# 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 will appear as a static image just like an NTR banner. On TWL systems, however, animations will be displayed for TWL banners.

Furthermore, for downloadable software (a.k.a. "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, 8 set
Animation Control Data | Managed by 64 data elements for controlling 1-255 frames

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

A TWL banner can be created by using makebannerTWL to convert a `.bsf` file that sets (1) data that has been output by bannercvtr and (2) the banner comments.

Refer to bannercvtr for details about which NITRO-CHARACTER animations can be used as banners.

### 2. Using ntexconv (Animation)

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

A TWL banner can be created by using makebannerTWL to convert a `.bsf` file that sets (1) data that has been output by bannercvtr and (2) the banner comments.

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

### 3. Using ntexconv (Still Image)

This method can be used to create NTR banners or TWL banners that are not animated.

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

Banner files are created by converting BSF files used to set data and banner comments output by `ntexconv` using `makebanner` in the case of Nintendo DS exclusive software, or using `makebannerTWL` in the case of TWL-enhanced software. `makebanner` is used to convert banner files for DS-only software; `makebannerTWL` converts for TWL software.

## Implementation in Applications

Specify the banner you have created in a ROM Specification File (`.rsf`). The specified banner will be set for the `.srl` file that was created by the makerom/makerom.TWL tool.

>        #  ROM SPEC FILE

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

See makerom / makerom.TWL for details.

## Samples

Following are samples that 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

As for game titles inside banners, a check by `makebannerTWL` or `makebanner` is made that displayable characters are used a check is made that the width of characters does not extend beyond the display area of a TWL or DS/DS Lite. 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 for the display of card applications only. The display is slightly different in the case of user NAND applications, so the following method should be used.
A description of how to use `addbanner` is given below.

### Only for DS Software

#### Display on a DS/DS Lite System

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

#### Display 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.

### Enhanced for TWL Software

#### Display on a DS/DS Lite System

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

#### Display 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.

### Only for TWL Software

#### Display 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.

### User NAND Applications

Use `TwlNmenu` to import a TAD file to a TWL system used for development or to a 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 Ws | 23 | 17 | 16
Maximum number of Ms | 23 | 20 | 19
Maximum number of ws | 23 | 20 | 19
Maximum number of is | 69 | 80 | 64

## See Also

`ntexconv`
`bannercvtr`
`makebannerTWL`
`makebanner`
`addbanner`
Sub-Banner Overview
Miscellaneous Sample Demos: Tips
Banner Creation Procedure Using NITRO-CHARACTER

## Revision History

2008/11/28 Moved how to use NITRO-CHARACTER to another page.
2008/11/11 Revised content along 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