PC/Windows compatability

[nijuod]

Hello,
i just spent about 1.5 weeks reading up about binary hacking for pkmn e, when i stumbled into some threads about decomp hacking.

i can say im pretty convinced toward decomp at this point, so im reevauluating all the tools i had been curating.

i read that porytiles is a big deal, & was linked here, but it looks like its only available for linux & mac, is that the case? i use windows since im not really a coder. im even very new to this site & learning how to use this for hosting my build is still on my to-do list.

I know of a few other tile editing tools, are those going to be a bad choice going foward with decomp editing & do i now have to build a linux pc to move forward?
I think i read somewhere that the windows programs can be run in a VM in Linux, but i suppose that doesnt work the other way around in this case?

[mrgriffin]

Decomp hacking on Windows is typically done through WSL which you could think of as a Linux VM than runs under Windows, so it shouldn't be a problem.

[nijuod]

thanks, i wonder if you wouldnt mind proofreading my results below, for the good?

for the record (& ill add this below too) i have Windows Home, so i had to add a step to get Hyper-V, which is removed from Optional
Features on Windows Home.

[nijuod]

OH MY GOD was that complicated.

Im going to post here what i really really wish i could have just found before i started.
I found what could have been alternatives or misinformation, but in a nutshell:
yeah, linux can accept this in a Virtual Machine on Windows.

Im including advance steps to even get Ubuntu/Linux/Unix going on a windows.

Please note, theres some codes below i placed in brackets & wrote "not used" afterward, I found these & while
im less than a novice at script, i believe they might be alternative codes to accomplish the same thing? (would be incredible to
be corrected on record here) but i ended up using the cmd directly after the semicolon of each step that arent in brackets
to complete the source build alternative install method.

If you use windows, & you dont know where to start, follow this to get to square 1 with this program:

Enter bios to enable virtualization in CPU settings.

create a txt file anywhere named: Enable Hyper-V.txt

make this the text contents:
pushd "%~dp0"
dir /b %SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages*Hyper-V*.mum >hyper-v.txt
for /f %%i in ('findstr /i . hyper-v.txt 2^>nul') do dism /online /norestart /add-package:"%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages%%i"
del hyper-v.txt
Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Hyper-V -All /LimitAccess /ALL
pause

rename that txt file: Enabel Hyper-V.bat

Run Hyper-V bat file as Administrator,

restart pc

create a txt file anywhere named: Windows Subsystem for Linux.txt

make this the text contents: wsl.exe --install

rename that file: Windows Subsystem for Linux.bat

Run WSL bat file as Administrator.

restart pc

Run OptionalFeatures.exe in search bar.

Verify Hyper-V enabled.

Open Ubuntu from start menu, after it installs, create username

create password (password is invisible & cursor does not move, but it
must match the following cmd prompt after hitting Enter).
Enter matching password (still invisible, type, then hit Enter).

run: sudo apt update && apt upgrade

If process is not successful, run: ps aux | grep -i apt

to show conflicting apt processess.

if theres only 1 process & its something like:
705 0.0 0.0 3956 1792 pts/0 S+ 17:27 0:00 grep --color=auto -i apt

then run: sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock
sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend
sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock
sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock

then re-run: sudo apt update && apt upgrade

To install porytiles in the Ubuntu filesystem from Windows after installing ubuntu w wsl, 

Open the unzipped Porytiles folder in Windows FILE EXPLORER,
In the address bar, Type: wsl
press Enter.

The required unix style directory for that folder will appear after your
username & end in a "$", ready for a cmd.

