Mega Guide for Theme Basics and Knowledge (3.90 and 4.01 CFW)

[osnap1584]

So I thought posting this to another site would be a good way to find any grammatical and link errors in my mega guide.


Introduction
Since the programming section has a mega thread for programming, how about we put this section to life. In this thread, I will be compiling together basic tools needed to create themes as well as some tutorials that I find useful to create your own flash0 themes as well as ctfs. Some download links and tutorials are leeched from other sites so I'll try to credit all. If you see anything that belongs to you and you don't want it up please inform me. I will be updating this thread; feel free to edit this with your tools and tutorial as well Robs. So I'm going to break this down into several sections now remember these are basics so I won't go into too much depth to confuse anyone. There are major issues with the spoiler tag so this huge guide won't have spoiler tags. Sorry if it will be too overwhelming to load the page but like I said it's a mega guide (Don't say I didn't warn you). Please read this guide through so you won't have to ask too many questions or we'll redirect you here. Thank you.
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Some of these downloads require winrar. You can get it [Only registered users can see links. ]
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Table of Contents
- Tutorial Colors
- Files that You Need to Edit to Create a Flash0 theme
- Basic Knowledge You Must Know About Before Creating a Theme.
- Different Color Values for the PSP
- XMB Dimensions to Position Your Icons
- Tools:
-Images
-RCO's
-PRX's
-Other
- Tutorials
- Source Links
- Final Words
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Tutorial Colors
Bold= Section
Italics= Text You Should Read
Green= Subject Area
Red= Links
Blue= FAQ
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Files that You Need to Edit to Create a Flash0 theme
At flash0: \vsh\resource:
1. topmenu_icon.rco - Main XMB Menu Icons
2. topmenu_plugin.rco- XMB Text Data
2. impose_plugin.rco - Volume Bar
3. system_plugin_fg.rco - Battery icon
4. photo_plugin.rco - Photo loading icon & folders
5. savedata_plugin.rco - Save data loading icon
6. system_plugin_bg.rco - Background waves
7. opening_plugin.rco - Word/Bootwave (When you turn your PSP on)
8. system_plugin.rco - Click sounds when you scroll
9. sysconf_plugin.rco - System config icons/USB slide bar, Theme Preview
10. game_plugin.rco - Game loading icon/corrupt icon
11. visualizer_plugin.rco - Images used in Visualizer
12. 01-12.bmp - Month theme colors
13. gameboot.pmf - Short video clip when you start a game or homebrew app
14. msvideo_main_plugin.rco - Video column icons

At flash0: \vsh\module:
1. vshmain.prx - Icon position/XMB Font color
2. paf.prx - XMB Icon transitions, Icon spacing, Submenu font & line color, scrolling speed.
3. lftv_plugin.prx - Custom Reboot PRX
4. opening_plugin.prx - Bootsound
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Basic Knowledge You Must Know About Before Creating a Theme.
We should also get some knowledge about the different color values for the PSP and the values to position your icons.
Different Color Values for the PSP
You might see the different color values in 10's, 50's, 100's, 200's and 250's. But the PSP doesn't use this values. When editing the font colors, which would be explained later in the tutorials provided, you must divide each RGB value by 255.
You can find different colors and the RGB values in this following link: [Only registered users can see links. ]
So let's say we use the color "Pale Blue":
The RGB values are:
Red= 175 Green= 238 Blue= 238
You must change the RGB values into 4 byte values. The maximum color channel strength is 1. If you use any number greater than 1, it will just look like it was changed to 1, regardless of the value you enter.
You'll come out with:
Red= 0.686 Green= 0.933 Blue= 0.933
These are the values you will be using to edit your font colors and infobar colors. You can also use this method as well to edit the page data values in RCO Editor. For Example, if you decide not to make a battery icon rather you want to recolor it; you can edit the the RGB Values to recolor it using RCO Editor in the page data tab by scrolling down to the battery input (this applies to other icons like the busy/loading icon as well).

XMB Dimensions to Position Your Icons
The PSP runs on a X and Y axis. It will contain negative values as well.
Here's an image of the XMB and the X and Y coordinates. This will be helpful if you want to position your icons.

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Tools
Images
My favorite image editor:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
Since Photoshop isn't free, here's a free alternative:
[Only registered users can see links. ]

Why can't I use MSPaint?
For one MSPaint sucks if you want make icons and it doesn't have 32 bit support so ditch it, but you can use it for other reasons that I will soon explain.


RCO's
You can make icons using pngs or 32 bit bmps. Usually bmps are 24 bit but the extra 8bit comes from the alpha channel which controls transparency. Black is considered as transparency in the alpha channel and white is the image from the rgb channels. What's gray? That's the secret to aero like icons or an alternative to using the blending options for pngs. You should search up how to use the image editting tools above and learn some basic functions.

The most important tool you will need to edit your rco's:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
Here's a screenshot:
[Only registered users can see links. ]

As you can see you can replace the icons or extract the icons which come out as 32 bit bmps as well as the different tabs: general resource, textdata, pagedata, anim data.

Now what if I get these errors when opening my rco's?

