How to make and edit xml files for Action Replay Codes By nickyivyca

Understanding Xml and how it works with programs
Tags and close tags
Format
Putting it all together
Credits/Contact

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1. Understanding XML and how it works with programs
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Xml is a type of database file. They are used in things like media players to keep track of all that data that can't be stored in the music file itself. The Action Replay Code Manager uses XML for the custom codelists. After dragging in a game from your Action Replay DS, you can find the game in the XML file ,which is found when you go to the program files folder on your main hard drive, go to Datel, then Action Replay Code Manager, then a folder called local_codelists. IN here you can find your codelist file, stored as an XML. If you right click (or I think ctrl+click for Mac) on the file and select edit, you can edit the file. However, don't go editing without knowing the proper way to edit.

If you look at the top, you will see a bar that looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

This shows what type of xml it is.

Below that you will see this.

<codelist> The start of the codelist

<name>My Custom Codelist </name> The name of the codelist

<game> Starts your game

<name>GAME NAME HERE

THe name of the particular game, you could make this Hello Kitty if it was really Mario Kart DS, and unless you changed the game ID, it would still work.

<gameid>Game ID This is sort of the serial number for the game.

<date>2006/08/16 18:06 </date> Some sort of date thingy. i don't know what this does, just don't change it.

And below that the game and codes will start.

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2. Tags and close tags
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To show what you are trying to indicate, XML uses tags that look like this:

<tag>Data

In the file, it uses tags that show folders, cheats, different games, the codes and names, and stuff like that, easily noticed inside the file. Cheat tags (individual codes)

Folder tags

Game tags

Name tags

Code tags (for the numbers and letters of a code)

Codelist tags (at the beginning and end of the document)

Now you need to know what to do with these tags and where they go.

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3. Format
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In XML, the format is important. If you make a mistake, your codelist won't work. The format is pretty easy to learn.

After the data shown in the first section, the codes will be there. I am using my SM64DS codes to show. The code tags that are straight on the list are lined up with the name, gameid, and data tags at the start of the file. You can indent by pressing the tab key until reaching the desired location.

	
	<game>
		<name>Super Mario 64 DS (ASMEN1J12 / 1J22)</name>
		<gameid>ASME f486f859</gameid>
		<date>1979/11/30 00:00</date>
		<cheat>
			<name>Move while paused</name>
			<codes>02042a13 00000000 d2000000 00000000 </codes>
		</cheat>
		<folder>
			<name>Infinite:</name>
			<allowedon>0</allowedon>
			<cheat>
				<name>Lives</name>
				<codes>02098930 00000063 </codes>
			</cheat>
			<cheat>
				<name>Health</name>
				<codes>12090a00 00000880 121082a4 00000008 </codes>
			</cheat>
			<cheat>
				<name>Coins</name>
				<codes>02098998 00000064 </codes>
			</cheat>
		</folder>

You start out with a cheat or folder tag, depending on what's on your list. Then you go down a line, indent once more than the cheat tag, and then put an opening name tag. The name of the code is there, and then there's a closing name tag, which shows that in between the tags is the name to be shown on your list. ON the next line is the codes. After the open tag, the codes are put in without any enter key pushing. The only time they should go on multiple lines is when the code doesn't fit on one line. there is a space after the codes, and then there's the close tag. Then another line down is the close tag for the cheat. As seen, if the codes are in a folder, the indents go in one more than if they were straight on the list.

Below the folder name, you may be wondering what this is.

It is showing the type of folder. If the folder has codes like size modifiers in it, you can't have multiple ones of those on at the same time, so that is indicated in the allowedon tags. A zero means you can equip as many as you want , and a 1 means you can only equip one.

Now putting it all together and making the file work.

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4. Putting it All Together
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Now to the final step, making it work all by yourself! First you need to come up with ideas, like folders, and you can also add 100 line codes with ease, just copy and paste into the code tags.

Then you can go and edit the list with your newly acquired talent. Before doing this, I would reccomend creating a copy of your list and messing with that. Once you think you are done, close your file and double click on it to open it in a program that checks for errors. If it detects any, go fix it and reopen the document with your non-editing program. Keep on doing this until there are no errors. Now you can go ahead and connect your Action Replay DS to your computer and download your new codes. Then try them out and HAVE FUN!

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5. Credits/Contact
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I have some people to give credit to.

The makers of Action Replay
My mom, who took me to GameStop and let me buy my Action Replay DS
The DSU community, who got me interested in Action Replay
Nintendo, for making the DS to use the Action Replay on.

I think that's it for credits.

To contact me with questions, you can PM me. I may give you my email to use in the future.

How to make and edit xml files for Action Replay Codes By nickyivyca

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