Compiled TFM files are too big. How to reduce it?

[Moon-Watcher]

All .o files compiled from .tfm are about 33-36kB, no matter its original size. Isn't it too much? How can I reduce it?

[Moon-Watcher]

I shall answer myself.

I managed to shrink the rom from 768KB to 384KB ROM by using bin2h.exe (from Uwol source, thanks, Shiru!) instead of bintos.exe

Looks there's something weird in the SGDK / bintos.exe

[Stef]

This is because of the 32 KBytes TFM alignment, i just realized that yesterday... I believe the Z80 TFM driver need the TFM music to be 32 KBytes aligned then a lot of space is wasted when you have severals TFM musics. I need to check this memory alignment is really needed or not !

[Moon-Watcher]

Did some tests.

I compiled an old SGDK project without the align parameter and it generated a smaller rom. Haven't tested much.

I compiled my current project using the Uwol method. Of course it generated a smaller rom too but some tracks sounds really bad.

[Stef]

You just need to modify the makefile.gen file :
Replace

Code: Select all

%.s: %.tfc
    $(BINTOS) -align 32768 $<

with

Code: Select all

%.s: %.tfc
    $(BINTOS) $<

and it should reduce dramatically the size of your rom, but it may broke the TFM driver.
Do you use the 68k driver or the Z80 one ?

[Moon-Watcher]

You just need to modify the makefile.gen file :
Replace

Code: Select all

%.s: %.tfc
    $(BINTOS) -align 32768 $<

with

Code: Select all

%.s: %.tfc
    $(BINTOS) $<

and it should reduce dramatically the size of your rom, but it may broke the TFM driver.

Yep, it broke the driver.

Do you use the 68k driver or the Z80 one ?

I dunno Just use SND_startPlay_TFM()

[Stef]

Yep, this is the Z80 driver... i probably removed the 68k one.
Too bad about the needed 32Kb alignment, so much space wasted :-/ I don't know if the driver source is available somewhere, it should be possible to remove this limitation.

[Moon-Watcher]

Code: Select all

void TFC_init(const u8*);
void TFC_frame(void);
void TFC_play(u16);

Good point. I'll try to avoid this problem using the 68K driver

I don't know if the driver source is available somewhere

Isn't it z80_tfm.s80 file?

[Moon-Watcher]

Checked. Haven't found any strange issue using 68K driver without align parameter.

[Stef]

Oh so the 68K driver is still there, indeed there is no any reason that the 68000 driver need the 32k alignment unlike the Z80 which access 68000 bus in 32k bank I forgot the TFM Z80 source was available, i will to dig in it and modify it for that purpose !

[Moon-Watcher]

Thanks, really glad to hear that

[Stef]

Still as always i say that but don't expect it really soon :-/
I have many things to do aside that but that is definitely something i want to improve (i will add an issue for that so i won't forget)

[Moon-Watcher]

http://code.google.com/p/sgdk/issues/detail?id=16 thank you