Swiss GC Fetcher

A utility to streamline updates of Swiss on GameCube SD cards.
It automatically downloads the latest (or a tagged) release asset, extracts the correct payloads, and installs them onto an SD card.

Motivation

Updating Swiss manually requires downloading release archives, extracting the correct files, and merging folders.
This script automates that process with a single command.

Features

• Fetches latest (or --tag/--previous-release) Swiss from emukidid/swiss-gc.

• Devices:

  • picoboot: installs ipl.dol and merges Apploader payload.
  • picoloader: extracts GEKKOBOOT (Picoloader) to install ipl.dol and swiss/, then merges Apploader payload.
  • gcloader: installs boot.iso from the GCLoader package and merges Apploader payload.

• Apploader is always refreshed: removes /swiss/patches/apploader.img first, then merges new one.

• --hide-files uses fatattr to hide: *.dol, *.ini, *.cli, GBI, MCBACKUP, swiss (recursive).

• Cubeboot (OffBroadway) support for picoboot via --cubeboot.

• Cubiboot (makeo) support for picoboot & picoloader via --cubiboot:

  • Installs cubiboot.dol as /ipl.dol and places Swiss DOL as /swiss-gc.dol.
  • When --cubiboot is not passed on these devices, /swiss-gc.dol is removed before proceeding.

Requirements

• Python 3.8+
• Internet access
• Optional: py7zr if you want to install from a .7z Swiss release asset (pip install py7zr)
• Optional --hide-files flag: applies FAT hidden attributes with fatattr.
• fatattr is packaged for Debian/Ubuntu and is also available in the AUR.

Install

No install required—run the script directly:

python3 swiss_gc_fetcher.py --help

Usage

Picoboot (standard):

python3 swiss_gc_fetcher.py --sd-root /media/SDCARD --device picoboot

Picoboot + CUBEBOOT (OffBroadway -> /ipl.dol, Swiss -> /boot.dol):

python3 swiss_gc_fetcher.py --sd-root /media/SDCARD --device picoboot --cubeboot --force

Picoboot + CUBIBOOT (makeo -> /ipl.dol, Swiss -> /swiss-gc.dol):

python3 swiss_gc_fetcher.py --sd-root /media/SDCARD --device picoboot --cubiboot --force

Picoloader (GEKKOBOOT -> /ipl.dol + /swiss/):

python3 swiss_gc_fetcher.py --sd-root /media/SDCARD --device picoloader --force

Picoloader + CUBIBOOT (makeo -> /ipl.dol + /swiss-gc.dol):

python3 swiss_gc_fetcher.py --sd-root /media/SDCARD --device picoloader --cubiboot --force

GCLoader (/boot.iso):

python3 swiss_gc_fetcher.py --sd-root /media/SDCARD --device gcloader --force

Hide files/folders (requires fatattr):

python3 swiss_gc_fetcher.py --sd-root /media/SDCARD --device picoboot --hide-files

Pinned release:

python3 swiss_gc_fetcher.py --sd-root /media/SDCARD --device picoboot --tag v0.6r1913
# or previous official: --previous-release

Behavior details

• Mutual exclusivity: --cubeboot and --cubiboot cannot be used together.
• gcloader: both --cubeboot and --cubiboot are ignored with a notice.
• Overwrite: pass --force to replace existing /ipl.dol, /boot.dol, /boot.iso, /swiss-gc.dol.
• Apploader: The script deletes /swiss/patches/apploader.img and merges the new Apploader payload every run.
• Overwrite errors: re-run with --force or remove the files manually.

License

GPLv3 (same as upstream tooling).