LaunchBox Beta Testing

[Vinicius256]

Odd, it seems that no matter what I choose/don't choose, it won't make the .exe appear, maybe it has something to do with my computer? I will try again tomorrow and see what happens, I have to sleep now

[Jason Carr]

G'night, Vinicius. Can anyone else test for that EXE?

[bd00]

Jason Carr said G'night, Vinicius. Can anyone else test for that EXE?

Didn't have time last night to do any testing, but plan to do some today.

[Vinicius256]

So I tested again today, redownloaded the beta, added a few N64 games and 1 PC game, same result, the .zip file contains everything needed, minus the .exe, I use Windows 7, could it be related to the problem? Better wait to some more input from the other testers before we jump to any conclusions though =P

[bd00]

Vinicius256 said So I tested again today, redownloaded the beta, added a few N64 games and 1 PC game, same result, the .zip file contains everything needed, minus the .exe, I use Windows 7, could it be related to the problem? Better wait to some more input from the other testers before we jump to any conclusions though =P

Same here, no exe. Everything else seems to work fine though.

[pogowolf]

Got an error: Steps: 1) Clicked the filter button on the main form. 2) Selected the filter for platform.. and got the error above. have not been able to replicate it. :/ OK.. yes I have. If you have a filter (Developer) set up and then import more games (roms in this case) you get this error after the import is complete. here's another screen shot of the error:

[pogowolf]

bd00 said

Vinicius256 said So I tested again today, redownloaded the beta, added a few N64 games and 1 PC game, same result, the .zip file contains everything needed, minus the .exe, I use Windows 7, could it be related to the problem? Better wait to some more input from the other testers before we jump to any conclusions though =P

Same here, no exe. Everything else seems to work fine though.

Same here. Just the XML file, a readme, and images for PC games (steam.. so I wasn't expecting anything else)

[pogowolf]

Observations, Thoughts, Comments, and Ideas: Version: Launchbox - 3.3 - Beta 1 General: 1) Need a test script to explain what we should see. If we don't know there should be a list of Platforms when you import your first game, how would we know it's an error? 2) Need pages with screen shots as walkthroughs along with the how to.. movies. I know, personally, I hate "how to" videos because I need to wade though the movie to get to the information I want unstead of being able to skim a page of text/screen shots. ?? 3) Perhaps the background could/should be set to a launchbox screen by default.. with options to change it.. little more 'advertising' instead of setting it to the current windows background. Welcome form: 1) Don't show welcome again - This is grey'd out. 2) Add the version somewhere on the form.. perhaps either in the title (Welcome - Version 3.3 - Beta) or in a smaller font under the 'intro to..' movie ?? 3) Don't like how, on start up, the welcome form is model but the parent form opens full screen. 4) the help spread the word.. might want to add support for Twitter and Tumblr as well. 5) Remove the 'minimize' button from this form. it's not needed and really could lead to confusion since it's a model form.. Same with the maximize button. Main Menu: 1) File - EXIT - kinda seems pointless... I understand why it's there.. but still. *laugh* 2) Game - Configure - Doesn't highlight for ROM or SCRUMM? what's this? 3) Game - view image -- better description as 'view Images'? 4) Game - save image as -- better placement of this feature under the view image form? 5) Game - flip box -- perhaps better description as choose default image? 6) VIEW - Button Bar - Turning this on and off moves the background image up and down. 7) tool - Install DOS/Import Games - combine the installers into one wizard? 1) Import allows you to change the platform from the ADD emu VS ADD game. 2) Platform should be saved after input to be used in other drop downs. 8) tool - Export Selected Games - 1) You can export nothing, this should be tested for. 8) tool - Clean Up Images - Could be a setting.. clean on launch? Game Edit form: =========================================== 1) Does the edit game auto-update theGamesdb.net? you have the option to add a game to the DB if there's a game it doesn't know.. what about game updates? (like adding the ESRB rating) 2) What does 'status' mean? there seems to only be one option. this could be used to download the game information in the background.. 3) Source? what's source? 4) Download images from the TheGamesDB should look to the configuration to know what to download.. instead of downloading everything by deafult. (like I don't really need the fan art..and would like to be a global setting) 5) Add ability to find and download the games manual?

