Banner: Overview

Description

This is an overview of the banner files that are displayed at the launcher screen of the TWL or Nintendo DS/DS Lite systems.

TWL banners that are displayed on TWL systems are in the same format as NTR banners that are displayed on Nintendo DS/DS Lite systems, except that they add animation data. As a result, if a TWL banner is displayed on a Nintendo DS/DS Lite system or in DS Download Play, it appears as a static image just like an NTR banner. On TWL systems, however, animations are displayed for TWL banners.

For downloadable software (or "user NAND applications"), another type of banner called a "sub-banner" can be displayed. For more about sub-banners, see Sub-Banner Overview.

Banner Format

NTR banners and TWL banners have different formats, as shown below.

NTR Banners

Banner Comment Game Title for Each Language

Banner Icon Bitmap One 32x32-pixel image

Color Palette for Banner Icon 16-color, 1 set

TWL Banners

NTR Banners Same as above

Bitmaps for Animation Eight 32x32-pixel images

Color Palette for Animation 16-color, 1 set

Animation Control Data Managed by 64 data elements for controlling 1-255 frames

TWL banners contain NTR banners. This internal NTR banner is displayed on a Nintendo DS/DS Lite system, and the animation is displayed on a TWL system.

How to Create

There are three ways to create banner files. However, if you want to create banners specifically for Nintendo DS software (not TWL-enhanced or TWL-exclusive software), you should use the third method (ntexconv / static image).

1. Using NITRO-CHARACTER

For information on how to create cell animation data (*.nce) for TWL banners using NITRO-CHARACTER, see Banner Creation Procedure Using NITRO-CHARACTER.

Use bannercvtr to convert NCE files that were created using NITRO-CHARACTER.

To create the TWL banner, use makebanner.TWL to convert the data output by bannercvtr along with a BSF file that sets the banner comments.

2. Using ntexconv (Animation)

Create up to eight 16-color 32x32-pixel bitmaps. Use ntexconv to convert these bitmaps. Create an XML file that lists the converted data and the content of the animation, and then convert this XML file with bannercvtr.

To create the TWL banner, use makebanner.TWL to convert the data output by bannercvtr along with a BSF file that sets the banner comments.

See bannercvtr for details about how to write the XML file.

3. Using ntexconv (Still Image)

Use this method to create NTR banners or TWL banners that are not animated.

Create a single 16-color 32x32-pixel bitmap. Convert the bitmap using ntexconv.

To create the banner file, use makebanner or makebanner.TWL (for Nintendo DS software and TWL-enhanced software, respectively) to convert both the data output by ntexconv and the BSF file that sets the banner comments.

Implementation in Applications

Specify the banner you have created in a ROM Specification File (.rsf). The specified banner is set for the SRL file that was created by the makerom or makerom.TWL tool.

   #  ROM SPEC FILE

Property
{
    ....
    #
    # BANNER FILE: generated from Banner Spec File
    #
    BannerFile    banner.bnr
}

See makerom / makerom.TWL for details.

Samples

The following samples illustrate each of these banner creation methods.

1. Using NITRO-CHARACTER

$TwlSDK/build/demos.TWL/tips/TWLBanner_anim1

2. Using ntexconv (Animation)

$TwlSDK/build/demos.TWL/tips/TWLBanner_anim2

3. Using ntexconv (Still Image)

Creating NTR Banners

$TwlSDK/build/demos/tips/NTRBanner

Creating TWL Banners

$TwlSDK/build/demos.TWL/tips/TWLBanner_image

Verification Procedure

Both makebanner.TWL and makebanner check the banner's game title to ensure that characters can be displayed and that the character width stays within the display frame of the Nintendo DS, DS Lite, or DSi system. Specifications for the display of game titles are set forth in the programming guidelines. If a warning is displayed, be sure to correct the problem.

Banners can be checked without use of a card by using the addbanner tool.
However, this is supported only for displaying card applications. See the following procedures for displaying user NAND applications, which vary slightly. The following procedures do not use addbanner.

Nintendo DS Software

Displaying on a Nintendo DS/DS Lite System

Burn the ROM on a flash card, insert the card into a Nintendo DS/DS Lite system, and check the banner display.
After running a ROM in IS-NITRO-DEBUGGER, you can also check it using Tools → Game Banner.

Displaying on a TWL System

Burn the ROM on a flash card, insert the card into a TWL system or IS-TWL-DEBUGGER, and check the game title display.
Although a flash-card application cannot be started by a commercial TWL system, it is possible to check the banner.

TWL-Enhanced Software (on Game Card)

Displaying on a Nintendo DS/DS Lite System

Burn the ROM on a flash card, insert the card into a Nintendo DS/DS Lite system, and check the banner display.

Displaying on a TWL System

Burn the ROM on a flash card, insert the card into a TWL system used for development or into IS-TWL-DEBUGGER hardware, and check the banner display.
The banner cannot be confirmed by inserting the card into a commercial TWL system.

TWL-Exclusive Software (on Game Card)

Displaying on a TWL System

User NAND Applications

Use TwlNmenu to import a TAD file to a TWL system used for development or to the IS-TWL-DEBUGGER hardware. Then check the banner display.

You can also check the banner display on the Software Management screen under System Settings.
Icons on the Software Management screen are displayed in the same way as they are by the launcher, but there are limits to the number of banner-comment characters that can be displayed.
Note that if the number of characters exceeds the limit, the excess is displayed as "...".

The following shows the number of characters that are displayed for banner comments in the DS and TWL launchers.

DS Launcher TWL Launcher TWL Software Management Screen

Width of Area 140 px 240 px 202 px

Maximum number of W's 23 17 16

Maximum number of M's 23 20 19

Maximum number of w's 23 20 19

Maximum number of i's 69 80 64

	DS Launcher	TWL Launcher	TWL Software Management Screen
Width of Area	140 px	240 px	202 px
Maximum number of W's	23	17	16
Maximum number of M's	23	20	19
Maximum number of w's	23	20	19
Maximum number of i's	69	80	64

Revision History

2009/03/27 Revised a figure. Fixed typos and removed parts with old content.
2009/03/10 Revised information on the color palette for TWL banners and explained how to check the banner using IS-NITRO-DEBUGGER.
2008/11/28 Moved Using NITRO-CHARACTER to another page.
2008/11/11 Made revisions in accordance with addbanner TWL support.
2008/10/20 Changed the maximum number of characters. Added confirmation methods.
2008/09/29 Added a build sample.
2008/09/26 Added information about the Software Management screen.
2008/09/25 Initial version.

CONFIDENTIAL

Banner Comment	Game Title for Each Language
Banner Icon Bitmap	One 32x32-pixel image
Color Palette for Banner Icon	16-color, 1 set

NTR Banners	Same as above
Bitmaps for Animation	Eight 32x32-pixel images
Color Palette for Animation	16-color, 1 set
Animation Control Data	Managed by 64 data elements for controlling 1-255 frames

Banner: Overview

Description

Banner Format

How to Create

1. Using NITRO-CHARACTER

2. Using ntexconv (Animation)

3. Using ntexconv (Still Image)

Implementation in Applications

Samples

1. Using NITRO-CHARACTER

2. Using ntexconv (Animation)

3. Using ntexconv (Still Image)

Verification Procedure

Nintendo DS Software

Displaying on a Nintendo DS/DS Lite System

Displaying on a TWL System

TWL-Enhanced Software (on Game Card)

Displaying on a Nintendo DS/DS Lite System

Displaying on a TWL System

TWL-Exclusive Software (on Game Card)

Displaying on a TWL System

User NAND Applications

See Also

Revision History