I fear the lack of them" Isaac Asimov
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
How do you load the rom on the computer i don't know what to do
Never knock on Death's door: ring the bell and run away! Death really hates that!
Matt Frewer
help
Never knock on Death's door: ring the bell and run away! Death really hates that!
Matt Frewer
Please don't encourage piracy...
ROMs are illegal, even those of games you have paid for.
However, you may download on many piracy sites ROMs of GameBoy games.
Any GameBoy, GameBoy Color or GameBoyAdvance game will work with VBA. Just select "File --> Open" and choose the ROMs you have downloaded.
But, please, as I said previously, don't encourage piracy, and don't use ROMs except if you have the permission of Nintendo, Electronic Arts, Capcom or whoever created this game. As ROMs are available for free on the Internet, it would be unbelievable if they granted you permission to pirate their games...
Your statements were inaccurate. More accurately would be to state:
ROMs, patently, are not illegal.
Copied ROMs may be illegal, depending on circumstances.
Copying or distributing software in violation of its license agreements or copyright restrictions would definitely be illegal.
Your statements also suggested that while it's illegal, it's OK, because you suggested that "you may download on many piracy sites ROMs of GameBoy games".
Such an ascertainment is potentially dangerous and is generally inappropriate for this forum.
Reread his post. He never said piracy was OK, in fact, he said this:
"But, please, as I said previously, don't encourage piracy, and don't use ROMs except if you have the permission of Nintendo, Electronic Arts, Capcom or whoever created this game."
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
This is about an emulator, not about ROMs.
You can find a small number of free, public domain ROMs via your favorite search engine.
Please note that acquiring copyrighted ROMs is illegal unless you have explicit approval from the copyright holder. Further, copying ROMs from existing cartridges is usually a violation of the licensing terms, regardless of whether you intend to distribute them or not.
First, the program stays in RAM when closed, so we can't reopen it or remove the USB drive without killing the task in the Task Manager... It's very annoying...
2nd, the splash screen is very VERY ugly... Apparently you just ripped their logo and modified it a bit with MS Paint... C'mon! Be a little more creative! LOL
3rd, wasn't VisualBoyAdvance already portable?
Good job, but it far from being finished...
Well thats a launcher bug first of all
2) Don't critisize the auther about the splash at least he has one
3) And no Visual Boy Advance is not portable as it leaves a key (rather an empty key) at HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Emulator
-----------------------------
"I don't fear Computers. I fear the lack of them" Isaac Asimov
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
I've checked, the application's task is ended on close. No idea why it's staying in ram for you. Can anybody try to reproduce it? Could be some strange path problem, did you install portableapps in the root of a drive?
The splash is just a temporary thing. John mentioned, that he might add VBA to the 'official' apps, allowing it to use a portableapps splash (which I can't use unless he allows it). Meanwhile you can just turn it off
And portable depends on your definiton of portable (as always here). Pretty much every application is portable, if you change enough system paths in the launcher...
My definition of portable:
- do not leave traces (well, beside the usual MRU stuff) on host system
- fit the portableapps directory structure (for backup etc)
- keep as many settings as possible, even when changing drive letter (recent files etc)
VBA doesn't qualify for those three definitions when used without a launcher...
VBA portable was installed in the "ROOT:\PortableApps\" directory, as usual, (I installed it using the PortableApps Menu), and both the launcher and the app stayed in memory after I closed the program. When I tried to start Visual Boy Advance again, it didn't work, and a message popped saying that there couldn't be more than one instance of the program running at once... I checked in the Task Manager, and I had still both the launcher and VBA in RAM. As they were still in RAM, I couldn't safely remove my USB drive... I had to kill the task in the Task Manager. I retried VBA a few times, tried to reinstall it, but I was stuck with this problem...
I was not using my computer when I tried VBA portable. As it was a public computer, I only know that the OS was Windows XP SP2 French, and that the antivirus program that was installed was eTrust Antivirus...
Oh... and a suggestion: could you include a few language files? The only one is English, and I had a hard time trying to figure where was I supposed to put that damn French language file that I downloaded from the official website...
Anyway, very good job up to now, just needs a bit of improvement, and as soon as the RAM problem wil be fixed, I'll try it again...
Nota Bene:
Oh... and, it doesn't bother me at all, but the whole concept of PortableApps is about legality, isn't it? VisualBoy Advance is illegal, isn't it? I think that this might be a problem, as Nintendo might not want their GameBoy Advance nor their games available for free on the Internet... The idea of this making program portable is good, but it encourages piracy. Don't say that "if you paid for the game, it's okay to play it on an emulator": no, it isn't, because Nintendo doesn't allow people to make backup copies of their game. Of course, a ROM IS a backup copy...
