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Homebrew app A-Pix DS 0.4 – Pixel art editor for Nintendo DS/DSi!

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Alfombra

Alfombra

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20260512_171027-jpg.572628

1791735549824.png
A-Pix DS is a pixel art editor for Nintendo DS/DSi inspired by YY-CHR, aiming to be as feature-complete as possible within the hardware's capabilities.
Features: (0.7)

- Pixel art editor optimized for NDS hardware
- Multiple color depth support (2bpp to direct color)
- Retro console–oriented export formats
- Custom compact image format (`.acs`)
- Undo / Redo support
- Semi-transparent grid, zoom and scroll tools
- Copy/Cut/Paste image
- Copy/Paste palette
- 4 brush types and 4 brush sizes
- Shift canvas in all directions (with wrap-around)
- Palette editor with per-channel precision editing and copy/paste
- Color bucket — replace a palette index, an entire color across the image or just a zone
- File browser with preview and smooth scrolling
- Animation support
- Animation info displayed on the bottom screen
- Animations stored on RAM when there's free space (falls back to the SD card)
- Built-in music player (`.wav` playback, keeps playing in sleep mode with headphones)
- Audio sync option for animations
- Preview resize (stretch preview to fill the screen, great for 4:3 images)
- Camera support, take photos or videos with the DSi camera and use them as reference
- Video recording (128x128 16bpp, adjustable FPS via the animation icons)
- A lot of image effects (Invert colors, gray scale, brightness, etc)
- Crop and expand images
- Color reduction to N colors
- A few easter eggs hidden somewhere in the app
- Various key shortcuts
- ARGV support
- Switch between DSi SD card or Flashcard
- NDS memory expansion pak support
- 3DS and DSi debugger extra memory support
and more!

Where can I download this tool?
https://github.com/Alfombracitario/Alfombra-s-Pixel-Art-Editor-DS

I really appreciate feedback, I want to improve this tool as much as possible!

Some images of the app:
1791735758028.png
1791735780065.png
 
Last edited by Alfombra,
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Not only did you make the rom itself but you also made your own image format, absolutely goated, ggs bro
 
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chkmt said:
Not only did you make the rom itself but you also made your own image format, absolutely goated, ggs bro
Click to expand...
Regarding the image format, even before I had a DSi or any idea how to program in C, I invented a prototype; I simply wanted to create a compression algorithm. After a few days, I invented the system you see called .acs. I tried programming it in Game Maker, but it didn't work very well, lol.
A year later, I bought a DSi with the intention of programming. I started with A-Pix DS and realized that .acs was a perfect fit.
I tweaked it a bit, sacrificing space for order, predictability, and speed, and it finally came together.
And also, thank you so much for your words!!
Post automatically merged:

Regarding the image format, even before I had a DSi or any idea how to program in C, I invented a prototype; I simply wanted to create a compression algorithm. After a few days, I invented the system you see called .acs. I tried programming it in Game Maker, but it didn't work very well, lol.

A year later, I bought a DSi with the intention of programming. I started with A-Pix DS and realized that .acs was a perfect fit.

I tweaked it a bit, sacrificing space for order, predictability, and speed, and it finally came together.

And also, thank you so much for your words!!
 
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I'm trying it out and it's interesting.
I have some personal opinions to share:
For the eraser, it would be helpful to be able to choose the size (similar to the marker).
For the pencil, I'd find it more useful to have a second marker so I can quickly switch between two settings (perhaps even linking the two markers to different colors).
Why are there redundant controls? Everything could be reorganized to have a larger work area (it doesn't necessarily have to be centered) and with the same 4:3 screen aspect ratio.
 
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Provare said:
I'm trying it out and it's interesting.
I have some personal opinions to share:
For the eraser, it would be helpful to be able to choose the size (similar to the marker).
For the pencil, I'd find it more useful to have a second marker so I can quickly switch between two settings (perhaps even linking the two markers to different colors).
Why are there redundant controls? Everything could be reorganized to have a larger work area (it doesn't necessarily have to be centered) and with the same 4:3 screen aspect ratio.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your feedback!
Well this project started as a YY-CHR port for the DS so that's why the app is mostly like that.
But I've been thinking on a better UI and I think something like Pixly would be awesome.
The current UI is hardcoded so yeah, maybe in 0.5 that could be the main update.
Now I'm also using the hardware to scale and scroll the canvas so it would't be that crazy!

