AstroBob

Thanks for confirming that, sorry we weren't able to get to an actual root cause, but glad to hear it's working now. Don't forget you should be able to move your `Data` folder, and `Images`, `Videos`, `Music`, `Manuals` etc so that you don't need to re-import everything again. Please let me know how you get on with this instance and if the issues happens again.

If you delete game entry in LaunchBox, the metadata will be gone, however it doesn't delete the image unless you run the `cleanup media` option. So if you import it again, it will pick up the old media for you. If you have auto-import ROMs turned on, LaunchBox will import anything in your games folder. The only way to stop it is either turn off auto-import ROMs, or you can turn of auto-import for specific platforms (this is new in 13.17). However, it's probably better to clear up those hidden files from your ROMs directory. As I mentioned, I can't say for certain how they got there, but it sounds like those are temp files that could have been when you copied the instance over from your other computer. However, once you've cleaned them out, the LanchBox shouldn't re-import them.

Hi @duerra thanks for elaborating there. We've been continuing to discuss this internally and while this isn’t a super common problem, we think it may be related to some hardware-specific factors, such as your video card, driver setup, or even how some games handle fullscreen mode (especially if the game is running in exclusive fullscreen and changes resolution). We’ve seen similar problems in the past caused by specific Nvidia drivers or pre-installed software (like audio programs) on some systems that don’t play well with .NET or WPF applications like LaunchBox. I can't say for certain if this will help, but a few things that might be good to try, but if you’re using an Nvidia card, make sure you’re on the latest driver version. We’ve had issues in the past with certain Nvidia drivers causing LaunchBox to crash after exiting games, but these were later fixed in driver updates. Outside of this, could you elaborate on your specific hardware setup, (especially GPU, driver version, and any display-related software). We're scratching our heads a little bit since we're unable to replicate this after trying extensively, so trying to get a better picture of your specific setup might help us in our investigation

Hey @RolandofGilead, thanks for reporting this. Right off the bat, this sounds like LaunchBox is auto-importing some hidden files from your LaunchBox directory, given the fact that they are re-appearing once you delete them. Here's how you can verify that: - From the options menu, confirm if LaunchBox has Auto ROM imports enabled. You can turn that off if you don't want LaunchBox to auto import your games - If you want to leave it on, it's likely there are hidden files in your games directory. You'll need to enable hidden files in Windows explorer, and then check if your games folders if there are any temp files there. I can't say for certain but these may have been caused Let me know how you get on and if that is indeed the issue

I’ll kick us off. For me, I’m definitely more of a curator than a collector. I might collect games from series that I’m particularly fond of, but for the most part, games in my library are there for a reason. ROM hacks, homebrews, prototypes—it’s all fair game if I’m genuinely interested in playing them. However, I only keep one version of the released ROM and only one regional variation, except in cases where they are almost like separate games (e.g., the US and JP versions of Panel de Pon/Tetris Attack, or different versions of Donkey Konga that have different tracklists). The region I keep is mostly dictated by RetroAchievements, or whichever version I actually own. In terms of how the ROMs are organized, I use the default LaunchBox system with auto-imports (just drop each game into a platform folder). I also track games that aren’t playable directly from LaunchBox (e.g., subscription games that I’m interested in, and physical games from systems like the PS5). But what about y’all? There’s no right or wrong way—it’s whatever works for you 😊