Run: sudo cp porytiles /usr/local/bin

To verify install,
Open windows FILE EXPLORER,

type in the address bar: \\wsl$
to open UBUNTU File System ROOT (Nothing here can be edited in Windows GUI).

or type in: \\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu\usr\local\bin


~~~~~~

Alternatively, install with GITHUB:

Install Git through WSL: sudo apt-get install git

Verify Git install: git --version

Install Dependencies: sudo apt-get install zlib1g-dev libpng-dev cmake

Clone Porytiles Rep: git clone https://github.com/grunt-lucas/porytiles.git

Install cmake essentials/compiler: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install build-essential

Install another CMAKE essential not included in the "essentials" above: sudo apt-get install doxygen

Install another Cmake essential also left out of the above: sudo apt install graphviz

Navigate to Porytiles: cd ~/porytiles

Create Build folder: mkdir build

Enter build directory: cd build

Build Porytiles: cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
	
	[cmake -B build] unknown alt, not used

Build part 2: cmake --build .

	[run: cmake --build build -j] unknown alt, not used
	[sudo cmake --install build]  unknown alt, not used

Navigate to Poryfiles root folder: cd ..

Run Test: ./build/Porytiles1/tools/driver/porytiles --help

~~~ end tutorial

This worked for me, though i havnt actually gotten to using the program since i used my whole day off figuring out how to install it.
I did get all the verbage from wsl after entering the help cmd like i was supposed to when i did it both ways (deleted porytiles & did it
from scratch after the 1st method so the 2nd method was not influenced by any folder structures etc), & the last thing ill say for now is 
goddamn i wish i wouldve known that the "exe" file doesnt actually say "exe" file like other exe files do. it just says "porytiles" & its file 
properties just say "file" under file type.

If it doesnt end up working when i dig into it later ill update here, or for the love of god, someone with experience could chime in &
straighten this all out if im putting up bad info here.

[nijuod]

it looks like github has automatically turned some of my paragraphs into copy-able containers, please know i didnt
create those, & the cmd's i meant to be copied are written verbatum directly after the semicolon describing them.
sorry, i dont know the protocol for how github formats.

[nijuod]

another important note:

I use Windows Home, which doesnt come with Hyper-V (to run Virtual Machine for Linux), so i had to add a step to acquire that.
If you have Windows Pro or Office, or i guess any other version, my understanding is that you should have that included, & can skip to the step where you open Optional Features, & enable that by checking its box by the folder name there.

[nijuod]

i just thought for posterity i should post what the help cmd returns for me:

porytiles default_build_version 1970.01.01T00:00:00+00:00
grunt-lucas [email protected]

Overworld tileset compiler for use with the pokeruby, pokefirered, and
pokeemerald Pokémon Generation III decompilation projects from pret. Also
compatible with pokeemerald-expansion from rh-hideout. Builds Porymap-ready
tilesets from RGBA (or indexed) tile assets.

Project home page: https://github.com/grunt-lucas/porytiles

USAGE
porytiles [GLOBAL OPTIONS] SUBCOMMAND [OPTIONS] [ARGS ...]
porytiles --help
porytiles --version

GLOBAL OPTIONS
-h, --help
Print help message.

-v, --verbose
    Enable verbose logging to stderr.

-V, --version
    Print version info.

SUBCOMMANDS
compile-primary
Compile a primary tileset. All files are generated in-place at the
output location. Compilation transforms RGBA (or indexed) tile assets
into a Porymap-ready tileset.

compile-secondary
    Compile a secondary tileset. All files are generated in-place at the
    output location. Compilation transforms RGBA (or indexed) tile assets
    into a Porymap-ready tileset.

decompile-primary
    Decompile a primary tileset. All files are generated in-place at the
    output location. Decompilation transforms a Porymap-ready tileset into
    RGBA tile assets.

decompile-secondary
    Decompile a secondary tileset. All files are generated in-place at the
    output location. Decompilation transforms a Porymap-ready tileset into
    RGBA tile assets.

Run `porytiles SUBCOMMAND --help' for more information about a subcommand and
its OPTIONS and ARGS.

To get more help with Porytiles, check out the guides at:
https://github.com/grunt-lucas/porytiles/wiki
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuyjFojPxF7-O5o_mS6uTBtyYcuyFf_Ce

SEE ALSO
https://github.com/pret/pokeruby
https://github.com/pret/pokefirered
https://github.com/pret/pokeemerald
https://github.com/rh-hideout/pokeemerald-expansion
https://github.com/huderlem/porymap

[nijuod]

I guess while im at it ill ask if anyone knows what this quote from the last line of the
install documentation means:

"...Porytiles 1.x in Go should work on Windows out of the box."

