ROM Hack Question Is there any way to move PC emulator saves into SNES Online for the Switch?

[VOFluff]

Is it possible to take saves from an emulator and import them into the Switch Online SNES app? Basically I have some old saves backed up from an emulator on my PC, which I would like to restore into the Switch Online SNES app so I can continue on that.

I have noticed when dumping saves with Checkpoint it does seem to produce "cartridge.sram" files - Which I am assuming are the saves for individual games on the SNES app. When I take my PC emulator save (renamed to cartridge.srm) and import it over the top, the app doesnt seem to pick up the save.

I did notice my old emulator save seems to be in 2 formats (.srm and .sav) - Do I need to convert these at all before I try and restore via checkpoint? I was under the impression that srm/sram are the same thing?

Basically, am I being dumb and missing something, or can this not be done?

 

[LeyendaV]

Emulator saves are usually compatible (natively or through convertion) with other emulators (for example, RetroArch for Switch).
As far as I know, the NSO apps work in a different way, so I'm not sure if you can inject external saves the same way you do with roms.

 

[thedanklordseph]

Is it possible to take saves from an emulator and import them into the Switch Online SNES app? Basically I have some old saves backed up from an emulator on my PC, which I would like to restore into the Switch Online SNES app so I can continue on that.

I have noticed when dumping saves with Checkpoint it does seem to produce "cartridge.sram" files - Which I am assuming are the saves for individual games on the SNES app. When I take my PC emulator save (renamed to cartridge.srm) and import it over the top, the app doesnt seem to pick up the save.

I did notice my old emulator save seems to be in 2 formats (.srm and .sav) - Do I need to convert these at all before I try and restore via checkpoint? I was under the impression that srm/sram are the same thing?

Basically, am I being dumb and missing something, or can this not be done?

Yes, you can use emulator saves for SNES Online and it doesn't seem to carry a ban risk which is great. You have to make sure they're in the right format though (Mario All-Stars for example uses an 8KB ram chip so make sure the save itself is 8KB). Usually what I do is use a hex editor like HxD and copy the relevant data from the save and paste insert.

 

[LeyendaV]

Yes, you can use emulator saves for SNES Online and it doesn't seem to carry a ban risk which is great.

I mean, if you are injecting files in your Switch it's cause the console is hacked, and a hacked console is always in a potential state of being banned.
Of course that modifying the saves won't cause any harm by itself, but that's just the same that saying "booting into CFW doesn't seem to carry a ban risk", which is basically true as well.

 

[thedanklordseph]

I mean, if you are injecting files in your Switch it's cause the console is hacked, and a hacked console is always in a potential state of being banned.
Of course that modifying the saves won't cause any harm by itself, but that's just the same that saying "booting into CFW doesn't seem to carry a ban risk", which is basically true as well.

Whenever I inject saves i always put into airplane mode, shut down, reboot into rcm and run payload and then run checkpoint. I've only had 1 fault with a save file and even then its for a game i wouldn't think would carry a ban risk (smash). That particular game only banned me for online for that game but all other games have been okay. gave me a bit of a reason to buy another switch and get a family plan.

 

[LeyendaV]

Whenever I inject saves i always put into airplane mode, shut down, reboot into rcm and run payload and then run checkpoint. I've only had 1 fault with a save file and even then its for a game i wouldn't think would carry a ban risk (smash). That particular game only banned me for online for that game but all other games have been okay. gave me a bit of a reason to buy another switch and get a family plan.

Well, of course it would. If you go online with a modified console, expect a ban at some point (usually, almot instantly). You don't need to disconnect forever from the internet, just don't be dumb enough to use official intenet services with a modified console.

 

[VOFluff]

Well, of course it would. If you go online with a modified console, expect a ban at some point (usually, almot instantly). You don't need to disconnect forever from the internet, just don't be dumb enough to use official intenet services with a modified console.

I have Emunand setup with incognito for all my CFW stuff - Sysnand is clean, I check that its not banned regularly. My NSO app is in the Emunand anyway.

In any case, I think the idea with the HxD might be my best bet - I think half my issue may have been I was writing the wrong save back... Just opened it with the emulator this morning and its blank.. But I did find the file I need.

Il try and just restore on top with the correct .srm replaced for the game I am trying to do, if not, il fire up HxD and give it a go.

 

[VOFluff]

Yes, you can use emulator saves for SNES Online and it doesn't seem to carry a ban risk which is great. You have to make sure they're in the right format though (Mario All-Stars for example uses an 8KB ram chip so make sure the save itself is 8KB). Usually what I do is use a hex editor like HxD and copy the relevant data from the save and paste insert.

So if I were to go down this route (after confirming my working save file is a .sav) - Can I just open that .sav in a hex editor, then save another copy as .sram for use on the NSO app? Or is there more to it when editing the hex?

 

[thedanklordseph]

So if I were to go down this route (after confirming my working save file is a .sav) - Can I just open that .sav in a hex editor, then save another copy as .sram for use on the NSO app? Or is there more to it when editing the hex?

Different emus seem to use different formats. I recall using that mario allstars save originally with my sd2snes and it was sourced from the wii virtual console. The wii save was essentially the same as a raw dump but 4 bytes were added near the end. I'd compare both formats of save (switch save and emu save for example) and see if anything is added/removed from the emu front. if the general layout appears to be the same I'd just make a copy of the save and rename appropriately

 

[JeepX87]

Good news - yes, you can with no edit needed but only one save - Yoshi Island save didn't work because SNES and emulator use 64 KB but SNES app on Switch use 32 KB so is any way to convert or reduce the size from 64 KB to 32 KB?

SNES app use codes for games.

2008 - Kirby Dream Land 3
2024 - Zelda: A Link to the Past
2023 - Yoshi Island (not working due to size issue)
2055 - Donkey Kong Country
2060 - Donkey Kong Country 2
2033 - Super Mario All-Stars
2017 - Super Mario World

Feel free to add codes for specific games if you know.

 

[thedanklordseph]

Good news - yes, you can with no edit needed but only one save - Yoshi Island save didn't work because SNES and emulator use 64 KB but SNES app on Switch use 32 KB so is any way to convert or reduce the size from 64 KB to 32 KB?

SNES app use codes for games.

2008 - Kirby Dream Land 3
2024 - Zelda: A Link to the Past
2023 - Yoshi Island (not working due to size issue)
2055 - Donkey Kong Country
2060 - Donkey Kong Country 2
2033 - Super Mario All-Stars
2017 - Super Mario World

Feel free to add codes for specific games if you know.

Whatever emu you're using is wrong. 32KB is the correct size in both switch emu and SNES9x. Yoshi's island is weird because its a combination save ram and work ram chip for the super fx chip. I uploaded a save here thats 100%. rename to .sram for it to work ofc.

 

[JeepX87]

Whatever emu you're using is wrong. 32KB is the correct size in both switch emu and SNES9x. Yoshi's island is weird because its a combination save ram and work ram chip for the super fx chip. I uploaded a save here thats 100%. rename to .sram for it to work ofc.

I use SNES app on Switch and the save size is dictated by ROM - someone ripped the game and made save as 64 KB rather than 32 KB. I had issue with GBA because of different save sizes in ROM so I had to find ROM that is compatible with save.

Thank you for save.

 

[JeepX87]

Whatever emu you're using is wrong. 32KB is the correct size in both switch emu and SNES9x. Yoshi's island is weird because its a combination save ram and work ram chip for the super fx chip. I uploaded a save here thats 100%. rename to .sram for it to work ofc.

I can't get Super Metroid 100% save to work so do you have good success to get work?