Hey everyone! 👋 When it comes to organizing ROMs, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach. Here at LaunchBox, we have a default system—just drop your ROMs into the LaunchBox\Games folder, and you’re good to go. But, let’s be honest—everyone has their own unique way of organizing their collection, and we’re curious to hear your approach! Some users like to dive deep into subfolders, regional sorting, or even more creative systems. Here are some examples we've heard from folks over the years: Regional Folders: US, EU, Japan etc A popular method we've seen is sorting ROMs by region. Whether it’s separating out ROMs for US, EU & JP versions of the game, this method keeps everything tidy based on where the games were released. Do you do this, or do you prefer to keep everything together? Alphabetical Folders: A Different Way to Tidy Up For those who like things in strict order, alphabetically sorted folders might be the way to go. It might seem a bit unconventional, but it’s a method that can help quickly locate a game if you have a huge collection. Is anyone else using this system, or do you think it’s too much work for something a simple search could handle? Filtering Your ROMs: Do You Use 1G1R or Keep Multiple Versions? If you’re a fan of no-intro sets, how do you handle multiple versions of the same game? Some people go with the 1G1R (1 Game 1 ROM) method, where you only keep one version of each game, but that can lead to tough decisions—especially when there are multiple revisions, demos, or even region-locked titles. Do you prefer to have a “complete” collection that includes different revisions (Rev 1, Rev 2, etc.) and special versions, or do you streamline it to keep things tidy? And what about Demos, Prototypes, or Unreleased Games? Do they have a place in your collection, or do you stick to officially released titles? Official vs. Aftermarket Games: Where Do You Draw the Line? There’s also the question of Aftermarket Games (games released by homebrew developers, indie studios, or through fan projects). Do you include these in your collection, or do you only stick with official games released during the console’s active lifecycle? Hacks, mods, and fan translations are another point to consider—do you embrace them, or keep things strictly original? Playable VS Potentially Playable: Installed locally, or your entire collection While LaunchBox is primarily used to track games that are immediately playable, there’s nothing technically stopping you from tracking games from non-playable platforms. For example, maybe you like to track games from the most recent console generation (PS5, Xbox Series, etc.), or perhaps you prefer to track games available on services like Apple Arcade, Game Pass, or Amazon Luna. Do you only track games that are installed locally, or do you include your entire collection, even those available via subscription services? Curated or Complete Collection? Last but not least, are you a curator or a collector? Some people prefer to keep a small, curated list of their favorite games, while others want to maintain a comprehensive archive of every game released for a platform. Are you selective about what stays in your collection, or is your philosophy “the more, the merrier”? Conclusion There’s no right or wrong way to organize your ROM collection—it all comes down to personal preference and what works best for you. Whether you’re a fan of neatly organized folders, filters, or keeping everything in one giant library, we’d love to hear how you manage your ROMs! So, how do YOU like to organise your games? Take part in our poll and share your methods in the comments, and let’s learn from each other’s approaches! 👾📁

Hey @TheNewClassics Sorry to hear about the issues here, but thanks for reporting it. May I confirm a few things to try and narrow this down: - What version of LaunchBox are you currently using? Did you recently upgrade? - How long have you been able to consistently reproduce this crash, is it something that's only started happening recently, or it's been happening for a while. Did you notice it started with any version update? - How many games are in your library? Let us know and we'll see if we can uncover anything

Hi @stevaside, thanks for reporting this. I've merged these thread together and we'll try and get you sorted. I'm wondering I can confirm a few bits to try and narrow things down: - What gamepad are you using that doesn't work when scrolling the wheel? - Is it just selecting games that isn't working with your gamepad, or does that gamepad not work for any other functions inside of Big Box? - What version of LaunchBox are you currently using? - I'm assuming you have, but just to confirm do you have that controller mapped in Big Box's options? - Can you elaborate on when you say "scroll the wheel", I'm assuming you mean on of the Big Box views, but does selecting games view another view in Big Box also not work? Let me know on the above and we'll try and get you sorted

Hi there, thanks for trying that. We've looked into this with the team and have some theories about what might be happening. The error message you're seeing is actually a Windows error message, which suggests that something outside of LaunchBox is preventing those files from running correctly. Weirdly, LaunchBox should re-create those plugin directories if they don't exist, so the fact it doesn't also point that there is something else that has a lock on that directory. Can you post what exactly that error message was? Here are a few things to try: 1. Check for Security Software Conflicts: Sometimes, Windows Defender or third-party security software can block certain files, especially if they think they are suspicious. Even if you checked the properties and didn’t see the files explicitly blocked, there could still be background processes preventing them from working. It might be worth temporarily disabling any security software and seeing if that resolves the issue. If that works, you’ll need to whitelist the LaunchBox folder or those specific DLL files. 2. Test Reinstalling LaunchBox in a New Folder: If the issue persists, it might be worth installing a fresh instance of LaunchBox into a new folder (same directory but different LaunchBox folder) and see if you get that error. Sometimes starting fresh can help avoid whatever is causing the block in your current directory, and that could help us uncover the cause. 3. Test with new Plugins: If that does work, you could try copying over the plugin directories from the new build to your existing setup. Since the plugin's directory should auto-fill when missing, the fact that it didn’t in your case suggests there’s something preventing that part of LaunchBox from functioning properly. Please let me know how you get on, would be interested to hear if any of those suggestions yield any discoveries.

Thanks for the great mock-up there, I totally agree it would be great to group together similar sections so that you can hone in on those specific playlists if necessary. I'm not 100% if something like that would be possible to implement with themes since the game Discovery Center is able to be modified for themes. That said, it's relatively new, so not a lot of the theme creators support them yet. Either way, really appreciate the feedback there, we want to continue to improve the Game Discovery Center's default them so we'll certainly keep this in mind.

