ctr_make_ex_banner

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. How to Use
  3. EBSF
  4. Samples
  5. List of Characters Allowed in Comments
  6. Related Tools
  7. Known Problems
  8. Revision History

Introduction

The ctr_make_ex_banner tool is used to create contextual banner data (ExBanner). You can use contextual banner data to replace the texture of the application's banner whenever you want. It generates BIN files based on the content of EBSF files.

How to Use

What's Required

You need the following files to create contextual banner data.

Commands

% ctr_make_ex_banner32.exe EX_BANNER_SPEC_FILE [OUTPUT_DIRECTORY]

You must specify the EX_BANNER_SPEC_FILE (an EBSF file).

Options

The OUTPUT_DIRECTORY specification is optional. To specify an output directory, either specify a relative path from the current directory or an absolute path.
When unspecified, the contextual banner data's binary file is output to the current directory.

EBSF

This file defines the settings for the binary file of the contextual banner data that this tool creates.
It must be coded and saved in Unicode (UTF-16LE with BOM).
Notepad in Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 supports Unicode. Select Unicode from the Encoding drop-down list when saving the file.

Parameters

The delimiter between parameter specifications and values is a colon (:). If the same parameter occurs more than once, the instance written last in the file is used.

Format

Parameter specifications must come at the beginning of each line.
All characters after a "#" are treated as a comment.
Space and tab characters at the beginning and ending of the value are ignored. All other spaces are included in the string. If you want to include leading spaces or if you want to include quotation marks ("), "#" symbols, or colons (:) in the string, surround the string with quotation marks ("").

Format

The EBSF file format is shown below.

FileName: #Specifies the name of the texture to create. The file FileName.bin is created.
TexWidth:     #Specifies the width of the texture.
TexHeight:     #Specifies the height of the texture.
TexFormat:    #Specifies the GL texture format. Use the values defined in NW4C and not numerical values.
LimitYear: #Indicates the expiration date for this contextual banner. The contextual banner becomes invalid when the expiration date has passed.
LimitMonth:   #The year can be set in LimitYear, the month in LimitMonth, and the day in LimitDate.
LimitDate: #
Text:　　　　　 #Sets the text to display in the banner.
TextureName: #Sets the name of the texture.
TextureDataFileName: #Specifies the filename for the texture binary data.

Set the values using the following format:

Specifying Elements

Elements are specified as follows.

Key Name: Value

Notes

Setting descriptions for each of these items are provided below.
Item Description Comments
FileName Specifies the name of the file to generate. The following values are valid.

COMMON:　 # Create a contextual banner that is valid for all regions.
EUR_EN:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for EUR_EN.
EUR_FR:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for EUR_FR.
EUR_GE:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for EUR_GE.
EUR_IT:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for EUR_IT.
EUR_SP:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for EUR_SP.
EUR_DU:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for EUR_DU.
EUR_PO:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for EUR_PO.
EUR_RU:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for EUR_RU.
JPN_JP:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for JPN_JP.
USA_EN:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for USA_EN.
USA_FR:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for USA_FR.
USA_SP:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for USA_SP.
USA_PO:　 # Create a contextual banner that is only valid for USA_PO.
CHN_CN:　 #Create a contextual banner that is only valid for CHN_CN.
KOR_KR:　 #Create a contextual banner that is only valid for KOR_KR.
TWN_TW:　 #Create a contextual banner that is only valid for TWN_TW.

You must set one of these values.
TexWidth The width of the texture. Specify this when using the DMP native texture format (RAW data) with TextureDataFileName. Set using decimal notated numbers. Can specify values that are multiples of 2 in the range of 8 to 1024.
If textures are not going to be substituted, this value does not need to be set.
 TextureDataFileName ignores this setting when an NW4C TGA file is specified.
TexHeight The texture height. Specify this element when you use the DMP native texture format (RAW data) with TextureDataFileName.
Use decimal notated numbers. You can specify values that are multiples of 2 in the range from 8 to 1024.
If textures are not going to be substituted, this value does not need to be set.
 TextureDataFileName ignores this setting when an NW4C TGA file is specified.
TexFormat The texture format. Specify this element when you use the DMP native texture format (RAW data) with TextureDataFileName.
The following values can be set.

RGBA8: 4 bytes per pixel, where each of RGBA is 8 bits.
RGB8: 3 bytes per pixel, where each of RGB is 8 bits.
RGBA5551: 2 bytes per pixel, where each of RGB is 5 bits and A is 1 bit.
RGB565: 2 bytes per pixel, where R, G, and B are 5, 6, and 5 bits, respectively.
RGBA4: 2 bytes per pixel, where R, G, B, and A are 4 bits each.
LA8: 2 bytes per pixel, where Alpha and Luminance are 8 bits each.
HILO8: 2 bytes per pixel, where X and Y are 8 bits each.
L8: 1 byte per pixel, where Luminance is 8 bits.
A8: 1 byte per pixel, where Alpha is 8 bits.
LA4: 1 byte per pixel, where Alpha and Luminance are 4 bits each.
L4: 4 bits per pixel, where Luminance is 4 bits.
A8: 4 bits per pixel, where Alpha is 4 bits.
ETC1: Compressed format corresponding to 4 bits per pixel.
ETC1A4: Compressed format corresponding to 8 bits per pixel.

