[Shadowrunner]

Switch from version 1.x to 2.x of Advanced Launcher is not a simple minor update, it's a huge modification of the Advanced Launcher base code with a different approach to manage and start application from Advanced Launcher.

That's why I asked if it could be disabled. An upgrade to a major release (1.x to 2.x) is huge news. I've loved the program and still do. plus huge modifications are usually something wonderful in general. So I want the best of both worlds . It looks like, however, that your first reply will solve my complaint. As long as I can get it to launch directly into default (I should have given this a little hard of a look, I admit, I apologize), I'll be looking forward to it.

Time to implement!

[Shadowrunner]

Just create and let all your launchers into the default category. Then, from your skin, instead of starting Advanced launcher like this :

Code:

plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher

start it like this :

Code:

plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher/?default

Perhaps I'm missing something. I tried to do what I thought was simple by editing the xbmc guisettings to use the /?default but after quite a few attempts this obviously didn't work. It's got to be an edit in the Aeon.nox script or the advancedlauncher addon its self. Any idea where I need to look? I'm going to keep digging. It's got to be there somewhere.

[Angelscry]

Just create and let all your launchers into the default category. Then, from your skin, instead of starting Advanced launcher like this :

Code:

plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher

start it like this :

Code:

plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher/?default

Perhaps I'm missing something. I tried to do what I thought was simple by editing the xbmc guisettings to use the /?default but after quite a few attempts this obviously didn't work. It's got to be an edit in the Aeon.nox script or the advancedlauncher addon its self. Any idea where I need to look? I'm going to keep digging. It's got to be there somewhere.

If the skin allows you to manually add Advanced Launcher as submenu entry you may need to edit the guisettings.xml file. But if the skin include the Advanced Launcher entry as default, then you will need to edit one of the skin xml files.

Old way to start Advanced launcher was exactly :

Code:

ActivateWindow(10001,"plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher/")

To start the Advanced Launcher directly into the default category is exaclty :

Code:

ActivateWindow(10001,"plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher/?default")

Also be carefull that into Advanced Launcher settings the option to hide the default category is at OFF.

[Shadowrunner]

If the skin allows you to manually add Advanced Launcher as submenu entry you may need to edit the guisettings.xml file. But if the skin include the Advanced Launcher entry as default, then you will need to edit one of the skin xml files.

Old way to start Advanced launcher was exactly :

Code:

ActivateWindow(10001,"plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher/")

To start the Advanced Launcher directly into the default category is exaclty :

Code:

ActivateWindow(10001,"plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher/?default")

Also be carefull that into Advanced Launcher settings the option to hide the default category is at OFF.

I'll check Aeon Nox's files, I'm pretty sure when I looked at the log I did see the ActivateWindow(10001), I dunno I'll give it another shot today in a couple of hours. Thanks again

[Shadowrunner]

If the skin allows you to manually add Advanced Launcher as submenu entry you may need to edit the guisettings.xml file. But if the skin include the Advanced Launcher entry as default, then you will need to edit one of the skin xml files.

Old way to start Advanced launcher was exactly :

Code:

ActivateWindow(10001,"plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher/")

To start the Advanced Launcher directly into the default category is exaclty :

Code:

ActivateWindow(10001,"plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher/?default")

Also be carefull that into Advanced Launcher settings the option to hide the default category is at OFF.

I'll check Aeon Nox's files, I'm pretty sure when I looked at the log I did see the ActivateWindow(10001), I dunno I'll give it another shot today in a couple of hours. Thanks again

I dont see how either is calling it, the guisettings.xml is using

Code:

