LBFn Intro and English Documentation (Work in Progress)

[urbigbro]

LbFn is a modification of yi's LBF, which is based off Mirakichi's source to LaunchELF v3.41. Currently maintained by Nika.

LBFn and uLE have many similar features, and others distinct to each homebrew. They are both using different PS2 libraries so the features from one are not just portable to the other.
Please don't ask dlanor (uLE's dev) or nika (LBFn's dev) if one feature can be added to the other without looking through each of their respective "feature request" threads or polls and the stated objectives for each homebrew. Keep in mind that each dev doesn't speak each other's language and Nika only speaks Japanese.

I wrote this because I couldn't find a single place that has an English introduction, to LBFn, let alone documentation or a usage tutorial.

Where to get LBFn

Official website: scroll down near bottom of page and look for the purple boxes and a file named LbFn07015.zip
http://wiki.nika-2ch.net/?appli%2FLbFn


Features so Far. (Some features I'm unclear how to use. Any input is appreciated)
*ELF launcher, and file browser, (MC, HDD, USB, CD/DVD supported)
* .jpg, .gif, ,txt, and .doc viewer
* .psu save management
* Advanced FREEMCB.CNF FMCB's config file editing, including the entire font set of the PS2.
*LbFn can also input the Alt+Num7 piece of code . It can be seen and input as a gold capital G in the ASCII table of LbFn's virtual keyboard.
* Cyrillic, Japanese and certain Chinese character support in file browser, text entry, and FMCB config mode
* Multiple screen mode and resolution support including 1080i, 720p, 480p, NTSC, PAL, 576p, VGA up to 1280x1024 @ 75hz and an option to make custom resolutions and screen positioning for your display device
576p output is console version dependent, works on v15 and above.
* Font customization of height, width, margins, spacing, and bold, as well as custom font set support.
* Auto launch ELF files and program functions with delay timer support and shortcut buttons
* English and Japanese menu support (auto detected by console region) no other languages supported at this time.
* Keyboard support, English and Japanese
* Alternate USB driver support- USBD.IRX and USB_MASS.IRX
* File type "Icons" displayed in browser (colors customizable)
* Color customization for all elements (background, text, etc)
* Update LbFn over the network connection of the PS2
* MISC PS2 hardware commands such as Power off, and reset.
* Game save icon texture preview.
* I probably missed some other features ;p



Running the program.

You can run it from the FMCB hacked OSDSYS, uLE, and possibly m0dchips. (chips not tested by me I don't have one.) It can be run from MC, HDD, USB, or CD/DVD.

Using the File Browser. Copy Paste, View Jpeg, Gif, txt, .doc files
This program uses the "Japanese" O button for confirm, and X for cancel button configuration. Sorry if you're not used to this, I couldn't see a place to change this in the config menu.

Most of the features in the file browser are similar to uLE. I suggest you familiarize yourself with it to understand LBFn's file browser.
R1 brings up the action menu to copy, paste, and look at files.

Config File Location
Lbfn keeps it's configuration files in the SYS-CONF folder on the PS2's memory card.
LBFN.INI

Button Shorcut Config
Go to CONFIG->Button Setting


Scroll down to "BUTTON SETTING OF #XX" XX = DEFAULT, 1,2,3, etc
Push the R1 button until you reach the desired number

Below is a brief description of what each field does.


TIMEOUT: Set time to delay before file or feature is autolaunched (only works for default entry) 1-9999 seconds
PRINT ONLY FILENAME: ON= only ELF file name or feature name is displayed, OFF= the entire path and file extension is displayed (If the DISPLAY NAME: field has an entry then this is not applicable)
DISPLAY NAME:Choose a display name (If not chosen it is auto filled by the ELF files name or LBFN feature chosen)
PAD: is the button you want asigned
PATH1: browse to the file or feature you want that button to launch
PATH2-5: Alternate paths to file if first is not available, e.g USB, or HDD file was on is removed
LAUNCHER SETTING INIT -WARNING This resets all the field to it's default state. DON'T go configure your buttons, path and display name, then push this button. It will revert ALL the changes you made.

Using the 'Virtual Keyboard' to Enter Text
When entering test for the button shortcuts, or entries in the FMCB CNF editor, you'll see the screen below.
Press R2 to change type of text you want to enter.
Use the d-pad to navigate to your character.
Press O to enter the character.
L1 and R1 move left and right within the text entry line.

Different type of text descriptions:

ASCII - characters based on Roman characters, organized ABC, 123, symbols
Hiragana - Japanese symbols, organized in gojūon (5x10 grid) order
Katakana - Japanese symbols, organized in gojūon (5x10 grid) order, used mostly for words foreign to Japanese
Num, Marks - numbers, punctuation marks, and symbols (both ASCII, and SJIS)
Kanji-on - Japanese approximation of the Chinese pronunciation of the character at the time it was introduced, sorted by on'yomi
Kanji-kun - Japanese word that closely approximated the meaning of the Chinese character when introduced, sorted by kun'yomi
RAW- All characters in one table ordered by the JISX- 0208-1990 standard
Enter - inputs the string of characters chosen from the virtual keyboard.
Abort - aborts text input (not shown in pic)


Using the FMCB CONFIG/ FREEMCB.CNF Editor
You must first set-up a shortcut to this program feature before you can use it. All the entries are the same the "Free McBoot Configurator" included in the "FMCB noob pack", so please refer to the FMCB tutorials for what each entry does, and or effects.





Configuring Fonts, two different screens have different font adjustments.

