Shredder_guitar

Launchbox Connector update to 0.4.28 , Per the strawpoll feedback this was the most requested Item to be updated. I had a rethink on some things and hopefully this is a suitable improvement for better matching and usability. Much improvement to go, but it is better than before. Link for connector download:

Title: GuideVault Roadmap Poll – What Would You Like to See Next? I’m looking at possible directions for the next phase of GuideVault development and would like feedback from the LaunchBox community. Which of the following would be most valuable to you? Vote Here: https://strawpoll.com/PbZqbGkqvyN A mobile companion app could make it easier to browse and read manuals, strategy guides, and magazines from a phone or tablet. The exact capabilities would depend on community interest and what people would actually find useful. If you select the integrations option, please comment with the services or platforms you would like GuideVault to support. Likewise, if you want further LaunchBox Connector improvements, let me know which areas of the current experience need the most attention. This poll isn’t a promise that the most popular option will immediately be developed, but it will help me understand where the strongest interest is and where future development time would provide the most value.

GuideVault v1.2.9 – Game Dossiers and Library Improvements A new GuideVault update is now available, focused on better game organization, expanded IGDB integration, and a cleaner library experience. Game Dossiers GuideVault can now create detailed game dossiers that bring together all related content in one place, including: Manuals Strategy guides Magazine appearances Related games Platform information Screenshots and localized covers IGDB metadata and external resources Dossiers open directly in the main GuideVault interface and feature a redesigned game-focused layout. The primary localized box cover is displayed prominently, while available game artwork provides a faded background for the header. Improved IGDB Integration The IGDB integration now retrieves additional game information, including: Localized game covers Background artwork Screenshots Platform logos Related games and releases Website classifications Wikipedia links are now labeled Wiki, Nintendo support links are identified appropriately, and generic duplicate Website labels have been reduced. Better Document Management Linked Manuals, Strategy Guides, and Magazine Appearances can now be expanded and scrolled so every matched document can be reviewed. Incorrect matches can be removed without deleting the underlying library file. Removed links remain excluded during future metadata refreshes. Automatic matching has also been tightened to prioritize actual game titles and alternative names instead of broad franchise or collection references. Manage Links Mode To keep dossiers visually clean, editing controls are hidden during normal viewing. Administrators can select Manage Links beside Refresh IGDB + Matches to reveal: Remove document controls Remove related-game controls Set primary platform controls The button changes to Done Managing while editing mode is active. Platform Improvements Platform logos are now retrieved from IGDB when available. Administrators can also manually choose the correct primary platform when IGDB’s default selection does not match the version represented in the GuideVault library. Easier Dossier Creation The dossier creation process now uses a searchable wizard under: Settings → Account → Game Dossiers Select a Manual or Strategy Guide, search for the correct game through IGDB, review the match, and create the dossier. Once a dossier exists, the Dossiers destination becomes available in the main sidebar. Cleaner Navigation Additional navigation cleanup includes: Removed redundant individual collection links from the sidebar Preserved the main Collections section Hidden empty collection entries Correctly distinguished custom sidebar shortcuts from collections Hidden empty custom shortcuts while keeping them editable in Settings Updating with Docker The latest image is available from GitHub Container Registry: ghcr.io/shredder5262/guidevault:latest To update an existing Docker Compose installation: docker compose pull docker compose up -d --force-recreate --remove-orphans GuideVault’s library, users, configuration, and other persistent data remain stored in the mounted data volume during the update. Visit at: https://guidevault.net

I'm embarrassed to have to ask this, but how do I put an image on a download in the downloads section, I see no place in the 'edit details' section where I can upload a photo specifically for a download icon..... I can put photos on the post...but I seem to not have that part.... Any guidance is appreciated. *Ok, thanks everybody....appreciate it.

GuideVault v1.1.2 This release adds library management, maintenance, backup, search, reader, and collection improvements. Highlights: Added scheduled maintenance tasks with readable scheduling presets and backend cron-style execution. Added guided Backup & Restore workflow with backup history, upload preview, restore preview, and safety backup. Added bookmark notes with inline editing and delete-note support. Replaced browser keybind alert with an in-app keybind popup. Expanded global search across metadata, tags, notes, platforms, and LaunchBox match fields. Improved Home search results behavior. Added user-defined collections and curated shelves. Added collection Home/sidebar placement options. Fixed sidebar collection filtering. Improved Events logging level placement. Improved Update History layout and collapsed history behavior.

