WADder
From WADder Wiki
| WADder | |
|---|---|
| File:Wadder icon.png | |
| Description: | This application is used to create custom Wii Channels. |
| Type | Utility |
| License | All rights reserved, except where applicable (such as external programs) |
| Author | icefire |
| Version | 2.7.3 |
| Download | MediaFire |
| Source | GitHub |
| Website | WADder.net |
Instructions
- Install and open WADder.
- Under the WADder tab, choose which WAD you want to edit. This is required of course.
- Under the Title tab, type the name of the channel you want to appear on the Wii's Home Menu. This is also required.
- You may now edit the other tabs and select any options you want.
- Click "Create WAD!"
- Wait for a little while.
- At the new GUI that appears, click on a filename and click "Preview".
- Make your image that will replace this. The image sizes are part of the new GUI title. Be sure to have a transparent Alpha Channel on the parts you want to appear transparent.
- Save the image as a .png, .tga, or .bmp. JPG's work as well, but there will be no transparency in it. They are used for static channels.
- Go back to the new GUI and click on the same filename. Now click "Replace" and direct WADder to your brand new image.
- Repeat the last four steps for other images.
- When your done replacing images, click on "Continue".
- WADder will zip your WAD back up and ask you where to save it.
- Install the WAD on your Wii. Do not install if you do not have Preloader or BootMii (as boot2 w/ NAND dump) installed. If you are skeptical about the install part, go to WADder.net and ask if someone will test it for you.
- Upload your WAD, and make people aware of it's existence! Get people begging for more of your great skills!
- You're done! Go make another!
In-Depth Detail
WADder Tab
- This tab asks for the WAD you want to edit. Click "Browse..." to search for it. Good base WADs can be found in the Base WAD Database at WADder.net. Note that those WADs are not all legal, if you wish to remain legal you should use a Benzin created WAD.
- You may also choose which part of the WAD you want to edit. The Banner, the Icon, Both, or Neither.
Title Tab
- At the top you will see an input box. Type what you want to appear as the Channel Title when you highlight your custom channel on the Wii's Home Menu. This is the only required one.
- Below that input box are 7 more. These are for changing a Channel Title for a specific language. You only need to fill in the ones you want to change, but the top one is always required.
Options Tab
- First, you see the option to change the Unique ID. The ID must be unique because it will overwrite any channel of the same ID already installed on your Wii. You can leave this blank if you don't want to change it.
- Second, you will see an option to change the DOL in your WAD. Choose one if you want to change it.
- The option NAND Loader is advanced, though either setting will work fine for most channels. If a DOL fails to load, try the alternate option.
- Third, there is an option to swap the sound that plays when you click on your custom channel on the Wii's Home Menu. Choose either a .wav or a .mp3 if you want to change it. Remember, the larger the sound file, the more space it will take up on the Wii's memory. About 10 seconds is good.
- Note: some WAVs won't work. This is a problem with one of the applications WADder uses, not an issue with WADder itself.
- Then you'll see a CheckBox. If you want the sound to loop, click it. Otherwise, move on. This only works on some computers.
WAD Exchange Tab
- There are three options, banner.bin, icon.bin, and sound.bin. These are the files that the Wii uses for the Banner, Icon, and Sound.
- You can replace all of these with version from another WAD, BNR file, 00000000.app file, or banner/icon/sound].bin file.
- If you replace sound.bin, do not choose a sound in the other tab because it will overwrite the sound.bin you select here.
Legal (Benzin-made) base WADs
Add more when you find/make them!
- Static base: This WAD is a static banner, with just a solid image for the banner and icon, and is completely legal. You can distribute this WAD with your applications. Right now it contains LoadMii as a sample, with a simple, pointless banner and icon.
FAQ
Is this legal?
Yes. WADder itself is perfectly legal. All the applications included are under licenses that permit redistribution, are written by me, or have permission from the original author. This application does not contain any WADs, it just edits them, so it is not illegal in that regard. In addition, the NAND loaders included (by comex and waninkoko) are both included with permission from the original authors. If you have a legal complaint, please contact icefire.
Are the channels I make legal?
This one depends on what you use as a base -- if you use a WAD with a copyrighted banner as a base WAD, the resulting WAD will be illegal to distribute (but not to use yourself). In addition, if you change the banner of a copyrighted WAD but do not modify the included application, that will also be illegal. However, if you use a legal WAD as a base WAD (such as one made with Benzin), then your created WAD will be legal (assuming the images, DOL, and sound are all obtained legally).
What is a forwarder?
A forwarder is a small Wii app that you can put in a wad so that the channels will load a specific dol from your sd card. This way you can make the channel once and then you can simply update the dol on you SD card and the channel will launch the new version.
What is a base wad?
WADder 2.x needs a starting point to create an animated wad. You cannot make your own animation, rather you can replace the images in an existing animation (reskin it). You can use any animated wad from Nintendo or here as a base wad. WADder 2.x will not work without it. YOU CANNOT USE VC WADS. Some good base WADs are found in the Base WAD Database.
Can I use animated gifs or flv or flash?
No - the Wii does not work like that. No - we won't MAKE it work like that either. Plus, gif = fail.
