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LaunchBox Multi Monitor and BigBox +3rd monitor plugin 1.2.1

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JoeViking245
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LaunchBox Multi Monitor and BigBox +3rd monitor plugin

 

This plugin adds support for 2nd (and 3rd) monitors in LaunchBox to display game images while navigating your collections.  If you have LaunchBox version 13.1 or newer, Platform, Platform Category or Playlist images will be displayed when making a selection on the left navigation pane.

With BigBox, you already have use of a 2nd display (marquee monitor) for displaying images.  For those who have a pinball-cab (or a fancy desktop setup) with 3 displays, this plugin will allow you display an image on the 3rd monitor while navigating BigBox.

 

Some details:

-  The image displayed changes based on the Platform, Platform Category, Playlist or game you are viewing for both BigBox and LaunchBox.
-  To view Platform, Platform Category and Playlist images in LaunchBox, LaunchBox version 13.6 is required.  BigBox will work with any version.
-  When a game is launched, the image(s) will be hidden and then reappear after exiting the game. (default)
-  Optionally (new v1.1.0), you can select Keep image(s) visible during gameplay.
        The exception is Steam games that are launched via "steam://rungameid/xxxxxx". Their images will not stay visible nor reappear.
-  You set the default image type (i.e. Box-Front) to use for all games.  Or you can set individual image types to use on a per Platform basis (new v1.1.2).
 

 

Q&A:

  • Why would I want to display an image on a 3rd monitor?
    • Because you can.
  • What image would I put on a 3rd monitor?
    • That's entirely up to you.  You can choose from pretty much any image type in your collection.
  • Can it display a video on the 3rd (or 2nd-or-3rd in LB) monitor? 
    • No.
  • Can it show a pdf file on the extra monitor? 
    • No.
  • Can it display 3D models for boxes? 
    • Yes (new v 1.2.0)

 

Installing:

  • Download the plugin zip file.
  • Right-click the zip file, select Properties and check Unblock (if present). Click OK.

              image.jpeg.0e7d52ebbecc59be3d546c933007199d.jpeg

  • (With LaunchBox/BigBox not running,) Open the zip file and extract the included folder into your /LaunchBox/Plugins/ folder.

 

Setting up:

Start LaunchBox.

Click Tools, MultiMonitor Setup

image.thumb.png.a7db633af69cb36720bcd3d368dff900.png

 

Monitor Configuration:

  • Select which monitor # you want the images displayed on from the pull-down list.
  • Click Identify Displays to confirm which monitor corresponds with which monitor number.
  • Toggle On or Off to see images on the respective monitors.
  • (v1.1.0) If you wish to keep the images up during gameplay, check Keep image(s) visible during gameplay.
  • (v1.1.1) In LaunchBox, if images aren’t displaying correctly on you marquee monitor, check Stretch images to fill screen (LB 2nd only). This only works on LaunchBox 2nd monitor.

 

Image Selection:

  • Select the default image type you want displayed based on which View you're in.
    • Default Game Images:
      • BigBox 3rd Monitor and LaunchBox 2nd Monitor use the "Game View (BB 3rd/LB 2nd)" image.
      • LaunchBox 3rd monitor uses the "Game View (LB 3rd monitor)" image.
      • The image selection *Game Controls looks for game-specific images in your "/Images/platform_name/Arcade - Controls Information/" folder.
      • In LaunchBox, if LaunchBox 3rd Monitor is turned off and the Game View 2nd monitor image doesn’t exist, it will attempt to use the Game View 3rd monitor image.
      • In BigBox, if the Game View 2nd monitor image doesn’t exist, it will attempt to the Game View 3rd monitor image.
      • Set custom game image per Platform (new v1.1.2)
        • Pretty self-explanatory.
  • Click Save after you're done making changes.

 

Custom Folder:  (new v 1.2.0)

You can use a Custom Folder to search for game images.  This will search for game images in /your_Custom_Folder/game_platform/game.png
Select *Custom Folder as the Default Game Image, then click Set Custom Folder to set your folder.

Image* files can be named the same as:
    games' Title**
    ROM filename
    games' LaunchBox Database Id #
    games' Platform***

*Image file names with suffix -xx (i.e. myImage-01.png) are OK (aka. copy/paste from existing LaunchBox Images). However, the plugin will ONLY ever use one of the images if you have multiple.  i.e. myImage-01.png and myImage-02.png

**Game images using its Title must have invalid characters replace with _ (underscore).  See Invalid Characters below.
Most common is when the Title has a : (colon).

 Example:  Title = Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue!
           image = Disney-Pixar_s Toy Story 2_ Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue!.png

***If a game specific image can't be found, the plugin will look for an image named after the games platform in the Custom Folder. NOT inside the platform folder.  i.e.  /your_Custom_Folder/game_platform.png
 

Invalid Characters below

Spoiler

<  (less than)
>  (greater than)
:  (colon)
"  (double quote)
/  (forward slash)
\  (backslash)
|  (vertical bar or pipe)
?  (question mark)
*  (asterisk)
'  (single quote) Not technically invalid (post-DOS), but consistent with LaunchBox character replacement

 

Other Notes:

LaunchBox:

Platform/Category/Playlist images will only be displayed if using LaunchBox version 13.6 or newer. 