<setting type="string" name="skin.aeon.nox.CustomHomeItem1.Label">Games</setting>
        <setting type="string" name="skin.aeon.nox.CustomHomeItem1.WidgetTitle"></setting>
        <setting type="string" name="skin.aeon.nox.CustomHomeItem1.Widget2Title"></setting>
        <setting type="string" name="skin.aeon.nox.CustomHomeItem1.Icon">C:\Users\<me!>\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\addons\plugin.program.advanced.launcher\icon.png</setting>
        <setting type="string" name="skin.aeon.nox.CustomHomeItem1.Type">3</setting>
        <setting type="string" name="skin.aeon.nox.CustomHomeItem1.Path">plugin.program.advanced.launcher</setting>

the logs show:

Code:

18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating SetProperty($INFO[Window(home).Property(MenuName)],CustomHomeItem1,home)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To SetProperty(,CustomHomeItem1,home)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating SetFocus(9006)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To SetFocus(9006)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating SetFocus(9000)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To SetFocus(9000)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating RunAddon($INFO[Container(9000).ListItem.Property(Path)])
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To RunAddon(plugin.program.advanced.launcher)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: Activating window ID: 10001
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: ------ Window Deinit (Home.xml) ------
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating CancelAlarm(HomeTileLeft,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To CancelAlarm(HomeTileLeft,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating CancelAlarm(HomeTileRight,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To CancelAlarm(HomeTileRight,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating CancelAlarm(HomeTileMid,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To CancelAlarm(HomeTileMid,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating CancelAlarm(HomeTile2Left,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To CancelAlarm(HomeTile2Left,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating CancelAlarm(HomeTile2Right,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To CancelAlarm(HomeTile2Right,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating CancelAlarm(HomeTile2Mid,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To CancelAlarm(HomeTile2Mid,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating CancelAlarm(WidgetMove,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To CancelAlarm(WidgetMove,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating CancelAlarm(Widget2Move,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To CancelAlarm(Widget2Move,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating CancelAlarm(BGMove,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To CancelAlarm(BGMove,true)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating ClearProperty(PanelWidgetInfo,Home)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To ClearProperty(PanelWidgetInfo,Home)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : Translating ClearProperty(PanelWidget2Info,Home)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: CApplication::ExecuteXBMCAction : To ClearProperty(PanelWidget2Info,Home)
18:02:22 T:1200   DEBUG: ------ Window Init (MyPrograms.xml) ------
18:02:22 T:1200    INFO: Loading skin file: MyPrograms.xml, load type: KEEP_IN_MEMORY
18:02:23 T:1200   DEBUG: CGUIMediaWindow::GetDirectory (plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher)
18:02:23 T:1200   DEBUG:   ParentPath = [plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher]
18:02:23 T:1200   DEBUG: XFILE::CPluginDirectory::StartScript - calling plugin Advanced Launcher('plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher/','1','')
18:02:23 T:1200    INFO: initializing python engine.

I follow the very first part of the code from the Home.xml of AeonNox up until the line where it translates to RunAddon, but it's obviously using variables that are defined somewhere else.

Seems the Aeon Nox board is silent, I'm just gonna keep digging I suppose. The way the logs are responding, it seems like I'd have to modify one of Advanced Launcher's .py files to make it launch properly? Doesn't seem right IMO.

[banggun]

First of all I'd like to say thanks for all the effort and work put into this plugin, I'm quite a serious user so I probably don't count as a majority here but love your work.

I have a request. I noticed that since v2 there's support for categories, with this recent change I have decided to abandon RCB in favour of Advanced launcher now it launches nearly everything and and at this rate already proves to be much more easy to use and faster. Recently I've added an entire MAME collection understandably it slows down the plugin quite a bit upon load. Is it possible to have separate launcher XML files per category. Now no matter which category I choose it always takes a long time to load because it seems to browse the entire index upon entering a category. I would imagine that if there were separate XML files per category this would allow for advanced launcher to keep it's speed if just loading smaller categories. I understand if it's not high on the priority list but hope that this can be implemented sometime. Thanks again for all the effort!

[RazorFR]

Thanks a lot for this great plugin.

I am getting an error from the latest version of the advance launcher each time I update a artwork (thumbnail or fanart).
Though despite the py. error, thumbs are correctly cached once I exit and re-enter the addon.

