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[CLOSED] Advanced Launcher - Applications Launcher Addon for XBMC - Printable Version

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- JohnnyD2 - 2012-01-12

dirtymurt Wrote:i've spent hours searching and i can't figure it out. can anyone help me please.

i've set up advance launcher, I've got a directory containing links (shortcuts) to my windows games. these shortcuts are fine if i click them the respective game launches ok.

i have set up advanced launcher and the games and metadata and images are pulling through fine.

when i click on a game though, the program i have selected, explorer.exe, notepad.exe etc are being launched, not the game.

i have set the extension as lnk and chose ibm PC compatible.

this is driving me nuts, can anyone help or point me to a useful link please?

thanks

Hi dirtymurt, as you're on windows the following might work:

Create a file with "%*" in it. Call it 'launchgame.bat' and save it on the C:\ drive.

In Advanced Launcher, at the folder level that holds the links, call up the context menu with 'c' and choose 'Edit Launcher'.
- Change the launching application, and point it to C:\launchgame.bat.
- Make sure 'Modify arguments' reads "%rom%".
- Make sure 'Modify Items extension' reads 'lnk' (LNK)

Then give it a whirl. You'll still have XBMC open so there may be issues with that, but this should get you up and running. You can improve the batch file later.

Cheers,

JD


- JohnnyD2 - 2012-01-12

Angelscry Wrote:Version 1.7.2 : This new version of Advanced Launcher mainly bring some text and string correction, cleaning and update. It add finnish and french language to the description add-on and bring back the french translation. Only new feature is the addtion of a filename display during launchers or items edition.

Image

ChangeLog
  • Add Busy dialog box for "slow" scrapers.
  • Add filename and application indications.
  • Clean english string.xml file.
  • Update add-on englsih description.
  • Add finnish translation into summary.
  • Add French translation + summary.

Hi Angelscry, thanks for the filename feature, really appreciate it.

Cheers,

JD


- Angelscry - 2012-01-12

JohnnyD2 Wrote:Hi Angelscry, thanks for the filename feature, really appreciate it.

Cheers,

JD
File selection for items and fullscraping option will be also implemanted, but in the next version.


- tria - 2012-01-12

This is a REALLY great addon. Big thanks for the work that have been made so far. I just registered because of this addon.

Here are a few things I would like to see them implemented in the future (if any of them are already there, please point them to me):

- Stop the noisy alert sound when checking/scrapping/downloading items with all the info dialogs. Use info dialogs without audio, or use the please wait only.

- Use simple icons for console/developer/publisher...etc when viewing each game (like what is used when browsing Movies/TV Series).

- Group multiple CDs/DVDs for one game (e.g. Metal Gear Solid CD1&2) into one item (you should be able to specify the postfix used for detection/naming). When you choose the game, it will prompt you with a dialog where you could choose which CD/DVD to use with the launcher.

- Instead of grouping by launcher, you should group based on platform/type (explanation next). Then, there should be a way to specify multiple launchers for the same platform (e.g. Playstation having two launchers PSX, ePSXe). Then, when you choose a platform (e.g. Playstation), and then choose a game to play it, if there are more than one launcher, then you should allow the user to pick one from a dialog and run it with the chosen one, otherwise play it right away with the only launcher (keep with me). This will not only be useful for specifying different launchers/emulators for a specific platform, but it will also allow us to specify the same launcher twice (or more) with different configurations (e.g. different arguments, executable...etc), and naming each one with the intended play mode. For example, I have dolphin (Wii/GC emulator), and I can run the game either with normal mode, or with nVidia 3D Vision mode. So I would have two launchers for the game (different config, but same emulator), so when I choose a Wii game, I will get two options in a dialog to play it (e.g. Normal Mode, 3D-Glasses Mode). This can be useful for other things, like providing choice to play a game with different bios, different controller configurations, load last saved state, different rendering config...etc. It will also provide a way to run other executable that do pre-play config for different setups. I hope I was able to clearly put some emphasis on how this feature will be useful.

- Allow a way to browse based on not only the platform, but also using the full list (sorted alphabetically), favorite, developer, publisher, year, genre...etc (Like what Movies/TV Series is doing).

