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Beta Advanced Emulator Launcher - Multi-emulator frontend for Kodi
(2016-10-30, 20:35)xphilipp Wrote: Hello,

First, I would like to warmly thank Wintermute for this plugin that seems the be the only launcher available for the recent builds of Kodi.

I'm not an "emulator" kind of user, but I needed a plugin to launch external programs (mainly to change on the fly the audio/video seetings of my windows HTPC).I created all my launchers in the addon root, and then I removed the default "emulator" category to make things cleaner.

But removing all the categories causes a bug when I want to create a new launcher: 'Category ID not found. Report this bug.'

So, I report this bug Big Grin

Note: As a workaround, I commented out the first lines in "command_add_new_launcher()" of main.py, and forced the launcher_categoryID to VCATEGORY_ADDONROOT_ID.


regards.

Your are welcomed. Yeah, probably this is a side effect of having launchers in the addon root. I didn't test the corner case of not having any categories at all. Will have a look ASAP.

Also, If you just want to have some standalone launchers in addon root maybe you may want to hide <Favourites>, collections, etc. Go to addon settings, "Display" to do so.
Reply
(2016-10-31, 09:11)Wintermute0110 Wrote: Also, If you just want to have some standalone launchers in addon root maybe you may want to hide <Favourites>, collections, etc. Go to addon settings, "Display" to do so.

I've already done this. But it still displays the "emulator" category, that's why I removed it using the context menu... and discovered this bug.

As you say, it's a corner case and the error message is self-explanatory... But it says to report the bug Tongue.

My quick'n dirty edit:

Code:
def _command_add_new_launcher(self, categoryID):
    # If categoryID not found return to plugin root window.
    if categoryID not in self.categories:
        log_info('Category ID not found. Create laucher in addon root.')
        launcher_categoryID = VCATEGORY_ADDONROOT_ID
    else:
        # --- Ask user if launcher is created on selected category or on root menu ---
        (...)

    # --- Show "Create New Launcher" dialog ---
    dialog = xbmcgui.Dialog()
    (...)
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@xphilipp Thanks for the patch. I've been thinking and the solution will take me some time. Apart from solving the bug, I have also to modify the context menu of launchers in the addon root and add there the option to create a new category (but not in context menu of launchers inside a category). Otherwise, if user hides all virtual launchers and has zero categories, there is no way of creating a new category! It's not complicated but will take me some time to test all cases.
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I tried your Launcher, since AL always had problems, it was uneasy to scrape new games etc.

But there's still some important thing missing for me and since this addon is actively developed, I can finally ask for it to get implemented!

At the moment I am using Win10 x64 with Launcher for Kodi to start directly into Kodi.
It's a nice little program, which keeps Kodi in focus, replaces the explorer.exe with Kodi etc.
But if you want to use a launcher addon, it always get into the way, since it wants to restore Kodis focus and/or steals the input and sound from the games. You can set a few applications to get ignored, but even then, it creates more troubles, than it helps.
Only way to get around this for me, was to write a little AHK script, compile it into an exe and use that instead of the original starter.
The code is the following:
Code:
;game.launcher.script.revision=001

#NoEnv  
#SingleInstance force
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%

WinKill, Kodi
Run %comspec% /c taskkill /f /im Kodi.exe
WinKill, Explorer
Run %comspec% /c taskkill /f /im explorer.exe

sleep, 4000

Run, "GAMENAME".exe
    
Process, Wait,  "GAMENAME".exe
sleep 15000
Process, WaitClose,  "GAMENAME".exe#

Run, "C:\Kodi\Kodi.exe" &
As you can see, nothing special...

Long story short: Is it possible to include a close Kodi command into AEL aswell, so I don't need to write a little script for all my games?
Reply
(2016-10-31, 16:26)MasterPhW Wrote: Long story short: Is it possible to include a close Kodi command into AEL aswell, so I don't need to write a little script for all my games?

You'll probably need to write a script anyway... because you have to restart kodi after you close your game. Tongue
Reply
(2016-10-30, 10:29)Wintermute0110 Wrote: What you mean by MAME console?

Running the normal (command line mame). There is a mame.exe dos window running along with the game window.
It is also providing details when a rom has "problems" and might not run 100% correctly.

(2016-10-30, 10:29)Wintermute0110 Wrote: That is something unrelated to AEL. I like to classify the emulators/apps in 2 categories: "Media center friendly" and "Media center NOT friendly". A media center friendly app/emulator is one which allows to map one key of your joystick to quit the emulator and return to Kodi. Media friendly emulators include MAME, Mednafen and Retroarch (which should cover 99% of the emulation needs for most users). Unfortunately, there are many media center unfriendly emus. Best thing you can do is to go to the emulator forum and ask the feature to remap emulator actions to be binded to joystick/keyboard buttons. It's something easy to code.

Yeah you're right. PCSX2 and NullDC. Development has never been done with media centers in mind. NullDC is old and may be replaced. Now PCSX2 that is another story.

(2016-10-30, 10:29)Wintermute0110 Wrote: Will add metadata to collections in 0.9.5.

Thanks!
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@MasterPhW As @xphilipp says, you will always need an script to relaunch Kodi once you quit your game/emulator. ROM Collection Browser and HyperLauncher both have the ability to run in "solo mode", which is what you want, and both of them require scripts to do so. In addition, RCB had a service script (additional addon) to go to RCB once you restart Kodi. In my experience with RCB this was very buggy and I was not happy at all with it. Possible solutions for you:

1) Do not use Launcher for Kodi. Why not keep it simple and put Kodi in the start menu to be automatically started on Windows boot?