That's me not updating the internal app, but updating the release package when i published it. A visual confirmation would be seeing the 'Library Tools' menu on the left hand of the settings menu. I will get the version numbers better aligned. I will update the existing package so the app says v1.1.1, and whatever else going forward. I honestly didn't know anyone besides myself was using it, so I didn't think anyone else would care. *update*, versioning reporting is fixed now.

use docker compose. in the directory of your compose file "Docker compose down" "Docker compose up -d" Pulls the latest version

GuideVault v1.1.0 This release focuses on library workflow cleanup, LaunchBox match review improvements, reader background customization, Docker packaging cleanup, and repository hygiene. Added Added Library Tools workflows for Organize Files, JSON Write-Back, Format Conversion, Metadata Manager, and LaunchBox Match Review. Added uploaded reader background support with profile previews and background library management. Added confirmed LaunchBox match data into native metadata JSON write-back. Improved Reworked LaunchBox Match Review filters, actions, details modal behavior, and confirmed-match handling. Improved settings navigation by grouping file and metadata tools under Library Tools. Improved Docker/package hygiene so runtime data, uploaded backgrounds, caches, backups, and generated packages stay out of releases. Fixed Fixed repository ignore rules for local runtime data and generated files. Fixed Dockerfile and compose example formatting. Fixed build/package safety around personal data paths.

GuideVault LaunchBox Connector v0.4.22 is now available. This update is the first release package for the GuideVault LaunchBox Connector. The plugin connects LaunchBox with a running GuideVault server so games can be matched to manuals, strategy guides, and magazines, then opened directly from LaunchBox. Recent additions include: Manual, strategy guide, and magazine sync support Sync selected or sync all options by content type Match review windows for checking matched content Badge/media asset support A cleaner LaunchBox-root install package Improved plugin status reporting Reduced background polling and lighter connection handling Compatibility with the newer GuideVault server-side connector authentication flow The download package is structured to match the LaunchBox root folder, so installation should be simple: extract the contents into the folder that contains LaunchBox.exe. A running GuideVault server is required. GuideVault server v0.9.260 or newer is recommended.

GuideVault LaunchBox Connector View File This package installs the GuideVault LaunchBox Connector plugin using a LaunchBox-root folder structure. Extract or drag the contents into the folder that contains LaunchBox.exe, and the included files will land in the correct LaunchBox plugin, third-party, and media asset folders. The connector links LaunchBox games with GuideVault manuals, strategy guides, and magazines. It supports library sync, scoped manual/strategy guide/magazine sync, match review, badge support, and opening matched GuideVault content directly from LaunchBox. Requires a running GuideVault server. GuideVault server v0.9.260 or newer is recommended. More info located here: https://guidevault.net https://buymeacoffee.com/andrewbuilds My other website: https://shreddergaming.com Submitter Shredder_guitar Submitted 06/28/2026 Category Third-party Apps and Plugins  

GuideVault has been moving fast since 0.9.200. What started as a focused reader/library app for manuals, strategy guides, and magazines has turned into a much more polished self-hosted platform. Recent updates include: ✅ Docker runtime improvements Poppler is now included in the Docker image so PDF-to-CBZ conversion works properly in published containers. ✅ Better manual metadata Manuals now support shared game metadata fields like game title, franchise/series, developer, game publisher, game release year, and genre. ✅ Cover loading and cache stability Several updates focused on making large libraries feel better: bounded cover loading queues, stale request cancellation, faster visible cover loading, and better recovery when files are renamed, moved, or replaced. ✅ Home Assistant integration GuideVault can now publish reader/library state into Home Assistant and accept commands back from automations. ✅ Reader control from Home Assistant Commands now support opening manuals, strategy guides, and magazines by content type, plus next page, previous page, page jump, zoom, overlay control, close reader, fullscreen, background changes, and brightness control. ✅ Magazine-specific targeting Magazine open commands can now target an issue number and optional volume, which is important when a series has multiple issues. ✅ Task/notification cleanup Integration messages, update notices, and running task counts now flow through the top Tasks menu instead of scattered inline messages or floating popups. ✅ Reader/cache bug fixes Recent fixes also improve how replaced or corrected files are handled so the library cover and reader pages stay in sync instead of showing stale pages. GuideVault is still a personal project, but it keeps getting closer to the thing I originally wanted: a clean, self-hosted way to organize, read, preserve, and automate access to game manuals, strategy guides, and gaming magazines. Still a lot to do, but this has been a solid stretch of progress. https://guidevault.net

Here is a sample of json data that would be stored with a manual/strategy guide/ magazine after data enrichment....which is infinitely better for storing relevant data to an object. This would replace comicinfo.xml. The idea is to bridge the gap between a guide/manual and the game title itself so a mixture of datapoints related both to the guide itself and the game title are stored together to make the bridge. guidevault-guide-metadata.json

Color scape can be applied to main menu's (optional) Local Stat Visual Polish Enhanced user section, added local/server based review area. OPDS extra-click issue resolved. Docker/GHCR package released successfully. New container package looks good so far. Source/repo icon mismatch is cleaned up. Bad nested docs/images/images folder was removed/moved correctly. Release pipeline is working again. BUNCH of visual improvements

You can use Kavita Reader for Comics, I want to get away from having to depend on comicrack for organizing cbz. I may support other things for video games in the future, for now it is specifically manuals, strategy guides and magazines. Regarding Metadata enrichment................... stay tuned.

