[onlinespending]

it's great to see a derivative of AL being picked up, but honestly this sort of capability should be directly baked into Kodi. Considering many people now run Kodi on an Android type device (Fire TV, Nvidia Shield TV, etc) and use it as their launcher, the capability to launch external apps (and have them organized in some fashion) seems like such a fundamental feature to offer within Kodi. It shouldn't only be able to launch favorites from the homescreen as is now the case, but have them organized with nice metadata (much like Movies, TV Shows, etc)

[Rufoo]

Thank you calls.
I find the Cirrus Extended Skin also very good but Madnox still has a few more refinements: D
I know the projects of UsefulG but at the time I also use RCB for Retro Games. I would change only for your Versa Series (Screenshot Sega). I find great!
What would you say, AVL or RCB is better for Retro Games? Both will not be developed. Maybe I'll get around to your expanded script. When will it be released?
I wish you a Merry Christmas!

In terms of RCB vs. AL, it really depends on what you are after. Clearly, you can tell my preference is towards Advanced Launcher. That isn't to suggest RCB is inferior but I just found it very convoluted and not that user friendly. Just simply the menu that lists the huge amount of boxart, frontbox, sidebox, etc... completely overwhelms me and that's just at the very beginning. For some people, they may love that range of huge selections but as a user 'experience' I don't like it. I personally like the simple unsexy directness of Advanced Launcher. Assign thumbs, fanart, metadata. Done. Specify command options. Launch stuff. Easy.

The resounding negative with Advanced Launcher is that is reliant upon the skin itself to provide views for it. Even if views do exist, they are more likely to be made in a generic way to cater for most addons rather than being able to use specific functions, flags, and elements found in AL. Most skins don't even have generic addon viewtypes that cater for all three most common boxtypes (posters or DVD cases, squares, wide) and speaking from experience, this is where it can be frustrating when the desire is to have an all-in-one HTPC / Gaming Box and breaks the illusion of a seamless console like 'just works' experience.

Agreed Cirrus Extended is not as glossy or sexy as many of the newer more modern skins. What carries Cirrus is the massive amount of function over form. Once I finalize SexyCirrus, it will be turned over to Paradix so he can merge it into Cirrus directly going forward while I look at modernising the visuals of other areas of the skin like the home screen etc...

I've stated a few times before that Expanded Launcher will be release most likely alongside the next version of SexyCirrus Expanded which hopefully will be next month. I do these things at a leisurely pace as I consider it a fun thing to do. In terms of Kodi projects, I got a lot on my plate with the new version of SexyCirrus as Versa and Advanced are refined, plus two new series Tiles & Mega, each series now containing views for Poster, Square, Wide, Slim, Nextgen and each of those can change into secondary, obscure shapes. Plus trying to have enough views which best support pre-HD and HD era systems / assets while keeping them visually coherent not just with each other but with the skin as whole. Not only that but now the views have to be seamlessly cross compatible with good ol' Advanced Launcher and with Expanded Launcher and its new tags. Then there is making Expanded Launcher itself. So yah! Lots to do!

Once both SexyCirrus and Expanded Launcher achieve all I wish them do I will not be further maintaining both. I do both of these things as I want my HTPC experience, especially related to multi-era gaming, to function a certain way. Once that is achieved, I just plan to enjoy what I worked to build, if that also benefits somebody else and what they are wanting to achieve in their machine I'm all the happier to freely allow others to enjoy it too. I have little interest on being on the latest and greatest version of Kodi and everything else within. I'm seeking to achieve a fairly convincing 'just works' feel that's all.

Merry Christmas.

[mac1202]

Hi since I upgrade to jarvis beta I got my games title completly messed up

I checked my launchers.xml everything is fine, remove reinstall advanced launcher didn't help, change theme neither. Downgrading to kodi 15 the problem is still there.
Anyone had a idea how to fix that.

[unlimitedxyz]

Hi, I'm interested in trying out this program add-on. Which repository does this add-on reside in? I didn't see it in the first post.

Thanks!