There is nothing illegal about VisualBoy Advance. You need to comprehend the legal structure of something before you accuse someone or something of illegality. You're simply stirring up controversy where it is not needed. This translates into time wasted for others to refute your ill-conceived claim.
For many GameBoy(tm) compatible cartridges, their licensing and copyright restrictions do prohibit copying or distribution.
Tools to do so would not patently be legally restricted, only the application of those tools in violation of the licensing and copyright restrictions would be.
Otherwise, owning a hammer would be illegal, because you might break out the window of a store or bludgeon someone to death with it.
Regardless, VisualBoy Advance does not provide cartridge copying tools. VBA does not distribute with any ROMS, whether Public Domain, GPL, or otherwise.
VBA is purely an emulator, specifically a system emulator. It is in the same category as Virtual PC, VMWare, QEMU and Bochs, with similarities to WINE, DarWINE, Crossover, etc.
Hi,
I've managed to reproduce the 'stays in RAM' problem. But: It doesn't stay in RAM, it just needs a while to be removed (about 20 seconds in my case). It's VBA that needs that long to close, so I fear there's not much I can do about it.
Did you wait a little? My VBA used about 50MB of RAM and it took about 20 seconds to end the task...
My Blog
no one helped me yet i still need help
Never knock on Death's door: ring the bell and run away! Death really hates that!
Matt Frewer
Where can I find games for this emulator?
yo!
This forum is for the emulator, not for finding ROMs.
I plugged "Public Domain Gameboy ROMS" into Google and got back several hits for free-license games.
You should do the same.
It doesn't matter, because you need ROMs to test VBA, and if you don't know how to find ROMs, then you can't test VBA. Loosen up. Just because the forum topic is VBA doesn't mean you can't help someone else finding ROMs.
"There is a tendency for the world to say to America, 'the big problems of the world are yours, you go and sort them out,' and then to worry when America wants to sort them out.
Tony Blair
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook
...
Well...
You must know at least one piracy site.
As I don't want to give you direct links to piracy sites, I'll give you hints.
Don't you know this site called TPB and this other one called Demonoid?
I am pretty sure they are priacy sites...
That is illegal. There are free+legal games out there (homebrew).
cowsay Moo
cowthink 'Dude, why are you staring at me.'
where?
Never knock on Death's door: ring the bell and run away! Death really hates that!
Matt Frewer
I've been playing around with this software, and it seems to work good.
It now also includes a few language files ...
My Blog
you need to make it able to load sg1 save files
another version of visualboyadvance i had saved in that format so thats the format most of my games are saved in
Never knock on Death's door: ring the bell and run away! Death really hates that!
Matt Frewer
VBA works great, but there's one small issue.
The portable drive letter sets itself right on everything EXCEPT the "Bios file path". I like to use the proper GBA bios when I emulate it, so it's mildly annoying to have to click past two or three menus to reset the location. That and the stupid windows alert noise when I forget to do this and VBA tries to open a file that isn't there.
hello, I like the work that you / they did with this emulator, but I ask myself if they might do the portable version of this emulator but that of the page www.vbalink.info, in this version the emulator can be opened up to 4 (actually more) emulators, they connect an emulator opened with other in the same PC or in a lan, and even (if little knowledge is had) across Internet. from already thank you very much and I hope that they it should do:D serious a very good program for a good Pendrive.
Greetings from Argentina.
Sorry for mi english. (computer translation english xD)
it's good but currently there is project called VBA-m (currently Alpha) thats taking all the various VBA builds and combining them, I am thinking once the link procedures are fixed to continue VBAPortable
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
New mirror? Ormus' site is all redone...
To the best of my knowledge, the following links lead to websites the host LEGAL (read: "homebrewed") Game Boy/ Game Boy Color/ Game Boy Advance ROMs. Load 'em up and get playing!
PLEASE let me know if I'm in error for making this post.
And by the way: EMULATION is not illegal. Commercial ROMs - or rather, the distribution or creation of them without permission from the company that made the game - IS illegal.
http://www.tolberts.net/anguna/
http://www.gbadev.org/demos.php?listby=name
http://www.gameasylum.com/demoscene.html
http://www.gameboy-advance-roms.info/
More links to come.....
If the download is suppose to be .paf.exe, where do I download it.
May the Shwartz be with you
I think ormus.info was started anew recently. I scoured the blog site for a good while and couldn't find a single download.
Are you still working on this? I've been working on version 1.72 (the latest stable release), but don't want to step on any toes releasing it if you're still working on it. Thanks
Quamquam omniam nescio, nec nihil scio.
actually qwerty this release is supercedded by vba-m (I'm a developer there :D) which has a portable version https://portableapps.com/node/11659 link is down on that one too but like before Gizmokid2005 has a backup of my site so I'll be able to get that one for you to play around with so sorry to burst your bubble
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau