Strings
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Contents |
What is a String?
A String is the text on your iPod menus and such, for example 'Music'. The Strings are written in Hex Code and are a vital piece of iPW in general.
The strings can be edited so that the text on your iPod is customized (ex. "Now Playing" becomes "Now Rocking").
Warning
New Users:
If you are new to the program and are just getting started, please avoid altering the strings. When you are comfortable with graphics editing and font editing, try the strings with caution.
Strings are easy to edit but changing the wrong string can have negative effects. You can make it so that your computer doesn't recognize your iPod. For a list of which strings you can safely edit and what they correspond to check the string lists. (NB: This is not a problem in the latest version of iPod Wizard, 1.2)
While changing the strings is quite possibly the funnest thing to do, many users start changing strings without looking into how to do it.
So for the sake of the sanity of the Staff at iPodWizard.net, read up a bit before touching the strings tab.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
Strings have been described above as a very useful, but dangerous modification. The iPod Wizard Forums are a great place to ask for help, but before posting something new please Search The Forums, refer to the Forced Disk Mode Wiki tutorial and, failing that, the Broken iPod Tutorial by Dustin. Or, if you're lucky enough to have your computer still read your ipod, you can save your original strings list and if something goes wrong, you could load them back on and save them to the ipod.
Method Of Changing Strings
In here we will give you the basics of changing strings, and a few examples.
Step One: Working with iPW:
Now that we have our basic introduction and warnings done, you should either be trembling in your socks or eager to begin.
First we must prepare iPod Wizard to change our strings.
Follow the Getting Started article to get ready, and then select the Strings tab in iPod Wizard.
Now that we are in, we must learn the basic rules of String changing, and our way around this section of iPod Wizard.
Now, depending on the version of iPodWizard you have, the approach to changing strings could be different. As of version 1.2, language blocks have been implemented as to make certain strings in different a bit easier to find.
iPodWizard 1.1e and below
In this screenshot we see the basic view of the Strings section of iPod Wizard 1.1e:
- Hex Address: This feature is used for jumping to specific lines of strings. Use the safe string lists to get these hex addresses.
- Find: This feature and search bar is simply used for searching for strings that you wish to modify. Please refer to the string lists to make sure, and be very careful about changing the 'iPod' string using this feature (covered later).
- Wildcard match: We use this feature to get to strings quicker.
- Change String: This bar is used to type in the resulting string you want; what you want to change the string to.
iPodWizard 1.3
In this screenshot we see the basic view of the Strings section of iPod Wizard 1.3:
As you can see, there are a few main differences:
- Lang Block: This feature divides all of the strings into easily manageable blocks, one for each language in the iPod's code. The last Language Block in the list is always English:
- 5G/Nano - Block 24
- 1-4G - Block 18
- Photo/Color - Block 18
- 1G/2G Mini - Block 18
To see the strings as depicted in the 1.1e screenshot, select 'Show All'. This is recommended, as the whole string section is visible and easily navigable if you know what you are doing.
- Translate: A feature used to translate other-language Lang. Blocks to English for easy editing.
Those are the main differences. For the purposes of this guide, Language Blocks are set to 'Show All'.
When changing strings for yourself, use the Language Blocks. 'Show All' should only be used when following a tutorial such as this, or if you are an expert!
Step Two: Learning The Rules:
Hex String Rules
- Each string must be separated from another by a '00' hex code. There can be more than one of these between strings. We can fill in these remaining '00' hex codes after a string to get more characters, as long as there is at least one left.
- We cannot edit the 'spare' '00' hex codes before a string to get more characters for it. Only the ones after.
Examples
To give you a feeling for changing strings, I will do an example for you here.
(Note: Any examples and screenshots in this guide are for the 5G iPod, v13.6.0. Do not blindly follow what I have put as an example unless you use this exact and unmodified firmware, as there are large changes between firmware versions.)
Example 1: The iPod String
This, most likely, is the main string that you will want to change.
Step One: Finding the iPod String. The 'iPod' string is found at many places in the firmware. One version of this string is used by the computer to recognise the iPod (do not change this one!), and another is used in the title on the actual iPod (this is the one you want to change). The correct string to change is followed by 'Cancel', as seen in this screenshot:
As you can see in the first red box, iPod is followed by Cancel. The second and third red boxes show which hex codes/characters are editable, which amounts to seven. Use the Change Strings bar to change it:
As you can see in the first red box, I have typed in what I wanted the title to be and then hit 'Change String'. The bottom part of the image shows what characters I have changed in red (7, the maximum amount), and the '00' strings that I am not allowed to change when abiding by the vital rules (in blue).
You can also see in this screenshot, that the hex address of the iPod string in this particular firmware (13.6.0) is 003DD790.
To apply these changes, 'Write' to the firmware, 'Downgrade Firmware' to allow you to update your iPod without losing songs, and then Update with the iPod Updater tool.
For other strings, please use the safe string lists for your particular iPod and firmware to get correct hex addresses.
Advanced Methods
As you can see above, the maximum amount of characters for the iPod string is seven. Using advanced means of thinking but still abiding by the rules, we can get a few more characters. Please do not try this until you are comfortable with the basic method.
We can move the Cancel string over a hex code until it is at the end of its spare '00's, given a couple more at the end of the iPod string.
As you can see from that screenshot, I have simply re-written Cancel beginning at the point where the 'a' used to be (the second character in). This gives the iPod string eight characters, as you can see.
The new string has eight characters, and still abides by the basic String rules of at least one '00' between each string.
With iPW 1.3...
...This is not necessary. You can make your string any length in iPW 1.3 by finding it in the Language Block you want it in, and using 'Change String'. You can type in a string to any length, it will simply move following strings down and make some more room.
Summary
Use plenty of caution when changing strings; make sure you are altering the correct one. If they seem beyond you, please do not try them until you can grasp the concept and means of changing them.
What Next?
Find some of your own strings to edit. Be careful, and be sure to use Language Blocks for your first few times.
...Enjoy!
