iMenu step-by-step set-up tutorial

CannonFoddr · Mar 12, 2011

spinal_cord said:
So does this thing work by taking the arg value and setting it as the last played game in the ds_game menu? If so, why not create an icon with the arg being blank, wouldn't that just load ds_game.nds without a last played game?

Apparenlty not - I've tried it with nothing in it & with 'garbage' (e.g. '###'), I've even tried putting a text file & called it 'dummy.nds' thinking that would be put into 'lastsave.ini' to fool DS_game - but it still loads in the last game I played

I guess there must be some check when DS_game load to see if the ARG value is 'valid', & if not it won't rewrite the 'lastsave.ini' file

EDIT: Just had a brainwave - tried setting the DS_Game ARG to '_dstwo.nds','reset2desktop.nds' and even 'dstwoNDSLoader.nds' - Nope none of those worked either

spinal_cord · Mar 12, 2011

It should be trivial for jurassic to put both options in the same file, have it set the lastRomRun=0 if the arg value is _/dstwo/dsgame.nds, if it's any other file, set it to load.

That way, only one .nds is needed, if you want to load dsgme.nds, set it to load though jurassic's loader as the arg filename.

The Catboy · Mar 12, 2011

spinal_cord said:
It should be trivial for jurassic to put both options in the same file, have it set the lastRomRun=0 if the arg value is _/dstwo/dsgame.nds, if it's any other file, set it to load.

That way, only one .nds is needed, if you want to load dsgme.nds, set it to load though jurassic's loader as the arg filename.

Two white screens on my end

spinal_cord · Mar 12, 2011

a little off topic, but I just suffered from the 'no card inserted' bug, even though I already have the latest firmware and bootloader etc. There was almost a 'cant finish imenu' panic. However after waiting about five minutes it worked again.

Terminator02 · Mar 12, 2011

just wondering, does the latest EOS include the patch that i've linked to in step 3.5, i'm starting to think it's a useless step and might even decrease compatibility if that's older than was comes with 1.11

Edit: also been thinking about changing bagsfc r3 to catsfc 1.1, does the .nds that comes with catsfc support arg?

also, just got a working plugin for iMenu while in the official plug-in menu, i can now switch between them and they both appear to be working perfectly (probably adding this to my package)

CannonFoddr · Mar 12, 2011

Terminator02 said:
Edit: also been thinking about changing bagsfc r3 to catsfc 1.1, does the .nds that comes with catsfc support arg?According to this - CATSFC supports ARG, although I've not tried it yet

Terminator02also, just got a working plugin for iMenu while in the official plug-in menu, i can now switch between them and they both appear to be working perfectly

Why'd it take you so long ?? - been there - done that... It's already on the DSTwo Wiki (under utilities) ever since beta3 been released to the public

Terminator02 · Mar 12, 2011

well spinal said that after you returned to imenu from the plug-in menu that it wouldn't load anything so i never bothered trying

anyway, been thinking about the NDS loader, is there some way that you could change the lastRomRun to imenu.nds after loading your game so that it will load iMenu when you exit a game?

Edit: i can confirm catsfc supports arg

The Catboy · Mar 12, 2011

jurassicplayer said:
Well, with the new autorun last rom feature that was added in the latest kernel, I decided I'd try my hand and see if I actually learned anything from poking around at nesDS along with Taiju's stuff. Amazingly enough, I spewed out something that works =D...probably not the most elegant solution to do (I'm thinking Spinal_cord could come up with a better solution that can be integrated into iMenu entirely, but meh I wanted to try my brain), but at least with this you can now have .nds files loaded from iMenu (and BAGUI) meaning there are still a LOT more icons that can be made (like hell I'm going to allow anyone to stop making more icons xD).
To use it, just set up a regular icon with arg support and then shit happens, and yay it might work (probably will work...maybe...I didn't test it much, but it worked for me anyways).
http://www.mediafire.com/?zax6xzo0qh97iz6

Have fun guys...and make more themes (since you don't really need to go to DSGame to play games anymore, you can technically call iMenu a new OS...at least, I'm intending to call it that =D).

-edit-
Oh, and btw you might be able to use it as an extlink loader for moonshell2...maybe...

I can't seem to download your file

Terminator02 · Mar 12, 2011

try this

The Catboy · Mar 12, 2011

Terminator02 said:
try this

Thanks man

EDIT: I was able to download and set this up and still nothing, just loads to the main menu.