Taking shape after getting metadata cleaned up a bit.

sounds expensive. Have fun with that. Cloud services are good....ish for transational data...transfers and such, but streaming....ehhhh it works, but.

general question.... big box runs in a browser, what about launching the games?

I’ve been working on a new project called Guidevault. It’s a self-hosted web reader and library manager for video game manuals, strategy guides, and gaming magazines. The idea is pretty simple: keep your own files where they are, scan them into a clean library, and read them through a browser-based interface. It supports things like manuals, strategy guides, magazines, local folder scanning, metadata editing, reader preferences, Docker deployment, and OPDS access for compatible readers. Still a work in progress, but it’s finally public on GitHub for anyone interested in checking it out: https://github.com/Shredder5262/Guidevault A bit more info https://guidevault.net

Without reading the prior conversation for context, I share roughly the same opinion...there is a lot of half-assed artworks that needed better labels than being considered official truths. But it is what it is... I only wanted to add that I imagine that the database on the backend needed to be split and wasn't and is now unmanageable because it's too big or not enough personelle policing it for validity. LB has clearly stated that it is Anti-DRM ...which is a weird topic to navigate when it comes to 'What is allowed...What is disallowed' because you can't play both sides of the fence on that. I think the peer review method was a good idea in the context of reviewing so complete trash is not uploaded... but it also facilitates that we are creating our own hell....OR we work together to figure it out...there is no gray area....there probably needs to be, but separately from 'official sources'....but also those 'official' sources should be disallowed to be monetized because I JUST KNOW some people would chomp at the bit to capitalize on that shit and that should never be permissible with communities like these...it's already destroyed HS (from my pov) I would hate to see that happen here as well.

Hi all, I shared this with a small audience and got some positive feedback so I thought i would share to a broader audience. I have made a Plugin the connects launchbox to Kavita reader to better store and utilize strategy guides. This is the first project I've ever made so no haters please, I'm really proud of it....constructive criticism, feature requests welcome. Release V1.0.3 Refined plugin branding and logo direction Improved visual consistency with Kavita Reader and LaunchBox themes Updated launcher flow for a smoother user experience Improved guide and magazine handling Refined cover matching and linked content behavior Improved menu navigation and overall usability Continued cleanup and internal project refinements for future updates https://github.com/Shredder5262/Kavita-Reader-LaunchBox-Plugin/releases/tag/Latest Release V1.0.1 Redesigned setup window Added searchable library selection Added About section with plugin branding Added Support for Multiple Strategy Guides Bound to a single Game Rework of backend authentication, now more reliable improved search engine reporting https://github.com/Shredder5262/Kavita-Reader-LaunchBox-Plugin/releases/tag/1.0.1

you can also use PDF's in kavita... i didn't mention it, but yes, it's a thing...it's basically plex for books. I use Kavita a self hosted docker image, and access it through a web browser so I have made it under the assumption that kavita is accessed through the web... if there is another way (local windows install) I'm not sure how that process works...so as long as you access it via web browser it would be fine. If things are stored in kavita you can also view those same things on a mobile app or tablet so it's a centralized place to store strategy guides. something on the horizon to deal with these things, I've got lots of stage maps and things also. Stay tuned. I don't know how long this other thing is going to take me though...programmatically speaking, playlists are evil. Question about this though.... what would an 'Official' term for these things be called?

@JoeViking245 @Tsik Thoughts?

Not Perfect, but a large improvement over the original. Original Enhanced

@JoeViking245 Since you're not familiar with cbz's I converted a nintendo manual from pdf to cbz and did some minor upscaling and resizing to showcase what the end result could be on a manual. I'm using my mouse wheel to scroll, but this could easily be tied to a button. Overall the quality of manuals and old documentation is abysmal at best, but it's what we got so I work with those things... and highly skilled photoshopper would be able to get better quality out of these manuals. So I think... png/Imageglass = maps, stage maps, diagrams cbz/comicrack = manuals and strategy guides pdf/pdf reader = cheat codes game faq parsed walkthroughs Would be a great combo, the missing piece is adding the additional app functionality into the pause menu.