Great, okay so if you un-check that preference, for the one that is remaining, if you right click on it, do you have any option to edit or delete it? I'm curious if that is a playlist that has been created rather than the one that is automatically created based on the `Show All` checkbox

Hey @Echostorm, Thanks for the excellent question. I personally use LaunchBox and Big Box exclusively on handhelds (I use a Legion Go), but the experience is largely similar. Here are some tips I can offer from my experience: Initial Setup I definitely recommend hooking the ROG Ally up to an external monitor and keyboard for the initial setup process. Getting LaunchBox installed, importing ROMs, etc., is certainly doable on the handheld, but save yourself the hassle by connecting it to a screen and peripherals to make the process easier. Big Box That said, once all the setup is done, Big Box is absolutely the best way to experience your LaunchBox library on the go. Simply map the Ally’s built-in controller to controls in Big Box, and you should be good to go (it may even do this automatically for you). You’ll then be able to navigate through your library, launch games, etc. To make things even easier, consider mapping the Big Box pause menu to your controller. This gives you a unified way across all emulators to exit, save/load states, view the manual, etc. On my Legion Go, I have it mapped to clicking in the right stick + down on the D-pad (yes, you can combine multiple button inputs like this). I use the above method to also map different views in Big Box. For example, one of the four directions on the D-pad loads a different Big Box view, which saves you from navigating back through menus. Other useful options to map to the built-in controller in Big Box are search and filter. These allow you to quickly narrow in on specific games (and with search, you can use the Ally’s touch keyboard to quickly type in the game you’re looking for). The Game Discovery center is a great view to use in Big Box and looks excellent on the Ally’s screen. For themes, this comes down to personal preference. I stick with the good old default, but it’s up to you. Just be mindful of the Ally’s TDP. It’s something you don’t have to worry about on a desktop, and while Big Box will perform just fine at lower TDPs, if you use a very complex theme, you may want to consider bumping up the TDP to ensure smooth performance. Finally, consider having Big Box boot automatically when the ROG Ally is turned on, or at least make it an app that can easily be launched from Armory Crate, ROG’s own launcher. With 13.16, Big Box has a trial mode that you can use to test out if you don't already own a premium license. RetroArch Retroarch should largely work out of the box on the ally if you've installed it through LaunchBox. It will automatically pick up the build in controls. Only thing you might want to do is set certain hotkeys for things like quitting retroarch, screenshots, fast-forward etc Phew, I hope that wasn’t too rambly! In short, LaunchBox & Big Box can absolutely work well on a handheld. Feel free to ask any follow-up questions if you have any!

Hey @shadowfire36, if you go to `Options > Visuals > Filters Side Bar` and uncheck the `Show "All" item` checkbox, does it remove both of these, or only one of them? Then, if you re-enable it, what happens? Let me know and we'll do our best to get you sorted

Hey @80sRkadeGuy, sorry for the issues here. Can you try deleting the directories it mentions, anything in the `Plugins` directory that is an emulator integration (i.e [emulator] LaunchBox Integration). LaunchBox should re-create these on startup. Please make a backup of your `LaunchBox > Plugins` directory first just to be safe. Let me know how you get on.

Hi @MrDeKat thanks for the great suggestions here. I wanted to follow up on a few of these This is currently already possible. Under `Options > Views > Default Startup View` you can choose the Game Discovery Center as the view that will show when you load Big Box The idea behind the current layout is so that you're bound to see something new each time to visit. That said I do agree it can get a bit unwieldy, and certain lists can go unnoticed. I personally love this idea, as I am a big achievement hunter myself. We recognise that not everyone plays games for achievements, but for those who do an easy way to mark games as completed would be really great. Personally, I've actually hijacked the favorite fied to denote games that I've finished, since it put a heart icon over them in Big Box, so something along these lines, but with completion would be great

Thanks for confirming that and for bearing with us while we got this sorted. Much appreciated 🙌

