Hacking Nintendont Themes and Custom Mods

[papermanzero]

I have one question with regard to nintendont. Is it possible to rename the boot.dol in the apps/nintendont folder to a different name. The reason is to hide the nintendont app in the homebrew channel and to make it only accessable via wiiflow master mod.
Therefore I would like to rename the boot.dol from nintendont to loader.dol or similar.

 

[AbdallahTerro]

I have one question with regard to nintendont. Is it possible to rename the boot.dol in the apps/nintendont folder to a different name. The reason is to hide the nintendont app in the homebrew channel and to make it only accessable via wiiflow master mod.
Therefore I would like to rename the boot.dol from nintendont to loader.dol or similar.

This can be custom made, not sure if it works now but it would require editing wiiflow source

 

[papermanzero]

Would be great if possible. A either/or (boot.dol or loader.dol) detection in wiiflow would be exactly what I am looking for.
Currently I don't see the benefit to have nintendont as a seperate application in the hbc, if everything can be configured and selected via wiiflow.
So this would be awesome if possible.

Edit: I am using the Nintendont mod for wiiflow and figured out that it cannot be used via homebrew channel. Therefore this feature is even more interesting.

Edit 2: What kind of bullshit is the XML change modification?
I tried to sort my apps in the homebrew channel and I changed the description and name of the nintendont application in the according xml file. But if I use nintendont in wiiflow all changes in the xml are gone and the original descirption, name etc are used. This is against the intention of the homebrew channel.

 

[AbdallahTerro]

Would be great if possible. A either/or (boot.dol or loader.dol) detection in wiiflow would be exactly what I am looking for.
Currently I don't see the benefit to have nintendont as a seperate application in the hbc, if everything can be configured and selected via wiiflow.
So this would be awesome if possible.

Edit: I am using the Nintendont mod for wiiflow and figured out that it cannot be used via homebrew channel. Therefore this feature is even more interesting.

Edit 2: What kind of bullshit is the XML change modification?
I tried to sort my apps in the homebrew channel and I changed the description and name of the nintendont application in the according xml file. But if I use nintendont in wiiflow all changes in the xml are gone and the original descirption, name etc are used. This is against the intention of the homebrew channel.

currently adding "download all game covers" feature, after that will take a look at your issue

 

[AbdallahTerro]

wip
few bugs left
will upload tomorrow if all goes well

 

[isira]

I decided to update my Nintendont (Abz) today after some time to 4.419, but it reverted to the default theme and lost the ability to read the game titles from titles.txt.

My configuration is to launch GC games from USB Loader GX with Nintendont stored on the USB drive.

1. I deleted all files, so all that is left is boot.dol
2. Launched a game from USB Loader GX - Hit B to cancel.
3. Attempted to download Game Titles File. Result: Update Error -3
4. Attempted to download a Nintendont theme (Dark/Light/Gradient/etc.). Result: None of the themes are applied.
5. Attempted to download a Nintendont Loader theme. Result: The "3 second preview" just kicked me back to menu.

I downgraded to 4.405 everything appears working (custom game loading themes, nintendont themes, titles, bios)

 

[AbdallahTerro]

I decided to update my Nintendont (Abz) today after some time to 4.419, but it reverted to the default theme and lost the ability to read the game titles from titles.txt.

My configuration is to launch GC games from USB Loader GX with Nintendont stored on the USB drive.

1. I deleted all files, so all that is left is boot.dol
2. Launched a game from USB Loader GX - Hit B to cancel.
3. Attempted to download Game Titles File. Result: Update Error -3
4. Attempted to download a Nintendont theme (Dark/Light/Gradient/etc.). Result: None of the themes are applied.
5. Attempted to download a Nintendont Loader theme. Result: The "3 second preview" just kicked me back to menu.

