How to use Custom Portraits AND Custom CSS

[mnsg]

With the creation of Phantom Wings's CSS Organizer program, I decided to compose this guide for anyone that wants to use custom portraits with their custom CSS.

Requirements:
CSS Organizer
SSBBinsert.exe (now called SSBarc.exe)
ntcompress.exe
CUPASH (optional)
common5.pac
sc_selcharacter_en.pac (created with CSS Organizer)
SmashBox (highly recommended)
Command Prompt.exe

Steps

1: Create a new folder onto the hard drive (preferably the Desktop), and place the files, SSBarc.exe and ntcompress.exe into it.

2: Create your new CSS with CSS Organizer and save it into the folder with SSBarc.exe.

3: Use CUPASH to create your custom common5.pac.

4: Open up common5.pac with SmashBox.

5: With common5.pac opened up, go inside the archive, sc_selcharacter_en.  There's an archive, called, char_bust_tex_lz77.  Export that archive onto the folder with SSBarc.exe and name it 002.pac.

6: Open up Command Prompt.exe and head to the folder that's containing SSBarc.exe

7: Place 002.pac into sc_selcharacter_en.pac by inputting the code below:

SSBarc.exe sc_selcharacter_en.pac -i 002.pac

OR

SSBBinsert.exe sc_selcharacter_en.pac -i 002.pac

8: Compress the file, sc_selcharacter_en.pac with the code below:

ntcompress.exe -l -o sc_selcharacter.pac -A4 sc_selcharacter_en.pac

9: You should now have your own PAC file that contains your custom portraits and custom CSS.  Finish up by moving sc_selcharacter.pac onto the set directory below:

[SD drive]\private\wii\app\RSBE\pf\menu2\sc_selcharacter.pac

10: Turn on Super Smash Bros. Brawl, activate your File Replacement code, and you're all set.

Final Notes

1: When using sc_selcharacter.pac, the file, common5.pac, is not used for some reason.

2: Don't place too many custom portraits onto sc_selcharacter.pac.  Just like with common5.pac, freezing is likely to occur when you're using too many custom portraits; biggest problems are likely to happen with Zelda, Sheik, Zero Suit Samus, PKMN Trainer, Charizard, Squirtle, and Ivysaur portraits.  From what I've witnessed, more than 135 portraits can lead to freezing issues, and that excludes the characters that I just mentioned.

3: Depending on the format of your custom CSS, you may need the CSS Fix code.

4: This does operate properly with the File Replacement v2.1a code.  It also works with File Patch Code v3.5.1, as stated by various users from Smashboards.com.

5: So far, this only works with NTSC Wiis.  This can't be done with PAL Wiis, due to the fact that the latest File Replacement code for PAL always crashes with the custom portraits.

I hope that this guide will come in handy for anyone.

[STUFF2o]

Can't we just place the CSP's directly into the .pac through SmashBox? I don't see any reason why not.

[Pinutk™]

Can't we just place the CSP's directly into the .pac through SmashBox? I don't see any reason why not.

I tried that with that with my common3.pac I just took the common3 and edited the TGA's in the .pac file and it froze my wii at the strap loader, I don't know if it'll work with this...

[Finman702]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[Oizen]

I awalys get issues when I use command prompt
and here is this case's issue:

'SSBarc.exe' is not reconized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

[Segtendo]

Um, can someone tell me how to decompress the sc_selcharacter_en.pac?  :srs:

[Plasmakirby]

so far, i have many problems with this.
1. there is an annoying icon i can't get rid of
2. i can't start the match
3.some icons are getting replaced by others

[darklink94]

Does it work for PAL Brawl ?

[Finman702]

I awalys get issues when I use command prompt
and here is this case's issue:

'SSBarc.exe' is not reconized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

I didn't have any problems... Maybe try getting the newest version of SSBBarc if you don't already have it?

[Plasmakirby]

that was because you put SSBarc instead of SSBBarc. i fixed the post

[Oizen]

that was because you put SSBarc instead of SSBBarc. i fixed the post

Nope.

[bboynotbgirl]

would this mean i would have to do this with every new CSS or CSP i make?

[Finman702]

Yes for CSPs and  yes for CSSs unless you make your new CSS using the one you already put your CSPs in.

[Finman702]

"2: Don't place too many custom portraits onto sc_selcharacter.pac.  Just like with common5.pac, freezing is likely to occur when you're using too many custom portraits; biggest problems are likely to happen with Zelda, Sheik, Zero Suit Samus, PKMN Trainer, Charizard, Squirtle, and Ivysaur portraits"
Im guessing thats the error for 002.pac being too big? No way around this?
=[
It told me to use -g to ignore the size change  or somehting, so I tried that and It gave me some weird CSS i never made or downloaded with no CSPs XD

[Tylerelyt]

I can get to step 7, and then I get stuck. When I attempt to insert the file, it spits out a file called "sc_selcharacter_en.pac.out" and tells me to try again with that file. When I do, it does absolutely nothing. I've tried renaming the .out file to "sc_selcharacter.pac" and going on, and that doesn't work. I've tried renaming it then attempting to insert again, doesn't work. I've tried using both a compressed and uncompressed sc_selcharacter_en.pac, neither works. So I don't know what else to try. Any help?