Terminator02 · Mar 12, 2011

what do you mean? that's just the nds file used to load a game from iMenu, it works just like the bagsfc.plg file, it starts up the emulator/dsgame and then starts up the game

CannonFoddr · Mar 12, 2011

Seems like a few people are having trouble with this new 'AutorunLastRom' business, so maybe this will help

1) Download the 'DSTwoNDSLoader.nds' from here or here (note - it looks like the names been changed to 'nds.dstwoNDSloader.nds')
2) Download the 'DStwoiniClear.nds' from here
3) Place both files anywhere you like (I suggest in the '/_iMenu/' folder)

4) Edit the existing 'DSGame' icon from within iMenu, so that's it's similar to this

Code:

Icon:dsgame.bmp
Name:NDS Games
File:dstwoiniclear.nds
Note:Normal DS_Game menu
Arg:
ININame:dsgame.ini

5) Create as many new Icons for each DS game you wish to run from iMenu, having it's INI file similar to

Code:

Icon: {WhateverYouLike}.bmp
Name: {name of ROM}
File:nds.dstwoNDSLoader.nds
Note:
Arg:/{wherever your DSGames are stored}/NameOfROM.nds
IniName:{WhateverYouLike}.ini

so for example, if the game is 'Animal Crossing' it would look something like this

Code:

Icon: ACWW.bmp
Name: Animal Crossing
File:nds.dstwoNDSLoader.nds
Note:
Arg:/dsgames/Animal Crossing Wild World.nds
IniName:ACWW.ini

Now, IF you want to play your ROM - use the appropriate Icon you made for it OR IF you wish to go to the 'normal' DS game menu (if you want to change the Hotkeys etc) - Use the usual 'DS Game' icon

@A Gay Little Cat Boy: You HAVE updated to the latest Firmware (v1.11) haven't you ?? - it sounds like you've not got the 'AutorunLastRom'. Have a look in your '/_DStwo/ 'globalsettings.ini'. Have you got a 'lastromrun=' line ??

Terminator02 · Mar 12, 2011

what exactly does the dstwoiniclear.nds do?

CannonFoddr · Mar 12, 2011

Terminator02 said:
what exactly does the dstwoiniclear.nds do?

It resets the Globalsettings.ini 'LastRomRun=' option from '1' to '0' - therefore preventing DSGame from auto-reloading the last game you played when you select it...

This is so that you can get back to the 'normal' DS game menu (which allows you to change 'Skins' / 'Hotkeys' etc) without having to 'Hold Down 'B' while loading' to bypass the autoload function.

Of course you could just leave it as it is - then the 'DS Game' Icon becomes more like a 'Play the last DS game I played' Icon

The Catboy · Mar 12, 2011

CannonFoddr said:
Seems like a few people are having trouble with this new 'AutorunLastRom' business, so maybe this will help

1) Download the 'DSTwoNDSLoader.nds' from here or here (note - it looks like the names been changed to 'nds.dstwoNDSloader.nds')
2) Download the 'DStwoiniClear.nds' from here
3) Place both files anywhere you like (I suggest in the '/_iMenu/' folder)

4) Edit the existing 'DSGame' icon from within iMenu, so that's it's similar to this

Code:

Icon:dsgame.bmp Name:NDS Games File:dstwoiniclear.nds Note:Normal DS_Game menu Arg: ININame:dsgame.ini

5) Create as many new Icons for each DS game you wish to run from iMenu, having it's INI file similar to

Code:

Icon: {WhateverYouLike}.bmp Name: {name of ROM} File:nds.dstwoNDSLoader.nds Note: Arg:/{wherever your DSGames are stored}/NameOfROM.nds IniName:{WhateverYouLike}.ini

so for example, if the game is 'Animal Crossing' it would look something like this

Code:

Icon: ACWW.bmp Name: Animal Crossing File:nds.dstwoNDSLoader.nds Note: Arg:/dsgames/Animal Crossing Wild World.nds IniName:ACWW.ini

Now, IF you want to play your ROM - use the appropriate Icon you made for it OR IF you wish to go to the 'normal' DS game menu (if you want to change the Hotkeys etc) - Use the usual 'DS Game' icon

@A Gay Little Cat Boy: You HAVE updated to the latest Firmware (v1.11) haven't you ?? - it sounds like you've not got the 'AutorunLastRom'. Have a look in your '/_DStwo/ 'globalsettings.ini'. Have you got a 'lastromrun=' line ??

Yes I have the latest and it's set up just the same as you said and I even manually turned on the last run option through the firmware and through my computer and I got nothing.