2) Contact Launcher for Kodi developer and ask him about your problem. He should be able to assist you better than myself. I've seen in L4K forum thread that the program supports many options about focus... maybe you should ask for help there.
Reply
(2016-11-01, 00:57)RazorFR Wrote: Running the normal (command line mame). There is a mame.exe dos window running along with the game window.
It is also providing details when a rom has "problems" and might not run 100% correctly.

That's weird... You are using Windows right? In my Windows machine I have never experienced that issue.You using vanilla MAME from http://www.mame.net/ or something else?

(2016-11-01, 00:57)RazorFR Wrote: Yeah you're right. PCSX2 and NullDC. Development has never been done with media centers in mind. NullDC is old and may be replaced. Now PCSX2 that is another story.

I've never user NullDC (I'm a Linux user) but I am quite happy with Reicast core in Retroarch. It runs DC games faster than Saturn cores!

About PCSX2: that emu is now in a development hell... a lot of unportable code, the dynamic recompiler only works in 32 bit mode and making it work for 64 bit means almost a complete rewrite. It's sad it will require a tremendous effort but maybe some coder in the future will tackle the task.
Reply
(2016-10-30, 10:29)Wintermute0110 Wrote: That is something unrelated to AEL. I like to classify the emulators/apps in 2 categories: "Media center friendly" and "Media center NOT friendly". A media center friendly app/emulator is one which allows to map one key of your joystick to quit the emulator and return to Kodi. Media friendly emulators include MAME, Mednafen and Retroarch (which should cover 99% of the emulation needs for most users). Unfortunately, there are many media center unfriendly emus. Best thing you can do is to go to the emulator forum and ask the feature to remap emulator actions to be binded to joystick/keyboard buttons. It's something easy to code.

To close emulator under linux with lirc i have mapped this script to the back button of my remote, not very elegant but it just work.
Code:
#!/bin/sh
if ps ax | pgrep 'ppsspp'; then
killall -9 ppsspp 2>/dev/null
fi
if ps ax | pgrep 'retroarch'; then
killall -9 retroarch 2>/dev/null
fi
if ps ax | pgrep 'sdlmame'; then
killall -9 sdlmame 2>/dev/null
fi
if ps ax | pgrep 'supermodel'; then
killall -9 Supermodel 2>/dev/null
fi
if ps ax | pgrep 'dolphin-emu-cli'; then
killall -9 dolphin-emu-cli 2>/dev/null
fi
if ps ax | pgrep 'PCSX2'; then
killall -9 PCSX2 2>/dev/null
fi
if ps ax | pgrep 'mednafen'; then
killall -9 mednafen 2>/dev/null
fi
exit 0
Reply
Hello,

I tested this addon on my desktop pc and it works beautifully. I then tried it on my android tablet. It installed but when I try to launch the launcher it receive an error message saying it had an error and to check the log file. I do have the log file (but don't know how to send/attach it other than copy and pasting here). Is there something wrong with the addon, my kodi, or my tablet or does it not work because it is android not windows? (PS: My tablet is the Galaxy Tab 3 (GT-P5210) running stock Android 4.4.2)

-Jeff
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(2016-11-01, 15:03)kirby1fan Wrote: Hello,

I tested this addon on my desktop pc and it works beautifully. I then tried it on my android tablet. It installed but when I try to launch the launcher it receive an error message saying it had an error and to check the log file. I do have the log file (but don't know how to send/attach it other than copy and pasting here). Is there something wrong with the addon, my kodi, or my tablet or does it not work because it is android not windows? (PS: My tablet is the Galaxy Tab 3 (GT-P5210) running stock Android 4.4.2)

-Jeff

AEL should work and has been tested by some people on Android. The log file will allow me to see the internal of AEL and determine what's causing the problem. Yeah, please post your debug log in pastebin.com and then post in the forum the URL you get. Once I see the log then maybe you will need to do more things and put the log again.
Reply
I am using mame 0.161 in windows not vanilla. But I tested with the vanilla 0.179 and it does exactly the same.

To be precise, launching a rom from the mame program doesn't open a seperate console window. But launching a rom from Mame AEL launcher does (and of course the game in a seperate window)
My argument are nothing fancy > -inipath "xxxx\mame64.exe" "%roms%"

The dos prompt is most of the time all black (roms with 0 issue), but it will log any problem from mame, for instance
qsound.bin rom needs redump
Warning games might not run correctly
Reply
Hi,

I'm also not able to run launcher in Android Sad
It just says "starting game", but nothing happens.

see extract of log (Link)
Reply
(2016-11-01, 22:46)RazorFR Wrote: I am using mame 0.161 in windows not vanilla. But I tested with the vanilla 0.179 and it does exactly the same.

To be precise, launching a rom from the mame program doesn't open a seperate console window. But launching a rom from Mame AEL launcher does (and of course the game in a seperate window)
My argument are nothing fancy > -inipath "xxxx\mame64.exe" "%roms%"

The dos prompt is most of the time all black (roms with 0 issue), but it will log any problem from mame, for instance
qsound.bin rom needs redump
Warning games might not run correctly

Mmmm... if you use a ROM launcher or standalone launcher, the launcher points to mame.exe and arguments are something like "%rom%" there should be no console window. What is the inipath you mentioned?
Reply
(2016-11-02, 08:05)ErAzOr2k Wrote: Hi,

I'm also not able to run launcher in Android Sad
It just says "starting game", but nothing happens.

see extract of log (Link)

There is nothing unusual in that log... maybe problem is with the arguments you use to start Dolphin. Have you tried other emu rather than Dolphin?
Reply
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