PPRE (Project Pokemon's ROM Editor) Tutorial & FAQ

[Oxnite]

PPRE Tutorial & FAQ​

Welcome to the Project Pokémon's ROM Editor Tutorial and FAQ!
Please CLICK HERE to download the newest version of PPRE.

This tutorial should give you all the information you'll need to get the programme working. Some extra information is given in CODE fields. You can ignore these parts of the tutorial if you already know how it works.

If you already have your folder with the downloaded files and a Rom File, you can SKIP STEP 1. If you're uncertain if you did the right things, just read STEP 1 as well.

Quick information: the programme PPRE was created by SCV and Alpha (aka Alpha Splash). It is a programme to edit Scripts, Trainers, Pokémon, and many more for DS POKéMON GAMES.


Tutorial

Step 1
First create a New Folder. For example, go to My Documents, hit the right mouse button and select 'New > Folder'. Rename this folder to 'PPRE' for convenience. I'll call the new created folder PPRE from now on.

The second step is to download the programme. CLICK HERE to download it. What you actually download is a .ZIP file.

 [SIZE="3"][B]Extra:[/B] [I]What are .ZIP files and how do I open them?[/I][/SIZE]


With special programmes, you can create .ZIP files. .ZIP files make it easier to carry
different files; it compresses SEVERAL files to ONE file. For example; to get PPRE working,
you need 3 other files. Instead of downloading these 3 other files seperately, you can
just download them all at once via a .ZIP (''package'') file.
You can open .ZIP files with programmes like WinRAR or WinZIP.
Evaluation Versions of these programmes can be downloaded for free from their sites.
Just click one of the links below to go to their official site.
[LIST]
[*][URL="https://www.rarlab.com/download.htm"]WinRAR[/URL]
[*][URL="https://www.winzip.com/index.htm"]WinZIP[/URL]
[/LIST]

Open the downloaded .ZIP file with either WinRAR of WinZip. It contains 4 files, which should be:

• ndstool.exe
• ppre.exe
• Tabel.tbl
• thenewpoketext.exe

If this is correct, select the 4 Files and hit the right mouse button. Now click 'Extract...' (or something like that, it might differ between the programmes). (Check the Spoiler for an image) A new screen opens. Search for your new created folder and hit the Unzip / Extract button. The 4 files will be extracted to your new folder!

Spoiler:

You now need a Pokémon Rom. It has to be one of the following Roms:

• Pokémon Diamond
• Pokémon Pearl
• Pokémon Platinum
• Pokémon Heart Gold
• Pokémon Soul Silver

 [SIZE="3"][B]Extra:[/B] [I]Where can I download a Rom File?[/I][/SIZE]


Please remember though that Rom Files are [B]ILLEGAL[/B]. You may only use them if
you have an original copy of the game. I can't help you with downloading a Rom file as
they are illegal. Just Google it and I'm sure you'll find one. NEVER ask for a Rom File
on this forum.

The rom has to be UNTRIMMED (untouched / unedited).

The Rom should be in a .ZIP file, too. You have to Extract the Rom to the SAME NEW FOLDER!
The following thing is very IMPORTANT. Open your new folder where your Rom File should be. Now RENAME the Rom File. For example, if you have a Pokémon Diamond rom, rename it to: diamond.nds, if you have a Pokémon Platinum Rom, rename it to platinum.nds and if you have a Soul Silver Rom, rename it to soulsilver.nds, etc.! This might seem unnecessary, but it is very important.

What we have is a New Folder (hopefully named PPRE) with 5 files (the 4 PPRE files and 1 Pokémon Rom).


Step 2
Now you have to open the ppre.exe file. Double click to open it. You should see the following screen (beta-number might differ).

Follow the following steps to get the programme working. Never forget any of these steps or it will go wrong!

1. Step 1: type in the name of your Rom (which should be diamond.nds, pearl.nds, platinum.nds, heartgold.nds or soulsilver.nds) in the RED TEXT FIELD. With 'Red' I mean the red-circled field as you can see in the screenshot above. You have to add the '.NDS' suffix!
   
2. Step 2: Now you click the green-circled button 'Set Rom'. A black screen should open. Please wait, it will take around 1 minute. Do not click anywhere during the progress. When the black screen goes away, you can continue to Step 3.