When you get these errors you need decrypted rco's to edit them:
Here are the decrypted 390 rco's: [Only registered users can see links. ]
Here are the decrypted 401 rco's: [Only registered users can see links. ]

Alternatively you can use resurssiklunssi v3 on your own rco's instead of grabbing these.
[Only registered users can see links. ]
You need the 1.5 kernel. Place the rco folder in the root of you ms. Place the eboot folder in the game150 folder with your kernel set to 4.xx. Place the decrypted rcos in the rco folder. Run the eboot press x when finished press x to exit. The compressed rcos should be in the ms0:/rco/done folder. To compress the rco's for more room in your flash 0 press circle instead of x when you run the eboot.

I'm replace my icons with a new image but some of my icons either disappear or are corrupted.
This is due to the limited resources of the psp. Yes this means high quality icons can be problems so it'll be a pain to fix up
Here are the rcos that affect your icons disappearing:
1. top_menu_icon.rco
2. top_menu_plugin.rco
3. system_plugin.rco
4. system_plugin_fg.rco

You can use a 1*1 canvas transparent png or a 1*1 canvas black 32 bit bmp with a black alpha channel replacing the shadows and glows(focus); replace (tex_sdwn, tex_sdwf, and tex_fcs which will reduce the size of your rco). For the system_plugin.rco, you can also replace the tex_line, tex_line_shadow, tex_3*3 shadow, and tex_3*3 focus.
Here's a 32 bit bmp I have prepared: [Only registered users can see links. ]

Another alternative is reducing the size of your icons or reducing colors. To reduce colors in photoshop. Go to the Image tab at the top of the program -> Indexed Mode(Click on transparent if you don't want photoshop to set a white background on your icon when doing this) and reduce the colors by clicking on the drop down box(Local Selective) then set the colors as low as possible until it isn't really noticeable (256 colors max)-> RGB Mode when finished.

Here's a pretty good tool to reduce icon quality as well. What this tool does is turn your pngs into 8 bit pngs:
[Only registered users can see links. ]


PRX's
Now we'll work on PRX's. I will provide a tutorial on some hex editting basics in the tutorial section below.
You will need a hex editor:
I prefer to use:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
It uses bookmarks which will come in handy as well as make things easy for you to work with.
Now Hex Workshop isn't free so some good alternatives would be:
[Only registered users can see links. ] or [Only registered users can see links. ]
You can find more free hex editors [Only registered users can see links. ]

An alternative to using Hex Editors to edit your vshmain.prx is using BlessedHand's [Only registered users can see links. ]
It's a GUI so edit your icon positions should be a piece cake compare to hex editor. However this GUI is only for "3.90" Firmware. Also you are more free to edit your prx's using a hex editor since GUI's are limited. This GUI however provides basic functions that you will need.
Here's a screenshot of the gui:
[Only registered users can see links. ]

You can also use Ac_k's:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
It will open a 3.90 paf.prx, as there haven't been any changes in 3.80/3.90 paf.prx.

Like rco's, prx's have to be decrypted before editting
Here's something that Schmilk stated that can help:

Originally Posted by Schmilk

What kind of prx do i have?
To determine what state your prx is in open your PRX in hex editor
If you see .ELF in the first line, then this program will
If that line says ~PSP. then this program WILL NOT give you a working prx because it is compressed/encrypted)
BUT, you candelete all data above 0x150 and rename the file to *.gzip, then open with winrar or ungzip and extract the compressed .prx, now you can update it.

Here are the decrypted prx's for:
[Only registered users can see links. ] and [Only registered users can see links. ]

Alternatively you can decrypt them yourself using Schmilk's advice or using: [Only registered users can see links. ]
You can also use PRX Compressor V0.41 to compress your prx's but I prefer to use matchung's [Only registered users can see links. ]
The 3.90 header is included in both files, it is needed for both apps. To use PRX Compressor V0.41 to decompress your files, select your 3.90 header then click the decompress button then browse for the prx you want to decrypt. To use prxrecomp03x.exe to compress your decrypted files put all of your decrypted prx in the same folder, and run prxrecomp03x.exe, select the header and a decrypted prx.

Now for Hex Workshop bookmarks, they are shortcuts to edit your float values rather then going through the offsets. I will provide a tutorial below on how to use them. Here are the links to the bookmarks for [Only registered users can see links. ] and [Only registered users can see links. ]

Here are links to the font color and infobar color offsets: [Only registered users can see links. ] and [Only registered users can see links. ]

I've seen themes with a reboot function instead of the location free player, how do you do it?
Use these files instead of your lftv_plugin.prx: [Only registered users can see links. ]
You need to edit the top_menu_icon.rco if you use only icons or top_menu_plugin.rco if you use only text or both if you use both in your theme using RCO Editor switching the update and lftv.
Now we're not done yet we still haven't switch them technically. Open up the vshmain.prx using a hex editor to and switch the Update and LFTV values.