Version 13.17 - Released October 21st 2024 Release Summary Full Changelog: https://www.launchbox-app.com/about/changelog Improvements: Optimized the fetching of RetroAchievement hashes to reduce API calls and prevent user timeouts. Disabled automatic ROM import for specific platforms in the Edit Platform window. Non-Steam Windows games now have the ability to scrape Steam media. Simplified plugin names for better clarity. Save Management support added for .MCR save files with RetroArch’s supported Sony PlayStation cores. Fixed: Updating MAME using the Full Set Import wizard now accurately updates the emulator name and folder to match the imported version Resolved some play time sync issues Corrected region sorting errors when combining games The RetroArch plugin no longer creates unnecessary save folders Game saves weren't always being detected on startup correctly Microsoft Xbox ISO files could fail to properly be identified using some import methods like the ROM Import Wizard Resolved an issue that prevented game changes made in the Game Details view from being persisted to the database The "Create Playlist" option in the quick filter now functions correctly when viewing "All" games on the sidebar The BIOS window for RetroArch should no longer take Dolphin and PCSX2 cores into consideration Multiple null reference exceptions that could occur under certain conditions Switching between Text List view to another view in Big Box would sometimes fail to load the correct information in the new view Adjusted download priorities from the Edit Game window for more accurate regional media selection from the LaunchBox Games Database Addressed an issue with the Game Discovery Center where some manually created server-side playlists were not being listed in random order Resolved a rare issue where the import process was not completed correctly Corrected the handling of relative paths for save and save state locations when manually modified in the RetroArch configuration file

Hi @CuzzinChizzy, thanks for the question here. This question was actually brought up in our recent AMA, so I'll defer to the official response we gave there. I'm also attaching the stream where we discussed this in a lot more detail (it's linked at the bottom at the correct timestamp for you) The question was: Are there any plans to allow LaunchBox to store mapping for each of my different controllers for navigation (A on Xbox controller vs. B on switch controller) We recognize the challenges posed by different controller layouts, particularly when transitioning between devices like an Xbox controller (where the “A” button is in one position) and a Switch controller (where the “B” button may occupy a similar position). These inconsistencies can make it difficult to navigate LaunchBox or Big Box fluidly, which can indeed impact the overall user experience. That said, creating a framework to manage multiple controller profiles and remap all of their inputs in a unified way is not something on our short-term plans. The main reason is that there are already external tools that do this very well, such as reWASD and X360CE, that provide robust solutions for controller remapping at a system-wide level. These programs allow users to create consistent controller profiles that are applied not only within LaunchBox or Big Box, but also across all applications and emulators on their system. By setting up these profiles at the controller level, users can ensure that each controller behaves the same way across all programs, making the need for specific in-app navigation mappings less critical. From our perspective, where we do feel we can make an improvement with controller mappings is within the emulators themselves, i.e configuring a controller mapping in LaunchBox, and having that be automatically applied to the emulator's configuration, negating the need for users to have to configure controllers separately via emulators. Hopefully this helps clarify our stance on this, but let me know if you have any further questions on the subject 😊

Hi @Daliant Thank you for your understanding. Hopefully, this helps clarify why we haven’t been able to address this in the past. As mentioned, the fundamental data structure of the Games Database presents some technical challenges that need to be resolved before we can begin exploring potential solutions. While we can’t make any promises about when or how a solution might emerge, we are actively considering our options and how best to move forward. In short, while we recognize the demand, there are still several hurdles to overcome, and we’re being cautious about setting any expectations, but rest assured we realise this is an issue and want to ensure we're being open and transparent with our community about it Thanks again for your understanding

@Arthurcoutinho600 Thank you for your additional questions. Although the topics you mentioned relate to different types of metadata, they all fall under the broader category of additions to the Games Database. Our approach to adding anything to the database remains the same as I outlined in my previous response and in the AMA: nothing is off the table, but we aim to strike a balance between adding useful content for the majority of users without overloading the database. While I can’t provide a specific ETA on specific fields or media types, we’re always considering what could be added to enhance the community’s experience. That said, custom fields for the Games Database specifically are highly unlikely, as they go against its original purpose. The database is intended to serve as a centrally structured resource from which users can pull consistent data. For any needs outside of that scope, we recommend using LaunchBox’s custom fields category, which allows you to add metadata specific to your personal setup. Custom image types for your specific builds could be an option in the future, but this wouldn't be at the games database level. We’re also exploring better ways to aggregate and prioritize which metadata and media types are most requested by the community. We realise that our current feature request process has is far from perfect, particularly when it comes to database additions, and we’re aiming to improve this workflow in the future.