 [SIZE="3"][B]Extra:[/B] [I]What is happening during Step 2?[/I][/SIZE]


The ppre programme is now 'opening' your rom. It uses the ndstool.exe file to create
a temporary folder, which is needed to edit your Rom. In your PPRE folder, a new folder
should be created, called: tmp_platinum if your game was Pokémon Platinum Version, or
tmp_pearl if your game was Pearl, and so on! This folder is needed to edit with PPRE,
so DO NOT delete that folder.

1. Step 3: it's time to edit! I might create a tutorial about how that works, too, but for now, you should be able to do it yourself! You can edit POKéMON, MAPS and TRAINERS. As this is a Beta, you can not edit ABILITIES, ITEMS, MOVES, etc. yet. Don't click that buttons.
   
2. Step 4: ah, so you changed the things you like? You made Lugia evolve into Magikarp and Pikachu evolve into Arceus? Eh, nice. Now you have to save your game. Take a look at the screenshot. You see the blue-circled textfield? You have to enter the following: pearledit.nds if you were editing a Pearl Rom, platinumedit.nds if you were editing a Platinum Rom, heartgoldedit.nds if you were editing a Heart Gold Rom and so on!
   
3. Step 5: now click the orange/yellow-circled button 'Write ROM'. Wait a minute again and take a look at your PPRE folder. A new file called platinumedit.nds (or something else, depending on the rom you're changing) should be created!

YOU NOW PERFECTLY EDITED YOUR ROM! Thanks for using this tutorial! Happy Rom-editing!

Note - when you're going to do this progress again, Step 2 will not take 1 minute but only 1 second instead, as the temporary folder already exists.

FAQ will be added later on.

 

[Derlo]

Awesome tool man!

But i have a little problem.
When I close the tool, and open it again.
I can't save the ROM.

I had to delete the [romname] folder to save it.

 

[Binary]

Really nice tool.
So can you edit maps and scripts in D/P/Pt and HG/SS roms with this tool? This sounds really good. I'm going to try this out right now. By 'new map' do you mean a new folder? It's confusing.

 

[chinpoko]

mine isnt writing to rom why is that

 

[Souls1996]

Really nice tool.
So can you edit maps and scripts in D/P/Pt and HG/SS roms with this tool? This sounds really good. I'm going to try this out right now. By 'new map' do you mean a new folder? It's confusing.

You can't edit maps or scripts in the game yet. And Yes. That is what it means.

 

[Oxnite]

Really nice tool.
So can you edit maps and scripts in D/P/Pt and HG/SS roms with this tool? This sounds really good. I'm going to try this out right now. By 'new map' do you mean a new folder? It's confusing.

Oh, very sorry. In Dutch, the word 'map' means folder. I edited the first post, it should be correct now.

Awesome tool man!

But i have a little problem.
When I close the tool, and open it again.
I can't save the ROM.

I had to delete the [romname] folder to save it.

I had that problem too, actually. Now I don't have to edit the folder anymore, but I have no idea how I fixed it.

@Souls1996 @Binary; no, you can't edit maps but you CAN edit scripts! There's no full list of scripts which you can edit one by one conveniently, but all the scripts that occur on the same map (and now I DO mean: map) are in a list, which you can edit. So yes, you can edit scripts.

For example, all scripts that occur in Canalave City are in a list, and all scripts in Floaroma Town, and so on.

 

[88888888]

This tool is really good for someone like myself who is new to rom editing, thanks a lot.
Had some trouble getting it working tho, I hadn't updated the .net framework on this computer yet.

 

[Tilley]

(my old post: shortened version)
Couldn't "Set ROM'
Solution: Put the PPRE application, table, and your ROM in a separate folder than the other files, like 'thenewpoketext', ect. I was able to 'Set ROM' after that.


EDIT::

Now I have another problem 8D

I can set the ROM fine now, and I can "choose" it. (it's a newer button in version .13. it lets you keep multiple ROM files connected with PPRE, and then with the 'choose' you can pick which one you want to edit.)
So that's all fine and dandy, but then when I try and click the editing buttons (like the TM/HM button, or the ITEMS button)
it says that the ROM is not loaded.

"The ROM has not been loaded. Please place your ROM in the same folder as PPRE, type in the name of your ROM, (with 'nds'), and click 'OPEN ROM.'"