Also these features, would be nice to have, but I think they are a little bit harder to implement (maybe impossible?):

- Allow lunching a game from CD/DVD, by specifying the launcher for each platform with CD/DVD config. Then have an option to play from CD/DVD (or even auto-play when inside the addon). Then detecting each CD/DVD by looking for certain files that identify which platform it belongs to (I can differentiate between PS/PS2 and Wii games easily by looking at certain files in the root CD/DVD directory). And finally run it with the specified configuration for that platform.

I had more ideas when I first tried this addon, but with all what I wrote up there I forgot them Big Grin

Any thoughts about what I suggested?


- Angelscry - 2012-01-12

tria Wrote:Stop the noisy alert sound when checking/scrapping/downloading items with all the info dialogs. Use info dialogs without audio, or use the please wait only.
I do not have any control on the navigation sound, but if do not like the sounds, you can just disable them into XBMC settings.

tria Wrote:Use simple icons for console/developer/publisher...etc when viewing each game (like what is used when browsing Movies/TV Series).
I also do not have any control on this. Advanced Launcher display is managed by skins. So this is a skin related problem. If the skin you use do not display such images, ask skin maintainers to add this feature or use another skin (like cirrus extended for example) : https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-eSf5fk-v7GY/Tj2A-7W1OMI/AAAAAAAAEfQ/t3MMgSqyzAU/s912/screenshot000.jpg

tria Wrote:Group multiple CDs/DVDs for one game (e.g. Metal Gear Solid CD1&2) into one item (you should be able to specify the postfix used for detection/naming). When you choose the game, it will prompt you with a dialog where you could choose which CD/DVD to use with the launcher.
The multi-CD feature is already supported by Advanced Launcher. You just have to name the iso files correctly. http://www.gwenael.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=143

tria Wrote:Instead of grouping by launcher, you should group based on platform/type (explanation next). Then, there should be a way to specify multiple launchers for the same platform (e.g. Playstation having two launchers PSX, ePSXe). Then, when you choose a platform (e.g. Playstation), and then choose a game to play it, if there are more than one launcher, then you should allow the user to pick one from a dialog and run it with the chosen one, otherwise play it right away with the only launcher (keep with me). This will not only be useful for specifying different launchers/emulators for a specific platform, but it will also allow us to specify the same launcher twice (or more) with different configurations (e.g. different arguments, executable...etc), and naming each one with the intended play mode. For example, I have dolphin (Wii/GC emulator), and I can run the game either with normal mode, or with nVidia 3D Vision mode. So I would have two launchers for the game (different config, but same emulator), so when I choose a Wii game, I will get two options in a dialog to play it (e.g. Normal Mode, 3D-Glasses Mode). This can be useful for other things, like providing choice to play a game with different bios, different controller configurations, load last saved state, different rendering config...etc. It will also provide a way to run other executable that do pre-play config for different setups. I hope I was able to clearly put some emphasis on how this feature will be useful.
As it is named; Advanced Launcher, is based on launchers not on platforms and all the code is based on this simple rule : 1 launcher = 1 application with 1 command line. Fortunately, there is always possibility to start specific setups for specific games using Advanced Launcher arguments (http://www.gwenael.org/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4#p4). BTW, as I wrote several time here, Advanced Launcher is an applications launcher. Not a games front-end, not a games manager and not an emulator configurator. To be honest I did not use Advanced Launcher to play game, and so I'm not intested to devellop Advanced Launcher on this way. If you want to do this it will be out of Advanced Launcher (there is possibilities to create bash launchers (.bat, .sh) or autoit scripts that will start specific applications with specific items (using command line support).). If you search such kind of plugin for XBMC It may be better to use RCB which is specifically dedicated for games.

tria Wrote:Allow a way to browse based on not only the platform, but also using the full list (sorted alphabetically), favorite, developer, publisher, year, genre...etc (Like what Movies/TV Series is doing).
The XBMC sorting option like for Movies/TV series do not exist for program's items into XBMC. BTW, the Advanced Launcher search option already allows you to do what you want. For example, go into Search option, publisher, select one publisher, and you will see all the game released by this publisher.

tria Wrote:Allow lunching a game from CD/DVD, by specifying the launcher for each platform with CD/DVD config. Then have an option to play from CD/DVD (or even auto-play when inside the addon). Then detecting each CD/DVD by looking for certain files that identify which platform it belongs to (I can differentiate between PS/PS2 and Wii games easily by looking at certain files in the root CD/DVD directory). And finally run it with the specified configuration for that platform.
You can create a create bash launcher (.bat, .sh) or autoit scripts that will scan the CD/DVD for those files and that will start the dedicated emulator with the rights parameters. Then create a launcher thant will start this bash launcher.