EDIT: It's working now, turns out it doesn't work through sub-directories, ex: games/Platformers/New super mario Bro.nds,t only works if it's in one folder so, games/New Super Mario Bro.nds

CannonFoddr · Mar 12, 2011

A Gay Little Catboy said:
EDIT: It's working now, turns out it doesn't work through sub-directories, ex: games/Platformers/New super mario Bro.nds,t only works if it's in one folder so, games/New Super Mario Bro.nds

Hmm - I wonder if that's a problem with the firmware update or a problem with the 'NDSLoader.nds' not passing the full path across

The Catboy · Mar 12, 2011

CannonFoddr said:
A Gay Little Catboy said:

EDIT: It's working now, turns out it doesn't work through sub-directories, ex: games/Platformers/New super mario Bro.nds,t only works if it's in one folder so, games/New Super Mario Bro.nds

Click to expand...

Hmm - I wonder if that's a problem with the firmware update or a problem with the 'NDSLoader.nds' not passing the full path across

To make sure it wasn't just iMenu, I used the loader in DSCovered and it worked, loaded the roms and everything, there was a major problem. It resets, but then don't go back to the main menu, it only freezes once you leave the sub and then glitches the card causing me to remove my card, then put it back in the card ran, but it seems to be locked in the game folder. Again testing it with the rom not in the Sub and it does the same thing, freezes you in the game folder and still locked.
Now I figured out the fix the lock you need to go into the globalsettings.ini and change
enterLastDirWhenBoot=1
to
enterLastDirWhenBoot=0
Sadly then it doesn't seem to load the rom through DSCovered and honestly right now it doesn't seem like a wise idea to use DSCovered at the moment
Also you need to run the dstwoiniclear.nds file, then manually turn the enterLastDirWhenBoot=0 back to enterLastDirWhenBoot=1 to make the arg files work again through iMenu
So loader can boot into Subs, but it will cause problems and need to be fixed manually.
I hope this helps.

jurassicplayer · Mar 12, 2011

Well I gave an attempt at fixing the NDSloader up to work and I found out that I don't even need to touch the shortName value (seems to be generated by dsgame.nds on it's own, so as long as the fullName works fine, I don't need to mess with the shortName apparently...or maybe it's just me). It SHOULD work just fine as the iniclear now...so just use this for both clearing the lastRomRun and for regular loading as well. It supposedly works without worrying about the directories either...I tried it with a ROM in four directories each one within the previous.
I also added a line that might clear the enterLastDirWhenBoot when you use DSCovered...but since I don't use it, I didn't test what happens (I'm guessing it will work once if the enterLastDirWhenBoot=1 and then maybe you have to manually change it back to one again...at least, that is what I am expecting to happen...)
-Taken down after confirming that I can't release it (I did use Taiju's stuff after all. Good thing is that Taiju seems to be fine)-

The Catboy · Mar 13, 2011

jurassicplayer said:
Well I gave an attempt at fixing the NDSloader up to work and I found out that I don't even need to touch the shortName value (seems to be generated by dsgame.nds on it's own, so as long as the fullName works fine, I don't need to mess with the shortName apparently...or maybe it's just me). It SHOULD work just fine as the iniclear now...so just use this for both clearing the lastRomRun and for regular loading as well. It supposedly works without worrying about the directories either...I tried it with a ROM in four directories each one within the previous.
I also added a line that might clear the enterLastDirWhenBoot when you use DSCovered...but since I don't use it, I didn't test what happens (I'm guessing it will work once if the enterLastDirWhenBoot=1 and then maybe you have to manually change it back to one again...at least, that is what I am expecting to happen...)
Can't post
Thank for the hard work

Also you did fix the sub folder error in iMenu, but with DSCovered sadly still no work this is what happens

Code:

enterLastDirWhenBoot=1 downloadPlayPatch=1

CODEenterLastDirWhenBoot=0downloadPlayPatch=1

Yeah it just moves the "downloadPlayPatch=1" up next to the "enterLastDirWhenBoot=0" and turns the 1 to a 0. I think if you kept it as a 1 it might work, just use what you did with the arg.

spinal_cord · Mar 13, 2011

A Gay Little Catboy said:
Also you did fix the sub folder error in iMenu, but with DSCovered sadly still no work this is what happens

Code:

enterLastDirWhenBoot=1 downloadPlayPatch=1

Code:

enterLastDirWhenBoot=0downloadPlayPatch=1

Yeah it just moves the "downloadPlayPatch=1" up next to the "enterLastDirWhenBoot=0" and turns the 1 to a 0. I think if you kept it as a 1 it might work, just use what you did with the arg.

That should not really effect how it works, windows uses a different character for new lines, but the dstwo will read either characters as a new line and should read it correctly.

To get it to look right on a windows system, separate the lines with \r\n instead of just \n.

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