Programming Playstation 2

Hi dbrckovi, sorry for answering so late :)

for ps2 homebrew development you will have two parts, the first, programming and debugging (unless you don't have any error ;) ) and the second one, creating the final CD.


right now the best choice for the first part (the one you'll spend more time) is using a broadband adapter, Pukklink, and inlink:

The broadband adapter is the ps2 device which allows you to play great online games.  

Pukklink is a PS2 CD which you have to burn and boot in the playstation 2, to be able to send files to the playstation 2. You can find it here:   http://ps2dev.org/files/pukklink_v1.0b.rar
Of course you must have a modded PS2 so that you can boot backup CDRs. anyway you need it if you want to boot your final CD :)

Inlink is the PC server you use to send files. You can also read files from your host PC so no need to burn CDs for testing :)  http://inpulse.planet-d.net/toolz.php


once there you only need a r5900 compiler like gcc, which you can easily find here: http://www.thethirdcreation.net/tools/ps2DevEnvironment.exe  
The installation is quite straightforward.

Once installed you should have a PS2 environment link in your desktop, or your autoexec modified (can't remember it). You might need extra libraries, depending on what you want to do. Just look at ps2dev.org for more info. PS2LIB is the de facto standar for ps2 homebrew. There's a ps2lib with the gcc distribution however you can grab a newer version at ps2dev.org

just grab your favourite editor and write this:

#include <kernel.h>
#include <sifrpc.h>

int main (void)
{
      SifInitRpc (0);
      init_scr();
      scr_printf ("PS2 roolz!");
      SleepThread (();
      return 1;
}

compile it with...

ee-gcc main.cpp -c -o main.o -Ic:/ps2dev/ps2lib/ee/include/
ee-gcc main.o -Tlinkfile -o ps2.elf -Lc:/ps2dev/ps2lib/ee/lib -lgcc -lkernel -lmc -lpad

(note: I've used "my" standar files, my standar paths, and libraries, just use your path, and there's no need for -lmc nor -lpad, but it stands as an example. The standar linkfile is somewhere in the compiler tree, in a directory named startup)

you should have a ps2.elf now. Just upload it via inlink&pukklink, or the USB cable, and it should execute on your ps2 :)



now for the CD. To make a ps2 cd bootable (NOT a DVD) you just need to
burn the correct files there, no need for special headers. Of course you
must have a modded ps2 so that she can boot backup CDRs.
The autorun.inf equivalent for the PS2 is SYSTEM.CNF (you can see it in all
the games for PSX and PS2). There you just specify the file to boot
and voila.

i.e. my pukklink cd has something like this:
BOOT2 = cdrom0:\PUKKLINK.ELF;1
VER = 1.10
VMODE = NTSC

of course, the exe name is PUKKLINK.ELF

beware when burning CDs, if you just forget a file you'll have to start again ;)
BTW, CDs must be CD Mode 2 / XA . PSX cds had to have at least 3 minutes track of music at the end of the CD, otherwise some weird things happened with the CD. I think PS2 doesn't have this problem but I do it too as I'm used to.


.ELF files in ps2 are used to be standar EXEs, .IRX files use to be IOP processor executable files (or drivers). however as you know, they're just that, names, and everybody can give them the name they want as you can name the .BMP as .XYZ and setup the file explorer to launch the paint program with them   ;)



ps. I wrote this by memory, except links and source code. There might be some mistakes but I think it's quite accurate. I hope it helps :)


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This is your world now.
Sir Auron