[SentaiBrad]

Also, anyone who needs to post an Error Message or they get a pop-up full of text, you don't need to post images if you don't want to. Click on the message box and press Ctrl + C. It should copy all of the relevant text from that window and you can paste it in to a reply message. You can still post images if you want, but if you don't want to, don't know how to or can't be bothered to, there's the alternative.

[bd00]

ERROR: System.Net.WebException: The remote server returned an error: (502) Bad Gateway. at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetResponse() at System.Xml.XmlDownloadManager.GetNonFileStream(Uri uri, ICredentials credentials) at System.Xml.XmlUrlResolver.GetEntity(Uri absoluteUri, String role, Type ofObjectToReturn) at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.OpenUrlDelegate(Object xmlResolver) at System.Threading.CompressedStack.runTryCode(Object userData) at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.RuntimeHelpers.ExecuteCodeWithGuaranteedCleanup(TryCode code, CleanupCode backoutCode, Object userData) at System.Threading.CompressedStack.Run(CompressedStack compressedStack, ContextCallback callback, Object state) at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.OpenUrl() at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Read() at System.Xml.XmlLoader.Load(XmlDocument doc, XmlReader reader, Boolean preserveWhitespace) at System.Xml.XmlDocument.Load(XmlReader reader) at System.Xml.XmlDocument.Load(String filename) at LaunchBox.TheGamesDb.GetDetails(Int32 id) at LaunchBox.AddEditForm.titleComboBox_SelectionChangeCommitted(Object sender, EventArgs e) at System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox.OnSelectionChangeCommitted(EventArgs e) at System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox.OnSelectionChangeCommittedInternal(EventArgs e) at System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox.WndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam) Happened while I had the 'Edit Game' window open. I was not doing anything in LB at the time. May of registered a scroll of the mouse wheel by mistake after failing to switch displays correctly. Unable to replicate.

[SentaiBrad]

bd00 said ERROR: System.Net.WebException: The remote server returned an error: (502) Bad Gateway. at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetResponse() at System.Xml.XmlDownloadManager.GetNonFileStream(Uri uri, ICredentials credentials) at System.Xml.XmlUrlResolver.GetEntity(Uri absoluteUri, String role, Type ofObjectToReturn) at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.OpenUrlDelegate(Object xmlResolver) at System.Threading.CompressedStack.runTryCode(Object userData) at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.RuntimeHelpers.ExecuteCodeWithGuaranteedCleanup(TryCode code, CleanupCode backoutCode, Object userData) at System.Threading.CompressedStack.Run(CompressedStack compressedStack, ContextCallback callback, Object state) at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.OpenUrl() at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Read() at System.Xml.XmlLoader.Load(XmlDocument doc, XmlReader reader, Boolean preserveWhitespace) at System.Xml.XmlDocument.Load(XmlReader reader) at System.Xml.XmlDocument.Load(String filename) at LaunchBox.TheGamesDb.GetDetails(Int32 id) at LaunchBox.AddEditForm.titleComboBox_SelectionChangeCommitted(Object sender, EventArgs e) at System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox.OnSelectionChangeCommitted(EventArgs e) at System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox.OnSelectionChangeCommittedInternal(EventArgs e) at System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox.WndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam) Happened while I had the 'Edit Game' window open. I was not doing anything in LB at the time. May of registered a scroll of the mouse wheel by mistake after failing to switch displays correctly. Unable to replicate.

Were you downloading game data by any chance?

[bd00]

SentaiBrad said Were you downloading game data by any chance?

Not intentionally. But I may of scrolled the mouse wheel while the window was still active by mistake, so the drop down menu was activated, so a connection may have been there (to bring up the list of possible matches). But I don't think I was actually downloading anything. But I was focused on a different display thinking I had the active window, I only glanced at LB once the error popped up and caught my attention.

[SentaiBrad]

bd00 said

SentaiBrad said Were you downloading game data by any chance?

