Loriciels to disk 1.0a   (c) Tom et Jerry du GPA 
**********************
(c) 11/2003
Last update 03/13/2006
Last text update 06/07/2020 !


What's new ?
------------
The LORI2U.BAS file is now compatible with the infamous CPC 464 :-).


English user, I apologize for my awful writing, my ugly style... Bu I suppose
a bad english notice is always better than a good french one :-).

This program is a duo of tools which purpose is to copy on disk some tape 
programs sold in the eighties by the famous french software house,
Loriciels. This company used to sell protected programs, so that it is not
possible to do a copy easily without a specific program.

Fortunately, LTD can do this awful job ! As I have a game sold in England
with that kind of protection (Pro-Tennis), I have decided to release an 
international release (my god !) of this little tools.

Please note !
-------------
LTD is not the ultimate tape to disk program ! Some Loriciels' games are not
protected with the "Cat loader", like Lorigraph. You can find in section four
a list of tested softwares that are not LTD compatible.


1) What kind of program Loriciels to Disk can transfer ?
--------------------------------------------------------
LDT is able to unprotect two kinds of loaders. You can easily locate then
thanks to their introduction screen in MODE 1. It shows a cute little cat
playing with a ball.
Why two loaders ? In fact, Loriciels has totally changed the way its programs
are protected but the looking of the loader is the same !


Loader mark 1 (probably not spreaded out of France).
-------------
* First file is a Basic protected program.
* Second file is a short binary routine (&BCA1 loader).
* Third file (not loadable) is the "real" loader.

This kind of loader can only load one binary file and launch it. It has been
used on some older Loriciels' games (first half-year of 1985). So, it is not
an usual loader.


Loader mark 2
--------------
* First file is a binary program, start in &7530, length of &638 bytes. Its
  name is "** LORICIELS **".

This program is more sophisticated because it can load several files, and
has the rare ability to execute Basic code. it has been used in two ways :

* load all files of a program and start it.
* load the first file of a program and launch it.
  In the second case, there is in the loaded program another loader,
  usually a common &BCA1 routine.

If you like machine code, just have a look on the LOADER1.TXT and LOADER2.TXT
memory dumps. Sorry, only short explanations in french...

I have been quite surprised to discover a commercial tool that do the same
nasty thing as LTD (loader mark 2 only !). It is Nemesis Express. 


2) I wanna use LORI1.BAS
------------------------

A really comprehensive tool, everything is automatic ! Read and enjoy :

* Copy file LORI1U.BAS on a blank formatted disk.
* Put the original tape in the recorder.
* Load manually the first Basic file. If you don't know how to do this, type
  these instructions :

 |TAPE
 LOAD"!"

* When your CPC answer READY, reset it !
* Start LORI1U.BAS program.

The CPC now needs an input, the tape program name. You can choose whatever you
want, but this word can't have more than eight characters.
Now, Arnold will do the job by itself... LORI1U.BAS first loads the game 
loader in memory then saves it onto disk. It alters its code and starts it.
You should see the introduction screen with the cat whereas the game loads.
At the end of the process, the program in memory is saved onto disk then your
CPC resets.

After this treatment, you should find two new files on the disk, with the
extension <file>.1 (original loader) and <file>.2 (main program).

There is two way to run the hacked program :

RUN the file <file>.2.

Use the file LOADER1.BAS, put the program name in line 10 (no extension) and
save it as the game loader. Now you have a carbon copy of the program !

LORI1U.BAS has been successfully tested with :

RALLY II (version 464/664/6128) and 3D-Fight.


3) How to use LORI2
-------------------

Well, altought this program doesn't need extremly high intellectual
capabilities, it needs a minimum of attention.

The first steps are basically the same as for LORI1U.BAS

* Copy files LORI2U.BAS and LORI2U.BIN onto a formatted disk.
* Rewind the tape in your recorder.
* Start the program LORI2U.BAS.

* If LORI2U is launched for the first time, it asks you for the name of
  the program to hack. Then, it puts in memory the game loader, and saves
  it on your 3 inch disk (name <file>.1).
  It creates too another file, LORI2.DAT, to store the name you have typed.
  Thanks to it, LORI2U knows that the next time it is launched, it must 
  start the COPY mode. To finish the first event, your CPC resets.  

* Start again LORI2U. It looks for LORI2.DAT. If found, it loads LORI2U.BIN,
  scans it and displays the number of tape files to transfer.
  You have to enter the file number you want to load.
  The first time, you must of course type 1.

* LORI2U loads the choosen file in memory then saves it. If the load address
  is &16F, the program is considered as a Basic software.
  At the end of the save, the CPC resets !

* You have to repeat this process for all the tape files (second file, etc).

