Homebrew Boot GBA + custom border?

[Searinox]

I've been looking for an NDS file that, when run, will boot whatever GBA game is in slot-2 and slap on a custom border instead of the default blackness that the NDS has. I know it can be done, as even the R4 is capable of it. I know GBA ExpLoader can do it with the proper config, but I'm looking for an instant-run program that just boots the slot-2 without further questions. Note that I am NOT looking for a program that patches the borders into GBA games.

 

[twiztidsinz]

I wanted a similar app (one that would Boot Slot-2) for Moonshell, best I found was GBASwitch.
http://www.cryptosystem.org/archives/2007/...-mode-switcher/
It has (most?) of the source code available, so you could probably use that as a base and add borders if you can code.
Additionally, you could probably look at Wood to see how it handles booting GBA games with border.


As for an app that does what you want pre-made, rather doubtful since most flashcarts can boot GBA internally.

 

[Searinox]

The supercard ds-one's new EOS can't boot GBA natively anymore so I need to use a third party app. I've come across gbaswitch before. If I had known how to code it, I'd have done so when it popped up.

 

[jurassicplayer]

Well, I was googling some random stuff and I came across NDStation which "converts" GBA to NDS files (if any noobs read this, then it isn't what you are thinking so don't ask the idiotic question in your mind)...

A very interesting approach to loading ROMs on the 3 in 1. Rather than having a homebrew running on the DS transfer the ROM to the 3 in 1, chuckstudios developed a Windows program (later ported to Linux by dg10050) that packaged the GBA ROM in an .NDS file. This packaged file, when launched from a Slot 1 card, would backup any existing save on the 3 in 1 and load the ROM onto it. The aim of the project is to give things a more integrated and unified feel with your Slot 1 cart. Additionally, one can customize the icon of the .nds file, alternatively load the game into the PSRAM, compress the ROM, and include a custom GBA border.

Admittedly, I would find this kind of tedious to do...but then again, totally custom borders for different games...

-edit-
lol I missed the last line of the first post. Looks like you already saw it xD. (I should probably get some rest)
"Note that I am NOT looking for a program that patches the borders into GBA games."

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

NDStation doesn't support the 3in1+, it was never updated.

 

[FAST6191]

Do have a quick scroll down on that cryptosystem link ( http://www.cryptosystem.org/archives/2007/...-mode-switcher/ to save you scrolling back up) and grab some of cory1492's GBA switch type applications- they were mainly built for the EZ4 but worth a look in none the less.

 

[Searinox]

I've already said at the end of my first post - I do NOT want an app that patches borders into the ROMs.

Do have a quick scroll down on that cryptosystem link ( http://www.cryptosystem.org/archives/2007/...-mode-switcher/ to save you scrolling back up) and grab some of cory1492's GBA switch type applications- they were mainly built for the EZ4 but worth a look in none the less.

I got the EZDStoGBA_V3_Framed.zip but the only binary it contains is a .bin file which won't run as .nds. What do I need to do to make it work?

 

[FAST6191]

Sorry I should have checked for that- it looks like it has a GBA header attached (old GBA slot devices often liked such things attached to their DS homebrew).

Bust out a hex editor (or something like http://crackerscrap.com/download.php?p=fil...ter.zip&n=8 ) and delete everything before A0 hex (160 decimal- the first line will read in ASCII EZresetFAT) then try the resulting file.

 

[Searinox]

I already have a hex editor. I deleted everything before said address, and even checked the text to make sure it started at EZresetFAT. However, I got a black screen again. So this prog's only designed to reset slot-2 EZflash cards to GBA mode? How can I convert a .ds.gba file into an .nds?

How do I make a standalone NDS file which, when run, will simply boot whatever is in the GBA slot and add a frame around the screen?

I managed to find the package for this with great difficulty http://m3wiki.com/index.php/Gba-border only to yet again find that it's designed to only run on slot-2. I must say these programs are very difficult to come across!

http://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/GBA_Frames There is quite so much documentation in so many places, http://www.bottledlight.com/ds/index.php/Main/GBAMode this article even goes indepth. Yet not ONE working GBA framebooter anywhere! Seriously what gives?

 

[jurassicplayer]

...Your second link TELLS you what to do for adding a GBA border at the very bottom...It doesn't look like you are adding much either (though I have EXTREMELY lame coding knowledge...from html...which apparently sort of works for all the things I see...or maybe I'm just nuts)...I kind of want to see if I can make one xD.

Sorry about missing the last line of your first post xD (I only noticed it ten minutes after I posted, but I thought of just leaving it there in case anyone does find a use for it...which I might because game specific GBA frames sounds really spiffy).

 

[Searinox]

It doesn't give me coding instructions, as to what commands are used and such. But do I really even have to code one? Isn't there any existing tool that I can directly use or only slightly modify?

 

[jurassicplayer]

I was planning on looking at the gbaswitch source that Twiztidsins posted up and then just figure out how to add it onto that.

 

[Searinox]

I'm trying to patch something together with the source on that page and cory's frameloading code, but having never programmed on DS before I have little clue if it will work.

EDIT: It's a no go. I can't get it to work. I'm sure I'm overlooking something obvious.

EDIT2: It's no use. I can't even compile working programs...

 

[jurassicplayer]

Lol, I attempted trying to compile it...but apparently I need to define powerOn();...which should have been somewhere in the library, but I have no idea where it is (or how to direct it to the file it needs) xD. Then there are those SOUND_CF and SPI_BAUD_1MHz which apparently don't get set for some peculiar reason.

Btw I'm just trying to recompile it under the latest devkitpro and libnds first xD...It sucks that I fail at even that task.

 

[Searinox]

I am having similar problems. Is there any separate forum or board that specializes in NDS programming? Maybe I can ask there.

 

[twiztidsinz]

Part of the problem is (if I understand correctly), devkit seems to like making various releases incompatible with older code.

I played around with it for a little bit, trying to get something to compile that had used an older version of devkit and it wouldn't compile because various things weren't defined/declared.

 

[Searinox]

That's exactly my problem. It starts out by telling me that some things like IPC aren't declared in lights.h, but if I remove the referrences to it and all commands, just for testing, and then try to compile again, I get errors about the next library and so on. My guess is it wants an older version of DKA, probably something from 2007.

 

[Magmorph]

I downloaded this program several years ago from a long dead website.

I'm not sure if it's what you are looking for but I can upload the file if it is.

 

[Searinox]

I was able to find it with google thanks to your naming of it. However, it doesn't appear to be what I need. It doesn't allow custom borders, just applies predefined ones. The program would have been A LOT of help if the sourcecode was also available. Sadly I can't find it.

In the meantime me and a friend got the NDS compiler working. Seems to need some older libraries from PAlib and has a few typos such as "MHZ" instead of "MHz". However, now even the sample GBA boot code on the website doesn't work. It gives a white screen on top. I think it has to do with the swiSwitchToGBA() function and we're still debugging.

And the problem with incorporating cory's border code is that it seems to use a number of slot-2 specific functions for filesystem reading, stuff like gba_fs...

 

[jurassicplayer]

And the problem with incorporating cory's border code is that it seems to use a number of slot-2 specific functions for filesystem reading, stuff like gba_fs...

o.0 maybe don't use his border code? I think you should be able to place the frame from NDS mode (meaning you wouldn't need the slot-2 stuff) if I'm understanding the link from before about adding GBA screen borders.

-edit-
I think I can almost recompile the gbaswitch...I just need to find the equivalent of SOUND_CR...since I apparently can't find it yet...although I found out that most of the other stuff it told me were errors were because of typos xD.