Hacking R4 Skins not working for some odd reason...

[lostsoulktash]

It's been a while since I've been on the R4 scene and now I'm back but I can't figure out how to change themes anymore. Pressing select on the Ds does nothing and I have already put some themes into the themes folder in the systems folder. Any clue why? First Gen R4.

 

[skyman113]

What Firmware are you running? And you probably knew this, but the theme has to go in one of the already made folders.

 

[lostsoulktash]

1.18 firmware and I've replaced the theme in folder theme01 but somehow the select button does not change themes. Also added all the default themes but nothing.

 

[skyman113]

.

 

[kobykaan]

try using the button test on DS DIAGNOSE

 

[Miaowara]

Hey lostsoulktash,

Did you ever find the problem/solution?

I seem to have the same issue with my R4 (using kernel 1.18). I've tried all methods to install themes I've come across but no luck. I've also tested my DS-lite with DS Diagonose but all hardware seems to be in working order...

Thanks for your time & consideration!
m

 

[pieman202]

did you make sure that your themes has the same name as the default theme and has replaced it i.e theme01 ?

 

[Miaowara]

Yup, everything is as it should be as far as I can tell.

_system_/bckgrd_1.bmp
_system_/bckgrd_2.bmp
_system_/icons.bmp
_system_/logo.bmp

I've also tried that _system_/themes/themeXX method as well but no joy...

Perhaps I should mention though, in the kernel package I downloaded from the r4ds.cn site it didn't have any of the skin files in them. Just a gbaframe.bmp...

 

[Reaper]

You must do _system/themes/themeXX. And all the way up to 12, no matter what

 

[Porkdish]

No you really don't, I have 4 themes on rotation in folders named up to theme04, there's no need to have all 12.

 

[Miaowara]

I've read the skins can be placed directly in the "_system_" dir (or is it really "_system", I've seen it written both ways several times).

Either way, placing the skin in "_system_" or "_system_/themes/theme01-themes12" does nothing.

(just a note, that little soft-reset button set to green doesn't seem to do anything either, but perhaps that's unrelated...)

Thanks for the replies though. I appreciate the suggestions!

 

[Miaowara]

Hello again,

It appears the R4 is very touchy about the bmps it will read for use as skins.
I seems opening problem images in an image editor and re-saving seemed to make problem bmps work on my R4.

Thanks!

 

[TraumaHoundNDS]

Some things to check:

1) 24-bit BMPs
2) Each theme has to be in its own folder, with all four images. A theme.ini file should also be present though it should work without it (the R4$ will just use default text colors...which'll probably look bad with your chosen theme)
3) Like some others mentioned: are you sure the Select button works? If you're on the Files screen pressing Select should cycle through the different file views. If this isn't happening, it might just be your Select button is borked.
4) If a GBAframe is present, make sure it's outside of any theme folders. The R4 can only use one GBAframe at a time, it sits in the _system_ folder.
5) The green soft-reset button changes by pressing the right shoulder button (the brightness cycles by pressing the left trigger.) In case you don't know, you soft-reset by pressing A+B+X+Y+R&L Triggers.

 

[Miaowara]

Hey,

Thanks TraumaHoundNDS!

Apparently images can also be slightly modified when downloaded/unzipped as well (according to the download page on ndsthemes.com).
I believe this was my problem (this still amazes me though, I wouldn't have expected anything to be so touchy about images

).

Didn't know that about the gbaframe, though so far I've never even seen the screen in action. When is it used anyway?

As for the soft-reset, I think my problem may have been that it [soft-reset] doesn't work with homebrew by design (or lack of). So it goes.

Thanks again!

 

[Porkdish]

Didn't know that about the gbaframe, though so far I've never even seen the screen in action. When is it used anyway?

When a gba rom is run via the slot 2 button in the main menu. Its just a picture frame to fill the black border the DS puts around the gba screen to account for difference in screen size between the two devices..

 

[TraumaHoundNDS]

Apparently images can also be slightly modified when downloaded/unzipped as well (according to the download page on ndsthemes.com).

Yeah, it's a mystery why that happens as it's a rare and inconsistent occurance. My money's on chupacabras.

QUOTE(Miaowara @ Jan 12 2009, 03:13 AM) Didn't know that about the gbaframe, though so far I've never even seen the screen in action. When is it used anyway?

When you play a GBA game on the DS' screen it's a smaller image (DS screen is 256x192, GBA is 240x160) so the frame wraps around the GBA game screen to fill in the gap.

It's a drag that only one GBA frame can be on the card at a time. I've done a few themes with matching GBA frames but that kinda goes out the window when one changes the main theme.

 

[davislim]

your bmp file should only be 144kb....256x192 pixel
with that for all 4 pic (logo, icons, bckgrd_1, bckgd_2).... your theme will then be able to work.

btw support my themes!!!!!

 

[kingdavid337]

your bmp file should only be 144kb....256x192 pixel
with that for all 4 pic (logo, icons, bckgrd_1, bckgd_2).... your theme will then be able to work.

btw support my themes!!!!!

Please help i can't use select:

My bmp files (bckgrd_1, bckgrd_2, icons and logo) are all 96kb but are still 256x192 pixel and my theme.ini file is 705bytes

Please help all help is appreciated

 

[exangel]

wow, a second page and still no one has told you to "just download wood r4, ofw sux"

@kingdavid337
btw if they're 96kb they're in 16-bit, not 24-bit

 

[Stropdasje]

wow, a second page and still no one has told you to "just download wood r4, ofw sux"

Have you looked at the dates of the start topic and the responses? They are from 2008 and 2009. Still amazed nobody mentioned Wood R4?

The only question is: why on earth did kingdavid337 dig up this very ancient post and made it current again... I guess we'll never know.