Wiimms SZS Tools

Introduction

Wiimms SZS Tools is a set of different tools to manipulate SZS, U8, BRRES and BMG files. All tools are command line tools and run without any interaction. The tools are available for Linux, mac and Windows. The main goal is to run them in batch files and scripts to automate recurring jobs. At the moment there are two tools:

• wszst : Wiimms SZS Tool (handles SZS, U8 and BRRES archives)
• wbmgt : Wiimms BMG Tool (handles raw and text BMG files).

One main goal is the fully automated track name replacement. Both tools together can do this.

This toolset will not replace the SZS Modifier or the CTools, because they are interactive tools with GUI support and can work directly with many sub file formats.

History and Download

Last changes:

szs v0.05a r2498 - 2011-04-15

 - Code view & fine tuning (many little things...)
 - wszst NORMALIZE: Bug fixed if source does not contain a "." directory.
 - wszst CREATE+NORMALIZE: The files are ordered like Nintendo does it.
 - New command: wszst SHA1: calculate and print the SHA1 checksum of
   the decompressed data of all source files.
 - wszst+wbmgt DIFF: If option --dest is set then all sources are compared
   with the destination.
 - New option: wszst --pdir (`point directory'): Decides if a base directory
   named "." should be created. Modes are: REMOVE, AUTO, FORCE.
 - New option: --preserve: If set, mtime and atime of the source(s) are used
   to set the destination time stamps.
 - wbmgt: If creating a text BMG file option --ho-header (or -H) suppresses
   the output of the syntax information section.
 - wbmgt: If creating a text BMG file the message IDs for tracks, battle
   tracks and chat messages will be replaced by 'Txx', 'Ux' and 'Mxx'.
   This feature is disabled if option ---long is set.

Known bugs:

 - wszst can list, compare and extract BRRES files, but it can't create them.

• Complete History
• Downloads
• Source code

wszst (Wiimms SZS Tool)

wszst is a command driven tool to manipulate SZS files.

• Tool wszst: Features, commands and options

Features

• wszst supports compressed and uncompressed SZS files. Uncompressed files are good for analysis. Supported archive formats are U8 and BRRES. The format of each source file is detected independent of the file name.
• wszst LIST lists the content of a SZS files and directories. It lists also extracted file systems to preview the creation process.
• wszst DIFF compares 2 SZS files on file level. This comparing is independent of the compression and of file order.
• wszst NORMALIZE read an U8 archive, compressed or not, and write it back in a normalized form.
  • The files are sorted in a Nintendo like order.
  • Unused data holes are removed.
  • If directory '.' is available it becomes the root directory for all others.
  • Compressed sources are compressed again with maximum compression (level 9).
  • The destination is only written if any data changed.
• wszst COMPRESS and wszst DECOMPRESS convert SZS files from and to compressed format.
• wszst CREATE creates SZS files from directory structures. All files, but not files starting with a point, are included.
• wszst EXTRACT extract the directories and files to the local file system to make access very easy.
• wszst CAT allow to access one or more sub files within SZS files. The output of all sources is concatenated and written to stdout.
• Extrating a SZS file and creating again results in the same SZS file. Only the internal order of the files may be changed.
• wszst DIFF compares 2 SZS files on file level. This comparing is independent of the compression and of file order.

wszst LIST

The command LIST list the sub files of SZS files.

⇒ wszst LIST

Example:

# wszst lll Award_G.szs

* Files of Award_G.szs

off/hex siz/hex size/dec  magic file or directory/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      -       -        -  -     ./
      -       -        -  -     ./award/
      -       -        -  -     ./dpd_pointer/
      -       -        -  -     ./message/
    120    2580     9600  MESG  ./message/Common.bmg
   26a0   18300    99072  MESG  ./message/Menu.bmg
  1a9a0    1fc0     8128  MESG  ./message/Race.bmg
      -       -        -  -     ./message_window/
      -       -        -  -     ./pad_recognize/
      -       -        -  -     ./winning_run/

wszst DIFF

The command DIFF compares two sources (each SZS, U8, BRRES or directory) on file level and report mismatches for each sub file.

⇒ wszst DIFF

Example:

# wszst diff Award_G.szs MenuMulti_E.szs

* Only in source #1: ./award/
* Only in source #2: ./bg/
* Only in source #2: ./button/
* Only in source #2: ./control/
* Only in source #2: ./globe/
* File size differ:  ./message/Common.bmg [9984+256=10240]
* File size differ:  ./message/Menu.bmg [97920-7552=90368]
* Only in source #1: ./message/Race.bmg
* Only in source #2: ./model/
* Only in source #1: ./winning_run/
Content differ: Award_G.szs : MenuMulti_E.szs

wszst NORMALIZE

The command NORMALIZE read an U8 archive, compressed or not, and write it back in a normalized form:

• The files are sorted in a Nintendo like order.
  • ('/' is less than) '.' is less than digits is less than letters is less than others.
  • The case of letters is ignored.
  • For same group of characters use ASCII order.
  • For each directory: Real files are inserted before sub directories.
• Unused data holes are removed.
• If directory '.' is available it becomes the root directory for all others.
• Compressed sources are compressed again with maximum compression (level 9).
• The destination is only written if any data changed.

