[teeedubb]

Yes, I know for this addon you could point AL to the batch file that does all the magic:

Code:

%appdata%\XBMC\addons\script.steam.launcher\resources\scripts\steam-launch.bat

There is also fanart and icon art you could use in the directory above. For other addons you could try MillhouseVH's excellent script: Texture Cache Maintenance utility in conjunction with batch files.

[aoaaron]

this is fantastic. my only minor complaint is i see my desktop for a long time when its switching from steam to XBMC... still very minor.. when starting up steam, its 5 seconds, when returning it from desktop its more like 2 seconds.

i want to add my PCSX2 and dolphin roms to this setup somehow. whats the easiest system to add them and keep them updated? is there a good XBMC app or do this or even an app which can scrape info and get them into steam big picture mode?

thank you so much for this addon!!

[MeMeMe]

Advanced Launcher is the plugin most people use for roms, I believe.

[teeedubb]

this is fantastic. my only minor complaint is i see my desktop for a long time when its switching from steam to XBMC... still very minor.. when starting up steam, its 5 seconds, when returning it from desktop its more like 2 seconds.

i want to add my PCSX2 and dolphin roms to this setup somehow. whats the easiest system to add them and keep them updated? is there a good XBMC app or do this or even an app which can scrape info and get them into steam big picture mode?

thank you so much for this addon!!

Glad you like it. 5 seconds is a long time though, some things to speed up steam are:

• Have steam already running by launching it with the -silent option at start up. On my system with a ssd this make steam bpm load instantly after xbmc is closed.
  
  
• Install steam (and xbmc) onto a ssd and keep your games on a hdd: Steam allows you to install games to other locations, but not all games - using a junction link will allow you to install all your games on a separate disk. Game data is stored in the eg D:\games\Steam\SteamApps directory. Rename your current steam folder, uninstall/reinstall steam to you ssd and delete the empty SteamApps folder in your new install location. Now move your existing SteamApps folder to where you want to keep it and create a junction link to fool steam, eg:
  
  Code:

  mklink /J "c:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps" "d:\games\Steam\SteamApps\"
  Linux users can do the same with bind mounts. Add something like the following to /etc/fstab
  
  Code:

  /mnt/storage/games-linux/SteamApps /home/xbmc/.local/share/Steam/SteamApps    bind    defaults,bind  0      0
  This will speed it up a bit from a cold start, about 2-3 seconds after addon is run, but takes a while to login.
  
  
• Hide Windows desktop and have a black backgound. More of a perception thing but it helps.
  

As for pcsx2 etc I like to use rom collection browser through xbmc, doing something like that in steam would be a pita. It will scrape all your data and keep it updated and works very well. Use solo mode with the .vbs scripts and again keep as much on a ssd as possible (covers, fanart, emulators etc) for faster loading.

[aoaaron]

thank you man!! rom collection browser works beautifully except... how do i close PCSX2 using just my gamepad or windows MCE remote?

[teeedubb]

Small update, 0.3.6, in OP to celebrate the release of the Flashback remake on steam

Code:

0.3.6
Changes to AHK script - disable #persistence and force #singleinstance

thank you man!! rom collection browser works beautifully except... how do i close PCSX2 using just my gamepad or windows MCE remote?

I've replied here.

[teeedubb]

In case anyone is interested here is a AHK script to auto close the damn annoying uplay popup when exiting a uplay game, which needs a keyboard/mouse to be closed (good one Ubisoft!). It doesn't work as intended, but works very well nonetheless (it was meant to only work for fc3, but works with flashback too - when I have some time I'll take another look at it). It can mess with installs/setups of uplay games so make sure its not running when installing/setting up.

https://db.tt/yVUKlSxP

Its a loop so it only needs to be run once and it will keep running after it has closed the popup, i have it run at startup. I can post the script contents if anyone is interested.