- dirtymurt - 2012-01-12

hi

I am using windows 7 x64
eden beta
aeon mq3

my launcher xml http://pastebin.com/qNARia7z

i am trying to launch all types of games for windows, bf3, sonic, batman etc...

as i said the shortcuts work when double clicked from the desktop

thanks in advance....


- Angelscry - 2012-01-12

dirtymurt Wrote:hi

I am using windows 7 x64
eden beta
aeon mq3

my launcher xml http://pastebin.com/qNARia7z

i am trying to launch all types of games for windows, bf3, sonic, batman etc...

as i said the shortcuts work when double clicked from the desktop

thanks in advance....
According to your launchers.xml file, your games launcher is not well configured (http://www.gwenael.org/xbmc/index.php?title=File_shortcuts). Launcher arguments are not rights. Here is the right configuration.
Code:
...
<name>Games</name>
<application>[b]C:\Windows\explorer.exe[/b]</application>
<args>[b]%rom%[/b]</args>
<rompath>E:\Games Launcher Shortcuts\</rompath>
<thumbpath>E:\Games Launcher Shortcuts\</thumbpath>
<fanartpath>E:\Games Launcher Shortcuts\</fanartpath>
<extrafanartpath>E:\Games Launcher Shortcuts\</extrafanartpath>
<romext>[b]lnk[/b]</romext>
<platform>IBM PC Compatible</platform>
<thumb></thumb>
...
To fix this, you can modify the wrong parameters directly form Advanced launcher context menu or simply by editing your launchers.xml file.


- dirtymurt - 2012-01-12

JohnnyD2 Wrote:Hi dirtymurt, as you're on windows the following might work:

Create a file with "%*" in it. Call it 'launchgame.bat' and save it on the C:\ drive.

In Advanced Launcher, at the folder level that holds the links, call up the context menu with 'c' and choose 'Edit Launcher'.
- Change the launching application, and point it to C:\launchgame.bat.
- Make sure 'Modify arguments' reads "%rom%".
- Make sure 'Modify Items extension' reads 'lnk' (LNK)

Then give it a whirl. You'll still have XBMC open so there may be issues with that, but this should get you up and running. You can improve the batch file later.

Cheers,

JD

that worked,

thank you very much sir


- dirtymurt - 2012-01-12

thanks all working well now

now can anyone tell me how to add as a favourite to the main menu under aeon mq3


- tria - 2012-01-12

Angelscry Wrote:I do not have any control on the navigation sound, but if do not like the sounds, you can just disable them into XBMC settings.
Strange, not that I don't believe you, but I remember other built-in/addons messaging show info messages without the audio. Only errors do an alert audio...

Angelscry Wrote:I also do not have any control on this. Advanced Launcher display is managed by skins. So this is a skin related problem. If the skin you use do not display such images, ask skin maintainers to add this feature or use another skin (like cirrus extended for example) : https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-eSf5fk-v7GY/Tj2A-7W1OMI/AAAAAAAAEfQ/t3MMgSqyzAU/s912/screenshot000.jpg
I kinda expected that it is part of skinning, I just thought that it was possible to override the text in general using images without needing to modify each skin (a place holder). Oh well, I might try to do it myself for my skin.

Angelscry Wrote:The multi-CD feature is already supported by Advanced Launcher. You just have to name the iso files correctly. http://www.gwenael.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=143
I had a feeling that this feature was there, I just didn't see it in the change log (or maybe I missed it, or it was there from the beginning). Going to try it now. Thanks!