WADder doesn't work
It does! Maybe not for you. Please remember that people put a lot of hard work into projects like this and being rude isn't helpful! If you have an error please provide as much detail as possible so the nice people here can have a chance of helping you!
What size images do I use?
When you run WADder and get to replace images, preview them first and it will give the size to use. Adjust your image to this size and replace. You can also use Extract Images, or the extract button for individual images. However, using the wrong size will not cause a brick, as they are resized by WADder, but it will cause blurriness and other artifacts.
Will you make me a channel for [insert app name here]?
WADder is very easy to use, please try to do it yourself first! See WADder doesn't work above. If all else fails then please add a request to the noob section, not the channel thread. Please include the following that you would like to use: base.wad, images (correctly sized), sound file (optional). Images sizes are determined by base.wad, if you need exact sizes either extract the wad and look at the images, or ask someone to tell you the correct sizes.
Unique ID
You choose this, it's what the wii uses to decide if this is a new channel or if it should overwrite an existing one. It will only overwrite an existing channel if the channel ID is the same. This must be 4 characters long. Use capital letters and/or numbers, e.g. BH67 or PLAY etc.
Error Messages
I get one of the following error messages when I run WADder - "FM20.dll" or "U8 IMET unpack fail" - you need to install Microsoft Forms 2.0. One of the apps that WADder uses needs this. This is installed with Microsoft Office by default, though it can be installed separately.
I get a "corrupted" message when I select my channel?
This can be caused by many reasons -- but most likely is the sound you chose. If you use a sound, make sure your sound is at most around 25 seconds long, any longer will be too large for the Wii to handle.
Future
In the future, WADder will be:
- Cross-platform (in progress, complete rewrite in python)
- Able to not have to use a new channel title (in progress)
- BNS sound for smaller size
- Multiple TPL formats
- Ability to create banners and channels from scratch with Benzin
- Internal U8 Archive, IMET, IMD5, TPL Files, and LZ77 support (all but LZ77 is finished)
- Easier to understand GUI (in progress)
Many of these features will be present in WADder 3.0
Changelog
WADder 2.7.3
- Fixed comex's NAND loader
- made comex NAND loader default
- hopefully fixed WAD unpack fail
- also tried to fix a few other bugs
- cleaned up code, now uses bitwise flags, not direct control reading
- more stuff that I don't remember
WADder 2.7
- Added NAND loader by Waninkoko (w/ permission, and can choose between waninkoko and comex)
- Re-added WAD Exchange for easy WAD Mixing
- Stability fixes
- Minor UI Tweaks
- Added Transparency to image extract
- added transparency to TPL preview, though the background is just the standard beige for now
WADder 2.6
- imd5.exe more stable (hopefully).
- added wiilz77.exe (gbalzss mod), but works with non-lz77'd files too (does detection)
- now has WORKING tpl replacement
- fixed WAD pack
- more stuff, too many bugfixes to list
WADder 2.5 by icefire
- LZ77 compression with the fixed gbalzss/no ??? channels :D .
- Fixed packing/unpack/everything :] .
- Added Extract button in the image editor.
- Removed benzin and extract images support. These are separate apps now :> !
WADder 2.4.1 by Jacol Beyros
This one can extract images, repack the icon properly, and uses Aether's sound patch. (So if loop doesnt work, its all him.) Enjoy! And please post anything you find. Bugs, horrible GUI, whatever. Oh, and also uses Aether's kickass icon. :)
WADder 2.3 by Jacol Beyros
- Option to edit .brlyt's Thaks Wilsoff (broken)!
- TPL Fail fix
- TGA support
- Option to not change Channel Title *broken*
- Another New GUI
- New GUI
- Option to not change the Unique ID
- Uses FileRecycle instead of FileDelete and DirRemove
- Can use bins from different WADs
- Everything WADder 2.2 already did
WADder 2.2 by icefire
- few fixes
- other stuff
- not many changes, more stable
WADder 2.0 rc3
- Completely rewritten.
- Much, much more stable.
- No splashscreen.
- Edits all TPLs, does not contain a base WAD.
- TPL editor -- replace, preview.
- Supports creating animated WADs.
- No GUI automation (except sound).
- Should be completely legal.
WADder 1.2
- Sound Looping (if checked). Only loops entire sound file,
- A bit more n00b protection.
WADder 1.1.1
- New icon (by Mrkinator)
- New splashscreen (by Mrkinator)
WADder 1.1
- Added MP3 Support
- Switched to LAME encoder (actually less lame than the previous one :P)
- Added n00b protection (common-key.bin missing detection)
- Added a sorta-crash-cleanup thing. You still need to close all the icons in the tray near the clock if it messes up though.
WADder 1.0
- Sound is only WAV files for now, or just click silent and it will use the silent sound.
WADder 0.9.9
- Image saving and Renaming
WADder 0.9.8
- Added checkbox to disable splashscreen
- Possibly fixed typing errors on vista? Please tell me if you still get them whether Aero is enabled or not.
WADder 0.9.5
- PNG, BMP support for icon and logo images.
- Splash screen while program is running (full screen). If it crashes, press escape to exit the splash screen.
WADder 0.9
- First sorta-working release.
- Can create a WAD with no sound.
- Often fails.
Previous Versions
These versions didn't even really do anything -- they were mostly tests of the concept. Don't even ask about them.
