Releases: Alfombracitario/A-PIX_DS
Release list
A-Pix DS pre-release 0.4.2
Bug fix and new features!
I know, the last update was a few days ago, and we have another one?!
what did I add?
- now there is a square that shows you where you are in the canvas, it hides after a few frames so don't worry about the preview!
what did I fix?
- the animations NOW ARE WORKING! (read more about it above)
- the off by one bug with the undo-redo is finally fixed!
- the canvas in the top screen now is always centered!
- Improved the performance: when you are making a new color, the app only updates if there is a change
- optimized the grid
so about the animations..?
- in order to make them work in the first place, I had to simplify them,
Now, pressing these buttons will take you to the last frame, where you can add a new one or delete it.
So yes: if you want to add a frame at any specific position, you have to move all the frames one by one using the copy-and-paste function.
I know it’s not the ideal solution, but it’s better than having a system that doesn’t work properly.
In the future, I’ll try to add the ability to insert frames and delete the currently selected frame.A-Pix DS pre-release 0.4.1
I took a time to fix these smalls issues that bothered me.
what did I fixed?
- now you can't scroll outside the canvas
- now the icon of the color you selected from your palette and the color you actually have selected are always synchronized
- if you are editing a 16 bit image, the canvas will always show all the updated information (this issue was only visible on emulators)
- the maximum zoom will let you see 2x2 pixels.
- now the semi-transparent background changes the scale with different zooming.
- the vertical image shift had an issue when It duplicated only one line.
without zoom
with zoom
A-Pix DS pre-release 0.4
A-Pix DS – Pre-release v0.4
What's New
Visuals & Interface
- Added transparency grid overlay.
- Added a gradient that improves the overall visual style.
Palette Editor
- You can now edit palette colors with maximum precision using
select+ arrow buttons. - Added copy/paste buttons for individual colors and palette sections.
- Color bucket can now replace entire palette indices, or replace a whole color across the image instead of just a section.
Animation (Experimental)
- Added animation support: change speed, add frames, delete frames, and more.
- To save, each frame must be exported individually —
.gifexport is not yet available.
File Explorer
- Added file preview when hovering over entries.
- Added a smooth gradient to give it a better look.
Formats
- Added SNES 8BPP format support.
Other
- A few easter eggs have been hidden somewhere in the app
Fixed & Improved
Performance
- Extreme optimization pass — the app now runs nearly 3× faster in most scenarios.
- Improved hardware utilization.
Code Quality
- Major internal refactor; new features can now be added much more easily.
Bugs
- Fixed the line artifact that appeared when exiting the text console.
- Fixed numerous bugs.
⚠ Warning
Animations are EXPERIMENTAL.
The app may crash or behave unexpectedly in certain situations.
This release is going out earlier than ideal — too many core features were sitting unreleased since 0.3, so expect a v0.4.1 with fixes soon.
Controls
(Full control list remains documented in the main README.)
This version continues to be a pre-release.
The editor is becoming more stable and feature-complete with each update.
Feedback is welcome and appreciated — it directly helps shape future updates.
JOIN THE DISCORD!!!
https://discord.gg/smJcPKfBBW
A-Pix DS pre-release 0.3.2
A-Pix DS – Pre-release v0.3.2
What’s New
v0.3.2:
NOW YOU CAN USE PNG!
Improvements in the file explorer
Fixed even more visual bugs with the palette editor
importing .acs now is even faster.
v0.3.1:
Fixed some visual bugs with alpha in 16 bits mode.
v0.3:
Core Format Changes
- Fixed some .acs issues and improved the export compression.
- Fixed multiple internal issues in image format handling.
- Fixed incorrect .PAL export behavior.
- Fixed .BMP export issues when working in 16bpp mode.
- Added ARGB 1555 .PAL export/import.
Editing & Navigation Improvements
- Now you can Hold the stylus to repeat some actions faster.
- Added 4 new shift buttons (with wrap-around behavior).
- Added 4 brush types.
- Added 4 brush sizes.
- Improved overall UI layout to be more intuitive and cleaner.
Performance
- Minor internal optimizations in several parts of the code.
Controls
added brush settings buttons.
Added shift visible area buttons.
(Full control list remains documented in the main README.)
This version continues to be a pre-release.
The editor is becoming more stable and robust, but formats and features may still evolve.
Feedback is welcome and appreciated — it directly helps shape future updates.
JOIN THE DISCORD!!!
https://discord.gg/smJcPKfBBW
Pre-Release 0.3.1
A-Pix DS – Pre-release v0.3.1
What’s New
v0.3.1:
Fixed some visual bugs with alpha in 16 bits mode.
v0.3:
Core Format Changes
- Fixed some .acs issues and improved the export compression.
- Fixed multiple internal issues in image format handling.
- Fixed incorrect .PAL export behavior.
- Fixed .BMP export issues when working in 16bpp mode.
- Added ARGB 1555 .PAL export/import.
Editing & Navigation Improvements
- Now you can Hold the stylus to repeat some actions faster.
- Added 4 new shift buttons (with wrap-around behavior).
- Added 4 brush types.
- Added 4 brush sizes.
- Improved overall UI layout to be more intuitive and cleaner.
