Sierra's Internal SCI Tools

[OmerMor]

Hi,
here's my collection of Sierra's internal SCI tools (I have some AGI tools as well - stay tuned).
It's far from complete, but it spans from as early as 1987 to as late as 1996.
Some of the tools are available in several versions. For these, I suffixed their name with an underscore (_) and their version or their date (in case no version was available), e.g. SC_4.100.EXE.
Some of the tools had a protection that only allowed them to be run from a specific network share. I removed that protection.

Here're the descriptions for the tools that have it:
AMIGAPAL.EXE -
ATOS.EXE     - AGI to SCI source code translator
AUDADD.EXE   - Add audio header
AUDAIFF.EXE  -
AUDBITS.EXE  -
AUDCHANS.EXE - AUDCHANS converts stereo audio files to mono or visa-versa or reports the number of channels that audio files currently have.
AUDCHECK.EXE -
AUDCOMP.EXE  - Audio compress
AUDDCOMP.EXE - AUDDCOMP is used to decompress audio volumes during install.
AUDDISK.EXE  - Flag AUD files for disk-resident playback
AUDMAP.EXE   -
AUDMEM.EXE   - Flag AUD files for memory-resident playback
AUDPCM.EXE   - Decompress AUD to SOL files
AUDPLAY.EXE  - Audio player
AUDRATE.EXE  - Change or report rate of AUD files
AUDSCRAM.EXE - Audio scrambler
AUDSOL.EXE   -
AUDSTRIP.EXE - Strip audio header
AUDSYNC.EXE  - Remove sync editor info
AUDUCOMP.EXE - Audio decompress
AUDUSCRM.EXE - Audio unscrambler
AUDWAVE.EXE  - Rewrite AUD files in Microsoft's WAVE format
BASE36.EXE   - BASE36 converts message components into base-36 filenames or vice-versa.
BASENAME.EXE -
BETAW.EXE    -
BIT2CEL.EXE  - Convert 16 color bitmap to 16 color cel
BIT2LBM.EXE  -
BLAST.EXE    - Sound Blaster Record/Playback Utility
BUILDADL.EXE - Builds 3.PAT for use with Sierra's ADL (128 patch) driver.
BUILDGEN.EXE - Builds 4.PAT for use with Sierra's GSMIDI driver.
BUILDTDY.EXE - TANDY PATCH EDITOR
CE.EXE       - Cursor Editor
CEL2BIT.EXE  -
CEL2LBM.EXE  - Converts 256 Color Cel to LBM file
CEL2NEW.EXE  -
CEL2PCX.EXE  - Converts Cel to PCX file
CEL2RE.EXE   - Converts 256 Color Cel to Targa 16 file (.T16) for RE
CEL2TGA.EXE  - Converts 256 Color Cel to Targa 16 file (.T16)
CHKVIEW.EXE  - Checks integrity of view files
CVTPAL.EXE   -
CVTSCI.EXE   - Converts SC scripts to new syntax
DC.EXE       - Word derivative Compiler
DIMWIT.EXE   -
DIMWITSX.EXE -
DROPTGA.EXE  -
FE.EXE       - Font Editor
FIXCEL.EXE   - Correct 256 color cel file(s)
FIXVIEW.EXE  - Correct 256 color view file(s)
FIXVIEWS.EXE - Correct all 256 color view files
FORCEPAL.EXE -
GETTGA.EXE   -
GETTGA16.EXE -
INC_IT.EXE   - Increments the ASCII version number in 'version_file'.
INCVER.EXE   - Increment version number
LBM2BIT.EXE  -
LBM2CEL.EXE  - Converts LBM file to Cel file
LBM2PAL.EXE  - Creates new palette file from LBM file
LBM2VIEW.EXE - Converts LBM file back to 256 color view file
MACPIC.EXE   -
MACVIEW.EXE  -
MAKCDVOL.EXE -
MAKECEL.EXE  -
MAKEMAPS.EXE - MAKEMAPS reads individual audio and sync files creating RESOURCE.AUD and room-specific *.MAP resource files.
MAKEP16.EXE  - Converts 256 Color Pic to 16 color pic (controls & priority)
MAKEPIC.EXE  - Makes an SCI32 P56 file from 2 pcx files
MAKEV.EXE    - Converts any view to use colors in new.pal
