amiga-news.de - Managing ADF files: Rust library "adflib" V0.1.4

12.Oct.2024

Managing ADF files: Rust library "adflib" V0.1.4
In March 2023, we reported on Volker Schwaberow's project to convert ADFlib, written primarily in C by Laurent Clevy, into the Rust programming language. At that time, it could be used to read and write ADFs, read and write tracks and sectors in a byte array.

He has now recently released version 0.1.4 and thus also made a disc bitmap implementation available.

He kindly explains to us: "adflib V0.1.4 offers some interesting functions for working with ADF disc images (Amiga Disk File). It allows you to read, write and manipulate ADF files directly from Rust code. The main functions include:

Extracting file information and directory structures
Extracting individual files from ADF images
Displaying and modifying disc and bitmap information
Formatting ADF images (OFS and FFS are supported)
Defragmenting ADF images

The Rust library includes a command line tool. It allows you to use many of the library functions directly from the shell without having to write your own Rust code. For example, you can quickly list the contents of an ADF image or extract individual files.

A special feature is the existing hunk implementation. Hunks are a special file format for executable Amiga programmes. The integration into adflib potentially makes it easier to work with Amiga executables within ADF images. I also plan to integrate this into the command line interface so that you can directly display information about Amiga executables from it.

All in all, adflib V0.1.4 is a first solid version for developers who want to work with Amiga disc images. The library offers basic functions that should be sufficient for many applications. At the same time, it is still manageable and easy to understand.

I would also like to emphasise that the library is designed to work not only with physical ADF files, but also with ADF data embedded in ZIP archives. DMS support is also planned. Tests are also included and we have modularity in the library.

For retro computing enthusiasts or developers of Amiga emulators, adflib could be a useful addition to the toolbox. The Rust implementation promises robustness and good performance. More importantly, the build environment is available on almost any system and the project can be easily compiled and installed. The library is also available in the Crates.io library repository, which allows installation via 'cargo install adflib'. This is an easy way to obtain the command line tool and the library.

Of course, I'm happy if anyone wants to participate in the project. Contact is easily possible via Github." (dr)

[News message: 12. Oct. 2024, 21:56] [Comments: 0]
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