

                          Girlfriend Advance - Blonde edition

                             (the first java gba emulator)



Disclaimer :

GameBoy Advance is registered trademark of Nintendo. 
Java, is registered trademarks of Sun Microsystem.
The author is in no way affiliated with Nintendo. 
The author cannot and will not provide you with any GameBoy Advance games. 
This software is supplied 'as-is' with no warranty, implied or otherwise.



Description :

Girlfriend Advance is my Gameboy Advance Emulator. The current version can
run almost all demos i tried, but commercial games will not work properly.
This tool is designed mainly for the developers, and it's why it is so slow.
All the emulator has been written from various unofficial and unprecise
documentations currently available on Internet, and from informations that
many persons gives to me on IRC (network #EFNET : channel #gbadev, #gbadevfr,
#java, #asm ...).

This emulator have a website at : http://chiungyi.net
The author can be contacted to : karmarvl-gfa at altern.org (replace "at" by @).


Recquirements :

All you need is a jvm (Java Virtual Machine) with at least 32 Mo of RAM.
A fast processor (800mhz or more) is highly recommended, especially if you
are not patient. I have used java, so it can theorycally work on a lot of
differents plateforms. I have tested it on Linux and Zindoz98/me without any pb.
I don't know if it works correctly on MacOS since I don't have a Mac to test it.
You need also Gameboy Advance roms (".GBA ".AGB" or ".BIN" files) in order to
run it, check the net for them (don't ask me !). Whatever you do, only the
public domain roms will work since I don't have implemented the interrupt
handler.



Some words about the author :

My nickname is karma. I study computer science in master degree (for the 2001-2002 year).
I actually learn chinese and japanese because I have in mind to study chinese in Taiwan
next year. I look for a job in Taiwan or in Japan in computer science for the beginning
of september 2002. If you have an offer to do, contact me using my email.



What's new since the version 0.03 ?

 - Memory fixed (but still buggy)
 - dma0, dma1, dma2, dma3 fixed
 - some cpu flags bug fixed (thanks to eloist)
 - some other cpu fixes (thanks to deadbody)
 - a BIG part of the source code reorganized and commented (easier to read)
 - graphical engine to totally rewritten (it was a long work)
 - added input control by keyboard in applet execution mode
 - the display bug into some IE browser fixed (at least, I hope)



Compatibility :

(Msg to the beta testers : I need to know what are the demos that
 totally work, or only partially, or not at all. Please contact me).
- aurevoir.agb
- Advanced_Asians_Gallery_Beta_2.gba
- 3D Trip (by Leonard/Oxygene)
- ... [and others]



Features :

misc :

 - load rom in zip or raw format (if many files are inside a zipFile, it take
   the first file in the entry table which ends with ".bin", ".gba" or ".agb").
 - reset (reload the rom and reset the cpu).
 - step.
 - breakpoint at a specified address.
 - next (run until the next instruction).
 - stop (stop running).
 - vsync 60 fps (joke :-) ).
 - use keyboard for inputs in applet execution mode.

debugging :

 - cpu registers (including cpsr flags, cpu mode etc...) can be viewed. 
 - arm/thumb instructions in a hexadecimal display.

emulation :

 - ARM7TDMI cpu with ARM and THUMB opcode sets is 99.9999% emulated in ARM Mode
   and 99.9999% in THUMB mode, even if there are certainly many little bugs.
 - cpu timings : inacurate (4 cycles per arm opcode, 2 cycles per thumb opcode).
 - gba memory
 - timers 0-3
 - dma 0-3 : they are still instantaneous.
 - bios : in yours dreams.
 - sound : will be availlable in "Girlfriend Advance - Taiwanese edition"
   (it's an optimised version of the blonde edition).
 - graphics : I think all but the blend, fade in/out and transparency.



Thanks ... (in no particular order)

 ... to Joat, Eloist, Sonik, Deadbody, Darkfader, franz, krb, devpsx, and the
 french people of #gbadevfr.

 ... to kapy to show interest in what I do (Is he the only to use gfa ???).

 ... to all persons I forgot.

 ... and to the author of batgba on whom I copied this readme structure because
 I'm too tired to think about what to say to all those who read ALL this file.



 ... to Chiung-Yi