@Buccaneer @SiriusVI thanks for the honest feedback. We really appreciate the insight here so will never be taken the wrong way 😊 I'll refer back to our AMA where we touched on performance, but to reiterate: we hear you loud and clear regarding performance concerns. While it can sometimes be subjective, if a user feels that LaunchBox is sluggish, that’s absolutely not the experience we want to deliver. As we continue to research what parts of the app might need reworking, rest assured that performance is very much at the top of our list, to ensure areas where we might have been blocked by technical debt can be resolved. That's not to say we can't do anything in the meantime, we will continue to work within the current framework to make improvements where we can. Internally, we’re also focused on finding short-term solutions. This includes how we can better support users who are experiencing performance issues, which can often be context-dependent. Some initial ideas include creating more detailed performance tuning guides, documentation, and FAQs to help users troubleshoot, as well as offering workflow recommendations to get the most out of LaunchBox. We’re also considering new ways to better diagnose performance issues in collaboration with users experiencing them. I realise this doesn’t resolve the issue as of today, but I hope it provides some insight into our short- and long-term strategies to tackle the problem. At the end of the day, we want you to enjoy your collections without the perception of performance getting in the way. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss anything further. 😊

@Arthurcoutinho600 sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Please find my responses below 1. We don’t have immediate plans to officially integrate additional scrapers. However, with the new plugin framework we’ve introduced, it’s possible for someone to create a plugin for this. While it’s technically doable now, the new framework will make it much easier to manage. We’re also considering something similar for storefronts (allowing users to pick their preferred storefront as plugins), so scrapers could follow a similar approach. But for now, there are no concrete plans to officially add more scrapers. 2. We’ve heard this request a lot, and I agree it would be a great addition. We already support a few of those media types (like music and movies), but I assume you’re referring to additional categories like soundtracks or other movie types (e.g., commercials). This is definitely something we’re considering. We also touched on this during our AMA in response to a question about adding encyclopedic features, so please refer to our answer there for more detail. 3. I’d love to hear more about how you envision this feature. If you could elaborate on your idea, I’d really appreciate it. 4. We're continuously considering adding useful metadata to the database. We also touch on this in the 2 questions relating to adding new platforms and ESRB ratings, but the concept still applies to metadata and image types as well. The short answer is that we have to think carefully about what we add and make it useful for the majority of users. We realise that may leave out some use cases that are particularly important to some people, but it's a fine line to balance to stop the database from becoming bloated. I hope this helps clarify your questions! Feel free to reach out if you need further clarification or have more questions. 😊

Hi Folks, Thanks for the feedback. I wanted to provide some insight into this issue. We recognize that the current implementation of the games database is far from perfect. Currently, each LaunchBox instance comes with its own local copy of the database. This design choice was made early on to allow users the flexibility to add and modify metadata offline, particularly for setups like arcade cabinets that might not have internet access. While this has benefits, the downside is that every additional piece of metadata increases the size of the local database. Adding support for multiple languages would essentially double the database size for each language. That said, this is an issue we need to address. We’re proud of our global community and are committed to making LaunchBox as accessible as possible. However, the current games database structure doesn’t scale well, and reworking it is likely necessary to implement long-term solutions. During our recent AMA, we mentioned that we’re approaching a point where a full rewrite may be required to resolve these limitations. The games database is a key part of this initiative, and we’re actively exploring ways to future-proof LaunchBox and make it more accessible to our community. I totally understand this doesn’t solve the immediate issue, but I wanted to be transparent about how we view these challenges and what steps we’re considering to address them. Please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions.

No worries, thanks for confirming. In that case, let's keep this thread focused on LaunchBox losing focus, if you want to open a new one for your specific crashes we'll be happy to follow up there. For this one though, to try and start narrowing things down we need a way to accurately reproduce this. For anyone experiencing this can you please confirm: How many monitors are you running in your setup What version of LaunchBox are you running Can you describe (to as best you can) the steps to reproduce this issue? If it seems to happen after closing a game, what kind of game (i.e Steam, an Emulator, etc) Does it appear to happen for all games, certain types of games (i.e only Steam), or it appears to happen randomly? I realise its hard due to the random nature of this, but if anyone can supply a screen recording of the issue in action, that would greatly help Let us know and we'll do our best to try and reproduce this on our side

Nice job with the script there, that is a very cool idea! To clarify, the LaunchBox Games DB doesn't contain any series information (even for arcade). The series info you see for arcade is coming from MAME, as MAME has a built-in function that generates a giant text file filled with a ton of info about all the games they support and we generate that file from MAME and use it to populate all metadata fields. The reason we don't populate the LaunchBox games DB with series information is that it is incredibly subjective (some people prefer the main series, others want each individual sub-series, and some want them both). So right now we leave it up to the user to define. That said, we could certainly do a better job of offering some ways for users to grab this info, and arguably it is a bit confusing that we fill it in for arcade (albeit via MAME) but not others. But great job on the script there, I haven't had a chance to test it myself but seems like it could fill a good use-case 🙌