The last copied filed has mainly an execution address, the program start.

If, for any reason, you want to start again the process since the first step, 
delete the file LORI2.DAT.

Right, the copy process is over. Now, the goal is to make a beautiful disk
loader for the hacked game. One more time, it is a piece of cake !

* Load the LOADER2.BAS file
* Change the name in ligne 10 with the program name.
* Save it.
* Finished !

In theory, everything should be now all right. But, if it not so, I can
give you three good reasons :

* You haven't follow the notice ! Compare the files properties on the disk
  with the informations displayed by LORI2U.BAS (start, length).

* One of the game file uses a system area of the memory (&A800-&BFFF)

* The transfered program is imcomplete, and try to load another tape file.
  In this case, take your disassembler and your courage...

LORI2U.BAS has been successfuly tested with the following softwares :


3D-Sub
------
Standard.


Billy la Banlieue
-----------------
Almost standard procedure. The tape has two standards files (Basic loader
and screen) before the Loriciels loader. 


Cao (probably not saled out of France...)
---
Standard procedure. The protected tool is followed by some binary files you
must copy to disk with any tape to disk utility. If you want to use the
program on a disk system, you should type a little loader like this one :

10 OPENOUT"D":MEMORY &4B6F
20 LOAD"CAO.2":CALL &4B70


Invitation (french adventure game)
----------
Non-standard. The Loriciels loader is the third file on the tape. With LTD,
the main program can be copied, but this one searches a screen file. 
Damned, the screen loader is protected ! Ok ok, here is the solution to copy
the final game's screen.

10 OPENOUT"d":MEMORY &3FFF
20 FOR i=&BE80 TO &BE8A:READ A$:POKE i,VAL("&"+a$):NEXT
30 DATA 21,00,C0,11,00,40,3E,5D,C3,A1,BC
40 CALL &BE80
50 SAVE "INVITAT.SC2",b,&C000,&4000

Now, type the listing below to use the game :

10 MODE 0:OPENOUT"d":MEMORY &12EB
20 LOAD "INVITAT.2"
30 LOAD "INVITAT.SC2"
40 POKE &BCA1,&C9:POKE &BC0E,&C9
50 CALL &7A00

Gosh, the game crashes on my CPC plus... But it's ok on an old one !


Maracaibo
---------
Standard.


Marius Tresor Foot (Soccer 86 in England)
------------------
Standard.


Mgt
---
Non standard. Loriciels' loader doesn't start at the usual address. To load
it with LORI2.BAS, you must modify the following lines :

        240 OPENOUT"D":MEMORY &750E
        300 |DISC:SAVE file$+".1",b,&750F,&65F

After this update, you can save only one file, a non protected &BCA1 loader.
To save the game, you must patch the loader in &A067 to a disc save routine,
saving the memory from &0040 to &A0D2 (exec address in &A067). When the file
is saved, change the values in &A067 by &F3,&00,&00. You get a copy of the
game ! For the nice intro screen, do it by yourself (it is easy, in fact).


Pro-Tennis 
----------
Non-standard. Loriciels' loader put in memory a screen and a little loader.
It is not protected. So you can fix it by yourself to save the game. The
easier technic is to patch the loader in &805A. It is time to learn how to
use the &BCCE, &BC98, &BC8C and &BC8F vectors.


Reversi Champion
----------------
File REVERSI.2 is a BASIC program. So we can't use the LOADER2.BAS file
as a model.
Type the listing below and save it as the main loader.

10 MODE 1:OPENOUT"d":MEMORY &752F
20 LOAD "reversi.1"
30 POKE &75B3,&0:CALL &7552
40 LOAD "reversi.3":LOAD "reversi.4"
50 CALL &BB4E:CLEAR:MEMORY &7FFF:RUN"reversi.2"


Sapiens
-------
Standard.


Space shuttle simulator
-----------------------
Standard.


4) Chief's tips
***************

* Test your tape software before trying to hack them !

* Do not forget that most programs are recorded on both sides of the tape !

* If the program does not load correctly !

  Loader mark 1 : damned, the dustbin will be happy...

  Loader mark 2 : if the program loads more than one file, try to copy
  each file from both sides. If you are lucky, the damaged files are
  not the same...

In all cases, LTD never saves a bad file. In fact, the Loriciels's loader
hangs if there is a problem during the loading process. The screen is then
not synchronised and flickers !


Loriciels to Disk can't copy this games
---------------------------------------

Graftric, Infernal runner, Le diamant de l'ile maudite, Lorigraph, 
Planete Base, Tony truand, Turbo Cup, Rally II 464, Budget familial.

Rally II has also been selled in England by Amsoft. I suppose it has
no protection...
