Building Atmosphère on Windows using MSYS2

Sometimes you need to build the binaries for Atmosphère, or you want to change something on the source code, for building your starting point should be: https://github.com/Atmosphere-NX/Atmosphere/blob/master/docs/building.md
On that document you can read:
Building Atmosphère is a very straightforward process that relies almost exclusively on tools provided by the devkitPro organization.​
Dependencies:
  • devkitA64
  • devkitARM
  • Python 2 (Python 3 may work as well, but this is not guaranteed)
  • LZ4
  • PyCryptodome (optional)
  • Hactool
Setup a DevKitPro environment: (https://devkitpro.org/wiki/Getting_Started)
Install the following packages via (dkp-)pacman:​
  • switch-dev
  • switch-glm
  • switch-libjpeg-turbo
  • devkitARM
  • devkitarm-rules
  • hactool
Install the following library via python's package manager pip, required by exosphere:​
  • lz4
Finally, clone the Atmosphère repository and run make under its root directory.​

That instructions are a little plain for we the noobs.

First you need Install a MSYS environment:
The latest instructions for install the MSYS environment are on https://gbatemp.net/threads/install-msys-environment.652234/ if you don't have one working, use them.

After you have the MSYS environment working you need to install DevKitPro
For that you can follow the instructions on the tutorial https://gbatemp.net/threads/setup-a-devkitpro-environment-on-windows.652238/

Now you can install DevKitPro packages:

You Need base DevKitPro packages:
Bash:
pacman -S --noconfirm switch-dev devkitA64 dkp-toolchain-vars libnx switch-tools switch-mesa switch-libdrm_nouveau switch-sdl2

And the Atmosphère prerequisites
Bash:
Pacman -Sy --noconfirm devkitA64 devkitARM devkitarm-rules hactool mingw-w64-x86_64-python mingw-w64-x86_64-python-lz4 mingw-w64-x86_64-python-pycryptodome switch-dev switch-glm switch-libjpeg-turbo mingw-w64-x86_64-python-pip

I had to add zip package because even if wasn't explicit indicated on the build page, the code needs it.

You also will need the packages git make lz4 for all to work, use the command:

Bash:
Pacman -Sy --noconfirm zip git make lz4


All packages on a combined command:​

Bash:
pacman -S --noconfirm switch-dev devkitA64 dkp-toolchain-vars libnx switch-tools switch-mesa switch-libdrm_nouveau switch-sdl2 devkitA64 devkitARM devkitarm-rules hactool mingw-w64-x86_64-python mingw-w64-x86_64-python-lz4 mingw-w64-x86_64-python-pycryptodome switch-dev switch-glm switch-libjpeg-turbo mingw-w64-x86_64-python-pip zip git make lz4


The package hactool need you to copy your own prod.keys file on $HOME/.switch folder. (c:\msys64\home\USERNAME\.switch if you use the default installation folder)


LibNX Dependency
Atmosphère depends heavily on LibNX, generally when a major version of firmware is released or great changes on the code are made, changes to LibNX are also made.
The Atmosphère team works on their own repo of LibNX (https://github.com/Atmosphere-NX/libnx) and forward Pull Request to official SwitchBrew LibNX repo (https://github.com/switchbrew/libnx).


So ONLY if there are changes on LibNX repository, no yet committed to DevKitPro release, you need to build it and install on your setup.
If you haven't done already, setup the environment variables
You can test it running the command
export
You should have this:
Bash:
export DEVKITPRO=/opt/devkitpro
export DEVKITARM=${DEVKITPRO}/devkitARM
export DEVKITPPC=${DEVKITPRO}/devkitPPC
export PATH=${DEVKITPRO}/tools/bin:$PATH


Then go to the Atmosphere-NX/LibNX repo and look what is the new branch for the current firmware, by example, for Firmware 16.0.0 the branch name is "1600_Support"

1677718224337.png

Then go to your MSYS MinGW64 window and clone the Atmosphere-NX/LibNX repo

Bash:
cd ~
git clone --recursive https://github.com/Atmosphere-NX/libnx.git
cd libnx

And checkout the needed branch:

Bash:
git checkout 1600_support

Then build and install the new LibNX libraries

Bash:
make install -j$(nproc)

Now you can build Atmosphère with latest LibNX code; remember if you update the pacman LibNX package the changes get reversed and you need to build LibNX again.