I downgraded to 4.405 everything appears working (custom game loading themes, nintendont themes, titles, bios)

is the boot.dol in /apps/Nintendont ? otherwise it won't work
also is the boot.dol on a different partition than the games?
Update error - 3 means problem while trying to write the downloaded file to disk..
I never tested the setup on USB, all my stuff are on large SD, but I'll give it a try after finishing the work in hands

 

[AbdallahTerro]

New update:
* Added ability to download all custom game loader themes (with or without loading bar) to the download game themes menu

please test and report
might take a while if you have lots of games
so I've added a primitive progress bar to keep you entertained

 

[AbdallahTerro]

more updates to OP,
Source patch will be up tonight after more cleanups

 

[AbdallahTerro]

I decided to update my Nintendont (Abz) today after some time to 4.419, but it reverted to the default theme and lost the ability to read the game titles from titles.txt.

My configuration is to launch GC games from USB Loader GX with Nintendont stored on the USB drive.

1. I deleted all files, so all that is left is boot.dol
2. Launched a game from USB Loader GX - Hit B to cancel.
3. Attempted to download Game Titles File. Result: Update Error -3
4. Attempted to download a Nintendont theme (Dark/Light/Gradient/etc.). Result: None of the themes are applied.
5. Attempted to download a Nintendont Loader theme. Result: The "3 second preview" just kicked me back to menu.

I downgraded to 4.405 everything appears working (custom game loading themes, nintendont themes, titles, bios)

I believe you have issues with the server that hosts the backgrounds
I just tested using USB only and all works fine as it should

 

[AbdallahTerro]

Updated the source patch after fixing the remaining tiny bugs
updated the dol too, please update to latest fixed 419 before reporting any issues
tested with SD only and USB only setup
will test later with mixed SD/USB setup (boot.dol/games) that is

 

[isira]

I updated to the 419-July 18 build. Same issues.

Location usb:/apps/nintendont/boot.dol
Scenario, Nintendont loaded from USB Loader GX. All Nintendont files deleted, leaving only boot.dol.

I tried the following functions in the following order:

1. Download Game Titles File: I get "Updating titles.txt, Network Initialized, Download Complete, Update Error -3"
2. Download Custom Game Loader Themes: I selected "Download All Custom Game Themes (With Progress Bar). After a few seconds, the screen turns black. I have to reboot my Wii U. Upon inspecting /apps/nintendont/, nothing appears to be downloaded.
3. After rebooting Wii U from #2 giving me black screen, I try to Download Nintendont Dark/Light/Gradient/Black/Unicolor Themes: All themes claimed to be downloaded, none would be applied, showing only the default Nintendont background.
4. Next I tried to Download Nintendont Loader Themes: After claiming to have downloaded them, it's supposed to show a 3 second preview. 3 second preview DID NOT show, instead kicking me back to theme download list.
5. Next I download 3.405 from the menu and returned to loader.

Now with 3.405 installed, I started a game from within USB Loader GX and canceled autoboot to get into Nintendont.

1. Previously downloaded Nintendont Loader and GUI theme is applied!
2. Download Game Titles File: Download successful! Rebooting Nintendont shows that the titles were applied!
   
3. Download Custom Game Loader Themes: All downloaded and 3 second preview works! Booting into a game correctly shows the custom image.
   
4. Download Nintendont Loader Themes: Downloaded and 3 second preview works!
5. Nintendont GUI Themes: Downloaded and applied immediately!

Now that I have demonstrated that 3.405 is working as intended, I download the latest revision to 3.419-July18. Here's what I noticed:

1. Launching a game from USB Loader, Nintendont DOES NOT use custom game loader image, rather showing default Nintendont background.
2. Cancelling autoboot, Nintendont DOES NOT use titles.txt, and custom background image for the GUI is NOT applied, show default background.
3. Upon reverting back to 3.405 immediately, all previously downloaded titles, loader themes, and background themes were applied.

 

[AbdallahTerro]

I updated to the 419-July 18 build. Same issues.

