Tape synchronization problem

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jorgerhv
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue May 30, 2017 10:36 pm

Tape synchronization problem

Post by jorgerhv »

Hi :

Is there any way to avoid this problem ?

Sometimes the solutions in tapes can't be played.

Thanks
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Holger
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Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 4:13 pm
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Re: Tape synchronization problem

Post by Holger »

Hello jorgerhv, welcome to the forum! :)
Sometimes the solutions in tapes can't be played.
Unfortunately, this is true if the tapes were recorded using F1/F2 to load and save engine snapshots. I have spent countless hours of debugging on this issue in the last years (with a large debugging effort on this just recently), but was not able to find and fix the cause for this problem so far. :-(
Is there any way to avoid this problem ?
Yes -- avoiding F1/F2 and only using the play/record buttons on the tape recorder should always result in tapes without such synchronization problems. That is, stop and replay the recorded tape (with normal or one of the faster speeds, optionally using "pause before end"), enter "pause" mode, switch to "recording" mode and unpause to continue recording the game from the selected tape position (or just continue playing, which also unpauses the tape). This should always give correct tapes.

I really have to apologize for this problem, which makes engine snapshots useless in some (if not many) cases. Fixing this problem is even more urgent with the new step-based snapshots (which are therefore disabled by default and still considered experimental until this bug is fixed).

I desperately hope to get this fixed one day... :-/
filbo
Posts: 647
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 10:06 am

Re: Tape synchronization problem

Post by filbo »

Holger, did you consider well what I said in viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2163#p13550 ?

There is a related bug which I've been slowly learning how to describe, for the last couple of years, which I will post about shortly.

jorgerhv, I recommend to you the top of that thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2163 -- note that the exact sequences necessary to perform certain actions have changed due to Holger changing how the 'play' action cycles through its modes; but you'll be able to figure it out.

When I am solving a level, I generally alternate between single-step mode ('1' to toggle), pause (' ' to toggle), and regular full motion. If I die (or decide to abort because I'm about to die, or whatever) -- I get back to the main menu with my partial tape 'loaded'. Then I hit '51555' to 'warp' forward as quickly as possible to just before the end of the tape; then '4' to cut it there and start recording, and (often) '1' to get back into single step mode. So it's very common for me to type e.g.: ESCy5155541

... which isn't quite TECO, but it's getting there :)
filbo
Posts: 647
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 10:06 am

Re: Tape synchronization problem

Post by filbo »

See: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2311 'TAS Snap Keys' timing bugs
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