MAMEWorld Forums - EmuChat - MAME0148 Debugger & Cheats Question

Hi:

I'm running MAME0148 on Vector Linux. Everything is built and working fine but I'm trying to understand some parts of the debugger and cheat system. I've been working with Mortal Kombat [mk] mainly and I have been successful in hacking a couple simple things like health and credits.

I have a general debugger question and a couple cheat-system questions. Sorry for noobishness.

[Debugger Question]
I've attached a screenshot in regards to my debugger question. If you can't see the photo, the areas I'm referencing are:

-----------
Debugger Window Frame #1: Registers area
Debugger Window Frame #2: Instruction calls area
Debugger Window Frame #3: Top-right frame right of Instruction calls area
Debugger Window Frame #4: Debugger command input/output..
-----------

My understanding is that section #1 is the register list. Section #2 is the instruction call. Not entirely sure on what #3 is supposed to be? #4 is just the input/output window for the debugger.

In regards to areas #1-#3, is there a place to get a really good break-down / documentation for these? I'd like to get a thorough explanation of how the registers work (#1) and what their acronyms stand for. Area #2 seems straight forward, much like a debugger call stack but with instruction codes. I have no clue what I'm looking at when I see area #3. Looks like hex codes related to the instruction calls in area #2.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Cheats Question]
I would have posted these on Pugsy's forum but new accounts cannot be created right now:

http://www.mamecheat.co.uk/forums/ucp.php?mode=register
(Creating a new account is currently not possible.)

Here's an example MK cheat portion that relates to my question (new cheat system - chars <> are changed to []):

Code:

  [cheat desc="CPU always finishes with a Fatality"]
    [script state="run"]
      [action]maincpu.mw@00B5D08=0300[/action] [!-- FFDAE840 --]
    [/script]
  [/cheat]

Question 1: how does "FFDAE840" relate to "00B5D08"? I can set a breakpoint at "FFDAE840" and the debugger stops and the cheat works. However, I don't understand how instruction "FFDAE840" relates to "00B5D08". Is "00B5D08" a rom address (since this is a ROM cheat)?

Question 2: is there a way to force an instruction call using the cheat system? For example: I want to mimic an input press (such as a low-punch button), so I want to find the originating (very first) instruction call outside of mame and have the cheat system force that call when a condition occurs during a fight.

Thanks!

[ATTACHED IMAGE]

Attachment