CSM theme making - No corruption with alpha layer
Hey peeps, this week I started making themes for the Wii. I did find it difficult to find good tutorials or other links to good programms.
First of I want to thank DigityDogs for making a good start tut and 56killer for the nice chart of graphics.
You can start by reading DigityDogs tutorial: http://softmii.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8.
This way you can understand CSM themes a bit more.
I did got corupted files when I edited the Topbuttons. So I found a way to get rid of this. Some people know this technique but didn't wanted to share. I do!!!
I hope this speed up the theme flow....... If you like this tut please start your comment with: Vibe you're the best
.
This was done on a PC with XP........ Sorry Vista guys. Also for PAL but NTSC should work too..
Visit my site if you want to check out my newest themes: Designvibes.net
I'm going to try to give you a step by step tutorial for 1 button (but it works with lots of other pictures too)
What do you need.
- The charts for the graphics made by 56Killer: http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=134404
- U8Tool by HowardC (latest version with injection)
- ASH.exe by Crediar
-
- Ofcourse a 00000042.app (unpacked, read DigityDogs tutorial)
- HEX edit program
- Program which can edit TGA, like Gimp or Photoshop.
Most off these programs can be found in this thread by HaniKazmi: http://softmii.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=183
What do we need to do!!!
1.
First we need a unpacked 00000042.app by U8Tool. Normal these unpacked files are stored in a 00000045_app_OUT folder.
I always make a working directory called work.
From the 00000045_app_OUT/layout/common/ folder copy cmnBtn.ash to the work folder.
Also copy ASH.exe into the work directory.
2.
So now we got the file we want to work with (or another). We can go and unpack it.
Drop the cmnBtn.ash onto the ASH.exe. This will create a cmnBtn.ash.arc.
Delete the older cmnBtn.ash and rename cmnBtn.ash.arc to cmnBtn.ash. You can see that the file is gained some Kb's in the progress.
3.
The next step is to unpack the cmnBtn.ash.
Open U8tool and and click on the .... button to open up the Archive File. Go to the work directory and search for cmnBtn.ash (if it does not show, type *.* in file name and press enter. It should show up.)
Press the extract button and close the program. There should be a folder in the work folder called cmnBtn_ash_OUT
4.
In the cmnBtn_ash_OUT\ folder you should go to cmnBtn_ash_OUT\arc\timg and copy the my_TopBtn_b.tpl.
This is the button in the main menu on the left with Wii on it.
You can check the graphics out in the 56Killer sheet (http://fathertom.net/hardwii/systemdump/Cm...h-Breakdown.htm)
Copy it into the work folder (this way you get a clean work place).
5.
Copy the programs ************* into the work folder.
We should create 2 *.bat files to speed up the process.
Create a txt file and name it tpl2tga.bat.
Click right on it and then edit.
Paste this text into the bat:
TPL2TGA.exe my_TopBtn_b.tpl
Save
Also create a txt file and name it tga2tpl.bat.
Click right on it and then edit.
Paste this text into the bat:
********* my_TopBtn_b.tpl
Save
This is to automate the proces (if you want to change other graphics change the file name in the *.bat's and the Script.tcs)
6.
Double click the TPL2TGA.bat. A tex#00_05.tga (tex#00_0X.tga) should apear. Rename it to my_TopBtn_b.tga.
Click right on the file and properties.
You should see that the size of this is 25.635 bytes. The new picture must be the same size. (for other graphics copy the size on a piece of paper)
7.
Edit the my_TopBtn_b.tga in a graphics program. Also the alpha layer can be edited. Save the file.
8.
Now you should check if the file is still 25.635 bytes. If not you should delete some offsets on the end of the file with a HEX editor. It needs to be exact that size as the original.
9.
Repack the tga to tpl with your *********
Check the my_TopBtn_b.tpl file if it is 12.864 bytes (these file sizes can also be seen on the graphic charts). If it is, your TPL is ready to be injected.
10.
Copy the "new" my_TopBtn_b.tpl back into the cmnBtn_ash_OUT\arc\timg and overwrite it.
Open the U8tool again and select the cmnBtn.ash in the work folder.
Press the Inject button. If everything goes right it should not give a error and repack the file like it was before.
11.
The cmnBtn.ash is now ready for use.
Copy it from the work folder back to the 00000045_app_OUT/layout/common/ folder were it came from.
12.
Last step is to open U8tool for the last time and repack the 00000045.app. Press the button next to Archive Folder and select the 00000045_app_OUT folder.
Press the Pack button. Click ok when done.
13.
Really last step....... Copy it to the SD card into the right SoftMii folder and run the SoftMii tweak program on the Wii.
Enjoy the nice new button. Hope this will help the competition to some new themes.
Known bugs. Some tga files won't repack back to a good filesize. These graphics can not be used yet. Every TPL should have it's original filesize.
Please comment me when some things wont work out.