Here are the values for 3.90 that you have to switch:


Here are the values for 4.01 that you have to switch:

A tool to convert your 3.90 prx to 4.01 prx
Finally the best part of this section, if you want to update your prxs. Use this Schmilk's [Only registered users can see links. ]
I don't recommend converting your themes with just this tool. Please take your time to edit the rco's. At least 3 rco's are required: top_menu_icon.rco, top_menu_plugin.rco, and msvideo_main_plugin.rco. Also this tool doesn't fully update the vshmain.prx. You have to edit the font colors, infobar colors, and lftv to update switch.


Other
To convert your fonts, you can find some ttf files of your choose [Only registered users can see links. ], use [Only registered users can see links. ]
This tool can be use to resize, italicize, embolden, and edit the shadows of the font.

To extract your waves into tgas for a bootwave or compress and convert your waves use [Only registered users can see links. ]

To convert your 8 wavs into vags for custom click sounds (system_plugin.rco) use [Only registered users can see links. ]

To convert your prx's and waves for a custom bootsound use highboy's [Only registered users can see links. ]

To use ctf's, use Poison's [Only registered users can see links. ]

To extract and create ctfs use Red Squirrel's [Only registered users can see links. ]
You need a decrypted vshmain.prx, paf.prx, and common_gui.prx.
Here's a screenshot of the app:
[Only registered users can see links. ]

Mr Shizzy also released a handy theme flashing tool as with some theme modifications use his [Only registered users can see links. ]
This is for 3.90 firmware.
He has also released [Only registered users can see links. ] recently for 4.01 m33.

To use cintro for 3.90 and 4.01 use the PMF App provided with roe-ur-boat's Autostart PRX V3: [Only registered users can see links. ]

Here's a tool to create your PTFS (Sony Official Themes) use [Only registered users can see links. ]
You will need this to create ctfs.

Here's a tool to create your own 01-12.bmp use Blessedhand's [Only registered users can see links. ]

Here's a tool to get rid of metadata in images for highres 01-12.bmps use SHIFT Key's [Only registered users can see links. ]

Here's a link to an unlocker.bat which will unhide all files in your flash0 (instructions on how to use it is also provided in the following link: [Only registered users can see links. ]

Here's tool to edit the 3.90 M33 Recovery Mode and the 4.01 M33 Recovery Mode using Red Squirrel's [Only registered users can see links. ]
It only edits the color and the line below the recovery mode and you need to know the hex values for your colors of chose.
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Tutorials
Here are some tutorials that will be helpful in creating your theme:
PSP-Hacks:
Learn the Basics of Hex Editting using this guide.:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
Learn how to extract and replace in RCO Editor using this guide:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
Learn how to compile your own ctf, this applies to 4.01 as well only you need the decrypted prxs (can be found above) to create your ctfs:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
Here's a secret to a good quality thumbnail for a ctf when making the ptf. Use photoshop or any image editor resize your image for a thumbnail. Save it in any format and open it up using MSPaint. Save the image as a 256 color bmp, paint will automatically open up this new bmp then save it as a png. It's much better than turning it into an 8bit in photoshop or using the PNG to PTF converter.
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
Learn about some basic RCO Editor Knowledge and Ressurssiklunssi as well.:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]

Endless Paradigm:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
Learn how to create and use bookmarks for Hex Workshop:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
Old but still useful to look through:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
An interesting effect to learn:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
Learn how to use a high resolution background as a 01-12.bmp:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
Learn how to create some awesome xmb movements:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
Learn how to modify your info positions:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
If you come across any problems using the CTF Manager GUI, use this tutorial. It teaches you how to use the batch files provided by CTF Manager to create or extract your CTFs.:
[Only registered users can see links. ]

Console Spot:
More Basics on how to Hex Edit:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]

Highboy's Site:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]

Most of these tutorials are outdated but hopeful, tutorials that require hex editing please make sure to use the offsets for the firmware you are creating a theme for.
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Source Links
Most of the tutorials come from sites like:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]

Sites to links to downloads come from above as well as:
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ]
[Only registered users can see links. ] <---- Good Place to get Updated Freeware
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Final Words
I am not responsible to whatever happens to your PSP. If anyone doesn't want their tutorial posted here, please inform me. Any links taken from other sites that aren't allowed please inform me. All in all have fun making your themes and please share your work to others. Hope this guide helps anyone who feels motivated to create their own themes.

All credits go to all the writers and devs that contributed to this guide

Original Thread and the thread that I will update more frequently can be found: [Only registered users can see links. ]

[osnap1584]

bump for response mods please move if it's better in the custom themes section.

[Popo]

I dont get this, it could be just me tho

[osnap1584]

never attempted to make a theme before?

[Bex]

I have, I get it, and, this will definitely help me with my next theme

Thanks

Stickied

[osnap1584]

thanks for the sticky

[emilm23]

Great Overall Guide. I've been looking for this guide for so long. Thanks a lot for the sticky

[BoNkErZz]

ONE OF THE BEST POSTs EVER BAR NONE... THX

[QueenB]

Very informative reading, thanks for posting it. I'll be reading through it a lot more

[ValkiN]

WOW! this is i'vve been looking for thank you... GREAT GUIDE and i got it all software.. now i can make my CTF... (hope so)...
: clap1: