Homebrew How do you get CXI files from a physical game card?

[EriAvery]

I don't understand why I can't find an answer to this.

I'm trying to "randomise" Ultra Sun, which according to all tutorials I've found needs a CXI file obtained from the TMD file of a game using GodMode9.

But TMD files only show up for downloaded games, not physical game cards. I only have the option of getting a vague encrypted/decrypted file or a CIA file.

How do people manage to do this?

 

[TurdPooCharger]

I don't understand why I can't find an answer to this.

I'm trying to "randomise" Ultra Sun, which according to all tutorials I've found needs a CXI file obtained from the TMD file of a game using GodMode9.

But TMD files only show up for downloaded games, not physical game cards. I only have the option of getting a vague encrypted/decrypted file or a CIA file.

How do people manage to do this?

How good is your knowledge of geometry? Do you know that a square is also a rectangle, but not all rectangles are squares?

https://3dbrew.org/wiki/NCCH#CXI

What you know as a CXI file [square] is a specific type a CIA file [rectangle].

Edit - GodMode9 can dump physical cart games too btw.

 

[EriAvery]

How good is your knowledge of geometry? Do you know that a square is also a rectangle, but not all rectangles are squares?

What you know as a CXI file [square] is a specific type a CIA file [rectangle].

Edit - GodMode9 can dump physical cart games too btw.

Yeah I'm aware, but GodMode9 does not have an option for outputting a CXI file for physical games.
And the program apparently needed for what I'm trying to do specifically does not recognise CIA.

 

[TurdPooCharger]

Yeah I'm aware, but GodMode9 does not have an option for outputting a CXI file for physical games.
And the program apparently needed for what I'm trying to do specifically does not recognise CIA.

Try renaming the .cia extension to .cxi . Your program is probably picky about naming convention.

Edit - I've been mistaken. CXI are also .3ds format, which is CIA with header.

Try dumping the cart in .3ds format.

Edit 2 - https://community.citra-emu.org/t/3ds-vs-cci-rom-file-formats/191/2

• .cci and .3ds are two file extensions for the exact same format: NCSD. This is the format of 3DS cart images, and they’re basically a container for several NCCH files (see below).
• .cxi and .app are the file extensions for NCCH files. These are basically 3DS "exe"s, but they also contain data for the game/application. NCCHs can also be “data-only”, and those are use in NCSDs to hold the game manual and cart-supplied system updates. Titles installed to a 3DS or SD will be stored directly as loose NCCHs.
• .3dsx is the homebrew format that can be used with various exploits (*hax). It’s similar in purpose to a cxi, but has a simpler and more flexible format for increased compatibility.
• .elf and .axf are ELF files, which are a raw program binary, this is the result of compiling an application, but it’s usually converted to a 3dsx (or NCCH in the case of official games) for distribution. This format is mostly useful for homebrew developers.
• .cia is another important file format that is not supported by Citra. A CIA is a packaging format used by Nintendo. CIAs hold NCCH files, which can be installed to the 3DS NAND or SD card. This is why you can convert a CIA to a NCSD and vice-versa, they both just hold NCCHs. The difference is a NCSD is designed to allow direct access to its contents, while a CIA is meant to be unpacked to the 3DS system first.

Edit 3 - It seems I'm the one who needs more lessons in geometry so to speak. All these dang confusing naming conventions.

If you mount your game cart in GodMode9, look for the .app files. Those should be the one and the same .cxi files you're looking for.

 

[BigMacnor]

Braindump. This program dumps the game files as a .cxi to the SD card.

 

[WishyTheStar]

Try renaming the .cia extension to .cxi . Your program is probably picky about naming convention.

Edit - I've been mistaken. CXI are also .3ds format, which is CIA with header.

Try dumping the cart in .3ds format.

Edit 2 - https://community.citra-emu.org/t/3ds-vs-cci-rom-file-formats/191/2



Edit 3 - It seems I'm the one who needs more lessons in geometry so to speak. All these dang confusing naming conventions.

If you mount your game cart in GodMode9, look for the .app files. Those should be the one and the same .cxi files you're looking for.

Hi! I'm about to try this out. So, should I decrypt the .app file and then rename the extension to .cxi?

 

[Ryccardo]

Hi! I'm about to try this out. So, should I decrypt the .app file and then rename the extension to .cxi?

.app (of a 3DS-mode software) = NCCH = CXI or CFA

For a typical application title, there will be one CXI (the application itself, usually the largest .app, and always the one with partition number 0000 - I think that number is shown in GM9's default name for .app files), and zero or more CFAs (0001 - digital manual, 0002 - download play broadcast data, etc)

You do not "have to" decrypt or rename anything - unless you are going to use the CXI in software (of outdated design) that can't accept them otherwise!

 

[WishyTheStar]

.app (of a 3DS-mode software) = NCCH = CXI or CFA

For a typical application title, there will be one CXI (the application itself, usually the largest .app, and always the one with partition number 0000 - I think that number is shown in GM9's default name for .app files), and zero or more CFAs (0001 - digital manual, 0002 - download play broadcast data, etc)

You do not "have to" decrypt or rename anything - unless you are going to use the CXI in software (of outdated design) that can't accept them otherwise!

Thanks for your reply! I renamed it could be usable in Asia's hack tool, and it worked! Thank you for your information.