PocketNES Menu Maker GBA

PocketNES Menu Maker
PocketNES Menu Maker
General
Author	Titney/MrUnown
Type	Builder Tools
Version	1.2a
License	Mixed
Last Updated	2003/03/10
Links
	Download
	Website

PocketNES Menu Maker is a builder tool for the NES emulator PocketNES.

Features

GUI (Graphical User Interface).
Creates a complete PocketNES menu file for flashing.
Works with zipped roms.
Alphabetizes and numbers the menu.
Manual sorting of the menu.
Finds the correct names of the games from a database.
Check for bad and incompatible roms.
Marks small games for link play.
Assigns sprite follow variables from database using checksums (filenames don't matter).
Manually edit names and vars for each rom.
Cleans up the menu list, removes the "junk", (U) [a1] etc, from the names.
Pads the file to the nearest power of 2 size for multibooting on the 128mbit flash card.
Adds splash screen.

User guide

Basic usage

Unzip program and included files to a directory.
Put pocketnes.gba and a bunch of nes roms/zips in that same directory.
Open pnesmmw.exe.
Press "Make Rom" button to create menu rom.
Flash PocketNESMenu.gba.

GUI

Rom List:

Info - original file names and any additional info):
- [inc] means incompatible, uses a mapper that PocketNES doesn't support.
- [ovr] means overdump, overdumped rom, might work ok but takes up unecessary space.
- [bad] means bad dump, a bad corrupt rom, might not work correctly, remove/replace if possible.
- [ex] means excluded, a rom that's been selected for exclusion in rom info.
- [unk] is unknown, a rom thats not known to the database.
Menu - Lists the menu exactly as it would look on the GBA, excluded roms will be displayed as a white space.
Up/Down arrows - Changes in rom order are not saved when the program is closed or the list refreshed.
Rom Info - Any changes made in the rom info will be saved even after you close the program, check expert mode to disable the ok alert.
Rom Name - By default taken from the vars list, the name under the editable name is from the database (if enabled).
Enable PPP Hack (1) - Turn on speed hack, makes some roms run faster/better.
Disable CPU Hack (2) - This hack is turned on by default but some roms run better with it off.
Enable PAL Timing (4) - This enables a hack for PAL, European (E) roms, not working 100%.
Follow Memory (32) - By default sprite following uses sprite number value, so to use those (16 in the old vars format) just enter the number in the Sprite Value box.
- To follow a memory value (32 in the old format) check the Follow Memory (32) checkbox and enter the value in the box which is now named Memory Value.

Output File Info:

Total Roms - The total number of Roms included in the menu.
Total Size - The total size of the menu rom including splash screen and padding if enabled (check "Show sizes in megabytes" in Options if you want mbyte instead).

Buttons:

Make Rom - Compiles the actual menu rom for flashing, default filename is PocketNESMenu.gba.
Refresh - Refreshes the rom list from the directory in options. Re-alphabetizes if you changed rom names or moved roms.
.. (Browse) - Change the rom directory.
Options - Opens to Options window to change paths and options.
Help - Opens window with quick help and info about the program. Click view Read Me to see this file.
Exit - Shuts the program down.

Options menu

Options:

Number Roms - Turn on for numbered menu: 1. Arkanoid 2. Balloon Fight etc.
Mark Small Roms - Games under 192k will be marked by a * in the menu. (for single cart link play)
Look Up Database Name - Use names from the database in the menu.
Clean Rom Names - Clean up the list and filenames (ie: "Legend of Zelda, The (PRG 0) (U)" becomes "Legend of Zelda" in the menu).
Use Variables List - Assign variables for sprite following. Extracts variables from the vars list and adds them to the menu. Uses checksums to find vars so filenames doesn't matter.
Pad Rom Size - The size of the file is padded to the nearest power of 2 size for multibooting on the turbo flash cards (not needed for the pro cards or newer).
Use Splash Screen - Adds the splash screen image defined in paths to the menu.
Show Sizes in Mbyte - Will show the Output File Info size in Mbytes instead of Mbits.

Custom Names/Variables:

Clear - This deletes ALL the changes you have done to rom names and variables. Note that the main database will not be affected by this.

Paths:

Rom Path - This is the path to a directory with the .nes roms (or zipped nes roms) you want to include.
PocketNES Rom - The path and filename of the original pocketnes.gba emulator rom.
Output Rom File - Path and filename to the final pocketnes menu rom
Variables List - Path and filename of the main database of names and vars. By default in the same directory with the program.
Splash File - Path and filename of splash screen file.

Advanced

Change mappers by editing the pnesmmw.ini:

At the bottom of the pnesmmw.ini file is the list of mappers that PocketNES supports.
You can remove the # in front of the longer flubba list if you use that hack (make sure only ONE list of mappers is in use though).
For newer (or older) versions you can add or remove mapper numbers as you wish, just make sure the line ends in |.
The list is only used for compatibility checking, so it's not really crucial to update it.

Rename ini and db to keep several sets of roms:

If you want to keep several sets of roms with their own custom db you can rename the ini and custom db.
Just edit one set you want to keep, then exit the program and change pnesmmw.ini to pnesmmw_set1.ini or similar and pnesmmw.cdb to pnesmmw_set1.cdb.
Then you can open the program again, and change anything that you want and those earlier files will be untouched.
When you want to use them again simply name them back to the earlier names.

Screenshots

Changelog

1.2

Variable comments are displayed.
Database updated with more variables.
Mapper list updated to PocketNES v9.

1.1

Completely reworked GUI.
Visible rom list/menu list.
See filename/size/bad dumps/incompatible mappers in rom list.
Edit individual roms names and variables.
Exclude roms from the menu.
Save rom name/variable changes from the GUI.
Move roms up and down the list.
Change options from GUI.
Tooltips in GUI.
Database updated to GoodNES 1.1.

1.0

Windows GUI (Graphical User Interface).
Source is no longer open.
List menu without creating rom.

0.9b (unreleased)

Optional paths.
Added a few minor bug fixes.
Added total rom size report.
Added report for "possible unsupported mappers" (mapper list based on those listed in pnes .
Source - other games/mappers may work though).

0.8b

Added new vars list format and new option to look up rom name from a database (based on goodnes) (it now finds vars regardless of filenames).
Updated vars to match new pnes v8 version (no more sram vars).
Added reports for bad roms and stuff.

0.7b

Support for zipped roms (you need to have only one file in each zip for it to work).

0.6b

Added optional marking of roms smaller than 190k.
Variables list is now a separate file from the compatibility list.

0.51b

Fixed bug with SRAM variables and games listed without variables.

0.5b

Complete rewrite in C, partly based on prototype maker by loopy.
Updated menu building for v7A.
Only includes .nes files if they have actual nes header.
Outputs info about roms and variables added at the prompt since a menu.txt isn't created.
The ini file is now optional as the default filenames and options are hardcoded.

0.4b (unreleased)

Added optional numbering of the menu.

0.3b

Fixed stupid bug not identifying .nes extention if it wasn't lowercase.

0.2b

Now pads file to correct power of 2 size for multibooting.
Added check for pocketnes.gba source file.
Cleaned up check for ini file.

Credits

SkyBaby, able, Cowering's GoodNES database.

External links

Official website - http://nes.pocketheaven.com/ (archived)