Launch Platforms 2.0.0

And they said it couldn't be done! Thank you both so much for this. I've wanted this option for a long time. It works great with all the themes I've tried so far.

This is brilliant work!! Thanks @jayjay and @JoeViking245. I've had a license for Music Box Alpha for ages but never really used it. I'm looking forward to adding it to my cabinet now thanks to you.

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I am trying to use it, but it does not detect the themes that I have downloaded, is there any solution

6 hours ago, Restrox said:

I am trying to use it, but it does not detect the themes that I have downloaded, is there any solution

Can you share a screenshot of what's inside your../LaunchBox/Themes/ folder?

Of course, Im Using the COLORFUL - Light theme.

@Restrox  Hmmm... well they all should show when you start the plugin. 😊

This was created almost 2 1/2 years, so I'm having to remember what the heck I did. lol  One thing I did notice is that there're 2 possible files to download.  The one you want is "Launch Platform 1.02.zip".  (Not sure why I left the other one there.)

Exit LaunchBox and remove the LaunchPlatform folder (under Plugins) and replace it with the 1.02 version.  (Remember to Un-Block as necessary)  Restart LaunchBox.  When you click Tools, it will say Launch Platform Setup 1.01.  Ignore that it says "1.01" and run it.

Still working for me. Granted this is my office desktop that I sometimes use for testing, not my full arcade cabinet, but it does have the latest beta and themes are all showing.

 

And just tested on my vertical arcade and its still working there. If I were to guess, I would think you forgot to unblock the file when you downloaded it. 🤷‍♂️

Thanks for your help, I tried it on a clean launchbox instalation and it worked perfectly,  I think some of the experiments I was doing originated it. Again Thanks 😅

UPDATE:  I realized that the problem was in the HDD format, apparently when it´s in exFat it doesn't detect the plugin correctly, but in NTFS it works without any problem (even with my previous installation,  where it didn't work before). 🤯

Hi all QQ will this work when Platform CATEGORY is the main wheel view being utilized? I had issues with plugin in the past and I think that is why.

21 minutes ago, thefritz11 said:

Hi all QQ will this work when Platform CATEGORY is the main wheel view being utilized? I had issues with plugin in the past and I think that is why.

Assuming you setup the BigBox Theme you're using (Step 1) and added the platform (Step 2), it should.  At least in my quick test, it did.

Make sure the platform that you added in Step 2 is in the Root. (Should be, but double check) This way it will show in BB when in Platform Category View.

Also, in BigBox make sure you're using the Theme you had setup.

 

 

Strange I followed everything and I'd say 50% of the time it works. And 50% clicking the steam platform opens the game selection screen and I have to click through. Also strangely sometimes clicking the arcade platform makes the steam program open directly from wheel instead of opening up the child options I have under arcade. Not sure why and really wish this would get implemented officially but really appreciate your help with your plugin over the years lol. Just going to live with it working sometimes for now but definitely strange as this is a clean install. I'll maybe post a video of it happening if I ever figure out how to do that just for shits and giggles and to prove I'm not crazy LOL. 

 

13 minutes ago, thefritz11 said:

And 50% clicking the steam platform opens the game selection screen and I have to click through.

• Does your Steam platform have just 1 game (or app) in it? 
• Do you have more than 1 "Steam"?  Like a Platform and a Category?
• Under 'Parents', is there more than 1 checkbox checked? 
• And of course, it was setup? 
  • You can know for sure (and even "cheat" and bypass the setup process) by looking in the ..\LaunchBox\Plugins\LaunchPlatform\ folder for a text file named after the Platform.  i.e. "Steam.txt"  (it was a cheesy way to do this. But eh, it works [most of the time.?.?.]). 
  • [The cheat] If it's not there, simply create a new text file named EXACTLY the same as the Platform you want to use.

Also, make sure the Theme you're using was setup and is the default theme for ALL platforms.  Speaking of "Platforms", test it in the Platforms view and confirm that it works (or doesn't work also) there.  Then we can work on Platform Categories.  

And finally, (probably one of the more important things) what view are you using?  This only modifies (sets up) the Platform Wheel Views. Not sure if that was ever mentioned or relevant. 

Really appreciate you taking the time here. To answer in order.

 

1) Yes one app "steam". It is also named steam

2) Best I can tell steam is only a platform see attached screenshot

3)Nope (see attached)

4) Yes, see screen grab

So after triple checking all the above, even in platform view selecting steam does start the app as expected but the 2nd time I open anything from wheel say Super Nintendo it also opens steam directly the 1st time. Then opening steam no longer opens app but takes me to the platform page. Hopefully these answers sort of help. Really strange.