[Zpectre87]

This brings me to a question: Does the GameFAQs scraper not work anymore? I always used it for game descriptions because most of them for each game come from the back of a given game's boxart. It's my ideal source for information. If it currently works, can anyone help me with it? I've already tried reinstalling AL and that doesn't work. If it doesn't, can it possibly be fixed? I'd really appreciate if it was working again.

It works but unfortunately GameFAQs hates when we scrape them and blocks our IPs.

[bkozar]

Hello,
Can someone tell me step by step how to install the advanced launcher? I tried to add some repositories (angelysrc etc) but they were empty. Can you post here steps or tutorial?

[Rufoo]

Hello,
Can someone tell me step by step how to install the advanced launcher? I tried to add some repositories (angelysrc etc) but they were empty. Can you post here steps or tutorial?

I have shared the last release here for you (and anyone else for that matter) of Advanced Launcher 2.5.8: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwDWRn5...sp=sharing

Download, install zip in Kodi, 'nuff said.

Happy holidays.

[bkozar]

Big thx Rufoo.
Now I have another problem, maybe you can help with this one.
So I installed the advanced launcher and created new launch for Firefox (I downloaded the 42 Firefox version first and extracted it, then pointed the launcher to the extracted Firefox)
I'm running the launcher and it opens the Firefox. The problem is that I don't have a focus in the web browser. The focus is still in the Kodi system. So I can't do anything with the browser, even close it. It's just hovering the kodi system:/

[Rufoo]

Big thx Rufoo.
Now I have another problem, maybe you can help with this one.
So I installed the advanced launcher and created new launch for Firefox (I downloaded the 42 Firefox version first and extracted it, then pointed the launcher to the extracted Firefox)
I'm running the launcher and it opens the Firefox. The problem is that I don't have a focus in the web browser. The focus is still in the Kodi system. So I can't do anything with the browser, even close it. It's just hovering the kodi system:/

Tell me how you have it linked up and I will attempt to recreate your issue. Personally, I have Firefox linked through Advanced Launcher and haven't had such issues. So I will need to know how you are accessing it. Do you have it linked in Advanced Launcher as an exe or lnk? Do you launch it directly from within AL or do you have it linked to your home screen (via favourites or something) and launch it there?

I'm assuming you're on Kodi 15.2?

[bkozar]

So my version is:
Linux 3.13.0-71-generic #114-Ubuntu
XBMC 13.0

What I did is:
I downloaded the package with Firefox (ver42)
I extracted it in my home folder using tar command.
Then I created new launcher: Standalone launcher (normal executable). I selected the Firefox script which was extracted in my home folder. And that's basically it. I'm now running it by going to programs -> advanced launcher -> Firefox (that's the category I created) -> Firefox (that's the link to application). It's then starting but without focus. And the browser takes like 1/2 space of the screen.

I don't know how the favorite thing works. Should I use it?

[Rufoo]

So my version is:
Linux 3.13.0-71-generic #114-Ubuntu
XBMC 13.0

What I did is:
I downloaded the package with Firefox (ver42)
I extracted it in my home folder using tar command.
Then I created new launcher: Standalone launcher (normal executable). I selected the Firefox script which was extracted in my home folder. And that's basically it. I'm now running it by going to programs -> advanced launcher -> Firefox (that's the category I created) -> Firefox (that's the link to application). It's then starting but without focus. And the browser takes like 1/2 space of the screen.

I don't know how the favorite thing works. Should I use it?

In that instance I cannot replicate your problem exactly as I am running all Windows 7 based machines and none of them are on XBMC anymore. Although it is doubtful that XBMC would be the problem. In terms of favourites and how to do it go to your Firefox link, press C, select Add to Favourites. Then on most skins you can add a custom favourite to the main menu. Add your Firefox favourite. Now you can launch the browser from the home screen.

I also cannot be of help on Linux based environment issues. I simply have no experience with them. DOS era to Windows has been my experience.