[edited the tutorial due the use of illegal programs, never intended to do that]
First of I want to thank DigityDogs for making a good start tut and 56killer for the nice chart of graphics.
You can start by reading DigityDogs tutorial: http://softmii.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8.
This way you can understand CSM themes a bit more.
I did got corupted files when I edited the Topbuttons. So I found a way to get rid of this. Some people know this technique but didn't wanted to share. I do!!!
I hope this speed up the theme flow....... If you like this tut please start your comment with: Vibe you're the best
This was done on a PC with XP........ Sorry Vista guys. Also for PAL but NTSC should work too..
Visit my site if you want to check out my newest themes: Designvibes.net
I'm going to try to give you a step by step tutorial for 1 button (but it works with lots of other pictures too)
What do you need.
- The charts for the graphics made by 56Killer: http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=134404
- U8Tool by HowardC (latest version with injection)
- ASH.exe by Crediar
-
- Ofcourse a 00000042.app (unpacked, read DigityDogs tutorial)
- HEX edit program
- Program which can edit TGA, like Gimp or Photoshop.
Most off these programs can be found in this thread by HaniKazmi: http://softmii.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=183
What do we need to do!!!
1.
First we need a unpacked 00000042.app by U8Tool. Normal these unpacked files are stored in a 00000045_app_OUT folder.
I always make a working directory called work.
From the 00000045_app_OUT/layout/common/ folder copy cmnBtn.ash to the work folder.
Also copy ASH.exe into the work directory.
2.
So now we got the file we want to work with (or another). We can go and unpack it.
Drop the cmnBtn.ash onto the ASH.exe. This will create a cmnBtn.ash.arc.
Delete the older cmnBtn.ash and rename cmnBtn.ash.arc to cmnBtn.ash. You can see that the file is gained some Kb's in the progress.
3.
The next step is to unpack the cmnBtn.ash.
Open U8tool and and click on the .... button to open up the Archive File. Go to the work directory and search for cmnBtn.ash (if it does not show, type *.* in file name and press enter. It should show up.)
Press the extract button and close the program. There should be a folder in the work folder called cmnBtn_ash_OUT
4.
In the cmnBtn_ash_OUT\ folder you should go to cmnBtn_ash_OUT\arc\timg and copy the my_TopBtn_b.tpl.
This is the button in the main menu on the left with Wii on it.
You can check the graphics out in the 56Killer sheet (http://fathertom.net/hardwii/systemdump/Cm...h-Breakdown.htm)
Copy it into the work folder (this way you get a clean work place).
5.
Copy the programs ************* into the work folder.
We should create 2 *.bat files to speed up the process.
Create a txt file and name it tpl2tga.bat.
Click right on it and then edit.
Paste this text into the bat:
TPL2TGA.exe my_TopBtn_b.tpl
Save
Also create a txt file and name it tga2tpl.bat.
Click right on it and then edit.
Paste this text into the bat:
********* my_TopBtn_b.tpl
Save
This is to automate the proces (if you want to change other graphics change the file name in the *.bat's and the Script.tcs)
6.
Double click the TPL2TGA.bat. A tex#00_05.tga (tex#00_0X.tga) should apear. Rename it to my_TopBtn_b.tga.
Click right on the file and properties.
You should see that the size of this is 25.635 bytes. The new picture must be the same size. (for other graphics copy the size on a piece of paper)
7.
Edit the my_TopBtn_b.tga in a graphics program. Also the alpha layer can be edited. Save the file.
8.
Now you should check if the file is still 25.635 bytes. If not you should delete some offsets on the end of the file with a HEX editor. It needs to be exact that size as the original.
9.
Repack the tga to tpl with your *********
Check the my_TopBtn_b.tpl file if it is 12.864 bytes (these file sizes can also be seen on the graphic charts). If it is, your TPL is ready to be injected.
10.
Copy the "new" my_TopBtn_b.tpl back into the cmnBtn_ash_OUT\arc\timg and overwrite it.
Open the U8tool again and select the cmnBtn.ash in the work folder.
Press the Inject button. If everything goes right it should not give a error and repack the file like it was before.
11.
The cmnBtn.ash is now ready for use.
Copy it from the work folder back to the 00000045_app_OUT/layout/common/ folder were it came from.
12.
Last step is to open U8tool for the last time and repack the 00000045.app. Press the button next to Archive Folder and select the 00000045_app_OUT folder.
Press the Pack button. Click ok when done.
13.
Really last step....... Copy it to the SD card into the right SoftMii folder and run the SoftMii tweak program on the Wii.
Enjoy the nice new button. Hope this will help the competition to some new themes.
Known bugs. Some tga files won't repack back to a good filesize. These graphics can not be used yet. Every TPL should have it's original filesize.
Please comment me when some things wont work out.
[edited the tutorial due the use of illegal programs, never intended to do that]