One of the cool features of LBFn is the customizable font sizes, and styles. This next section will describe the adjustments of the fonts.
*Custom fonts can be used by setting the font path in the ASCII FONT and KANJI FONT fields. The fonts must be in the FontX2 format for LBFn to use them. They can be stored on MC, USB, and HDD. The 'ptek' compression method can be used to make the filesize smaller, but they will also work uncompressed.

JNABK has already made a tutorial on how to convert custom fonts to the compatible FontX2 format. He also has already converted an ASCII only font that looks somewhat similar to what the PS2 OSDSYS font looks like.

Conversion Tutorial
([Tutorial] Font Conversion- TTF/OTF to FontX2)http://psx-scene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62323

PS2 OSDSYS style font.
http://psx-scene.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=15964&d=1256020049

CONFIG/SCREEN SETTING


TV MODE: 1080i, 720p, 480p, NTSC, PAL, and Custom screen resolution support - used for display resolution adjustment
FIX FONT WIDTH : - make fonts wider, or narrower. Max X8, Min 1/8 of original size
FIX FONT HEIGHT : - make fonts taller or shorter. Max X8, Min 1/8 of original size
FONT BOLD: - ON , OFF, or Default (Default is light bold effect)
SCREEN X:
SCREEN Y:
FLICKER CONTROL: ON or OFF
SCREEN SETTING INIT: sets this screens setting to Defaults

CONFIG/FONT SETTING

ASCII FONT: - browse to location of font you want to use for ASCII characters
KANJI FONT: - browse to location of font you want to use for KANJI characters
CHAR MARGIN: - adjust the space between each character MIN -9999? MAX 9999?
LINE MARGIN: - adjust the space between each line of text. MIN -14 MAX 999?
FONT BOLD: -turn Bold on or off, overrides bold setting in CONFIG/SCREEN SETTING menu
ASCII MARGIN TOP: - moves all ASCII text position up (negative numbers)or down (positive numbers)
ASCII MARGIN LEFT: - moves all ASCII text position Left (negative numbers) or right (positive numbers)
KANJI MARGIN TOP: - moves all ASCII text position up (negative numbers)or down (positive numbers)
KANJI MARGIN LEFT: - move all ASCII text position Left
FONT SETTING INIT: - set this screens setting to Defaults

Font preview screen!



Update LbFn over the network.



I'm still working on this and would appreciate help from anyone interested. If a few people could break the different features up between them it would make it much easier for me and get done quicker.

If you have a PC capture card to provide screen shots, a good handle on the English language, can translate the Japanese LBFn homepage better than a computer, or just plain already know how to use one or all of the features of LBFn please feel free to PM me and I'll help split up different feature sections to whomever is willing.
* Thanks to nika for the animated .gifs and high quality screen captures. I'll make more over the next while.

[TnA]

The Jap-Chars, are looking good (in OSD).
I´m still playing around with it.

[JNABK]

Hmm....something i could do is provide any screen shots you would like. I'll check this out a bit later and see if theres other things i could help ya with.

[JNABK]

Here, i took a bunch of shots of all the screens......

*Edit*
Heres some more.... Let me know if you want specific shots.

[urbigbro]

Hmm....something i could do is provide any screen shots you would like. I'll check this out a bit later and see if theres other things i could help ya with.

Thanks for those.

If you have a way to capture 720p-1080i, it would be great to get pictures of the text entry screens that let you input Japanese, and Cyrillic as well as the way the different font settings affect how text looks. For example some Japanese text is unreadable in a low res font with bold on.
If you don't have a high res capture card, it would be great if you could capture the color, and font configuration screens for starters. Any other screen that doesn't require high rez is also acceptable.

I have a capture card, but it is limited to 480i.

@All
If someone has the ability to translate, or figure out how the tek5 fonts are installed, that would help a lot. The ultimate goal is to use (or create) a font that support all the characters the PS2 can display. The default one doesn't display the "PS2 specific" characters not defined in the SJIS font it uses.

[JNABK]

Unfortunately, its a cheap USB 'plug-N-play' tuner box, so thats about the best resolution it offers for still captures. Yea, i see what you meant by those Chars when viewed from the 'RAW' font selection.

Check over those screens i sent already, im pretty sure i did include the Font and Color config screens. I posted 2 .rar files, cause i missed the others the first time.

[katananja]

In a few days I will get another capture card with 1080p support, after that I can capture screens over 480i

About the japanese characters, they look pretty good here too

[urbigbro]

In a few days I will get another capture card with 1080p support, after that I can capture screens over 480i

About the japanese characters, they look pretty good here too

Much obliged partner!

If you'd PM me what card you got, I'd appreciate it, as I've been looking into getting one, but found good reviews hard to come by.

[ragnarok2040]

If someone has the ability to translate, or figure out how the tek5 fonts are installed, that would help a lot. The ultimate goal is to use (or create) a font that support all the characters the PS2 can display. The default one doesn't display the "PS2 specific" characters not defined in the SJIS font it uses.

The lbfn config file has two options "ascii_font" and "kanji_font" which need to be set to a path to a file or to the default "systemfont". It doesn't matter if it's tek5 compressed or not as the font init code checks for that.

These are some extra font options:
"char_margin"
"line_margin"
"font_bold"
"ascii_margin_top"
"ascii_margin_left"
"kanji_margin_top"
"kanji_margin_left"

Also it looks like lbfn can load compressed irx modules and text files compressed with the tek5 compressor. The instructions say to drag and drop files on the batch file to compress.

[katananja]

Much obliged partner!

If you'd PM me what card you got, I'd appreciate it, as I've been looking into getting one, but found good reviews hard to come by.

The card was this one, the problem is that the chip support that resolution but the manufacturer turn that feature off, the board can't capture anything over 480i