3DS Linux build instructions

3DS_Linux_build_instructions.md

I made a few scripts to make customizations easier.

You can find them here: https://github.com/marcotw2/linux_3ds_scripts

Step 1: Compiling or Downloading the toolchain

Step 1.a: If you chose to download a pre-compiled toolchain (only for Linux x86-64)

• Go to https://toolchains.bootlin.com
• Select arch: armv6-eabihf
• Select libc: glibc
• Download bleeding-edge
• Uncompress it (for example to /opt)
• Add the extracted directory of the toolchain to $PATH
  • Command: export PATH=$PATH:/opt/armv6-eabihf--glibc--bleeding-edge-2020.08-1

Step 1.b: If you chose to compile the toolchain:

• git clone https://github.com/crosstool-ng/crosstool-ng.git
• Run: autoconf && ./configure --enable-local && make install
• Run ./ct-ng ct-ng menuconfig
• Go to Target options
• Target Architecture -> Select arm
• Floating point -> Select Hardware (FPU)
• Emit assembly for CPU -> Write mpcore
• Exit -> Exit -> Save? -> Yes
• Run ./ct-ng build

Step 2: Build buildroot

Step 2.a: Build buildroot

• git clone https://github.com/buildroot/buildroot.git
• Download Buildroot .config to buildroot/.config
• (You can add your scripts to output/target/)
• Set toolchain path (in my case /opt/armv6-eabihf--glibc--bleeding-edge-2020.02-2/):
  • make menuconfig
  • Navigate to Toolchain --->
  • Properly set the Toolchain path, save and exit
• Run make (-j N)
  • If you get an error regarding a missing rootfs-overlay folder, create the folder and run make again

Step 2.b: Customize welcome message (Optional)

From buildroot/.config

• To change the Welcome Message modify this: Line 373 > BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_ISSUE="Welcome to Buildroot"

Step 3.: Build Linux

Step 3.a: Build Linux

• git clone https://github.com/xerpi/linux_3ds.git
• Copy buildroot/output/images/rootfs.cpio.gz to linux_3ds/
• Run ./make_3ds.sh
• Copy arch/arm/boot/zImage to sd:/linux/
• Copy arch/arm/boot/dts/nintendo3ds_ctr.dtb to sd:/linux/

Step 3.b: Customize keyboard color and font size (Optional)

From linux_3ds/drivers/input/misc/nintendo3ds_codec_hid.c

• To change highlight color modify this: Line 48 > #define HIGHLIGHT_COLOR COLOR_BLUE
• To change keyboard color (not highlighted) modify this: Line 120 > color = COLOR_WHITE;
• To change font size modify this: Line 125, Line 128, Line 134, Line 137 > row * vkb->font->height * 2
  • This will only increase/decrease font size and you will still need to click in the previus position of the letters (which make this useless...)

Step 4: Build arm9linuxfw (optional, but needed for SD card support)

Step 4.a: Build arm9linuxfw (optional, but needed for SD card support)

• git clone https://github.com/xerpi/arm9linuxfw
• Run make
• Copy arm9linuxfw.bin to sd:/linux/

Step 4.b: Change poweoff combination (Optional)

From /arm9linuxfw/source/main.c

• To change poweroff combination modify this: Line 9 > #define POWEROFF_MASK (BUTTON_L | BUTTON_R | BUTTON_DOWN | BUTTON_B)

Step 5: Build FIRM Linux Loader

Step 5: Build FIRM Linux Loader

• git clone https://github.com/xerpi/firm_linux_loader
• Run make
  • If you get a "firmtool: no such file or directory" error head over to https://github.com/TuxSH/firmtool to install it
• Copy firm_linux_loader.firm to the payloads/ folder of 3DS

Step 5: Add a custom boot message (Optional)

From firm_linux_loader/arm9/source/main.c

• To add a custom boot message add a line after this: Line 60 > Debug("custom boot message");
• To add a colored custom boot message add a line after this: Line 60 DebugColor(COLOR_EXAMPLE, "custom boot message");

From firm_linux_loader/arm9/include/draw.h

• Color list:

  • #define COLOR_BLACK RGB(0x00, 0x00, 0x00)
  • #define COLOR_WHITE RGB(0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF)
  • #define COLOR_RED RGB(0xFF, 0x00, 0x00)
  • #define COLOR_GREEN RGB(0x00, 0xFF, 0x00)
  • #define COLOR_BLUE RGB(0x00, 0x00, 0xFF)
  • #define COLOR_CYAN RGB(0x00, 0xFF, 0xFF)
  • #define COLOR_MAGENTA RGB(0xFF, 0x00, 0xFF)
  • #define COLOR_YELLOW RGB(0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00)
  • #define COLOR_GREY RGB(0x77, 0x77, 0x77)
  • #define COLOR_TRANSPARENT RGB(0xFF, 0x00, 0xEF)

• You can define other colors, read here: http://enchantia.com/graphapp/doc/tutorial/colours.htm

Step 2.a fails for me. Here is the issue: https://pastebin.com/d0ghEmyF
Please help me find out what I am doing wrong.

Step 2.a fails for me. Here is the issue: https://pastebin.com/d0ghEmyF
Please help me find out what I am doing wrong.

Sorry for the really late reply, haven't checked github in a while.
You need to create the "rootfs-overlay" folder.
command: mkdir rootfs-overlay

Step 2.a fails for me. Here is the issue: https://pastebin.com/d0ghEmyF
Please help me find out what I am doing wrong.

Sorry for the really late reply, haven't checked github in a while.
You need to create the "rootfs-overlay" folder.
command: mkdir rootfs-overlay

Did you get this error when building?
If so wouldn't it make sense to include in the build instructions.

Step 2.a fails for me. Here is the issue: https://pastebin.com/d0ghEmyF
Please help me find out what I am doing wrong.

Sorry for the really late reply, haven't checked github in a while.
You need to create the "rootfs-overlay" folder.
command: mkdir rootfs-overlay

Did you get this error when building?
If so wouldn't it make sense to include in the build instructions.

I don't remember, but i'll add it in case someone needs it

Also I then did the linux step and executed the script after changing the toolchain version in the script. There is some compilation error now: https://pastebin.com/VyjGrMZK

Also I then did the linux step and executed the script after changing the toolchain version in the script. There is some compilation error now: https://pastebin.com/VyjGrMZK

install the openssl dev package by running:

sudo apt-get install libssl-dev if on debian derivates.

sudo yum/dnf install openssl-devel if on Fedora.

On step 3.b, to change the font size you also need to change on line 388 and 389 for the taps to respond on the right place

For example:

screen_touch_y >= j * vkb->font->height * 5 &&
screen_touch_y < (j + 1) * vkb->font->height * 5) {