BigBox:

Changes to image selections etc. can only be made in LaunchBox through Tools, MultiMonitor Setup.

General:

If after making changes in MultiMonitor Setup (AND clicking Save) images aren't displaying or there's some other plugin issue, try restarting LaunchBox.

Disclaimer:

This has only been tested on a 2-monitor setup. Neither of which were marquee monitors.    So.....  Good luck!  :D

 

As always, comments, suggestions and requests are welcomed and encouraged.

What's New in Version 1.2.1   See changelog

Released

v1.2.1 Hot Fix

Fixed:      Would not load without an existing Settings.xml file

 

v1.2.0

This is a culmination of the 1.1.5-betas (beta-1 through 6) wrapped up into an official release

New Option:      3D models now available for use as game images.  Requires LB 13.1 or newer.
Improvement:  Will auto adjust images for Portrait monitors
New Option:     Can use a Custom Folder to search for game images
Fixed:                  In BigBox, the image would disappear when entering Game Details

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MikeFu

This is a great feature and is what I was looking for.  I have a small screen in my control panel so I really needed suppport for a 3rd monitor.

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Maul83

I like this for when I'm at my desk, however I also stream to my TV through Steam. I know this is streaming  issue, but when I do it, it splits both screens onto my TV screen, making everything super small. While you probably can't fix that, a hotkey to turn it off might be helpful if that is possible through launchbox.

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JoeViking245
11 hours ago, Maul83 said:

I like this for when I'm at my desk, however I also stream to my TV through Steam. I know this is streaming  issue, but when I do it, it splits both screens onto my TV screen, making everything super small. While you probably can't fix that, a hotkey to turn it off might be helpful if that is possible through launchbox.

Glad you're liking this!

I'm curious, so the Steam streaming thing (I've never used or tried it) will take what was the output to 2 separate monitors, and 'merge' those onto one screen that you're streaming to (the TV)?  So is it then, the left half of the TV screen is "monitor 1" and the right half is "monitor 2"?  That's actually kind of cool!  If not annoying. ;)

Adding a keyboard shortcut to toggle a LaunchBox 2nd monitor on/off isn't going to happen.  Something about "a can of worms".  

But you can toggle it through Monitor Setup.  (Don't forget to click Save)  And it should work on-the-fly.  Vs. having to restart LaunchBox.

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Maul83
3 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

Glad you're liking this!

I'm curious, so the Steam streaming thing (I've never used or tried it) will take what was the output to 2 separate monitors, and 'merge' those onto one screen that you're streaming to (the TV)?  So is it then, the left half of the TV screen is "monitor 1" and the right half is "monitor 2"?  That's actually kind of cool!  If not annoying. ;)

Adding a keyboard shortcut to toggle a LaunchBox 2nd monitor on/off isn't going to happen.  Something about "a can of worms".  

But you can toggle it through Monitor Setup.  (Don't forget to click Save)  And it should work on-the-fly.  Vs. having to restart LaunchBox.

Gotcha.

I've never actually seen Steam in home streaming do this before, probably because this is the only time I have ran an app where the app was displaying over 2 windows simultaneously. Normally it just focuses on whatever app is in focus on my TV screen.

 

I'll probably just toggle on and off then, I'm usually at my computer unless I want to chill on the couch

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Retrofrogg

Very very cool. Now if it could only display the rotatable 3D box on the 2nd monitor..... :D

Although when I exit it from the menu, the image remains on the 2nd monitor, no matter what I do in LB.

Also, the "device" image won't show on the 2nd monitor when I select a platform.

Edited by Retrofrogg
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JoeViking245
1 hour ago, Retrofrogg said:

Although when I exit it from the menu, the image remains on the 2nd monitor, no matter what I do in LB.

Also, the "device" image won't show on the 2nd monitor when I select a platform.

 

Quote

Other Notes:

LaunchBox:

The startup Platform/Category/Playlist image will display at startup only (on your selected 2nd monitor).
       After that, only the selected game image(s) will be displayed.
When changing Platform (etc.), the last selected game image(s) still shows.

Appears it show the last image after you exit "the menu" as well. 

This is a limitation of the LaunchBox API.  It only provides for detecting when changing between Games but not Platforms or "the menu" (or any of the possible menus, I imagine ;)). 

The initial Platform Device image that displays was more of a hack I threw together to get it to show.  That is, I can get what your initial Platform is when you 1st startup LB.  But not any Platform clicks thereafter.

 

But when you click on a game and see an image for it on the 2nd monitor, and then click on a different game and get a different, that [part] is very cool!

BTW, I did think about the rotating 3D boxes for about 2 seconds.  Unfortunately, that's strictly Theme stuff which I try not to touch. 🙃  

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Vicomte

Thanks so much for this!

I think I found a bug.  I cannot get platform clear logos to show for "Platform View" (platform banners work fine).  Clear logos do work for "Platform Category View."

Also, another thumbs up here for possible support for rotating 3D boxes!  That would be so awesome!