[nijuod]

ok, since i havnt heard from anyone on here, i scrapped the unzipped porytiles method, i scrapped the source build method, & i looked into using Homebrew as is described in wiki.

Ive got Homebrew installed, upgraded etc. the porytiles brew clone was painless & i got (again, just for posterity) this return for the --help cmd:

porytiles nightly-3a9d31c67eab5ea6eb188143992a509a1339f164 2025-08-24T14:45:28+00:00
grunt-lucas [email protected]

Overworld tileset compiler for use with the pokeruby, pokefirered, and
pokeemerald Pokémon Generation III decompilation projects from pret. Also
compatible with pokeemerald-expansion from rh-hideout. Builds Porymap-ready
tilesets from RGBA (or indexed) tile assets.

Project home page: https://github.com/grunt-lucas/porytiles

USAGE
porytiles [GLOBAL OPTIONS] SUBCOMMAND [OPTIONS] [ARGS ...]
porytiles --help
porytiles --version

GLOBAL OPTIONS
-h, --help
Print help message.

-v, --verbose
    Enable verbose logging to stderr.

-V, --version
    Print version info.

SUBCOMMANDS
compile-primary
Compile a primary tileset. All files are generated in-place at the
output location. Compilation transforms RGBA (or indexed) tile assets
into a Porymap-ready tileset.

compile-secondary
    Compile a secondary tileset. All files are generated in-place at the
    output location. Compilation transforms RGBA (or indexed) tile assets
    into a Porymap-ready tileset.

decompile-primary
    Decompile a primary tileset. All files are generated in-place at the
    output location. Decompilation transforms a Porymap-ready tileset into
    RGBA tile assets.

decompile-secondary
    Decompile a secondary tileset. All files are generated in-place at the
    output location. Decompilation transforms a Porymap-ready tileset into
    RGBA tile assets.

Run `porytiles SUBCOMMAND --help' for more information about a subcommand and
its OPTIONS and ARGS.

To get more help with Porytiles, check out the guides at:
https://github.com/grunt-lucas/porytiles/wiki
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuyjFojPxF7-O5o_mS6uTBtyYcuyFf_Ce

SEE ALSO
https://github.com/pret/pokeruby
https://github.com/pret/pokefirered
https://github.com/pret/pokeemerald
https://github.com/rh-hideout/pokeemerald-expansion
https://github.com/huderlem/porymap

I havnt actually compared each character, but it seems like the same minutia i got from the first 2 methods. the only difference is the Homebrew installed Porytiles actually compiled something!

for some reason my canvas appears larger in porymap than in the wiki photos, & the pink in the tileset from the photos appears to be black w white dots in my porymaps (i ended up using the literal example tiles linked in the wiki to reduce variables, but still the pink turned black in the right column overview of the tileset).

attaching a screenshot of my result:

[nijuod]

for quick reference, this is the image from the wiki:

[nijuod]

I think i found the porytiles exe here: /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin
(except i think i just learned that linux doesnt use .exe files, only windows does, except they are still called "executables"? hunh?)

Im still unclear on what exactly is considered "THE PATH" since it seemed to be ok before with the other methods but wouldnt compile, even when the executable was in ~/usr/local/bin.

Now that its in the linuxbrew bin its compiling.

[grunt-lucas]

Sorry I had this thread open but forgot to type a reply. Yes looks like you got it working, I find that Homebrew is the easiest way to get it working if you're still new to using the CLI. The Porymap screen you sent looks correct. The tutorials assume you already have some familiarity with mapping and Porymap. I'd recommend watching some of the videos on this channel.

Im still unclear on what exactly is considered "THE PATH" since it seemed to be ok before with the other methods but wouldnt compile, even when the executable was in ~/usr/local/bin.

~/usr/local/bin is not what you want. The /usr directory refers to the root of your filesystem. If you put a ~ in front of it, your shell will think that there is a usr directory in your home folder and look there. There probably isn't a usr directory in your home folder. The Google AI response here actually has some helpful info about Linux home directories.