Hacking Replace 3DS keyboard without changing region?

[prayerie]

Seeing as it allows for input of both kana and alphanumerics, I'd like to be able to replace the system keyboard on my eu n3DS with the JP equivalent.

I found the title key of the JP keyboard, used PlaiCDN to download it, and used a hex editor to change the title ID so it'd replace the existing keyboard. However, whenever I enter System Settings, or do anything which requires keyboard use, the app crashes, and the "An error has occured" dialog appears, restarting the 3DS.

Anyone have a solution?

 

[Alan Treecko]

bump as i want to use a japanese keyboard too

 

[astronautlevel]

I've actually researched this myself and ran into the same problems you have. I'll probably do more research on it once I get my consoles back.

 

[prayerie]

So far, I've tried to use a hex editor to replace the title ID of the Japanese swkbd. Didn't work.
I've tried to extract it, edit the title ID in the ExHeader, and recompile it, but it does not work. It must be encrypted for it to work. Decrypt9 states that the rebuilt CIA is not encrypted.

 

[daxtsu]

Instead of using a hex editor, maybe you could simply swap the exheaders, using the US/EU one instead of the Japanese one? That way you'd keep the Japanese exefs and romfs intact, but have the proper and valid exheader for your region. Of course, that would require using a tool to break the CIA up into its individual parts, but since everything wouldn't be edited and valid, it shouldn't be too hard to put them back together.

Note that I'm just thinking out loud here, not speaking from any experience with this idea.

 

[redunka]

Instead of using a hex editor, maybe you could simply swap the exheaders, using the US/EU one instead of the Japanese one? That way you'd keep the Japanese exefs and romfs intact, but have the proper and valid exheader for your region. Of course, that would require using a tool to break the CIA up into its individual parts, but since everything wouldn't be edited and valid, it shouldn't be too hard to put them back together.

Note that I'm just thinking out loud here, not speaking from any experience with this idea.

Well, I did some tests on my EUR system some time ago and it's definitely not that simple.

Replacing exheader gives nothing but freezing.
EU and JP code.bin's are completely identical, so it seems to be similar problem to
multi-lang games, when application tries to load certain files, depending on system's language.
If you overwrite Euro files in romfs with their Jap counterparts, keyboard will boot, but:

Spoiler: it will look like this

So it's keyboard with Japanese GUI and European character set, it can't actually display Jap chars.

I think it probably could be solved by Luma's region/language emulation, but unfortunately it doesn't apply it to system applets.
Also, I can be wrong and maybe it's even harder than that, I don't have enough knowledge.

 

[Mc Nasty]

Ironically the Japanese / European / American text exists on all consoles and is based on unicode characters, and although not all the text there are many characters that can be written on a console ..
Would not it be easier to replace the keyboard actions or parts of the for example replace the "simbols" by the Japanese paragraph text without replacing the entire system?
In my case managed change the text by the cheat editor of the GW.. But several games support a lot of text that is not programmed on the keyboard console ..

 

[prayerie]

-

 

[Sliter]

Replacing exheader gives nothing but freezing.
EU and JP code.bin's are completely identical, so it seems to be similar problem to
multi-lang games, when application tries to load certain files, depending on system's language.
If you overwrite Euro files in romfs with their Jap counterparts, keyboard will boot, but:

can't we add more keyboards?instead of replacing? Mayb if choosing te japanese was an opition ?
But I don't know how it could be added and what have to be edited to add the opition

 

[prayerie]

Could it be something related to this?

Maybe we need the JP dict installed.

 

[redunka]

Well, it looks like it's actually possible to replace characters.

Spoiler: Proof

To be continued…

 

[prayerie]

Well, it looks like it's actually possible to replace characters.

Just asking, what process are you using to compile and install valid CIAs?

 

[Ewin]

I've not understand what you want to do

 

[prayerie]

I've not understand what you want to do

Use this keyboard without changing region:

 

[Ewin]

Use this keyboard without changing region:

You can edit the keyboard like me ? No ?

 

[prayerie]

You can edit the keyboard like me ? No ?

How'd you do that?

 

[redunka]

Just asking, what process are you using to compile and install valid CIAs?

Sorry that I didn't reply sooner.
I'm using ctrtool, 3dstool and makerom to unpack/repack cia.

Here's what I did for european keyboard cia:

ctrtool --content=system 000400300000D002.cia
3dstool -xvtf cxi system.0000.0000000b --header ncch.header --exh exheader.bin --exefs exefs.bin --romfs romfs.bin --plain plain.bin
3dstool -xvtf exefs exefs.bin --exefs-dir exefs --header exefs.header
3dstool -xvtf romfs romfs.bin --romfs-dir romfs
Edited swkbd_msbt_LZ.bin from romfs/message/EU_English folder and repacked it:
3dstool -cvtf romfs romfs.bin --romfs-dir romfs
3dstool -cvtf cxi system.0000.0000000b --header ncch.header --exh exheader.bin --exefs exefs.bin --romfs romfs.bin --plain plain.bin
makerom -f cia -o 000400300000D002.CIA -content system.0000.0000000b:0:0x0b -major 4 -minor 0

After repacking you MUST use CIA Encryptor in Decrypt9, otherwise it won't work.

More progress, whole Mobile keyboard replaced with Jap chars (except for convert button):

 

[Ryccardo]

Yay!


Woops screwed up the key labels

 

[Ryccardo]

I've finally done it in a way that satisfies me for the Italian keyboard, here's the msbt and the important parts of the source so that you can easily port it to your favorite language with some changes:

Spoiler: Hiragana (cell input alpha)

あいうえお
かきくけこがぎぐげご
さしすせそざじずぜぞ
たちつてとだぢづでど
なにぬねのん
はひふへほばびぶべぼ 
まみむめもぱぴぷぺぽ
やゆよ 
らりるれろわを 

 ・ゃゅょ、。

Spoiler: Katakana (cell input alpha c)

アイウエオァィュェォ
カキクケコガギグゲゴ
サシスセソザジズゼゾ
タチツテトダヂヅデド
ンナニヌネノ
ハヒフヘホバビブベボ
マミムメモパピプペポ
ヤユヨ
ラリルレロワヲ

 ・ャュョ、。

Spoiler: Keycaps

Vocali
k/g
s/z
t/d
n
h/b
m/p
y
r/w

Mod.

 

[Ewin]

How'd you do that?

Follow this subject : https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutorial-edit-the-homemenu.424449/