This program I just finished writing extracts the palette data from a SNES9x version 1.53 save state file, and puts it into another file at the offset that it would be in a ZSNES save state file. The output file is given the extension ZST so that SNES graphics hacking tools that use ZST files for acquiring the palette data will actually load the file that my program outputs (they usually check file extension and reject any file that doesn't have the ZST extension).
Download it from: http://www.mediafire.com/?kp22jecw3o9k4ee

This is a very useful with BS Satellaview games, as the current version of ZSNES has trouble loading these. When ripping sprites you need the color index data (the actual pixel array) but also need the palette data. Therefore it is essential that you have a ZST file from even the Satellaview games, if you want to rip sprites. This presents a problem when you find that ZSNES is refusing to load the game even when the BSX BIOS file path is correctly set in the ZSNES settings (a bug that I find that the current version of ZSNES has), yet at the same time common graphics hacking software will only accept ZSNES's save state files. My program allows you now for the first time ever to get the palette data from Satellaview games or any other games that the current version of ZSNES won't run properly. Now all these games can finally have their sprites ripped.

To use this program, just load the game in SNES9x 1.53 and hit shift+f1 (or any other f-key). Start my program "SNES9x1.53 Save File to ZST Palette Converter" and just drag-drop the SNES9x save state file onto the window of my program. It will automatically generate a ZST file containing just the palette, and at the file offset within the file for the ZSNES saves state file format. Keep in mind it is JUST a palette dump and contains no other game data and therefore isn't a complete ZST save state, and will not work as a save state in ZSNES (attempting to load it will likely cause the game rom to crash because it won't load proper state data for the game).

In the game graphics ripper called YYCHR, press f12 to get the load emulator save state dialog box (it calls it generically an emulator save state but it is actually only capable of loading ZST files for SNES games, no other SNES emualator save format is recognized). When that load save state dialog box is open, just select the ZST file that my program generated and load it. It will now load the palette. Make sure the PAL button is pressed next to the palettes on the main window of YYCHR before doing this. It won't have any effect on the palette if the PAL-SET button is pressed instead (however it will still have loaded it in "behind the scene" and if you then press the PAL button you will get the correct palette).

This "palette" is actually a set of 16 palettes (16 colors each). With this loaded in YYCHR, click on any one of the 16 rows of colors (each row of colors is one palette) to select that as the current palette, and watch how the colors change in whatever graphics are on the main graphics screen at the time. If you have a rom loaded and have found the sprites you want being displayed on the screen, click on each of the 16 palettes until you find the one that causes the sprites to have the correct color, then go to the file menu and select save bitmap to save a BMP file sprite sheet.
Get YYCHR from the "download file now" link at http://www.romhacking.net/utilities/119/
This version requires .net Framework 3.5 is installed on your computer. If you don't have it, use the previous version (it doesn't require .net Framework at all if I remember correctly). Download the latest non-net-framework version from the "Download YY-CHR version 0.99" link at: http://www.smwiki.net/wiki/YY-CHR

If you'd like I'll mirror your program on my mirror cluster in the event MediaFire goes haywire.

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Request Granted.

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Thanks, though I'm probably going to make a new version in the next few weeks, as I think my current version (1.0) has some bugs. You can mirror this one for now, as I won't be around for the next week (going on a field trip with my college class over Spring break). But expect a new version (1.1) at some point in the next few weeks after that.

Sure; just shoot me a PM/Email (email is on my website) And I'll update it.

Also, want to point our a couple of "bugs":

- Kinda think you should name your program versions from here on out. Just my 2 cents.

- Double check your spelling on the program dialog... there were a couple of typos.

Other than that, everything looks kosher. Cheers and enjoy your break.

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What operating system are you using? 32 or 64bit? Version of Snes9x? Is the text at the bottom of the window white when you load the game?
These suggestions are usually the solution to your issue!

Apologies for the double post but I seem to be unable to edit posts as well... :
Anyway the version listed above can also be found at the following mirrors:

http://arrows.homenet.org/mirror/snes9x2zst/ (also via FTP: ftp://arrows.homenet.org/mirror/snes9x2zst/)
http://mirror.crisisresponseunit.com/snes9x2zst/
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ds7wti00fnh7 ... snes9x2zst
http://wuala.com/Camo_Yoshi/mirror/snes9x2zst/

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Snes9x FAQs | Forum Rules
What operating system are you using? 32 or 64bit? Version of Snes9x? Is the text at the bottom of the window white when you load the game?
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Unfortunately the palette output converted by this does not resemble a that of a known good palette for the game I'm trying to hack. Game I'm trying to hack is http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/zips/ld-bszld.zip

The ZST file (ZSNES savestate file) that is included with the rom correctly contains the palette needed for hacking the graphics of the rom in YYCHR. However my program's output when converting a SNES9x save state to ZST format looks correct in a hex editor (has the palette in the right location) but when loading the palette into YYCHR it does not even BEGIN to resemble the palette contained in the ZST save file supplied with the rom. It is quite obvious that they dumped the palette a different time during the game such that the palette set is different. However at least ONE of the palettes should be the same, because the main character was rendered at the screen I did the SNES9x save dump, and therefore the palette needed for rendering his sprite correctly SHOULD be present in the save. But it's not. Instead NONE of the palettes give his sprite the right colors. I thought maybe it was different byte order between the SNES9x and ZSNES saves, but I tried reversing the endian in my conversion program, and STILL I don't get any working palettes!!!!!!!!!!!!

So for now I consider my program defective beyond all usability. So until I can fix this, I recommend that NOBODY use this software.

I have now tried a variety of combinations of reversing the endian and swaping red and blue channels. NOTHING WORKS! ARG! I normally would complain bitterly about someone else's program when it stunk. But my own program is stinking now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I don't know what's wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was the main bug I had that I said I would fix later (problems generating an actual working palette), but I can't fix it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does the ZST save file normally contain additional instructions on how the SNES PPU in an emulator is to interpret the data? If so, the problem might be that I'm missing this metadata, and that YYCHR is expecting this metadata to read the palette properly?

Any help here would be really nice.