I looks like the addon is trying to cache artworks in the following directory:
C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\profiles\Me\addon_data\plugin.program.advanced.launcher\Thumbnails\

That's my profile folder in xbmc directory, where indeed all addon data/settings are stored.
But I only use one profile, and my thumbnails folder is still in the xbmc root folder:
C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails

I tried the to use path subsitution and move thumbnails to my profile folder, that does the trick, but that's probably not intended to work that way.
Or maybe I missed something in the addon settings to point at the correct thumnails folder.

Cheers

[Angelscry]

I follow the very first part of the code from the Home.xml of AeonNox up until the line where it translates to RunAddon, but it's obviously using variables that are defined somewhere else.

Seems the Aeon Nox board is silent, I'm just gonna keep digging I suppose. The way the logs are responding, it seems like I'd have to modify one of Advanced Launcher's .py files to make it launch properly? Doesn't seem right IMO.

Ok... I have just installed a Aeon Nox skin on my system. First I have added Advanced Launcher as an XBMC favourite via Advanced Launcher context menu ("C" key). Then I have addon a custom entry into Aeon Nox main menu (System > Appearance > Skin > Settings > Customizers > Main Menu item Customizer > Select Custom 1 > Choose Type > Favourite > Advanced Launcher). As expected the entry value is :

Code:

ActivateWindow(10001,"plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher/", return)

Then go again into Choose Type > Custom and indicate :

Code:

ActivateWindow(10001,"plugin://plugin.program.advanced.launcher/?default/", return)

Then go into Change Label and replace "Advanced Launcher" title by "Games". Finally uncheck "Disable" to activate the custom entry. That's all. Now when you click on the Games menu entry, Advanced Launcher is automatically started into the default directory. !!!?

---

First of all I'd like to say thanks for all the effort and work put into this plugin, I'm quite a serious user so I probably don't count as a majority here but love your work.

I have a request. I noticed that since v2 there's support for categories, with this recent change I have decided to abandon RCB in favour of Advanced launcher now it launches nearly everything and and at this rate already proves to be much more easy to use and faster. Recently I've added an entire MAME collection understandably it slows down the plugin quite a bit upon load. Is it possible to have separate launcher XML files per category. Now no matter which category I choose it always takes a long time to load because it seems to browse the entire index upon entering a category. I would imagine that if there were separate XML files per category this would allow for advanced launcher to keep it's speed if just loading smaller categories. I understand if it's not high on the priority list but hope that this can be implemented sometime. Thanks again for all the effort!

I'm not sure it will be possible to split the launchers.xml file without affecting all the way Advanced Launcher is actually working. I will try to see if there is not another way to speed up all the system. About how many roms were are talking about here? 100? 1.000? 10.000? What is actually the size of your launchers.xml file? Is it possible to send my a zipped version of your launchers (so I will be able to works on something more concrete)?

[Angelscry]

Thanks a lot for this great plugin.

I am getting an error from the latest version of the advance launcher each time I update a artwork (thumbnail or fanart).
Though despite the py. error, thumbs are correctly cached once I exit and re-enter the addon.

I looks like the addon is trying to cache artworks in the following directory:
C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\profiles\Me\addon_data\plugin.program.advanced.launcher\Thumbnails\

That's my profile folder in xbmc directory, where indeed all addon data/settings are stored.
But I only use one profile, and my thumbnails folder is still in the xbmc root folder:
C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails

I tried the to use path subsitution and move thumbnails to my profile folder, that does the trick, but that's probably not intended to work that way.
Or maybe I missed something in the addon settings to point at the correct thumnails folder.

Cheers

It's normal that Advanced launcher store thumbnails images into C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\profiles\Me\addon_data\plugin.program.advanced.launcher\Thumbnails\. For files launchers, if you do not indicate thumbs and fanart paths during the launcher creation, thumbs and fanarts images are stored by default into the same direcoty than the items. For stand alone launchers thumbs and fanarts images are stored by default into C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\profiles\Me\addon_data\plugin.program.advanced.launcher, because you generally do not have the sufficient rights to save these files into the same directory than the executable (C:/Program Files) or the binary (/usr/bin) files.

