Test Builds

Testing a PR or Actions build

A test artifact belongs to one GitHub Actions run and commit. It is separate from the published release channels, which can lag while builds run. Open the supplied run, verify its source commit, sign into GitHub, then download the requested ZIP from Artifacts. Expired artifacts need a new build.

Workflow	Artifact	What it holds
Rolling Release	release-korium, release-ra, release-incebtion, release-ra_incebtion	The complete install kit and every channel asset for that edition (the last is the IncebtIon-theme RA kit)
Rolling Release	variant-<edition>-<configuration>	One configuration build (ELF and manifest); the VARIANTS, DEBUG and RA-VARIANTS release zips are made from these
ps2build-configurations	configuration-<edition>-<configuration>-<gcc or llvm>	One configuration build per compiler, with its manifest and resolved definition
ps2build	riptopl-ps2build-gcc, riptopl-ps2build-llvm	The bare packed loader from the compiler gate

Each configuration is described in Build configurations. For Japanese/Unicode game-name font fallback, see Unicode Game Titles; the optional font_CJK.ttf is user-provided and not in any artifact.

Extract the ZIP and read BUILD-MANIFEST.json for the source commit, edition, configuration, compiler and ps2build components. Launch the ELF requested in the test instructions. A configuration artifact is a loader build and its manifest only, so keep the complete companion installation from a release-* kit for Neutrino, Ember, POPSTARTER and artwork.

Replacing only RIPTOPL.ELF does not update companion cores or modules. Use the full install kit when its notes announce such updates; back up configuration and save cards first.

A useful result names the PS2 model, exact RiptOPL version/commit, edition and configuration, loader/device, filesystem, selected core, changed settings, VMC state, PADEMU state, exact error/stage and reproduction steps. Compare the same setup against a known-good build. Compilation and host tests are not a console pass.

The Settings index and About both show the full running build identifier; a nonstandard configuration names itself there. See release channels and packaging, the release guide and troubleshooting.

In-game freeze report (ingamediag)

Use the ingamediag configuration (in the DEBUG bundle, or a variant-korium-ingamediag / configuration-korium-ingamediag-gcc artifact) when a game freezes during play. Play as usual. When it freezes, press L1 + L2 + R1 + R2 + Start + Select (the normal IGR combo). The build saves RIPTFRZ.TXT to the root of the memory card in slot 1 (slot 2 if slot 1 fails), then exits as IGR always does. Copy that file off the card with wLaunchELF and send it with your report. Each freeze overwrites the previous file.

The file records thread waits and priorities after IGR has suspended the game threads; their status includes that suspension. It also records the last disc reads and any read that started and never finished, memory card (VMC) activity, and whether the I/O processor still answered. Its hint= line says which of those looks stuck.

If the combo does nothing, report that and confirm Compatibility Mode 6 was off. An unresponsive combo alone does not establish a main-CPU freeze: IGR can be disabled or fail to detect input. Compatibility Mode 6 turns IGR off, so it also turns this report off. The configuration is otherwise a normal Korium or IncebtIon build; it is refused for RetroAchievements, which runs IGR from VBLANK.

Favorites and automatic VMC failure recovery

If a Favorites edit cannot stage a complete replacement, including when the device is full, the edit fails and the existing list is preserved. Free space before retrying.

Automatic VMC probing checks the superblock of whole-MB images before assigning them. A full-size image left by failed formatting is not treated as a usable card solely because its length matches. Invalid existing files are preserved and require explicit user action; odd-size Neutrino cards retain their existing handling.

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Source: docs/TEST-BUILDS.md @ b4c23bdac8f9.