Using Hearse with Nethack on the Psion

What is Hearse?

Hearse is a utility to allow Nethack users to share bones files.

When your character dies, Nethack may save a bones file of the level which allows some future adventurer to come across a ghost (or mummy etc.) in the same situation that killed you.

This works great on a multi user system, but it can be a bit boring if the only ghosts you meet are yourself, and you already have some idea what wonderful items the ghost might be carrying.

Hearse addresses this by uploading your bones files to a server, and downloading the same number of bones files uploaded by other people. See the Hearse page for more details, and to download the client.

Hearse Compatibility

Prior to Nethack 3.4.1, (with Nethack.sis dated 27th May), Psion bones files contained magic numbers identifying them as being compatible with Microsoft Windows bones files. Unfortunately they weren't compatible and caused Nethack to crash on loading them on the wrong platform.

The newer version of 3.4.1 now uses different identifying numbers, so Hearse can safely distinguish Psion bones files from Windows ones. To avoid losing your old bones and save files, you should run UpdateBones.opo on your Psion when you upgrade.

Version 3.4.3 is backwards compatible with 3.4.1. This means that if you exchange 3.4.3 files with Hearse, it may send you some 3.4.1 bones files. If you exchange 3.4.1 bones files it will not send the newer versions though, so do upgrade to the latest Nethack.

Using Hearse from the Psion

The simple way

Create a directory on your PC to hold Psion bones files. Download Hearse for Windows and copy it into the directory you created.

Every so often (when you have new bones files on your Psion), you should move (not copy) all your bones files from your Psion (C:\System\Apps\Nethack) to the Windows directory using Psiwin. The bones files are the ones with filenames that begin 'bon', e.g. bonD0.5. Run Hearse in that directory, it will upload your bones files and download some new ones. Move the bones files back onto your Psion.

A better way

If you have installed Nethack onto a compact flash card, and you have a compact flash reader on your PC, then you can put the Windows hearse.exe into the nethack directory on the compact flash card. This allows you to avoid all the file copying described above. Just remove the compact flash from your Psion, put it into your PC, and run Hearse directly from the compact flash directory.

Another way to do it?

Someone could write a program that uses the Psiwin api to automate the process of copying the bones files around.

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