Now is time to build the binaries
Clone the repository:
Bash:
cd ~
git clone --recursive https://github.com/Atmosphere-NX/Atmosphere

Go to new created Atmosphère folder
Bash:
cd Atmosphere

Be sure you have defined the environment variables for DevKitPro
You can test it running the command
export
You should have this:
Bash:
export DEVKITPRO=/opt/devkitpro
export DEVKITARM=${DEVKITPRO}/devkitARM
export DEVKITPPC=${DEVKITPRO}/devkitPPC
export PATH=${DEVKITPRO}/tools/bin:$PATH


COPY YOUR PROD.KEYS FILE TO THE .SWITCH FOLDER:

Copy prod.keys file on $HOME/.switch
Bash:
mkdir ~/.switch
cp "c:\YOUR\CURRENT\PATH\TO\KEYS\PROD.KEYS" ~/.switch/prod.keys

In the case of MSYS for using localhost paths you must use "" by example in my case I use the commands:
Bash:
mkdir ~/.switch
cp "z:\Emulation\NSwitch\keys\switch\prod.keys" ~/.switch/prod.keys

Obviously you also can copy the file manually on windows to the equivalent path to ~/.switch/ which by default is c:\msys\home\USERNAME\.switch Where c:\msys is the installation folder and USERNAME is the current name for the user.


Atmosphère is a Python 2 project, even when python 2 has been deprecated by almost 5 years now. some * insist on never update it so as far as that is going, you need to change some files in order to work on python 3, on the files:
  • Atmosphere\fusee\program\update_mtc_tables.py
  • Atmosphere\fusee\program\update_sdram_params.py
The function XRANGE must to be changed to RANGE, edit the files and change xrange( to range( save the files and continue.

And now you are ready to start the building process:
Bash:
make -j$(nproc)

I do use the "-j$(nproc)" parameter to "bleed" all the available CPU to run the compiler, without that the whole process could take up to 1 hour.

Also Note:, if you use make -j is possible a Error 2 can be generated, run make again without parameters. The process will continue where failed, since the two latest versions of DevKitPro using the -j parameters is not synced and the make process can fail by timeouts.


I want to thank a lot to @binkinator and @godreborn for all the help and inspiration to make this guide, and want to ask you for help improving this guide.

Also special thanks to @godreborn for been a support of the users replies and suggestions to the OP.

Remember, as you are getting a new set of binaries, you need new set of sigpatches if you use it. So the great tool from @mrdude comes in hand, the latest release can be downloaded from: https://github.com/mrdude2478/IPS_Patch_Creator/releases/; you use the program to generate a new set of patches for your recently build package3 file.


Latest IPS Patch Creator:
https://gbatemp.net/download/ips-patch-creator-1-5-9.38850/




-Edited: add sigpatches step and clean up a little-
-Edit 2, add LibNX build-
 

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Last edited by impeeza,
Yes, they are all present...

I always can compile in, so I don't know wath's the issue. ☹️
may be some of the environmental variables are missing or your PATH variable is screw.
Post automatically merged:

share a screenshot of your screen error, please.
 
  • Like
Reactions: josete2k
I would try pip install lz4 if the regular lz4 packages arent being recognized. but in general windows just fucking sucks when it comes to getting path recognized properly
Windows, do a great job trough environmental variables.

but on this case we use MSYS, which is a ISOLATED environment with own variables an packages.
 
may be some of the environmental variables are missing or your PATH variable is screw.
Post automatically merged:

share a screenshot of your screen error, please.
1721158414157.png




1721158547276.png

Post automatically merged:

I see that I have

usr/lib/python3.10

usr/lib/python3.11

usr/lib/python3.12

and lz4 is only present in site-packages 3.10 and 3.11...

Could this be the issue?
Post automatically merged:

opssss...

If I type: python --version it gives me 3.12.4 so I don´t know why but it seems tha I´ve installed python instead of mingw-w64-x86_64-python

I'll try to remove it with pacman -Rc
 
Last edited by josete2k,
  • Like
Reactions: impeeza
View attachment 447551



View attachment 447553
Post automatically merged:

I see that I have

usr/lib/python3.10

usr/lib/python3.11

usr/lib/python3.12

and lz4 is only present in site-packages 3.10 and 3.11...

Could this be the issue?
Post automatically merged:

opssss...