[MeMeMe]

good idea for a script.
I'd like to see the contents to see how that kind of thing is done

[teeedubb]

Here it is:

Code:

#NoEnv  ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
; #Warn  ; Enable warnings to assist with detecting common errors.
SendMode Input  ; Recommended for new scripts due to its superior speed and reliability.
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%  ; Ensures a consistent starting directory.

Loop
{
;    WinWait, Far Cry® 3 ahk_class PlatformView
    WinWaitClose, Far Cry® 3
    WinWait, Uplay ahk_class PlatformView
    WinClose, Uplay
}

[Booza]

I'm struggling using this Script to launch Steam on Windows 7 (32-Bit). The default settings don't work.

I try and update the steam-launch.bat file in notepad by taking out the (64) from the "program files" 64 in the paths for xbmc and steam but all that happens is xbmc miniminses.

I stalled autohotkey but still not happening.

Any help appreciated.

[MeMeMe]

Thanks, teeedubb.

Booza, can you post the contents of your steam-launch.bat file?

From what you describe it it does seem like the paths are incorrect.

If your programs are installed in the default places, it should probably be this:

Code:

#echo off
REM Configure the following 3 entries:

set XBMCLaunchCmd="c:\Program Files\XBMC\XBMC.exe"
set STEAMLaunchCmd="c:\Program Files\Steam\steam.exe"

set STEAMLauncherCmd="%appdata%/XBMC/addons/script.steam.launcher/resources/scripts/SteamLauncher-AHK.exe"

REM ##############################################################

%STEAMLauncherCmd% %STEAMLaunchCmd% %XBMCLaunchCmd%

You can find what the paths are on your system by finding the startup shortcuts for XBMC and Steam, and rightclick the icons, check Properties, and look in the Target box on the Shortcut tab.

[teeedubb]

Yeah I took out the code that auto detects 32 or 64 bit windows on the switch to AHK and havent replaced it, I will look at re-adding it. You can run the steam-launch.bat file from a command window to get more info about whats going on.

[MeMeMe]

Booza, to find out the filepaths you should be using, here's a script to run.

Create a new text file, call it "FindPaths.vbs"
Put the following text in it. Change the first line

Code:

Set wshshell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Documents = wshShell.SpecialFolders("MyDocuments")
outFile=Documents & "\SteamXBMCPaths.txt"

Dim fso
Set fso = WScript.CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set f = fso.CreateTextFile(outFile,True)

dim service, Process

set service = GetObject ("winmgmts:")

Dim SteamPath
Dim XBMCPath
for each Process in Service.InstancesOf ("Win32_Process")
    if LCase(Process.Name) = "steam.exe" then
        SteamPath = Process.ExecutablePath
        f.Writeline "Steam Path: " & " " & Process.ExecutablePath
    end if
    if LCase(Process.Name) = "xbmc.exe" then
        f.Writeline "XBMC Path: " & " " & Process.ExecutablePath
        XBMCPath = Process.ExecutablePath
    end if
next

wscript.echo "Paths Found:" & vbcrlf & SteamPath & vbcrlf & XBMCPath

f.Close

Now make sure xbmc and steam are both running.
In windows explorer, double click the FindPaths.vbs file you just created.
You should get a popup showing you the paths of Steam and XBMC.
They are also saved to a text file in My Documents, called SteamXBMCPaths text.

[teeedubb]

New version in first post, 0.4.4

Code:

0.4.0
Added back code to autodetect if windows is 32 or 64 bit.
New steam-launch.sh and now xbmc will restart if steam is exited or returned to desktop mode, same as in windows. The linux version now requires the program 'wmctrl' to work.

0.4.4
Small fixes.

[teeedubb]

New version in first post, 0.5.0

Code:

0.5.0
Changes to windows side of default.py - now cmd window completely hidden and will not steal focus away from xbmc when in a true full screen.
Somewhere along the line the <provides> tag in addon.xml was changed to 'game'. If a xbmc build with a Games main menu is used (eg garbear's retroplayer builds), the addon will appear under Games, if not it will appear under Programs.