If nothing is specified, then RGBA8 is set by default.
If textures are not going to be substituted, this value does not need to be set.
TextureDataFileName ignores this setting when an NW4C TGA file is specified.
LimitYear The expiration of the contextual banner. Use decimal notated numbers. Specify using the western calendar.
The range of values that can be specified is from 2000 to 2099.
If a value is not set then there will be no limit.
Note: LimitYear, Month, and Date are only valid for downloaded contextual banners.
Even if the values are configured, they are ignored for local contextual banners.
LimitMonth The expiration of the contextual banner. Use decimal notated numbers. The range of values that can be specified is from 1 to 12.
If you want this to be limitless, then no setting needs to be configured.
LimitDate The expiration of the contextual banner. Use decimal notated numbers. The range of values that can be specified is from 1 to 31.
However, do not use dates not on the calendar.
If you want this to be limitless, then no setting needs to be configured.
Text This text is displayed in the bottom of the upper screen when the application is selected in the HOME Menu. Specify this with 255 characters or less.
Text will not display if this value is not set.
When the length fits within the horizontal width of the screen, it is displayed as is. If the length does not fit, a scrolling display appears.
TextureName Specifies the name of the texture.
Keep the name to 15 or fewer ASCII characters.
If textures are not going to be substituted, this value does not need to be set.
TextureDataFileName The texture's data file. Specify either a relative path from the current directory or an absolute path.
If textures are not going to be substituted, this value does not need to be set.
Specify a DMP native texture format binary (raw data) or an NW4C TGA file created by the NW4C plug-in (any size or format; no mipmap).

Samples


sample.ebsf
----------------------------------------------------
FileName:COMMON
Text: Sample text
----------------------------------------------------

Creates expanded banner data in which only text can be substituted.



sample2.ebsf
----------------------------------------------------
FileName:JPN_JP
TexWidth:64
TexHeight:64
TexFormat:RGBA4
TextureName:sampleTexture
Text: Sample text
TextureDataFileName: (the texture file path)
----------------------------------------------------

The texture named sampleTexture is substituted by the texture in the TextureDataFileName path.
There is no limit because LimitYear and the other items are not specified.



template.ebsf
----------------------------------------------------
FileName:
TexWidth:
TexHeight:
TexFormat:
LimitYear:
LimitMonth:
LimitDate:
TextureName:
Text:
TextureDataFileName:
----------------------------------------------------

This is the EBSF file template.


List of Characters Usable in Comments

The usable characters will vary for different regions.
For details, see the lists of charters allowed in different regions.

Related Tools

The contextual banner creation tool is a related tool. You can use the BOSS features to change out banner textures. See ctr_makedlexbanner for details.

Known Problems

Under certain conditions, the HOME Menu freezes when textures are switched in contextual banners (including DL contextual banners)

Details

When textures that are referenced from multiple materials are switched in contextual banners, an internal memory leak occurs when that banner is displayed on the HOME Menu.

If you select another application on the HOME Menu and another banner is displayed, and then you display a banner with a switched texture, and then you repeat this action several times, the HOME Menu can freeze.

Workaround

Do not switch textures that are referenced from multiple materials in contextual banners.

Verification Procedure

Display a contextual banner on the HOME Menu.
When data that would cause an error is used, an error message is displayed on the bottom portion of the upper screen.

Revision History

2012/06/19
Fixed a bug where the program sometimes did not work correctly when TGA files with a format other than ETC were specified in TextureDataFileName.
2012/04/17
Removed English from Taiwan/Hong Kong region.
2012/04/16
Added Known Problems.
2012/02/21
Created the Related Tools section. Added link to download contextual banner creation manual.
2012/02/15
Fixed bug causing error when texture data file not found.
2011/12/02
Added support for the Chinese, Korean, and Taiwan/Hong Kong regions.
2011/9/27
Explained NW4C TGA files.
2011/1/19
Explained that LimitYear, Month, and Date are valid only for downloadable contextual banners.
Revised so that the output directory can be specified.
2011/1/17
Revised the content of TextureDataFileName for settings for each item.
2011/1/10
Added information on the text display bug.
2010/12/22
Support for substitution of only text.
Added sample items.
2010/12/2
Fixed a bug that prevented errors from occurring when unusable text was used.
2010/12/1
A single EBSF file is now required for each region.
In conjunction with this, added a FileName parameter to specify which regional BIN file to create.
Added a FileName parameter to specify.
2010/10/13
Standardized language and region names with makebanner.
2010/10/8
Initial version.

CONFIDENTIAL