MAKEV16.EXE  - Converts 256 Color View to 16 color view
MAKEV256.EXE -
MAKEV64.EXE  - Converts 256 Color View to standard 64 color view
MAKEV72.EXE  - Converts 256 Color View to standard 72 color view
MAKEVAUD.EXE -
MAKEVOLS.EXE -
MAKEVSEQ.EXE -
MATCHV.EXE   -
MC.EXE       - Message Compiler
ME.EXE       - SCI Message Editor
ME_ALT.EXE   - (Music Editor? Original name was ME)
MEAUDFIL.EXE - Message Audio File Utility
MECNV3_4.EXE - Message Editor Conversion v.3 to v.4
MEDUMP.EXE   - Message File Dumper
MESCRIPT.EXE -
MESSAGES.EXE -
MEXLTDIF.EXE - Message File Translation Differencer
MOVIE.EXE    -
MOVIE256.EXE -
MSCIV.EXE    -
MTEST.EXE    - Music Test
NEWPAL.EXE   - Creates new palette file from LBM file
NIGHTPAL.EXE - Creates nighttime palette from file
NO255.EXE    -
NORM.EXE     - This program normalizes audio files.
ONELINE.EXE  -
PAL.EXE      - Allows you to redefine the standard palette in pic file(s)
PAL2NEW.EXE  -
PAL2OLD.EXE  - Conversion of New Pallete to Old
PALPIC.EXE   - Allows you to redefine the standard palette in pic file(s)
PALVIEW.EXE  - Allows you to redefine the standard palette in view file(s)
PCX2CEL.EXE  - Converts PCX to Cel file
PCX2VIEW.EXE - Converts PCX file back to 256 color view file
PE.EXE       - Picture Editor (16 colors)
PE256.EXE    - Picture Editor (256 colors)
PIC2CEL.EXE  - Program converts 256 color PICTOR files to 256 color cels
PIC2NEW.EXE  -
PIC2PCX.EXE  - Converts Pic to PCX file
PICTEST.EXE  -
PMAKEVOL.EXE -
PSCIDH.EXE   -
PSCIDHV.EXE  -
PUTTGA.EXE   -
RAW2MST.EXE  -
RE.EXE       -
READPAL.EXE  -
REDOPIC.EXE  -
RENRESRC.EXE - Resource File Renamer
RESBUILD.EXE -
RESBUST.EXE  -
RESDIR.EXE   -
RESMIX.EXE   -
RMESSAGE.EXE - SCI message translator
SC.EXE       - Script Compiler
SCI.EXE      - Script Interpreter (debug)
SCID.EXE     -
SCIDH.EXE    -
SCIH.EXE     -
SCIP.EXE     -
SCITESTR.EXE - Script Interpreter (debug, menu bars enabled)
SCIUB.EXE    -
SCIV.EXE     -
SCIWH.EXE    -
SCPP.BAT     - front-end batch file for SCPPRINT.EXE
SCPPRINT.EXE - a pretty printer for SCRIPT code
SE.EXE       - Sound Editor
SIERRA.EXE   - Script Interpreter (no debug)
SIERRAH.EXE  -
SIERRAM.EXE  - Script Interpreter (no debug, menu bars enabled)
SIERRAWH.EXE -
SMF.EXE      -
SMIDI.EXE    -
SND_EDIT.EXE - SMF SOUND FILE EDITOR
STAMPVER.EXE -
STAMPVOL.EXE -
SYNCONLY.EXE -
TC.EXE       -
TESTPAL.EXE  -
TGA2MST.EXE  -
TGAPIC.EXE   -
V16LBM.EXE   - Converts 16 color views to Lbm files
V16TO72.EXE  - Converts 16 Color View to standard 72 color view
V256LBM.EXE  - Converts 'Full Color' views to Lbm files
VC.EXE       - Vocabulary Compiler
VCPP.EXE     -
VE.EXE       - View Editor (16 colors)
VE256.EXE    - View Editor (256 colors)
VIEW2LBM.EXE - Converts 256 color views to Lbm files
VIEW2NEW.EXE -
VIEW2OLD.EXE - Conversion of New View Format to Old View Format
VIEW2PCX.EXE - Converts 256 color view to PCX file
VIEWCHK.EXE  - View File Comparison Utility
VIEWMARK.EXE -
VIEWPAL.EXE  - Allows you to redefine the standard palette in view file(s)
VOLCHECK.EXE -
WE.EXE       -
WHATSON.EXE  -
XE.EXE       -
XE_RAVE.EXE  -
XEBATCH.EXE  -
XMESSAGE.EXE - SCI message extractor

I hope there'll be a community effort to document the tools more thoroughly.

Enjoy! 