Performance
- Minor internal optimizations in several parts of the code.
Controls
added brush settings buttons.
Added shift visible area buttons.
(Full control list remains documented in the main README.)
Important Notes
⚠ Breaking Change:
All old .acs files are incompatible with this version due to structural improvements.
This version continues to be a pre-release.
The editor is becoming more stable and robust, but formats and features may still evolve.
Feedback is welcome and appreciated — it directly helps shape future updates.
Pre-Release 0.3
A-Pix DS – Pre-release v0.3
What’s New
Core Format Changes
- Fixed some .acs issues and improved the export compression.
- Fixed multiple internal issues in image format handling.
- Fixed incorrect .PAL export behavior.
- Fixed .BMP export issues when working in 16bpp mode.
- Added ARGB 1555 .PAL export/import.
Editing & Navigation Improvements
- Now you can Hold the stylus to repeat some actions faster.
- Added 4 new shift buttons (with wrap-around behavior).
- Added 4 brush types.
- Added 4 brush sizes.
- Improved overall UI layout to be more intuitive and cleaner.
Performance
- Minor internal optimizations in several parts of the code.
Controls
added brush settings buttons.
Added shift visible area buttons.
(Full control list remains documented in the main README.)
Important Notes
⚠ Breaking Change:
All old .acs files are incompatible with this version due to structural improvements.
This version continues to be a pre-release.
The editor is becoming more stable and robust, but formats and features may still evolve.
Feedback is welcome and appreciated — it directly helps shape future updates.
A-Pix DS pre-release 0.2
A-Pix DS – Pre-release v0.2
What’s New
Rendering & Editing
- Improved alpha blending, providing more accurate and visually stable color mixing.
- Minor internal optimizations.
File Browser & Storage
- Improved file explorer, making navigation faster and with less "placeholder" look!
- Increased maximum supported filename length.
- Added vertical scrolling (up/down) for large directories.
- Files are now streamed directly from the SD card when browsing large retro asset folders, reducing memory usage.
New Import / Export Formats
- Added SNES 8bpp support.
- Added RAW image format support.
- Removed TGA and GIF support
(these formats were incomplete and may return in a future version once properly implemented).
Bug Fixes
- Fixed visual garbage appearing after exiting the text console.
- Surfaces gets cleaned if the image size of the new loaded file is smaller.
- Small fixes to .ACS
Controls
Added the buttons to scroll. only in retro formats.
(Full control list remains documented in the main README.)
Notes
.acs Still under development.
This version continues to be a pre-release.
While stability and usability have improved significantly compared to v0.1, some features and formats are still evolving.
Feedback is welcome and appreciated — it directly helps shape future updates.
A-Pix DS pre-release 0.11
A-Pix DS – Pre-release v0.1
The YY-CHR-inspired pixel art editor designed for DS hardware and greater ease of use
Features
- Pixel art editor optimized for the NDS hardware
- Multiple color depth support (2bpp to direct color)
- Retro console–oriented export formats
- Custom compact image format (
.acs) - Undo and Redo support for safer editing
- Grid, zoom and scroll tools for precise pixel work
Import / Export Formats
Console formats
| Platform | Color depth |
|---|---|
| NES | 2bpp |
| Game Boy | 2bpp |
| SNES | 4bpp |
| GBA | 4bpp |
Image formats
- PCX
- BMP (4bpp, 8bpp and direct color)
- ACS (custom format)
What is .acs?
Alfombra Compression System (ACS) is a custom image format designed to store pixel art using less space while allowing very fast read times.
It was created specifically with hardware like the Nintendo DS in mind.
ACS supports multiple color depths and compression commands tailored for pixel art patterns.
Important:
ACS is still under development and not finalized yet.
While it is usable, it is not recommended for storing critical or irreplaceable assets at this stage.
Editing Tools
A-Pix DS includes a set of tools designed to speed up pixel art workflows:
- Scale, flip and rotate full images or selected areas
- Copy, cut and paste operations
- Selection-based transformations
Undo / Redo
Undo and Redo are available, allowing experimentation without fear of permanent mistakes.
View Options
- Zoom
- Grid overlay
- Canvas scrolling
These tools help maintain precision even at very small resolutions.
Color Modes
The editor supports multiple color configurations:
- 2bpp
- 4bpp
- 8bpp
- Direct color (ARGB1555)
- NES palette mode
Current Limitations
- Maximum image size: 128×128 pixels
- ACS format is still experimental
- This is a pre-release, features and formats may change
Project Status
This is the first public pre-release of A-Pix DS.
The main goal of this version is to showcase the editor’s current capabilities and gather feedback for future improvements.
Known Issues
The following bugs are currently known and have not been fixed yet:
- When using non-square resolutions, it is possible to scroll outside the canvas.
- Exiting a text screen may leave purple graphical garbage on screen.
- ACS currently cannot import 1bpp and 2bpp images.
- Files with very long filenames may fail to load.
- Undo-Redo have a 6% chance of showing nothing. (Just undo again)
Why these issues are not fixed yet
I have wanted to publish this editor for a long time.
Due to limited available time in the coming days, I decided to release this pre-release version instead of delaying it further.
Documentation
Usage instructions and controls are documented in the README and included project files.