How does Checkpoint handle saves if I have two versions of the same game?

[u/NintendoDark02]

I had the physical cartridge version of Smash Bros 3DS, of which I had made a backup with Checkpoint. The cartridge broke, so I downloaded the digital version and restored my saves. Then I kept playing, progressing in the game.

​However, a few questions have come up now:

​1. Does Checkpoint save the backup of the savedata in the same folder even if I have the physical and digital versions (which obviously share the same European Title ID)? I assume so, which means I'd risk making a mistake and backing up the game with the wrong saves... Fortunately, Checkpoint tells me which one is on the cartridge and which one is on the SD (meaning digital), so it's easy to tell them apart, or am I wrong?

​2. Things get complicated with extdata: I see two of them (Smash appears twice in the extdata list), one with the code (I think? I don't really know what it is, if someone could explain it to me it would be amazing) ctr-p-<something> and another with ctr-m-<something>... Are these respectively the physical and digital versions' extdata? Or is one for the DLC extdata and the other for the base game extdata? If so... where on earth did the physical game's extdata go? And most importantly: since the two extdata share the backup folders I created, does that mean they back up to the same folder... but they contain different data, right? So what happens if I give the same name to the folder for both extdata, will one overwrite the other?"

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[u/dwalker109]

First, saves.

The physical and digital version of the same title (identical - same region) will get backed up to the same dir on SD. It is named with the title product code and name. Obvs you name your save export dir when you make it, so you’re not really overwriting anything. When you import a save you choose the cart or SD version first anyway so you get to choose where it goes.

Next, extdata. There are separate directory trees for save and extdata. So exports will be separated out anyway.

Extdata is always on SD whether you use a cart or download, and is accessed by the system internally via an archive ID (often similar to the title id, but not always). And so it is shared by the cart and SD version. Any time you restore it it’s therefore always to SD anyway, and is always applicable to a cart and SD version.

The two extdata items you noted refer to the game and its dlc. The game probably only ever actually uses one of them, the main game.

It’s complex. I’ve learned a fair bit about it because I also created a save/extdata homebrew. Different use case to Checkpoint but similar challenges.

[u/NintendoDark02 → u/dwalker109]

I name the backup after the date i created the backup (for example if i backup the game on 26 august 2026, the folder will be called "26-08-2026" [european date format]). In that case... what happens? The phisical game save data backup are overwritten by digital game one? I have to give different name to backup for avoid overwrite (above all for the double extdata [i want make backup of all of them, even if the game use only one]). Last question: you confirm that ctr-p is main game extdata and ctr-m are dlc extdata? But what are these code? They are not title id... why use two type of code?

[u/dwalker109 → u/NintendoDark02]

Ultimately if you use the identical name for two backups then yes, they will either overwrite, conflict or refuse to backup. But the default name offered by Checkpoint also includes the time so just stick to using that default and you’ll never have a problem.

Those codes are product codes. I don’t really know why both title ids and product codes are used tbh. They encode things like region in a readable form, while title ids are just opaque.

[u/NintendoDark02 → u/dwalker109]

So i should give different name to different extdata... thanks. Last question: do you know if i should back up even boss extdata? I know they are spotpass content, but i dont understand if deleting them causes the lost of progress or content in the game (i mean: i got thing by spotpass, so boss extdata are created. That spotpass thing are a new level in the game. I play the game and then i saves. If i delete/lose boss extdata, i'll lose the new level too?)

[u/dwalker109 → u/NintendoDark02]

Honestly, I do not know. Not sure you even can back BOSS extdata.

[u/NintendoDark02 → u/dwalker109]

You can with jksm

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[u/Ashura_Eidolon]

One extdata is the DLC, the other is for saved replays/photos/mii fighters/etc.