Location usb:/apps/nintendont/boot.dol
Scenario, Nintendont loaded from USB Loader GX. All Nintendont files deleted, leaving only boot.dol.

I tried the following functions in the following order:

1. Download Game Titles File: I get "Updating titles.txt, Network Initialized, Download Complete, Update Error -3"
2. Download Custom Game Loader Themes: I selected "Download All Custom Game Themes (With Progress Bar). After a few seconds, the screen turns black. I have to reboot my Wii U. Upon inspecting /apps/nintendont/, nothing appears to be downloaded.
3. After rebooting Wii U from #2 giving me black screen, I try to Download Nintendont Dark/Light/Gradient/Black/Unicolor Themes: All themes claimed to be downloaded, none would be applied, showing only the default Nintendont background.
4. Next I tried to Download Nintendont Loader Themes: After claiming to have downloaded them, it's supposed to show a 3 second preview. 3 second preview DID NOT show, instead kicking me back to theme download list.
5. Next I download 3.405 from the menu and returned to loader.

Now with 3.405 installed, I started a game from within USB Loader GX and canceled autoboot to get into Nintendont.

1. Previously downloaded Nintendont Loader and GUI theme is applied!
2. Download Game Titles File: Download successful! Rebooting Nintendont shows that the titles were applied!
   
3. Download Custom Game Loader Themes: All downloaded and 3 second preview works! Booting into a game correctly shows the custom image.
   
4. Download Nintendont Loader Themes: Downloaded and 3 second preview works!
5. Nintendont GUI Themes: Downloaded and applied immediately!

Now that I have demonstrated that 3.405 is working as intended, I download the latest revision to 3.419-July18. Here's what I noticed:

1. Launching a game from USB Loader, Nintendont DOES NOT use custom game loader image, rather showing default Nintendont background.
2. Cancelling autoboot, Nintendont DOES NOT use titles.txt, and custom background image for the GUI is NOT applied, show default background.
3. Upon reverting back to 3.405 immediately, all previously downloaded titles, loader themes, and background themes were applied.

rename apps/nintendont to apps/Nintendont and try again
if it works I'll fix this next time

Edit: just tested with apps/nintendont and all works fine too!

It seems the new FatFS doesn't work as it should with your HDD

Can you try another USB pen drive or SD card to double check please.

 

[AbdallahTerro]

it only gets better
new update:
* Improved the download all game themes gui -the progress bar looks like crap tbh

Spoiler

 

[isira]

It seems the new FatFS doesn't work as it should with your HDD

Can you try another USB pen drive or SD card to double check please.

I moved Nintendont to the SD card and everything is working again. I guess the new FatFS is incompatible with my HDD

 

[AbdallahTerro]

I moved Nintendont to the SD card and everything is working again. I guess the new FatFS is incompatible with my HDD

I was almost sure since I tested a lot
ask in the main thread about cluster sizes and best formats, maybe you can make it work again
@GerbilSoft and @FIX94 added the new FatFS and should have clearer answers
Sorry for you but 3.405 have great compatibility and full themes support too
it only lacks "one click all custom game themes download"

 

[GerbilSoft]

FatFS was always used in the Nintendont kernel, so I'm not sure why it would stop working because the loader uses it now.

@isira Can you dump the first 34 sectors (17,408 bytes) of your USB HDD to a binary file? (I'm not sure how to do this on Windows, but on Linux or Mac you can use the 'dd' command.)

 

[AbdallahTerro]

I moved Nintendont to the SD card and everything is working again. I guess the new FatFS is incompatible with my HDD

so your games are still on the USB device now with the boot.dol on SD?

 

[isira]

so your games are still on the USB device now with the boot.dol on SD?

Ah no, both games and boot.dol are now on SD. I can move the games back to USB and test it out for you if you'd like.

 

[AbdallahTerro]

Ah no, both games and boot.dol are now on SD. I can move the games back to USB and test it out for you if you'd like.

would be great, I'm just curious but I believe it should work