...so all that's done, except the OPEN ROM button. where is that, and how am I supposed to click it/open it? I tried right-clicking my ROM and clicking 'OPEN WITH' and then I opened it with PPRE, with no result. Any suggestions?

 

[ERROR]

promsing toll cant wait for future updates :D

 

[moohoomoo1]

how do you move trainers in ppre. cause i cant find it

 

[Oxnite]

(my old post: shortened version)
Couldn't "Set ROM'
Solution: Put the PPRE application, table, and your ROM in a separate folder than the other files, like 'thenewpoketext', ect. I was able to 'Set ROM' after that.


EDIT::

Now I have another problem 8D

I can set the ROM fine now, and I can "choose" it. (it's a newer button in version .13. it lets you keep multiple ROM files connected with PPRE, and then with the 'choose' you can pick which one you want to edit.)
So that's all fine and dandy, but then when I try and click the editing buttons (like the TM/HM button, or the ITEMS button)
it says that the ROM is not loaded.

"The ROM has not been loaded. Please place your ROM in the same folder as PPRE, type in the name of your ROM, (with 'nds'), and click 'OPEN ROM.'"

...so all that's done, except the OPEN ROM button. where is that, and how am I supposed to click it/open it? I tried right-clicking my ROM and clicking 'OPEN WITH' and then I opened it with PPRE, with no result. Any suggestions?

After clicking the OPEN ROM button, you still have to click the SET ROM button after you selected it. Have to say though, the TM/HM button doesn't work yet anyways.

how do you move trainers in ppre. cause i cant find it

It has to do with the X and Y coordinates of the overworld Trainers. You can edit them through the Events > overworlds screen. It requires some dexterity, so I recommend you to first try it on a unneeded / unused rom.

 

[cesa]

Very Nice tutorial

Btw, this only can be used with NDS ones, right?

 

[dragonh123]

Great tool, its pretty gr8 for something that edits gen4

 

[wingman11]

I'm having a bit of trouble. I'm trying to edit the event in SS where you get the PokeDex from Oak so that he gives you the National Dex at the same time. I found the bit of script in the Olivine Port where you get the Nat. Dex, but when I copied and pasted it into the Oak script in Mr. Pokemon's house and saved the ROM, the game crashes when I enter the house. Anyone have any idea how to fix it?

 

[MKSSB]

I was searching some tools for Pokémon DS hacking, good tools!!
I will download them!

~MKSSB

 

[uktrayf]

I'm trying to make it so Kadabra, Onix etc. evolve by level rather than trade, but that doesn't seem to be possible...?

 

[Gardenia101]

Ugh-
PPRE has far too many bugs to my liking. You can't save trainer names in the trainer editor, you can't save anything in the ability section at all, maps and items don't work (You can't even open them)... etc. Horrible. Fix these and it will be amazing.

 

[Kevin]

Ugh-
PPRE has far too many bugs to my liking. You can't save trainer names in the trainer editor, you can't save anything in the ability section at all, maps and items don't work (You can't even open them)... etc. Horrible. Fix these and it will be amazing.

He wasn't the creator xP Tell Alpha that. Anyways they aren't finished anywayz.

I like it, even though I probably won't be hacking IV games. =P

 

[shadowwalke]

Ugh-
PPRE has far too many bugs to my liking. You can't save trainer names in the trainer editor, you can't save anything in the ability section at all, maps and items don't work (You can't even open them)... etc. Horrible. Fix these and it will be amazing.

apparently the newest version of PPRE can't save the names, but you can use the older versions. They work.

I'm having a bit of trouble. I'm trying to edit the event in SS where you get the PokeDex from Oak so that he gives you the National Dex at the same time. I found the bit of script in the Olivine Port where you get the Nat. Dex, but when I copied and pasted it into the Oak script in Mr. Pokemon's house and saved the ROM, the game crashes when I enter the house. Anyone have any idea how to fix it?

I don't know about the script you used, but I think it's because of the Message [number] part of the script. I may be wrong, but I think that's the problem, or maybe you pasted it at the wrong parts. What's the script btw? o.O

 

[moohoomoo1]

thnx 4 answering.been trying to figure that out for ages.would u be able to upload a youtube vid on how to use ppre