Angelscry Wrote:As it is named; Advanced Launcher, is based on launchers not on platforms and all the code is based on this simple rule : 1 launcher = 1 application with 1 command line. Fortunately, there is always possibility to start specific setups for specific games using Advanced Launcher arguments (http://www.gwenael.org/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4#p4). BTW, as I wrote several time here, Advanced Launcher is an applications launcher. Not a games front-end, not a games manager and not an emulator configurator. To be honest I did not use Advanced Launcher to play game, and so I'm not intested to devellop Advanced Launcher on this way. If you want to do this it will be out of Advanced Launcher (there is possibilities to create bash launchers (.bat, .sh) or autoit scripts that will start specific applications with specific items (using command line support).). If you search such kind of plugin for XBMC It may be better to use RCB which is specifically dedicated for games.
I knew that I will get a response along the line "it is a plain launcher, not a game emulator", I just thought you would understand the gaming example having a predefined list of all the gaming platforms in the addon Smile
Having bash/scripts do part of what I want (I already use them), but it won't allow you to play the same game (or file to be general) with two (or more) different options/launcher-setups. The bash/scripts won't help here to let you choose from within XBMC.

To prove that it is not only useful for games, here is a second try, here is an application example (not game). I want to create a group called Documents. There I will have docx/doc/odt. I want to handle this group using two launchers (MS Word & OpenOffice). I assign them, then when I try to open a document from this group I will get the two options (MSWord/OO).
Another one, group for images, where I have two launchers (image viewer/gimp/adobe photoshop).
The idea is not about gaming, as such feature would allow categorizing based on what you want to launch, then choosing what to launch them with (if more than one option exsists), rather than a launcher with it's files. Two approaches leading to same goal, launch them. But I totally see what you are saying about it being a "launcher" first, and I am cool about whether you agree with what I am saying or not.

Angelscry Wrote:The XBMC sorting option like for Movies/TV series do not exist for program's items into XBMC. BTW, the Advanced Launcher search option already allows you to do what you want. For example, go into Search option, publisher, select one publisher, and you will see all the game released by this publisher.
Didn't understand the first sentence (but I take it it was about XBMC not providing it for addons out of the box). The search suggestion, well I didn't try it, so I will do that soon.

Angelscry Wrote:You can create a create bash launcher (.bat, .sh) or autoit scripts that will scan the CD/DVD for those files and that will start the dedicated emulator with the rights parameters. Then create a launcher thant will start this bash launcher.
You know, I never thought about it even though I already use scripts to run my emulators! Thanks man! I will try to see if I can write one, and I will make sure to share it once I do.

Thanks for your time and effort. I totally appreciate your full response.


- Angelscry - 2012-01-12

dirtymurt Wrote:thanks all working well now

now can anyone tell me how to add as a favourite to the main menu under aeon mq3
To add Advanced launcher, a launcher or only an item as favorite just select the "Add favourite" option into the context menu ("C" key). Then use the skin settings to add this favourite as a XBMC custom menu entry. If you encounter problem to do it with AEON MQ3, that is a skin related problem and so you will have to ask support on AEON MQ3 thread : http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=107793


- tria - 2012-01-12

Just to make sure you noticed my reply, I posted one but it was pending for approval from Mods, and it was just approved (unfortunately in the previous page, before your last post).


- Angelscry - 2012-01-12

tria Wrote:Strange, not that I don't believe you, but I remember other built-in/addons messaging show info messages without the audio. Only errors do an alert audio...
I do not think the XBMC built-in notification function have an audio on/off switch. Maybe there is another way to turn off sounds. I can take a more closer look at this.

tria Wrote:I kinda expected that it is part of skinning, I just thought that it was possible to override the text in general using images without needing to modify each skin (a place holder). Oh well, I might try to do it myself for my skin.
Advanced Launcher is a XBMC plugin (not a XBMC script). That mean that Advanced Launcher use mostly all the XBMC and skins built-in functions for the display. So Advanced Launcher display is totally dependante of the running skin.

tria Wrote:I had a feeling that this feature was there, I just didn't see it in the change log (or maybe I missed it, or it was there from the beginning). Going to try it now. Thanks!
This functionnality have been added into version 1.5.7 : http://www.gwenael.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=143

tria Wrote:I knew that I will get a response along the line "it is a plain launcher, not a game emulator", I just thought you would understand the gaming example having a predefined list of all the gaming platforms in the addon Smile
Thats not only gaming platforms, that's applications plateforms. Now if you take into account that some platforms only have game applications and that games are applications.... that's and applications platform list. Wink

tria Wrote:Having bash/scripts do part of what I want (I already use them), but it won't allow you to play the same game (or file to be general) with two (or more) different options/launcher-setups. The bash/scripts won't help here to let you choose from within XBMC.