Also, the eraser shares the same shape as the marker.
 
Alfombra said:
20260512_171027-jpg.572628

A-Pix DS is a pixel art editor for Nintendo DS/DSi inspired by YY-CHR, aiming to be as feature-complete as possible within the hardware's capabilities.
Features:
  • Multiple color depths and resolutions.
  • Palette editor with index swapping, copy/paste for individual colors or whole sections.
  • Experimental animation system; each frame stores its own palette, enabling palette animations.
  • ROM explorer with vertical scrolling, just like YY-CHR.
  • File explorer with image preview.
  • Supports many retro console formats: NES, SNES 4BPP & 8BPP, GBA 4BPP, GBC 2BPP, plus YYCHR and native NDS/GBA ARGB1555 palettes.
  • Modern format support: PNG, BMP, PCX.
  • Tools: multiple brushes, clipboard, pixel shift with wrap, scale, 90° rotation.
  • 16BPP mode supports semi-transparent brush and transparent background.
  • Zoom and canvas scrolling for comfortable editing.
  • Undo/redo
  • Horizontal and vertical flip
  • Adjustable grid size
  • NES mode

What's new in v0.4:
  • Animation support (experimental)
  • Palette editor improvements
  • SNES 8BPP format
  • File previews in explorer
  • ~3x performance boost
  • A few hidden easter eggs

Where can I download this tool?
https://github.com/Alfombracitario/Alfombra-s-Pixel-Art-Editor-DS

I really appreciate feedback, I want to improve this tool as much as possible!
Click to expand...
Dude, i just realized this was posted this past month, AWESOME. Glad to see people still care for old/legacy pieces of hardware. Me and my DS thank you very much haha.
 
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Alfombra said:
20260512_171027-jpg.572628

A-Pix DS is a pixel art editor for Nintendo DS/DSi inspired by YY-CHR, aiming to be as feature-complete as possible within the hardware's capabilities.
Features:
  • Multiple color depths and resolutions.
  • Palette editor with index swapping, copy/paste for individual colors or whole sections.
  • Experimental animation system; each frame stores its own palette, enabling palette animations.
  • ROM explorer with vertical scrolling, just like YY-CHR.
  • File explorer with image preview.
  • Supports many retro console formats: NES, SNES 4BPP & 8BPP, GBA 4BPP, GBC 2BPP, plus YYCHR and native NDS/GBA ARGB1555 palettes.
  • Modern format support: PNG, BMP, PCX.
  • Tools: multiple brushes, clipboard, pixel shift with wrap, scale, 90° rotation.
  • 16BPP mode supports semi-transparent brush and transparent background.
  • Zoom and canvas scrolling for comfortable editing.
  • Undo/redo
  • Horizontal and vertical flip
  • Adjustable grid size
  • NES mode

What's new in v0.4:
  • Animation support (experimental)
  • Palette editor improvements
  • SNES 8BPP format
  • File previews in explorer
  • ~3x performance boost
  • A few hidden easter eggs

Where can I download this tool?
https://github.com/Alfombracitario/Alfombra-s-Pixel-Art-Editor-DS

I really appreciate feedback, I want to improve this tool as much as possible!
Click to expand...

I uploaded a youtube video about the app!


Post automatically merged:

eyeliner said:
This is a great tool.
Can this be used on a DSi and capture a picture and edit it directly?
Click to expand...
That'd be fun!
I'll try to add that in a future!
 
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eyeliner said:
This is a great tool.
Can this be used on a DSi and capture a picture and edit it directly?
Click to expand...
Yes! it can!
Post automatically merged:

https://github.com/Alfombracitario/A-PIX_DS/releases/tag/0.6.3

Hi! this will be the last update in some weeks. I'll go on vacation and I won't have my laptop (and I also want to rest a bit from this, I've been working on this every day)
This update was made in a hurry, so maybe there will be some little bugs :/ but I hope you all enjoy it!!
 
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