18c714e4cc
The AutoSearchModel is nifty, but seems to have trouble in a lot of situations where data isn't in the format I expect. However, I've noticed that while many romhacks move tables around, a lot less of them move code around. So I can depend on most of the pointers to those tables still being in the same spot. Based on this idea, I've created a new "HardcodeTablesModel" that uses known pointer locations to find tables instead of just searching for tables based on their format. This lets me simplify a lot of the logic, reducing it to basically a pointer lookup in many cases. Most of the tests for FireRed are passing now using the new HardcodeTablesModel. I'll continue looking into issues from FireRed and the other baseroms in the next update.
Hex Maniac Advance
A hex editor designed for editing Pokemon GBA games
(This project is still very new. This ReadMe is more of a vision document. As the project grows, the ReadMe will become an introduction document, with usage / tutorials / implementation details moving to the Wiki.)
Motivation
A few years ago, I thought it would be fun to try and make a custom version of FireRed. What I found was a vibrant community of hackers using a variety of tools, each with a specific purpose. Advance Starter, Advance Trainer, Advance IntroEdit, TM Editor Pro, A-Tack, Advance Map, Nameless Tile Map Editor, YAPE, Pokedex Order Editor... the list goes on and on.
Each tool was useful in its own way, but each presented only a peep-hole into what was going on inside the game. Most tutorials for advanced or specific things involved asking you to use a Hex Editor, repoint tables, or open and close multiple programs. While working on my project, I would often have my screen littered with different windows, each serving a specific purpose. These tools work, and they work well. But I often found myself wanting to see a more whole view of the file, instead of just peeking.
The Goal of this Software (small version)
I want to create a Hex Editor that can provide a richer editor experience specifically for pokemon gba games.
- Ruby
- Sapphire
- FireRed
- LeafGreen
- Emerald
Here's a list of some of the minimal features I would need in order for this tool to provide any value:
- Standard Hex Editor features (data entry, Find/Goto, Copy/Paste)
- Multiple simultaneous open files
- Automatic pointer recognition / navigation
- Moving data
- Forking / joining data
The Goal of this Software (ideal version)
I want to create a generalized data editor that can recognize data within the file and provide appropriate edit options for it.
Here's a list of nice features I'd like to implement eventually:
- Recognition of images / palettes. Drag-drop support to add images/palettes. Image/palette editor.
- Recognition of music / sounds. Music / sound editor.
- Recognition of strings. Support for editing text / automatic repointing.
- Recognition of map data, including tilesets, event data, scripting, and assembly routine links. Editing and repointing support.
- Recognition of other commonly edited data, such as evolutions, attacks, abilities, stats, and trainers.
- Making the program itself scriptable, so it can be used as an environment for useful one-off utilities for decapitalization, randomization, or balancing.
Obviously this is a much more in-depth list. These features could take quite some time (or never get done), but the idea is to design the editor with these future features in mind.