[Slipass]

Thank you calls.
I find the Cirrus Extended Skin also very good but Madnox still has a few more refinements: D
I know the projects of UsefulG but at the time I also use RCB for Retro Games. I would change only for your Versa Series (Screenshot Sega). I find great!
What would you say, AVL or RCB is better for Retro Games? Both will not be developed. Maybe I'll get around to your expanded script. When will it be released?
I wish you a Merry Christmas!

In terms of RCB vs. AL, it really depends on what you are after. Clearly, you can tell my preference is towards Advanced Launcher. That isn't to suggest RCB is inferior but I just found it very convoluted and not that user friendly. Just simply the menu that lists the huge amount of boxart, frontbox, sidebox, etc... completely overwhelms me and that's just at the very beginning. For some people, they may love that range of huge selections but as a user 'experience' I don't like it. I personally like the simple unsexy directness of Advanced Launcher. Assign thumbs, fanart, metadata. Done. Specify command options. Launch stuff. Easy.

The resounding negative with Advanced Launcher is that is reliant upon the skin itself to provide views for it. Even if views do exist, they are more likely to be made in a generic way to cater for most addons rather than being able to use specific functions, flags, and elements found in AL. Most skins don't even have generic addon viewtypes that cater for all three most common boxtypes (posters or DVD cases, squares, wide) and speaking from experience, this is where it can be frustrating when the desire is to have an all-in-one HTPC / Gaming Box and breaks the illusion of a seamless console like 'just works' experience.

Agreed Cirrus Extended is not as glossy or sexy as many of the newer more modern skins. What carries Cirrus is the massive amount of function over form. Once I finalize SexyCirrus, it will be turned over to Paradix so he can merge it into Cirrus directly going forward while I look at modernising the visuals of other areas of the skin like the home screen etc...

I've stated a few times before that Expanded Launcher will be release most likely alongside the next version of SexyCirrus Expanded which hopefully will be next month. I do these things at a leisurely pace as I consider it a fun thing to do. In terms of Kodi projects, I got a lot on my plate with the new version of SexyCirrus as Versa and Advanced are refined, plus two new series Tiles & Mega, each series now containing views for Poster, Square, Wide, Slim, Nextgen and each of those can change into secondary, obscure shapes. Plus trying to have enough views which best support pre-HD and HD era systems / assets while keeping them visually coherent not just with each other but with the skin as whole. Not only that but now the views have to be seamlessly cross compatible with good ol' Advanced Launcher and with Expanded Launcher and its new tags. Then there is making Expanded Launcher itself. So yah! Lots to do!

Once both SexyCirrus and Expanded Launcher achieve all I wish them do I will not be further maintaining both. I do both of these things as I want my HTPC experience, especially related to multi-era gaming, to function a certain way. Once that is achieved, I just plan to enjoy what I worked to build, if that also benefits somebody else and what they are wanting to achieve in their machine I'm all the happier to freely allow others to enjoy it too. I have little interest on being on the latest and greatest version of Kodi and everything else within. I'm seeking to achieve a fairly convincing 'just works' feel that's all.

Merry Christmas.

Thanks for the detailed answer.

I had decided on RCB as it expired on centermost stabilized and there was often updates.

Are now however RCB is no longer being developed.

I am happy to try your update.

[onlinespending]

does anyone know the format of the game NFO files that Advanced Launcher can use to import game data from? I know it's some xml file, though I'm not sure what fields are used. I'd export an nfo file using AL to get a sample one, but AL throws an error when trying to do so on my Android device. I'd like to do all of my scraping externally on my PC and have the nfo files ready for each game. I'm having too many issues using the AL scrapers.

found it from looking at the source. basically is just a file with the same name as the %rom% with .nfo extension and the following contents

<title></title>
<year></year>
<plot></plot>
<genre></genre>
<platform></platform>
<publisher></publisher>

[McButton]

Is there a walkthrough buried somewhere here that details instructions on how to properly get this to load roms for OpenElec?

[dcquence]

So, is my best bet to just downgrade to an old version of xbmc for compatibility at this point?