If I type: python --version it gives me 3.12.4 so I don´t know why but it seems tha I´ve installed python instead of mingw-w64-x86_64-python

I'll try to remove it with pacman -Rc


sounds like it's probably trying to use python 3.12 for the build, but the 3.12 install doesnt have lz4 module


Yeah, I was thinking about multiple conflincting packages, I just installed a fresh MSYS environment, ran this commands:

Bash:
Pacman -Syuu --noconfirm --needed zip git make lz4 libnx devkitA64 devkitARM devkitarm-rules hactool switch-dev dkp-toolchain-vars switch-tools switch-mesa switch-libdrm_nouveau switch-sdl2 switch-libjpeg-turbo switch-glm mingw-w64-x86_64-python mingw-w64-x86_64-python-lz4 mingw-w64-x86_64-python-pycryptodome mingw-w64-x86_64-python-pip

cd ~
rm -rf ~/libnx
git clone --recursive https://github.com/switchbrew/libnx.git
cd ~/libnx
make all -j$(nproc)
make install -j$(nproc)

mkdir ~/.switch
cp "Z:\Backups\Nintendo Switch\Keysy\switch\prod_2024_03_28-SYS.keys" ~/.switch/prod.keys

cd ~
rm -rf ~/Atmosphere
git clone --recursive https://github.com/Atmosphere-NX/Atmosphere
cd ~/Atmosphere
make

and the process executed correctly:

1721168879093.png


I suggest:

Close all MSYS windows, rename the folder, by example «C:\MSYS64» to «C:\MSYS64_OLD» and reinstall a new MSYS environment. and try the process again!
 
  • Like
Reactions: josete2k
Yep. But I wasn't able to solve myself... 😔
Don't worry you learned what sometimes you can conflicting packages, that's why I kept a copy of the virgin MSYS folder, so when I face a similar problem, rename the current one, copy the virgin one to the MSYS64 name and test there.
 
can you guys help me fix this?

$ Pacman -Syuu --noconfirm --needed zip git make lz4 libnx devkitA64 devkitARM devkitarm-rules hactool switch-dev dkp-toolchain-vars switch-tools switch-mesa switch-libdrm_nouveau switch-sdl2 switch-libjpeg-turbo switch-glm mingw-w64-x86_64-python mingw-w64-x86_64-python-lz4 mingw-w64-x86_64-python-pycryptodome mingw-w64-x86_64-python-pip
:: Synchronizing package databases...
msys is up to date
dkp-libs is up to date
dkp-windows is up to date
warning: make-4.4.1-2 is up to date -- skipping
warning: libnx-4.7.0-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: devkitA64-r27-2 is up to date -- skipping
warning: catnip-0.1.0-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: deko3d-0.5.0-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: devkita64-cmake-1.1.2-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: libnx-4.7.0-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: switch-cmake-1.5.1-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: switch-examples-20231028-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: switch-pkg-config-0.28-4 is up to date -- skipping
warning: devkit-env-1.0.1-2 is up to date -- skipping
warning: devkitA64-r27-2 is up to date -- skipping
warning: devkitA64-gdb-14.1-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: general-tools-1.4.4-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: switch-tools-1.12.0-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: uam-1.1.0-2 is up to date -- skipping
warning: dkp-toolchain-vars-1.0.4-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: switch-tools-1.12.0-1 is up to date -- skipping
warning: switch-mesa-20.1.0-4 is up to date -- skipping
warning: switch-libdrm_nouveau-1.0.1-2 is up to date -- skipping
warning: switch-sdl2-2.28.5-4 is up to date -- skipping
warning: switch-libjpeg-turbo-2.1.2-2 is up to date -- skipping
warning: switch-glm-0.9.9.7-2 is up to date -- skipping
error: target not found: mingw-w64-x86_64-python
error: target not found: mingw-w64-x86_64-python-lz4
error: target not found: mingw-w64-x86_64-python-pycryptodome
error: target not found: mingw-w64-x86_64-python-pip
 
Last edited by Bosstendo97,
Seems like you have a Damaged MSYS environment the packages with error are MSYS ones, may be you damaged your pacman.ini file, start over that is the advantage of MSYS is a self contained environment.
 
Seems like you have a Damaged MSYS environment the packages with error are MSYS ones, may be you damaged your pacman.ini file, start over that is the advantage of MSYS is a self contained environment.
i should compile with msys instead then?
 

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