[lskovlun]

My my, you have been busy. The interp called SCIUB looks like it's got complete debug symbols (as do a number of other executables).

[MusicallyInspired]

Can't wait to download this when I get home! I love this stuff.

[Collector]

I will certainly be going through them. I want to put the tools and any documentation on the Wikis. Nice to see that the files in this batch still have the original dates. Do you know if there are any of these that are server bound like the pic and view editors of the last batch?

[lskovlun]

I will certainly be going through them. I want to put the tools and any documentation on the Wikis. Nice to see that the files in this batch still have the original dates. Do you know if there are any of these that are server bound like the pic and view editors of the last batch?

That seems to be what Omer refers to when writing

Some of the tools had a protection that only allowed them to be run from a specific network share. I removed that protection.

Whether he's got rid of all of them, I can't say.

[Collector]

I guess I just skimmed over the opening statement and went right to the list itself.

[troflip]

Some of the tools had a protection that only allowed them to be run from a specific network share. I removed that protection.

Out of curiosity, how did you do that? Use a hex editor on the binary and search for path names an modify them?

Maybe we can re-construct the complete original development environment, for those who not only want to play retro games, but also program in a retro IDE, lol...

[Collector]

Probably the way Lars mentioned after Omer released the first bunch of tools.

[OmerMor]

Out of curiosity, how did you do that? Use a hex editor on the binary and search for path names an modify them?

Maybe we can re-construct the complete original development environment, for those who not only want to play retro games, but also program in a retro IDE, lol...

I used a disassembler (IDA Pro) and the DosBox Debugger to learn what's going on.
Most of the executables are checking if the there's a file server named "DEVELOPMENT" in NetWare's file server name table (using Int 21/AX=EF04h).
I *think* they later validate the user is logged on to it.
Other executables check for the existence of the same executable on drive X:.

I simply replaced the call to this check with NOPs.

It's interesting to note that beside the DEVELOPMENT string, there are also PROGRAMMING, RESEARCH, CS and APPS. It appears they aren't in use, but I guess these are the names of Sierra's other file servers.

BTW, I just recently taught myself how to use IDA Pro, as part of my work on the INN Revival project. I needed that to disassemble the modem driver and the TSN Executive. It's fun (in a perverted way)!   

[OmerMor]

Whether he's got rid of all of them, I can't say.

I hope I did. Let me know if you find any others and I'll rty to take care of that as well.

[OmerMor]

The interp called SCIUB looks like it's got complete debug symbols (as do a number of other executables).

Cool.

On a somewhat related note, Sierra clearly had a naming convention for their interpreter file names.
We all know SCIDHUV.EXE, but there are many others.
SCI is usually the prefix, but sometimes it's MSCI* and PSCI*. And they also used SIERRA (no debugger) and BETA (requires dongle).
The suffix is a combination of letters from the following set: {W,D,H,U,V,P,B}.
I am sure each suffix letter has a meaning, but I don't know what it is yet.
Any ideas?

I just noticed all the EGA games use SCIDUV.EXE and not SCIDHUV.EXE, so I guess the 'H' stands for VGA graphics.
I also *suspect* the 'D' stands for stripped debugger.

[MusicallyInspired]

Also, SCI0 games use simply SCIV. The addition of DU for SCI1 EGA games and DHU for SCI1/.1 VGA games is interesting. I remember realizing this quite a ways back. No idea what it meant, though. By SCI2 they went back to just SIERRA.

[Collector]

The SCI 2 games also had SIERRAW for the Windows interpreter. LSL7 had SIER (DOS), SIERW (Win16) and SIERW5 (Win32).

[lskovlun]

Any ideas?

V is for Volumes (the interps without it do not use RESOURCE.* files, but search for the individual resources in various specified directories).
EDITEDIT: P is for parser (they have special debug code in them).
EDIT: It is also interesting to note that the LSL3 interp found in the TOOLS package (0.000.572) has a non-volume counterpart, numbered 0.000.571. Back in the FreeSCI days we used the version numbers directly, always trying to figure out when a particular change took place. It looks like the system build procedure would build several interps in a row for different uses (volume, non-volume, vga, ega, etc.) and some version numbers can be inferred from that.

[claudehuggins]

Man, sorry to reply to an old topic, but this somehow managed to slip past my radar and I am pretty darn excited to see it.

Maybe we can re-construct the complete original development environment, for those who not only want to play retro games, but also program in a retro IDE, lol...

Call me weird, but that sounds EXACTLY like my kind of jam. I'm all for this. Go big or go home.