Tool for Extracting Text from .dat Files in Pokémon Switch Games

A simple Python tool to decrypt and extract text from Pokémon games on the Nintendo Switch.
It supports .dat and .tbl files.

Based on the pkNX project by kwsch.
Check out the original implementation in Structures/Text/TextFile.cs.

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Supported Games

• LGPE - Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee
• SWSH - Sword & Shield
• LA - Legends Arceus
• SV - Scarlet & Violet
• LZA - Legends Z-A

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Usage

python main.py <command> <input> [output] --version=<VERSION> [--format=<FORMAT>]

Commands

1. read - Extract text from .dat files

# Extract single file to JSON
python main.py read "path/to/file.dat" "output_folder" --version=LZA --format=json

# Extract single file to TXT
python main.py read "path/to/file.dat" "output_folder" --version=LZA --format=txt

# Extract entire folder
python main.py read "path/to/dat_folder" "output_folder" --version=LZA --format=json

2. write - Compile text files back to .dat

# Compile single JSON file
python main.py write "path/to/file.json" "output_folder" --version=LZA --format=json

# Compile single TXT file
python main.py write "path/to/file.txt" "output_folder" --version=LZA --format=txt

# Compile entire folder
python main.py write "path/to/text_folder" "output_folder" --version=LZA --format=json

3. merge - Combine all .dat files from subfolders into single text files

# Merges common/, script/, sk/ folders into common.txt, script.txt, sk.txt
python main.py merge "path/to/dat_folder" --version=LZA

# Specify output folder
python main.py merge "path/to/dat_folder" "output_folder" --version=LZA

Output: One text file per subfolder with all .dat contents separated by filename.dat ~~~~

4. split - Split merged text files back into individual .dat files

# Splits common.txt, script.txt, sk.txt back into .dat files organized by folders
python main.py split "path/to/merged_folder" "output_folder" --version=LZA

Features:

• Validates line count against original files
• Warns if lines are missing from edited files

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Formats

• json - Structured format with ID, hash, and text fields (default)
• txt - Plain text format, one line per entry

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Features

✅ Multi-threaded processing for fast batch operations
✅ Automatic subfolder detection
✅ Line count validation (merge/split)
✅ UTF-8 encoding support
✅ Progress tracking with detailed logging
✅ Error handling with comprehensive error messages

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Workflow Example

Extract and edit all texts from a game:

# 1. Merge all .dat files into manageable text files
python main.py merge "game/message/dat" --version=LZA

# 2. Edit the generated common.txt, script.txt, sk.txt files

# 3. Split back into .dat files
python main.py split "game/message/dat" "game/message/dat_translated" --version=LZA

# Done! Your translated .dat files are ready

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Contributing

If you want to help map the variables of each Pokémon game on the Switch, just open a PR for the module text_config.py.

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License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0-only).