Extracting files from gba roms

I've read somewhere that you can extract files, like midis, pngs, and stuff from gba roms with the emulator, Visual Boy Advance. Well, the problem is that I don't know how to use this option, or is it at least true, what I read there, because I don't seem to have any luck finding an option in VBA-s menu to extract files. Does anyone know anything about this?

i not 100% sure but if you goto www.zophar.net there lots of tools for emulation that can extract sound files.

You can capture screenshots with <F12> key by default, also save games (battery ram), but midis, I haven't seen that so far. The most similar and better thing are the GSF, GBA Sound Format, but can't be done with VBA. You need an specific player or a plugin for Winamp. More info, plugin & GFS files about that here

I tried downloading the GSF Player from http://www.caitsith2.net/gsf/player/HA_0.11.exe, but my computer keeps telling me, that it contains some kind of viruses. I'm not sure if it is safe to use... I also found a website full of Winamp plugins: http://support.xmplay.com/Plugins_input.html, I hope it'll work...

Get it here

And the midi GBA music converter does exist btw, but it's worse than GSF imho

Oh, no! When I started the emulation, it told me, that it can no longer create direct sound operation! So I cannot even hear what I would like to extract! Eh, a microphone would have done the job, too even if the record wouldn't be so good. Now I can't use the record option at this place. I think it was... START SOUND RECORDING option? I think this was what they were referring to about at the "extracing files (midis/wavs) from roms with VBA"...

Have you a DirectSound compatible sound card? And how about install a newer DirectX?
Sound cards are really cheap now if that's the problem

Yes, my sound card is DirectSound compatible. Too bad it failed right now. I just found on microsoft.com the newest DirectX 9.0c, but it is uninstallable just like 9.0b, unlike 9.0a, which I haven't found yet. Oh well, I'll install 9.0c, if that is the key to fix this problem. Well yes, if this doesn't work, I'll have to buy a new sound card...

So it once worked but no more now? Did you change your Operating System or something? Perhaps take a look for updated drivers might help you too. And for DirectX, look for the Redist version. I succefully installed it on win98 sice sometime, on my work's PC.

Nope, I didn't change anything. It just suddenly canceled the DirectSound option without any other comments. The problem is, that I can't update the drivers: the computer which from I'm connected to the internet is also used by my father; this is a Pentium III with 900 Mhz. The problem is that this is not compatible with emulators, so I have to transfer them through direct cable connection to my Pentium II, which doesn't have internet, but direct cable connection and supports a few emulators. If I download the DirectX Redist version, I'm not sure, if I can uninstall the exe, if it's not a selfinstalling program. If its the install program, I'll transfer it. But the MAIN problem is that I don't seem to find any DOWNLOAD or something like that on that page (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...11-62FE-4F61-ABA1-914185249413&displaylang=en). Do I have to register or do something before I can download DirectX 9.0c Redist version or I can directly download it, and I just don't see, where to click for the exe?

I don't understand why a PIII won't be compatible with emulators (which OS run on each computer?).

Btw, the download link it's there. Click on the "Continue" button, then when ask for validation check "No", click "Continue", then "Download". You can't unninstal DirectX if are asking for that, just overwrite the instalation, so make sure you want it.

My father's PIII tells me that about this exe, that "This type of file can harm your computer, if it contains malicious code!". There is a red "!" painted at the left of this warning. AntivirX recently caught some other mailcious codes like this file could contain, which is known for destroying or modifying some important things in msconfig(Microsoft configuration) and in the "Windows" folder. Long time ago, these emulators worked perfectly on my father's computer, but now (probably because of a virus or a malicious code) don't work at all. Mainly my computer has been taken to a computer service, and we'll see, if it needs a new soundcard or not. I'm afraid, if I download it, it could cause some serious trouble on this PIII so I don't want my father to be angry. You asked about the OS, well... it's the same: Windows98, also. I hope that this is because of the Soundcard, because after the DirectSound option failed, I couldn't hear anything (no mp3s from Winamp, no strategy or arcade games, which would be supposed to work, even though only the DirectSound failed; it's odd because they had worked with the sound option previously...). Although I still hope, I'll be able to use the microphone option, if we have changed the soundcard (if that was the problem). I just don't understand one thing: if anyone takes a sound record from a game music, he isn't "extracting" those midis, but having some wavs instead. Will it remain a mystery, what they have spoken about? The site has just been removed. I don't understand this...

You can trust that every download from MS site it's virus free.
Again, I'd try to install newer sound card drivers or re-install them.
About extracting, they extract the music op code (for console cpu) and the samples that it mix on realtime. This sis only for consoles or games that play the music on realtime, I mean it's not fully pre-recorded, maybe some samples that the CPU or sound CPU mix in realtime. Other cases as most PSX games, for example, have recorded music that play like mp3 or any recorded format. You can get more info and links from here

Ok, I trust MS. AntivirX Guard might need an update, too... Although malicious code =/ virus. It says, that it might contain malicious code, not directly tell me, that it contains malicious code. I don't know if DirectX 9.0c Redist version will be removable after I download and transfer it to my computer (I'll download it only after my PII is taken back home.) About the extracting sound files, I'm getting to understand it; my Nero Wave Editor (& recorder) could save files in wavs, mp3s, aifs, vqfs and other formats, but some problem occured and I can't save files as mp3s no longer (Wavs take 20x times bigger space from the disk, than mp3s.) But what about the movie extraction? Were they reffering to the "Start avi recording" option? I might try it out after I get back my computer. Well, www.zophar.net sure has a great selection of extracted GSFs, so I think that I'll just leave recording or extracting sound files to others .

Actually GSF are code + sample data to be emulated by the plugin, which works as the CPU (GBA haven't a SPU). Much recommended, sounds great.

You can't unnistal DirectX nor install any older version after that, but there are programs that might do the job. I don't remember anyone, I'm sorry. It looks to me the sound card might be disabled, perhaps by Windows for some hardware/softwate conflict. Take a look at the control panel -> sound devices. You might try to reinstall drivers from there too. Otherwise might have broke or just it's not corrctly plugged. Good luck

hagbard said:

You can't unnistal DirectX nor install any older version after that, but there are programs that might do the job.

Click to expand...

Talking about the DirectX 9 Uninstaller, probably you may want to look from this link. Probably one or two softwares given will help you.

>CLICK HERE!<

Feels sorry about virus invaded your PC lately.

hagbard said:

just it's not correctly plugged.

Click to expand...

Yes, that was the problem. Although I can hear mp3s and game musics again, VBA doesn't create DirectSound and it tells me this every time I run it. I tried Avi recording and it worked. Maybe if it would run DirectSound operation, that avi format I "extracted" would have sound also... I hope, if I install DirectX 9.0c it will work well, again ... *gone to download* ...