Also, thumbs and fanarts images stored by Advanced launcher are not cached images. That's XBMC who next cache them into C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails. But Advanced Launcher is not XBMC, and generally when you scrap images, you want them to be definitively saved, and not only temporary.

Now, concerning your error message, it is not normal, could you please port here the xbmc.log file just after the error occurs. It will help me to found what is going wrong.

[TyPenn613]

I hope I'm posting this in the right place. I'm new to the world of XBMC, Advanced Launcher, and I'm far from the most computer literate.

I've been trying to use Advanced Launcher for various emulators and standalone games. However, I've been met with the same error, addon.py. Usually it happens after I've added a couple of launchers, and I'm grabbing the artwork. I tend to grab the artwork individually, and after I grab a few I get there error. Immediately afterwards, I get kicked out to the Advanced Launcher > Default page. If I try to go back into default (where I add all my launchers), it will ask me to add launcher again, having deleted all of the ones I previously added, both emulators and standalones.

This has happened at least a half dozen times now, sometimes after I've installed one emulators, sometimes after 3 or 4. The artwork I'm adding is for a different game each time this happens. Is there something I'm missing?

I've attached the logs I have. Thanks so much!

http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=32484
http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=32485

[lokipoki]

Ok. I try that when I come home...

I turn of the ink. but nothing happens. Also I dont use the launcher.exe as application because all of the .ink in D:\HTPC\Games\PC\ point to the launcher.exe. I hope you understand what you mean.

.ink+explorer.exe (XBMC)>launcher.exe>.ink (Games)

I think the problem is somewhere in my code:

Code:

Run(@ComSpec & ' /c "D:\HTPC\Games\PC\' & $CmdLine[1] & '.lnk"', @DesktopCommonDir, @SW_HIDE)

I think it doesnt pass on the .ink extension to my launcher.exe. But I can only guess.

Cheers.

Ok... I doesn't work because you cannot pass the argument ($CmdLine[1]) through the first .LNK file. Because it is not :

Code:

.ink+explorer.exe (XBMC)>launcher.exe>.ink (Games)

but :

Code:

explorer.exe (XBMC)> .lnk > launcher.exe>.lnk (Games)

than happen. So the %romname% is send to .lnk file and it is not able to send it to launcher.exe. I don't understand why you manage 2 .lnk files for each game when you can only do this with one :

Code:

launcher.exe (XBMC)>.lnk (Games)

Ok I changed it now.

Application:launcher.exe

The .ink is pointing now directly to the games which works fine. But it seems that the launcher.exe doesn't execute. How come?!

Cheers.

[banggun]

Thanks for your quick reply. I uploaded the file it's quite big. I think inside there are around 10,000 launchers largely thanks to MAME collection. I just added these yesterday, before there were perhaps a 1000 and it was still quite fast. Thanks for looking at this. I posted the link below.

http://cl.ly/2B311q2J2d0u

[RazorFR]

[/quote]It's normal that Advanced launcher store thumbnails images into C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\profiles\Me\addon_data\plugin.program.advanced.launcher\Thumbnails\. For files launchers, if you do not indicate thumbs and fanart paths during the launcher creation, thumbs and fanarts images are stored by default into the same direcoty than the items. For stand alone launchers thumbs and fanarts images are stored by default into C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\profiles\Me\addon_data\plugin.program.advanced.launcher, because you generally do not have the sufficient rights to save these files into the same directory than the executable (C:/Program Files) or the binary (/usr/bin) files.

Also, thumbs and fanarts images stored by Advanced launcher are not cached images. That's XBMC who next cache them into C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails. But Advanced Launcher is not XBMC, and generally when you scrap images, you want them to be definitively saved, and not only temporary.