 

@thefritz11

On 2/22/2023 at 11:40 AM, JoeViking245 said:

Make sure the platform that you added in Step 2 is in the Root.

Try moving it into the Root only.

 

On 2/24/2023 at 11:36 AM, JoeViking245 said:

And finally, (probably one of the more important things) what view are you using?  This only modifies (sets up) the Platform Wheel Views.

Are you using one of the Wheel Views?

Sorry I missed that. I added it to root and removed from computer. In platform view (and yes I'm using a wheel view) the 1st click steam app loads directly as expected. I could not recreate other platforms starting steam app instead of loading platform page BUT the 2nd time I opened the steam app from wheel it went to platform page and required me to click the app/game to open  steam. That isn't as bad as the in platform category view since 50% or so of time when I click a platform category with plugin enabled it starts Steam app instead of intended action of opening platform options. Again this is wtih steam in root only.

Hello,
I would like to create a shortcut or use a plugin like LaunchPlatform to open BigBox directly on a specific platform (for example, Nintendo Switch, PS2, etc.) without going through the platform selection wheel, and go straight to the game view with the associated theme. Does this plugin allow that?

I’m a bit stuck with the provided “Music Box Alpha” example, as I don’t really understand how to use it concretely for my case.

Thank you for your help!

42 minutes ago, BoxyOne said:

Hello,
I would like to create a shortcut or use a plugin like LaunchPlatform to open BigBox directly on a specific platform (for example, Nintendo Switch, PS2, etc.) without going through the platform selection wheel, and go straight to the game view with the associated theme. Does this plugin allow that?

I’m a bit stuck with the provided “Music Box Alpha” example, as I don’t really understand how to use it concretely for my case.

Thank you for your help!

I don't think you can start Big Box and have it open in a platform (i.e. in game view).

The intent of this plugin is: if you have a platform that has only one game in it, when selecting the platform, instead of going into game view to see just the one game, it launches that game instead.

18 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

I don't think you can start Big Box and have it open in a platform (i.e. in game view).

The intent of this plugin is: if you have a platform that has only one game in it, when selecting the platform, instead of going into game view to see just the one game, it launches that game instead.

ah ok. Thanks anyway!

New Release:  v2.0.0

- Updated to .NET 9
- Requires LaunchBox version 13.19 or newer
- New look. Same feel and function.

- New:  Now available in Hybrid Views (available in LB v13.22-beta-1 and newer)
                 Hybrid View 1 (thru 4 if available)

27 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

New Release:  v2.0.0

- Updated to .NET 9
- Requires LaunchBox version 13.19 or newer
- New look. Same feel and function.

- New:  Now available in Hybrid Views (available in LB v13.22-beta-1 and newer)
                 Hybrid View 1 (thru 4 if available)

I still haven't tried the new hybrid view or understand what it does (got other things on my plate right now), but your continued support for this plugin is very much appreciated. Thank you.

1 minute ago, JaysArcade said:

I still haven't tried the new hybrid view or understand what it does (got other things on my plate right now), but your continued support for this plugin is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Going off topic (which is fine by me )...

If I understand it correctly:

The Hybrid view is the Platform View (e.g. PlatformWheel1FiltersView.xaml) and Games View (e.g. GameDetailsView.xaml) combined into one (e.g. PlatformHybrid1View.xaml).  Think of it as a base-line template for both.

When, from the Platform View you go into the Game View, instead of setting aside the Platform View, loading the Game View and populating it with [that platforms'] games, it uses the same .xaml file that's already in place (loaded) and merely (re)populates it with the game data.

...If ... I understand it correctly.  

11 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

Going off topic (which is fine by me )...

If I understand it correctly:

The Hybrid view is the Platform View (e.g. PlatformWheel1FiltersView.xaml) and Games View (e.g. GameDetailsView.xaml) combined into one (e.g. PlatformHybrid1View.xaml).  Think of it as a base-line template for both.

When, from the Platform View you go into the Game View, instead of setting aside the Platform View, loading the Game View and populating it with [that platforms'] games, it uses the same .xaml file that's already in place (loaded) and merely (re)populates it with the game data.

...If ... I understand it correctly.  

Close enough

It's just a view that has both the platform and the game wheel in the same view. It adds a lot of new possibilities for theme developers and greatly reduces the amount of time it takes to go from the standard platform view to the standard games view.