Not intentionally. But I may of scrolled the mouse wheel while the window was still active by mistake, so the drop down menu was activated, so a connection may have been there (to bring up the list of possible matches). But I don't think I was actually downloading anything. But I was focused on a different display thinking I had the active window, I only glanced at LB once the error popped up and caught my attention.

Cause there was a bug where you would download Game data, click on download pictures, let them download then hit Cancel. It would then spit back and error message.

[Jason Carr]

Thanks guys. I'll look into the errors and the missing exe before the next beta release. Pogo, thanks for the details there. I'll respond shortly.

[Jason Carr]

pogowolf said Observations, Thoughts, Comments, and Ideas: Version: Launchbox - 3.3 - Beta 1 General: 1) Need a test script to explain what we should see. If we don't know there should be a list of Platforms when you import your first game, how would we know it's an error? 2) Need pages with screen shots as walkthroughs along with the how to.. movies. I know, personally, I hate "how to" videos because I need to wade though the movie to get to the information I want unstead of being able to skim a page of text/screen shots. ??

Agreed, test scripts would be nice, I'm sure. I try to explain what's necessary for testing but of course sometimes I don't explain enough. And better documentation is planned as well, of course. I have to pick and choose my battles for the moment though, and for the most part actual development has been the priority (and probably will be for a long while). So at this point I'm shying away from much else that takes too much time.

[Jason Carr]

pogowolf said 3) Perhaps the background could/should be set to a launchbox screen by default.. with options to change it.. little more 'advertising' instead of setting it to the current windows background.

Not a bad idea at all, but I'm hesitant to display something that could be considered annoying as the first thing a user sees when they open the app. Still, could do some more advertising with the default background.

[Jason Carr]

pogowolf said Welcome form: 1) Don't show welcome again - This is grey'd out. 2) Add the version somewhere on the form.. perhaps either in the title (Welcome - Version 3.3 - Beta) or in a smaller font under the 'intro to..' movie ?? 3) Don't like how, on start up, the welcome form is model but the parent form opens full screen. 4) the help spread the word.. might want to add support for Twitter and Tumblr as well. 5) Remove the 'minimize' button from this form. it's not needed and really could lead to confusion since it's a model form.. Same with the maximize button.

1) That's greyed out only in the beta releases, on purpose (don't want a beta release going public and anyone being confused and thinking it's official). 2) Sure, at least for beta releases, that's a good idea. 3) Shouldn't really be a problem I wouldn't think, since most people will hide the form on startup (just more of an issue for beta releases). 4) Good point. 5) The minimize button is there on purpose...so you can minimize LaunchBox while the form is open (though I do understand the confusion, but I prefer it there). The maximize button is disabled (just how Windows does it).

[Jason Carr]

pogowolf said Main Menu: 1) File - EXIT - kinda seems pointless... I understand why it's there.. but still. *laugh* 2) Game - Configure - Doesn't highlight for ROM or SCRUMM? what's this? 3) Game - view image -- better description as 'view Images'? 4) Game - save image as -- better placement of this feature under the view image form? 5) Game - flip box -- perhaps better description as choose default image? 6) VIEW - Button Bar - Turning this on and off moves the background image up and down. 7) tool - Install DOS/Import Games - combine the installers into one wizard? 1) Import allows you to change the platform from the ADD emu VS ADD game. 2) Platform should be saved after input to be used in other drop downs. 8) tool - Export Selected Games - 1) You can export nothing, this should be tested for. 8) tool - Clean Up Images - Could be a setting.. clean on launch?

1) Lol, it's there for standards reasons, but also because it tells you what the keyboard shortcut for Exit is. 2) Configuration application path is in the edit dialog, by the application path. Specifically for DOS, many DOS games had a SETUP.EXE or similar to configure sound, etc. 3) Ah, true, a relic from what it was before. Makes sense. 4) Yeah, have a to do item for that already. 5) Do we actually say "flip box" anywhere? What do you mean? 6) As designed, because the image is centered in the view. Same thing if you resize the window. 7) Yeah, it'd be nice to do it all at once. Might get there eventually, but it does present some challenges. 1) Confused...explain? 2) Not sure what you mean by this either. 1) How were you able to export nothing? I throw up an error message if no games are selected. 8) Good idea...I'll add it to my list.

