Hello, my name is blueexpert2 and I am brand new to the Emulator Zone. I have been using OpenEmu on OS X and GBA4iOS on my iPad to play Pokemon Emerald, Pokemon Ruby, and FireRed. Both emulators work flawlessly and work well with Dropbox Syncing. The only issue, many people including myself have come across is trading Pokemon from one save file to another(e.g Ruby to Emerald) or to a friend's save file. I have found a work around to the solution.
MyBoyAdvance is an app on the Google Play Store for Android devices which supports Linking. Here are the steps to run it on OS X. Please note that you have to be relatively comfortable with files and folder operations and constant switching between windows.(I doubt anyone would have a problem).
1. Start by downloading an ISO File for Android from www.android-x86.org . You can choose any edition, but Android 4.3 is recommend. Choose the version that is for your computer(If your computer isn't listed, just grab the one that doesn't have a manufactures name after it. E.G: android-x86-4.3.iso instead of android-x86-4.3-asus.iso).
2.Download VirtualBox from www.virtualbox.org. Install it and run it. Crate a New Virtual Machine. Name it whatever you like and for version select Other > Linux 2.4. Click Next and set your memory to 1024. Click Next and Create a New Virtual hard disk. Set the file type to VDI and Leave the setting at Dynamically Allocated. Set the size to somewhere around 8-16GB. Don't worry as this will only take space up as it uses it. If you have any trouble with this, look on Youtube, as there are lots of tutorials on VirtualBox and VM's.
3. Select the newly created VM and click the Settings Gear. From the popup window, click Storage and the select the Empty option in the menu. Click the Tiny CD icon next to the text field and Browse for Your Android ISO in the popup box.
4. A window will pop up. Select the Installation option with your arrow keys and press enter. Press Enter at the Create Modify Partition Prompt. Use your right/left arrow keys to navigate to the New option at the bottom of the page and press enter. Press Enter to select Primary. Press Enter again to accept the suggested Disk Size. Then Press Enter to make the drive bootable. Then use the Right Arrow key to navigate to Write. Press enter and type "yes". The program will write the data. When it finishes select the Quit option or press Q. Next press OK to install Android. Choose ext2 for formatting. Press Yes at all the warning prompts. Select YES to install the boot loader GRUB. Select Yes at the next prompt. Android x86 will install. Press OK to run Android x86. The hard part is all over!! If anyone has any problems, I can definitely help with them.
5. Android will load. When it boots, set it up using your keyboard and mouse. Choose your language, time, and login with your Gmail account. Then shut it down. (Click the Red button on the top of the menu bar, and click Power off The Machine > OK. Go back to Settings > Storage, then to the CD option. (Will say something like android-x86.iso or something), and click the tiny cd icon and remove/unmount disk.
6. Now Start back up the VM. All The configuration is over :)
7.Next load up the Google Play store and update your apps. Using Dropbox, Google Drive or Gmail transfer your ROM .sav Files from the ~/Library/Application Support/OpenEmu/VisualBoyAdvance/Battery Saves/ folder and onto your device. Also grab your legal rom files. Download MyBoyAdvance Free and load up the rom file. Create a new save file, and save right at the start of the game. Download a File Manager of your choice, and go into the folder where you stored your ROMS. There will be a save file. Copy the name EXACTLY to the clipboard. DELETE the ROM FILE which you just made. Transfer the .sav file from your Mac into the same folder and rename it to the EXACT name as the file you just deleted. Do this a second time, for the second file you want to trade with.
8. Quit and Reload MyBoyAdvance.
9. Under Settings, map your keys to the keyboard. Load up a game(E.G Pokemon Emerald) and verify your data is there. Next go to Local Link and load the game you would like to trade from.(E.G Pokemon Ruby). Go to the top level of Pokemon Centre. Use the Switch Games to switch between your games.
10. In game save the game.
11. Transfer the new save files back into the Battery Saves folder of OpenEmu.
12. Copy the existing file in Battery Saves name. Copy your transferred file(from Android) into the folder. Rename the file to the EXACT name of the file you just deleted.
13. Load up OpenEmu. Select your game, and do not resume from where you left off. The game will reload from the start. Select your save file, and voila!!! YOU DID IT! Your traded pokemon should appear.
WOW! That process is complex, but it is worth the close system integration. And it is all free. If you own a copy of Windows, you can set this up much more easily.(I will make a tutorial soon).
Any questions just let me know, and remember look on Youtube or Google for the Andriodx86 and VirtualBox instructions.
-blueexpert2