To prove that it is not only useful for games, here is a second try, here is an application example (not game). I want to create a group called Documents. There I will have docx/doc/odt. I want to handle this group using two launchers (MS Word & OpenOffice). I assign them, then when I try to open a document from this group I will get the two options (MSWord/OO).
Another one, group for images, where I have two launchers (image viewer/gimp/adobe photoshop).
You just have to create a MS Word launcher and a OpenOffice launcher pointing to the same docx/doc/odt files directory. Same for Gimp and Photoshop. I did not see the problem here...

Concerning the using of different emulators like PSX and ePSXe... you must ask yourself why you need to use different emulators... Because they do not both support games correctly. Ok... so why ask me to found a way to fix this and not ask to the emulators programmers try to fix theirl problems.

Now for Wii Normal and 3D-Glasses Modes. Create 2 differents launchers... one name Wii and second one named Wii 3D. That's two diffrents way to play. Does all the Wii games could be played in both modes?

tria Wrote:The idea is not about gaming, as such feature would allow categorizing based on what you want to launch, then choosing what to launch them with (if more than one option exsists), rather than a launcher with it's files. Two approaches leading to same goal, launch them. But I totally see what you are saying about it being a "launcher" first, and I am cool about whether you agree with what I am saying or not.
Just different way to view things. To take your image viewer/gimp/adobe photoshop. You want generaly view an image or edit an image. In this order : application first, item in second. That exaclty the same mind structure for Advanced Launcher : applications then item. You rarely take an image to decide then after what you are going to do with it. Would be surely possible to do this under XBMC, but not Advanced Launcher. Problem must be taken in the opposite : list items then for each item decide which application you want to use.

tria Wrote:Didn't understand the first sentence (but I take it it was about XBMC not providing it for addons out of the box). The search suggestion, well I didn't try it, so I will do that soon.
I have tried to add this option, but not able to make it work. At this point I did not know if it is XBMC or skin related. Does XBMC not have options to order program items? Does sklin not have options to display ordered program items? I do not know.

tria Wrote:Just to make sure you noticed my reply, I posted one but it was pending for approval from Mods, and it was just approved (unfortunately in the previous page, before your last post).
No... problem... I've seen it !!!! Wink


- tria - 2012-01-13

Thanks Angelscry, you do care about what you do.

About Wii games having both mode, well, it is Dolphin (the emulator) and DirectX that support both modes (like any DirectX game on PC, can be in normal mode or with 3d-glasses). All you have to do is enable nVidia 3D Vision, then start the game and it will be in 3D (with glasses). Disable it and it will be normal game without glasses. However you need to configure Dolphin to work in 3D Vision mode as well. So, yes, all Wii games can be run in both modes using Dolphin. While it would work fine if I defined the same emulator twice, it would look stupid in the menu (presentation wise). The same goes for PCSX2, if I want a normal launcher, and another one that load last state (where you stopped last time) and save state on exit (so it start from ther next time). I am not here wanting them for compatibility issues, or wanting to use more than one emulator, it is just that having such option would also allow this as well, and other things. Oh, well, I guess I can survive Smile

And I like how you based your plugin to relay closely on XBMC, and I see lots of potential for it. This is why I switched to it from other plugins. Hope I see it keep improving.

Oh, in some of the screenshots I saw one where you have multiple "advanced launcher" plugins (with different names), and I believe each plugin instance has its own launchers. Is that possible or am I just misinterpret it?
Also in another one I saw list of channels, that got me wondering, how do they switch to the channel (I have SkyStar HD 2 satellite card and the programs for it)?

Thanks man.


- tria - 2012-01-13

Never mind about my question about duplicating the addon, as I know how now Wink
I am still wondering about the channels one though