[Jason Carr]

pogowolf said Game Edit form: =========================================== 1) Does the edit game auto-update theGamesdb.net? you have the option to add a game to the DB if there's a game it doesn't know.. what about game updates? (like adding the ESRB rating) 2) What does 'status' mean? there seems to only be one option. this could be used to download the game information in the background.. 3) Source? what's source? 4) Download images from the TheGamesDB should look to the configuration to know what to download.. instead of downloading everything by deafult. (like I don't really need the fan art..and would like to be a global setting) 5) Add ability to find and download the games manual?

1) Edit does not auto-update TheGamesDB. Unfortunately they only allow additions or updates via the website itself. 2) All of the drop downs are populated via the existing games in your collection. There's only one item for you because you've only specified one value in your games. I use Status to keep track of games that have problems, etc., but it's meant to be an open-ended field that you can use for whatever you want. 3) Source is meant to be things like "Physical Media", "Steam", "GOG.com", etc. It's automatically set to "Steam" when you import Steam games, for example. 4) Yes, have a global setting for this planned. 5) Yup, planned as well. Thanks for all that...did find a few things to add.

[bd00]

Jason Carr said

pogowolf said Observations, Thoughts, Comments, and Ideas: Version: Launchbox - 3.3 - Beta 1 General: 1) Need a test script to explain what we should see. If we don't know there should be a list of Platforms when you import your first game, how would we know it's an error? 2) Need pages with screen shots as walkthroughs along with the how to.. movies. I know, personally, I hate "how to" videos because I need to wade though the movie to get to the information I want unstead of being able to skim a page of text/screen shots. ??

Agreed, test scripts would be nice, I'm sure. I try to explain what's necessary for testing but of course sometimes I don't explain enough. And better documentation is planned as well, of course. I have to pick and choose my battles for the moment though, and for the most part actual development has been the priority (and probably will be for a long while). So at this point I'm shying away from much else that takes too much time.

Regarding a wiki or faq's or walkthroughs or whatever, have you considered outsourcing in to the community? Not to a single person, but rather create a list of the things you want documenting, and ask users to choose one and create the documentation for it. What I mean is break it down into digestible "bitesize" chunks, list what is needed and users can pick something from the list and create a walkthrough or a how-to for it. You (or a user) can then take all these user created documents and organize them in a logical and uniform manner on your site. Basically a Wiki, but use the forum to advertise what is needed and allow users to start creating the documentation and posting it here. List everything twice, one for written documentation with screenshots and one for a video version. Even if you don't get it up right away on the site, at least a bulk of the documentation will be here ready for when you are and will also be available for users who need it now (via the thread). You could even use this list as a contents page with links to each specific post, this would suffice until the site wiki is created. Example: Documentation needed:

Adding a game. (Doc) Adding a game. (Video) [Done!] Importing Steam Games. (Doc) - Thanks pogowolf! Importing Steam Games. (Video) Changing the background image. (Doc) Changing the background image. (Video) [Done!] Importing ROMs. (Doc) - Thanks SentaiBrad! [Done!] Importing ROMs. (Video) - Thanks SentaiBrad! [Outdated] Adding additional apps. (Docs) - Thanks nmc! (Needs Updating!) [Done!] Adding additional apps. (Video) - Thanks Vinicius256! etc. (Doc) etc. (Video) etc. (Doc) etc. (Video) Each completed item can be turned into a link and pointed at the relevant post in the thread.

The users can do this however they want, for example, in a post in the thread or create a word document or create a web page, etc. This way anyone can help out regardless of their technical capabilities. All the documentation will be organized and ported later anyway. Although it might be better to keep everything as forum posts period. Maybe keep everything inside spoiler tags except the title of the documentation created, just to keep things tidy. The main post will need to be maintained and updated regularly, but it shouldn't be too much work.

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*EDIT* Heck, I will maintain the main post for you if you want, that way all you need to do is give me a list of the documentation you need.