Now, concerning your error message, it is not normal, could you please port here the xbmc.log file just after the error occurs. It will help me to found what is going wrong.
[/quote]

Sure. Here it is.
Error is reported around line 1060 when changing the thumb for the Fatale Comic book.

[Angelscry]

It's normal that Advanced launcher store thumbnails images into C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\profiles\Me\addon_data\plugin.program.advanced.launcher\Thumbnails\. For files launchers, if you do not indicate thumbs and fanart paths during the launcher creation, thumbs and fanarts images are stored by default into the same direcoty than the items. For stand alone launchers thumbs and fanarts images are stored by default into C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\profiles\Me\addon_data\plugin.program.advanced.launcher, because you generally do not have the sufficient rights to save these files into the same directory than the executable (C:/Program Files) or the binary (/usr/bin) files.

Also, thumbs and fanarts images stored by Advanced launcher are not cached images. That's XBMC who next cache them into C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails. But Advanced Launcher is not XBMC, and generally when you scrap images, you want them to be definitively saved, and not only temporary.

Now, concerning your error message, it is not normal, could you please port here the xbmc.log file just after the error occurs. It will help me to found what is going wrong.

Sure. Here it is.
Error is reported around line 1060 when changing the thumb for the Fatale Comic book.

Are you using accentuated characters into your paths (for Michael directories)?

Code:

...
C:\Users\Michael\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\profiles\Michael\Thumbnails\8\832efbb2.jpg
...

If so... it is the problem. Advanced Launcher is not able to manage paths with accentuated characters under Windows... and I not able to fix this problem by myself.

---

I turn of the ink. but nothing happens. Also I dont use the launcher.exe as application because all of the .ink in D:\HTPC\Games\PC\ point to the launcher.exe. I hope you understand what you mean.

.ink+explorer.exe (XBMC)>launcher.exe>.ink (Games)

I think the problem is somewhere in my code:

Code:

Run(@ComSpec & ' /c "D:\HTPC\Games\PC\' & $CmdLine[1] & '.lnk"', @DesktopCommonDir, @SW_HIDE)

I think it doesnt pass on the .ink extension to my launcher.exe. But I can only guess.

Cheers.

Ok... I doesn't work because you cannot pass the argument ($CmdLine[1]) through the first .LNK file. Because it is not :

Code:

.ink+explorer.exe (XBMC)>launcher.exe>.ink (Games)

but :

Code:

explorer.exe (XBMC)> .lnk > launcher.exe>.lnk (Games)

than happen. So the %romname% is send to .lnk file and it is not able to send it to launcher.exe. I don't understand why you manage 2 .lnk files for each game when you can only do this with one :

Code:

launcher.exe (XBMC)>.lnk (Games)

Ok I changed it now.

Application:launcher.exe

The .ink is pointing now directly to the games which works fine. But it seems that the launcher.exe doesn't execute. How come?!

Cheers.

I don't know... Post your launchers.xml file, please.

[Angelscry]

I hope I'm posting this in the right place. I'm new to the world of XBMC, Advanced Launcher, and I'm far from the most computer literate.

I've been trying to use Advanced Launcher for various emulators and standalone games. However, I've been met with the same error, addon.py. Usually it happens after I've added a couple of launchers, and I'm grabbing the artwork. I tend to grab the artwork individually, and after I grab a few I get there error. Immediately afterwards, I get kicked out to the Advanced Launcher > Default page. If I try to go back into default (where I add all my launchers), it will ask me to add launcher again, having deleted all of the ones I previously added, both emulators and standalones.

This has happened at least a half dozen times now, sometimes after I've installed one emulators, sometimes after 3 or 4. The artwork I'm adding is for a different game each time this happens. Is there something I'm missing?

I've attached the logs I have. Thanks so much!

http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=32484
http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=32485

This bug occurs since XBMC Frodo RC and I'm not found the exact cause and so fix it. Use the backup feature of Advanced Launcher to restore your launchers list when it has been deleted : http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...pid1432031