This page hosts a formal specification of .nes file format using Kaitai Struct. This specification can be automatically translated into a variety of programming languages to get a parsing library.
All parsing code for JavaScript generated by Kaitai Struct depends on the JavaScript runtime library. You have to install it before you can parse data.
The JavaScript runtime library is available at npm:
npm install kaitai-structSee the usage examples in the JavaScript notes.
Parse structure from an ArrayBuffer:
var arrayBuffer = ...;
var data = new Ines(new KaitaiStream(arrayBuffer));
After that, one can get various attributes from the structure by accessing fields or properties like:
data.header // => get header
// This is a generated file! Please edit source .ksy file and use kaitai-struct-compiler to rebuild
(function (root, factory) {
if (typeof define === 'function' && define.amd) {
define(['kaitai-struct/KaitaiStream'], factory);
} else if (typeof module === 'object' && module.exports) {
module.exports = factory(require('kaitai-struct/KaitaiStream'));
} else {
root.Ines = factory(root.KaitaiStream);
}
}(typeof self !== 'undefined' ? self : this, function (KaitaiStream) {
/**
* @see {@link https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/INES|Source}
*/
var Ines = (function() {
function Ines(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
Ines.prototype._read = function() {
this._raw_header = this._io.readBytes(16);
var _io__raw_header = new KaitaiStream(this._raw_header);
this.header = new Header(_io__raw_header, this, this._root);
if (this.header.f6.trainer) {
this.trainer = this._io.readBytes(512);
}
this.prgRom = this._io.readBytes((this.header.lenPrgRom * 16384));
this.chrRom = this._io.readBytes((this.header.lenChrRom * 8192));
if (this.header.f7.playchoice10) {
this.playchoice10 = new Playchoice10(this._io, this, this._root);
}
if (!(this._io.isEof())) {
this.title = KaitaiStream.bytesToStr(this._io.readBytesFull(), "ASCII");
}
}
var Header = Ines.Header = (function() {
function Header(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
Header.prototype._read = function() {
this.magic = this._io.readBytes(4);
if (!((KaitaiStream.byteArrayCompare(this.magic, [78, 69, 83, 26]) == 0))) {
throw new KaitaiStream.ValidationNotEqualError([78, 69, 83, 26], this.magic, this._io, "/types/header/seq/0");
}
this.lenPrgRom = this._io.readU1();
this.lenChrRom = this._io.readU1();
this._raw_f6 = this._io.readBytes(1);
var _io__raw_f6 = new KaitaiStream(this._raw_f6);
this.f6 = new F6(_io__raw_f6, this, this._root);
this._raw_f7 = this._io.readBytes(1);
var _io__raw_f7 = new KaitaiStream(this._raw_f7);
this.f7 = new F7(_io__raw_f7, this, this._root);
this.lenPrgRam = this._io.readU1();
this._raw_f9 = this._io.readBytes(1);
var _io__raw_f9 = new KaitaiStream(this._raw_f9);
this.f9 = new F9(_io__raw_f9, this, this._root);
this._raw_f10 = this._io.readBytes(1);
var _io__raw_f10 = new KaitaiStream(this._raw_f10);
this.f10 = new F10(_io__raw_f10, this, this._root);
this.reserved = this._io.readBytes(5);
if (!((KaitaiStream.byteArrayCompare(this.reserved, [0, 0, 0, 0, 0]) == 0))) {
throw new KaitaiStream.ValidationNotEqualError([0, 0, 0, 0, 0], this.reserved, this._io, "/types/header/seq/8");
}
}
/**
* @see {@link https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/INES#Flags_6|Source}
*/
var F6 = Header.F6 = (function() {
F6.Mirroring = Object.freeze({
HORIZONTAL: 0,
VERTICAL: 1,
0: "HORIZONTAL",
1: "VERTICAL",
});
function F6(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
F6.prototype._read = function() {
this.lowerMapper = this._io.readBitsIntBe(4);
this.fourScreen = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.trainer = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.hasBatteryRam = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.mirroring = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1);
}
/**
* Lower nibble of mapper number
*/
/**
* Ignore mirroring control or above mirroring bit; instead provide four-screen VRAM
*/
/**
* 512-byte trainer at $7000-$71FF (stored before PRG data)
*/
/**
* If on the cartridge contains battery-backed PRG RAM ($6000-7FFF) or other persistent memory
*/
/**
* if 0, horizontal arrangement. if 1, vertical arrangement
*/
return F6;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/INES#Flags_7|Source}
*/
var F7 = Header.F7 = (function() {
function F7(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
F7.prototype._read = function() {
this.upperMapper = this._io.readBitsIntBe(4);
this.format = this._io.readBitsIntBe(2);
this.playchoice10 = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.vsUnisystem = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
}
/**
* Upper nibble of mapper number
*/
/**
* If equal to 2, flags 8-15 are in NES 2.0 format
*/
/**
* Determines if it made for a Nintendo PlayChoice-10 or not
*/
/**
* Determines if it is made for a Nintendo VS Unisystem or not
*/
return F7;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/INES#Flags_9|Source}
*/
var F9 = Header.F9 = (function() {
F9.TvSystem = Object.freeze({
NTSC: 0,
PAL: 1,
0: "NTSC",
1: "PAL",
});
function F9(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
F9.prototype._read = function() {
this.reserved = this._io.readBitsIntBe(7);
this.tvSystem = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1);
}
/**
* if 0, NTSC. If 1, PAL.
*/
return F9;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/INES#Flags_10|Source}
*/
var F10 = Header.F10 = (function() {
F10.TvSystem = Object.freeze({
NTSC: 0,
DUAL1: 1,
PAL: 2,
DUAL2: 3,
0: "NTSC",
1: "DUAL1",
2: "PAL",
3: "DUAL2",
});
function F10(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
F10.prototype._read = function() {
this.reserved1 = this._io.readBitsIntBe(2);
this.busConflict = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.prgRam = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.reserved2 = this._io.readBitsIntBe(2);
this.tvSystem = this._io.readBitsIntBe(2);
}
/**
* If 0, no bus conflicts. If 1, bus conflicts.
*/
/**
* If 0, PRG ram is present. If 1, not present.
*/
/**
* if 0, NTSC. If 2, PAL. If 1 or 3, dual compatible.
*/
return F10;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/Mapper|Source}
*/
Object.defineProperty(Header.prototype, 'mapper', {
get: function() {
if (this._m_mapper !== undefined)
return this._m_mapper;
this._m_mapper = (this.f6.lowerMapper | (this.f7.upperMapper << 4));
return this._m_mapper;
}
});
/**
* Size of PRG ROM in 16 KB units
*/
/**
* Size of CHR ROM in 8 KB units (Value 0 means the board uses CHR RAM)
*/
/**
* Size of PRG RAM in 8 KB units (Value 0 infers 8 KB for compatibility; see PRG RAM circuit on nesdev.com)
*/
/**
* this one is unofficial
*/
return Header;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://www.nesdev.org/wiki/PC10_ROM-Images|Source}
*/
var Playchoice10 = Ines.Playchoice10 = (function() {
function Playchoice10(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
Playchoice10.prototype._read = function() {
this.instRom = this._io.readBytes(8192);
this.prom = new Prom(this._io, this, this._root);
}
var Prom = Playchoice10.Prom = (function() {
function Prom(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
Prom.prototype._read = function() {
this.data = this._io.readBytes(16);
this.counterOut = this._io.readBytes(16);
}
return Prom;
})();
return Playchoice10;
})();
return Ines;
})();
return Ines;
}));