AppSignature

This Build tool option allow to add an application signature to binary data (right after the header).

The MSXgl signature format is directly inspired by the meta-data that Konami used to identify their cartridges and add cross-games options.

Definition

Application's signature is 4 bytes long and composed of:

• AppCompany: 2 bytes for the creator/group/company code name (must be reserved),
• AppID: 2 bytes for the application number (the numbering of the applications is up to each creator).

//-- Add application signature to binary data (boolean)
AppSignature = true;

//-- Application company (*). Can be 2 character string or 16-bits integer (0~65535)
AppCompany = "GL";

//-- Application ID. Can be 2 character string or 16-bits integer (0~65535)
AppID = 0;

If 2-character string is recommended for creator code and integer for application number, in fact, both of those parameters can be any of:

• 2-character string ("MX", "a7" for example),
• 16-bits decimal unsigned number (1234 for example),
• 16-bits hexadecimal number starting with 0x (0x0750 for example).

You can also add extra data using AppExtra option. 🚧WIP

Programming

If AppSignature is set to TRUE in Build tool configuration, then APPSIGN is defined in your C program.

Application signature is put just after the binary header:

• At ROM start address +0010h (should be 4010h or 8010h),
• At Basic binary start address +0007h (should be 8007h),
• At DOS binary start address +0002h (should be 0102h).

Define an external variable as g_AppSignature if you need to access the data from your program. It can be defined in several ways depending on your needs. For example:

extern u8 g_AppSignature[4];
extern u16 g_AppSignature[2];
extern u32 g_AppSignature;

Keep in mind than MSX store data as Less significant byte first (Little endian).

Code name

Some creator's code are already reserved:

Code	Rel	Creator's name
0x00??		Reserved
"AB"	✔️	Konami (Boxing and Football)
"CD"	✔️	Konami (many games)
"EF"	✔️	Konami (Pennant Race and Knightmare 3)
"JP"		Johan de Punder
"GH"		Reserved
"GL"	✔️	MSXgl (samples)
"PP"		Pixel Phenix
"RC"		Reserved
"TL"		Tele-Line
"YZ"	✔️	Konami (Game Master 2)
"WD"		Wim Dewijngaert
"XX"		Reserved
0xFF??		Reserved

Note:

• Come on Discord to reserve your own name.
• Code names are only definitively assigned when an application is published with this code.