Normalized files are for archives and to find files with the same content.

⇒ wszst NORMALIZE

wbmgt (Wiimms BMG Tool)

wbmgt is a command driven tool to manipulate BMG files.

• Tool wbmgt: Features, commands and options

Features

• wbmgt supports raw and text BMG files. Raw BMG is the file format needed by Nintendos software. Text BMG is a user readable and editable format. In each text export an little syntax documentation is included.
• When reading a file, wbmgt detect the format of each source file independent of the file name. This make the usage of raw and text BMG files interchangeable.
• wbmgt may read BMG files directly from SZS files. Just enter the path and assume that the SZS file is a directory. Example: pathto/my.szs/message/Common.bmg
• wbmgt LIST lists the contained strings for a fast preview.
• wbmgt DIFF compares the strings of 2 BMG files and reports the differences.
• wbmgt PATCH patches each source by using a list of patch files. There are several patching modes: REPLACE, INSERT, OVERWRITE, DELETE, MASK, EQUAL and NONEQUAL. Like every source, raw and text BMG files are accepted as patch.
• wbmgt DECODE converts each source file into text mode. Patching while decoding is possible.
• wbmgt ENCODE converts each source file into raw mode. Patching while encoding is possible.
• Decoding a raw BMG file and encoding again results in the same BMG file.

Tests

I have made several tests with the following files:

• All files of Scene/UI/.
• All files of Race/Course/, some of the tracks have been replaced by custom tracks before.

The tests:

• Decompress and compress and decompress again SZS files and compare the results.
• Extract all files, create SZS and extract again. The both extracted file system are equal.
• Extract some of the files with SZS Explorer and compare them to my extracted files.
• Extract all files and create a new SZS files. Then create a new ISO image with the new SZS files and play it.
• Read BMG file, convert to internal representation and write a new BMG file. Then compare the new BMG with the original one.
• Convert all BMG files into the text format and back again. Then compare the new BMG with the original one.

All tests run without errors.

Links

• Wiimms SZS Tools
  • Tool wszst: Features, commands and options
  • Tool wbmgt: Features, commands and options
• Discussion at MarioKartWii.com
• Discussion at GBAtemp.net
• Discussion at Wii-Homebrew.com (german forum)

Custom Track Tutorials

Main Tutorials
Introduction – Textures – Scale – Modeling ⇒ Using Blender – BRRES: CTools
BRRES: BrawlBox – BRRES: RiiStudio – Minimap – Solidity – KCL: Wiimms Tools – KMP Editing
Object Editing – Cameras – Cannons – Post-effects – Videos

Battle Arenas
Battle Arenas – Enemy routes in battle arenas ⇒ Using Wiimm's Tools – Coins

Misc. Tutorials
Getting Files – BrawlBox Tricks – Animations – Shadows – Mipmaps
Custom Effects – Moving Terrain – Music – Ports – Paint Remakes – Tutorial Archive
Extended presence flags: Track Tutorial – LE-CODE Track FAQ

Testing and Reviewing
Testing a Track – Visual Review – Track Transformation – Fixing Errors

Software
3D Tools – BrawlBox – CTools Pack – KMP3D – KMP Cloud – KMP Modifier
Lorenzi's KMP Editor – MagicY – Material Tool – Post-Effect Editor – Wiimms SZS Tools – Wiimm's Tool Manager

Other
KMP Objects – Custom Objects – Model Database – Tutorial Archive

By the same author: Wiimm

Custom Track Distributions:
Years 2010 – 2021
Wiimms Mario Kart Fun 2022-05 — Wiimms Mario Kart Fun 2022-11 — Wiimms Mario Kart Textures 2022-12
Download and Install

Custom Tracks:
Alpine Mountain — N64 Frappe Snowland — N64 Kalimari Desert — N64 Koopa Troopa Beach — N64 Wario Stadium
Custom Track Updates

Custom Arena:
Bash 'n' Dash 'n' Battle

Software:
Wiimms SZS Tools — Wiimms ISO Tools — Wiimms ISO Patcher — WBZ Converter — mkw-ana — LE-CODE

Cheat Codes:
License Unlock — Clear Profile ID — Item Cheat

Websites:
szs.wiimm.de — wit.wiimm.de — ct.wiimm.de — wiimm.de — wiimmfi.de