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JoeViking245
56 minutes ago, Vicomte said:

a bug.  I cannot get platform clear logos to show

Thanks for the heads up!  Fixed in version 1.1.4.  You will need to go into MultiMonitor Setup and (re)select Platform Clear Logo.  

 

58 minutes ago, Vicomte said:

Also, another thumbs up here for possible support for rotating 3D boxes!  That would be so awesome!

It's on my list of "I should probably look into this someday". lol   In the meantime, I hear @superrob3000's "ThirdScreen" plugin can do that. ;) 

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JoeViking245

@Retrofrogg @Vicomte

Added 3D Models to the list of game images.

Download this beta release -------->      MultiMonitor2022 (v1.1.5 beta-1).7z

Unzip it and replace your existing MultiMonitor2022.dll with the one in the zip.

The 3D Models are set for manual rotation.  In BigBox, you can use whatever you have bound to Rotate Model to spin the box.  Or you can drag your mouse over to the other monitor and rotate & zoom as you would in LaunchBox.

This still all seems odd to me having the 3D Models on the-other-monitor.  But there you have it. ;) 

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JoeViking245
3 minutes ago, Retrofrogg said:

but when I click "save", I get this error

Close LB, restart it and try the save thingy again. 

If it does it again after restarting, attach (drag & drop the file onto your reply. Don't copy & paste) the most recent log file in \LaunchBox\Logs\  and also the most recent one in \LaunchBox\Plugins\MultiMonitor2022\Logs\

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magicray1028

works great in launchbox mode, just wondering is there a way to center the image? my main screen is 4K and my secondary is 1920x480 but it cant seem to scale the marquee images to fix my screen, itll be cut off partially. im on windows 11 in extended desktop mode. It would seem the position of the second screen changes the position of the image as well.

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JoeViking245
1 hour ago, magicray1028 said:

my secondary is 1920x480 but it cant seem to scale the marquee images to fix my screen

Did you try checking the "Stretch images" check box?  Or unchecking it?  Are both monitors ('screens') scale set to 100% [in Windows Display Settings]? Or something different?

 

1 hour ago, magicray1028 said:

It would seem the position of the second screen changes the position of the image as well.

I don't know how all that works.  Windows-wise.  But I'd think, even if your marquee is physically above your main monitor, in Windows display settings, move them to side-by-side.  Example: your main monitor on the left, and your marquee on the right. With the tops aligned straight across.

image.png.560c6bff0578202edb2e45bdc6c081c7.png

 

Can you attach your most recent log file please.  You'll find it in \LaunchBox\Plugins\MultiMonitor2022\Logs\

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magicray1028

so yea it was the scaling thing, im used to using  my main screen at 150% since its quite large and 4K, im working on playing around with the settings to see if it can be done. and yes side to side seems to work best.

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JoeViking245
On 1/21/2023 at 12:20 PM, Retrofrogg said:

I tried restarting Launchbox, opening your plugin and saving again - but I get the same error message as before.

Log files attached, as requested. Thanks for your input.

Looks like maybe the xml file is wonky. 

Try:  Close LaunchBox.  Delete "Settings.xml" from the plugins' folder. Start LB.  and try saving the settings again.

 

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Retrofrogg
9 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

Try:  Close LaunchBox.  Delete "Settings.xml" from the plugins' folder. Start LB.  and try saving the settings again.

Now I can save the settings from the plugin, thanks. However, the 3D box model doesn't seem to work for me. You can see from the screenshot below that I have it selected in the settings - but the plugin displays the static 3D box on my second monitor, not the model.

In fact, whichever "game view" I choose, it keeps displaying the static 3D box image.

image.thumb.png.da54511d1ee867b15431ca7ef8deda4a.png

Edited by Retrofrogg
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JoeViking245
2 hours ago, Retrofrogg said:

In fact, whichever "game view" I choose, it keeps displaying the static 3D box image.

Sounds like under Media [Options], your Screenshot Priorities has Box - 3D set above any of the Screenshot - xxxx. 

Click Reset all to Default. This will reset all the custom game image per platform to whatever you have set under Default Game Images.  Currently your custom per-platform images are set to "Screenshot".

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Retrofrogg

Thanks, now I can see the 3D box model on the second screen!

My last query is could you please add a vertical rotation lock (perhaps as an option) - so that we can rotate the box horizontally without it flipping about when using the mouse?

Edited by Retrofrogg
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JoeViking245
12 minutes ago, Retrofrogg said:

Thanks, now I can see the 3D box model on the second screen!

My last query is could you please add a vertical rotation lock (perhaps as an option) - so that we can rotate the box horizontally without it flipping about when using the mouse?

Hmmm... I have no idea.  I was just kind of happy I learned how to add in a working, manipulatable 3D Model. :D 

I can take a look, but my guess is that's all 'hardwired' into the CoverFlow control.

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Retrofrogg

Or alternatively, allow left/right rotation using keyboard keys.

Also, the default zoom for the 3D box model is quite small; is there a way to change the default zoom?

image.thumb.png.f6e6d67f034decdd5bd6f8bb40f338c1.png

Edited by Retrofrogg
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