Merlin2 - Revision history

Balrog at 01:09, 17 July 2012

2012-07-17T01:09:31Z

Balrog at 17:33, 26 June 2012

2012-06-26T17:33:03Z

Philpem at 01:07, 20 May 2012

2012-05-20T01:07:11Z

Balrog at 00:56, 20 May 2012

2012-05-20T00:56:34Z

Balrog at 00:55, 20 May 2012

2012-05-20T00:55:15Z

Balrog at 00:54, 20 May 2012

2012-05-20T00:54:41Z

Balrog: Created page with "Merlin 2 is the next-generation analysis software. Work on it is slated to start soon. Current planned features: Merlin2 analysis software: This is for analyzing more difficu..."

2012-05-20T00:54:28Z

Created page with "Merlin 2 is the next-generation analysis software. Work on it is slated to start soon. Current planned features: Merlin2 analysis software: This is for analyzing more difficu..."

New page

Merlin 2 is the next-generation analysis software. Work on it is slated to start soon.

Current planned features:

Merlin2 analysis software:

This is for analyzing more difficult disks — whether slightly damaged, copy protected, of an unknown format, or whatnot.

There should be an easy way of loading one or more DFI (or other) flux images. Direct acquisition from the device should also be supported
It should be possible to select multiple tracks to work on at a time, and to mask/filter unwanted tracks.
Charts should be available, much like in the current Merlin1 prototype. It should be possible to "layer" multiple reads or multiple tracks, to correlate them (this would be useful for weak-bit protection as well as spiral-track protection, as well as for failing disks).
A hex viewer should be available, showing the on-disk data using the selected decoder.
- Since the decode pipeline has multiple steps, it should be possible to view the "data" at any of these. So for example, GCR nybbles should be viewable, as well as decoded headers+data.
Multiple data separators should be available (I believe philpem did some work on this).
It should not be too difficult to add a new decoder (use a scripting language maybe, python?).

Tool must be cross platform and easy enough to use — run on Windows, Mac, and Linux, as well as other POSIX-compliant operating systems.

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 The initial version will be focused on acquiring and decoding unprotected/standard-format disks, since this is what most people need. It should be easy to use — the user should not need to be an expert.
-This is for analyzing more difficult disks — whether slightly damaged, copy protected, of an unknown format, or whatnot.
+The intended goal of the software (not the initial release) is for analyzing more difficult disks — whether slightly damaged, copy protected, of an unknown format, or whatnot.
 Current planned features:

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:33, 26 June 2012
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	Merlin 2 is the next-generation analysis software. Work on it is slated to start soon.		Merlin 2 is the next-generation analysis software. Work on it is slated to start soon.
		+
		+	The initial version will be focused on acquiring and decoding unprotected/standard-format disks, since this is what most people need. It should be easy to use — the user should not need to be an expert.

	This is for analyzing more difficult disks — whether slightly damaged, copy protected, of an unknown format, or whatnot.		This is for analyzing more difficult disks — whether slightly damaged, copy protected, of an unknown format, or whatnot.

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:56, 20 May 2012
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	Tool must be cross platform and easy enough to use — run on Windows, Mac, and Linux, as well as other POSIX-compliant operating systems.		Tool must be cross platform and easy enough to use — run on Windows, Mac, and Linux, as well as other POSIX-compliant operating systems.
		+	Current plan is to use a cross platform toolkit like wxWidgets, perhaps using wxPython — need feedback here.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 Merlin 2 is the next-generation analysis software. Work on it is slated to start soon.
 Current planned features:
-Merlin2 analysis software:
+* Tool must be cross platform and easy enough to use — run on Windows, Mac, and Linux, as well as other POSIX-compliant operating systems.
+** Current plan is to use a cross platform toolkit like wxWidgets, perhaps using wxPython — need feedback here.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 Charts should be available, much like in the current Merlin1 prototype. It should be possible to "layer" multiple reads or multiple tracks, to correlate them (this would be useful for weak-bit protection as well as spiral-track protection, as well as for failing disks).
 A hex viewer should be available, showing the on-disk data using the selected decoder.
-   Since the decode pipeline has multiple steps, it should be possible to view the "data" at any of these. So for example, GCR nybbles should be viewable, as well as decoded headers+data.
+:Since the decode pipeline has multiple steps, it should be possible to view the "data" at any of these. So for example, GCR nybbles should be viewable, as well as decoded headers+data.
 Multiple data separators should be available (I believe philpem did some work on this).
 It should not be too difficult to add a new decoder (use a scripting language maybe, python?).
 Tool must be cross platform and easy enough to use — run on Windows, Mac, and Linux, as well as other POSIX-compliant operating systems.