NDSForwarder 3DS

NDSForwarder
General
Author	MechanicalDragon0687
Type	Utilities
Version	1.4.6
License	GPL-3.0
Last Updated	2023/03/24
Links
Download
Website
Source

NDSForwarder is a homebrew application that can create NDS forwarders and install them to the home screen of the 3DS.

Features

• Custom dsiware banners! They must be named the same as the nds file. If your nds file is Jamal's Home Cooking.nds your custom banner should be Jamal's Home Cooking.bin. Custom banners can be located with the nds file or in /3ds/forwarder/banners/.
• Custom Icons! They must be 4bit bmps and be named the same as the nds file. If your nds file is Jamal's Home Cooking.nds your custom icon should be Jamal's Home Cooking.bmp. Custom icons can be located with the nds file or in /3ds/forwarder/icons/.
• Auto Random TID. This allows separate forwarders for romhacks that dont change TIDs.
• Custom Title. If you dont have a custom banner, or want one but need a different Title, check the box!
• Install all in folder. You can install forwarders for all nds files in any given folder.

Installation

This homebrew requires full CFW via Rosalina (b9s+luma3ds).

The easiest method of installation will be to download it from Universal Updater. This will include all required files/forwarder pack for the SD card (see tutorial).

To install manually:

• You also need the nds-bootstrap forwarder pack, of which the forwarders created with this app work in conjunction with.
• Extract the forwarder pack, copy the _nds folder from the for SD card root folder to the SD card.
• Copy ndsForwarder.3dsx to the /3ds/ folder of your SD card.

Notes from developer:

It is recommended to use full dumps (not trimmed ones) as the current dumping tools on both 3DS and DSi seem to have issues dumping trimmed files.

Read more about it on the GBATemp page (NDSForwarder takes the place of the Forwarder3-DS java app listed on this tutorial).

User guide

How to use

• Open the Homebrew Launcher.
• In the Homebrew Launcher, open NDS Forwarder Generator.
• Navigate to your game’s location and press A.
• Confirm your wish to install by selecting Yes.
• After it is installed, your game will appear as a title on your Home Menu.

Game compatibility list is available here.

Custom dsiware banners

• They must be named the same as the nds file.
• If your nds file is Jamal's Home Cooking.nds your custom banner should be Jamal's Home Cooking.bin.
• Custom banners can be located with the nds file or in /3ds/forwarder/banners/.

Custom Icons

• They must be 4bit BMPs, 32x32 pixels and be named the same as the nds file.
• If your nds file is Jamal's Home Cooking.nds your custom icon should be Jamal's Home Cooking.bmp.
• No Colorspace info (compatibility options when exporting in GIMP).
• Color at index 0 will be transparent/white.
• Custom icons can be located with the nds file or in /3ds/forwarder/icons/.

Changelog

1.4.6

• added force install option for romhacks.
• added better error codes. check the pinned issue in issue tracker for details.

1.4.5

• Added some error numbers
• fixed random tid

1.4.4 - Use the force

• Adds a Force Install option

1.4.3

• remove rom type checking to allow dsiware installation

1.4.2

• fix the problem with nds file loading introduced in 1.4.1

1.4.1

• Actually fixed the CRC checking issues

1.4.0

• Support srl extension
• block dsiware and system apps
• add crc checks to header and banners
• support ids extension
• support widescreen (thanks hansol). note: you will have to remake your forwarders for this to work.
• Fix unicode title support (thanks pks11)

1.3.0-beta

• I dont even remember anymore....

1.2.0-beta 2021/08/30

• Supports BMP files for custom icons:
  • 4 bit.
  • 32x32 pixels.
  • No Colorspace info (Compatibility options when exporting in GIMP).
  • Color at index 0 will be transparent/white. You have been warned.

1.1.0-beta 2021/08/12

• Warns user when reaching the limit of dsiware installed.
• No longer brown, now blue.
• Version is displayed on the bottom screen.
• _nds folder is hidden.
• If more than one template exists, can select which template to use.

1.0.0 2021/04/12

• Initial release.

Credits

• DSiWare Template downloaded from http://olmectron.github.io/forwarders/sdcard.(fwd%7Cnds). Thanks to Olmectron for providing templates via their website.
• Thanks to Martin Korth for GBATek, which provided pretty much all the information needed about the nds and dsi formats.
• Thanks to 3DSGuy and everyone else who contributed to CTR Toolkit (of which, make_cia which is used in Olmectron's forwarder3ds app).
• Thanks to RocketRobz and the DS-Homebrew team for all the nds-bootstrap and TWiLightMenu++ stuff.
• Thanks to Evie (pk11) and the Universal Updater folks for helping bring things to the Universal Updater with automatic install of sd card files.
• Thanks to Oreo639, Piepie62, Fenrir, and everyone else who helped me in my development career.
• Thanks to lifehackerhansol for helping me test.
• Finally, thanks to the DevKitPro team for the toolchain (wintermute et al). Without that, homebrew just wouldn't be a thing.
• Anyone else that I forgot to list, thank you. My progress is a product of the community and all it gives back. Thank everyone for being a part of it and helping.

External links

• GitHub - https://github.com/MechanicalDragon0687/NDSForwarder
• DS-Homebrew Wiki - https://wiki.ds-homebrew.com/ds-index/forwarders
• GBAtemp - https://gbatemp.net/threads/nds-forwarder-cias-for-your-home-menu.426174