LaunchBox 2019 New Feature Poll

[Jason Carr]

8 minutes ago, Chris Kant said:

will these the potential features for Launchbox / BIgBox X aka 10?

These are the features we'll focus on for the foreseeable future, yes.

[Retro808]

8 minutes ago, Jason Carr said:

To be honest, I will probably eventually improve the marquees regardless, at least once I finally get my own marquee screen in place on my cab.

I know, that's why I get tempted more and more to ship you one. ?

I am here for the long haul with Launchbox so I never really fuss about things. 

[Retro808]

6 hours ago, Pixel said:

Because this is the only feature thread now, I do not know where to ask about it. So here it is.

Why can't we set steam banners as a default box type in platform settings? We can set banners etc. but why not steam banners?

I have those "messy" images now in my "mixed platform" playlists just because this option is missing.

This was added just a while ago. And I cannot understand why all types of images were not included? Was there any time consuming obstacle? Or maybe just an oversight, I wonder?

Now if I merge banners with steam banners to get the result, it will break other things. Because this is not meant to be done.

@Jason Carr just has not finished implementing this feature yet That's my theory. Probably it will take 5 minutes to edit/add it. I hope so.

Thanks!

Unless I am misunderstanding exactly what you mean by "set steam banners as default box type" you can actually do this. In image priorities in the Launchbox >Tools>Options just tick steam banner and move it to the top of the list for Box Front (you may have to refresh the image cache to affect a change). Additionally under Image Group you can set the default view in Launchbox for any platform to "Steam Banner".

[Retro808]

8 minutes ago, Pixel said:

Thanks for your answer!  Actually, this is a pretty new feature that not everyone knows about yet. Just feels very unfinished to me.

You go to manage platforms, then  edit platform to set a default platrom in the "Images". Currently, there are only 4 platforms you can set a default image for (1 per platform)

That feature is not new. It has been there for a while. Those options are not to set game images for platforms. Those 4 images are for the platform itself (Such as a clear logo, banner, fanart say for the Sega CD console itself). Steam would probably not have a banner for hardware. Images for games within a platform are controlled by the Image Priorities. 

What Jason did add to that specific section was the ability to add a "Default Box", "Default 3D Box", "Default Cart" and "Default 3D Cart" for games that are missing those image types so you don't have just a blank square with a name. Is that what you are looking for? To set a "Default Steam Banner" for games missing Steam Banners?

[Retro808]

15 minutes ago, Pixel said:

I see. I just wanted to have one type of image per playlist. Currently, they are mixed. It is something that does not look nice to me. Is there a way to do it, currently?

Unfortunately they are mixed since the Playlists pull images from each specific platform and box image shapes/sizes vary by platform. I am not sure there is much that can be done right now as is. Pretty much any image type varies platform to platform. Even looking a screenshot gameplay, fanart, flyers they all vary.

Steam Banners would be nice since they are uniform, but I am not sure Steam has a library of banner images for all the systems in emulation.  

[Jason Carr]

@Pixel Each image category has it's own set of priorities, as @Retro808 shared above. Step 1, alter your image priorities for Box Front to put Steam banners on top. Step 2, select your platform in LaunchBox. Step 3, use the Image Group drop down in the top right of the main LaunchBox interface to select Boxes for that platform. Step 4, select all your games and then right click and select Refresh Selected Images. That last step is only required after changing the image priority settings. It's probably just best to refresh all images in your collection after changing image priority settings.

[Jason Carr]

Just now, Pixel said:

I did it and that is the result that I got. Yes, it filled the missing images.

I still wish that there was an option to set one type of image per playlist, however. I have no idea if this took you a few minutes or many hours to implement?

Anyways, thank you for you help! And sorry for trouble.

There's not much difference between adding Steam Banners to that Image Group drop down or not if you're missing images. If you don't have Steam banners for everything, they won't show up anyways. It's actually not a quick job to add Steam banners there. Not hard, but the code changes would be significant.

[RetroVann]

Really was wishing more people would vote for the new media types (i.e. maps, guides, etc.). Maybe next time ?

[mrsunshine]

Do any of the features that were polled cover handling merged sets better? Looking through the list, it wasn't obvious to me.

[thogar480]

I love big box, but clearly this software is more attractive to the non-cabinet, heavy console games user.  XBOX controller priority?  No one with ANY street arcade cred would tolerate using an XBOX controller to play MAME.  I'll continue to use Launch box/Big box for my console emulation while i'm sitting on the couch, but Hyperspin is the way to go if you want the arcade cabinet experience.  And I acknowledge that Hyperspin is a pain in the a*$ to work with.  #marqueesupportdies

 

[neil9000]

1 minute ago, thogar480 said:

I love big box, but clearly this software is more attractive to the non-cabinet, heavy console games user.  XBOX controller priority?  No one with ANY street arcade cred would tolerate using an XBOX controller to play MAME.  I'll continue to use Launch box/Big box for my console emulation while i'm sitting on the couch, but Hyperspin is the way to go if you want the arcade cabinet experience.  And I acknowledge that Hyperspin is a pain in the a*$ to work with.  #marqueesupportdies

 

You do realise you can get xinput arcade sticks right? So my arcade stick is seen as a xbox controller.

[thogar480]

And you play Q'bert, Arkanoid and Tron with that?  It's not that i don't see the usefulness of further xbox, ps3 controller support, i'm looking for something more customizable for arcade cab builds. 

[Lordmonkus]

My HTPC is setup with a TankStick which is using a keyboard encoder and works just fine, no Xinput or XBox controller connected.

[Jason Carr]

21 minutes ago, thogar480 said:

I love big box, but clearly this software is more attractive to the non-cabinet, heavy console games user.  XBOX controller priority?  No one with ANY street arcade cred would tolerate using an XBOX controller to play MAME.  I'll continue to use Launch box/Big box for my console emulation while i'm sitting on the couch, but Hyperspin is the way to go if you want the arcade cabinet experience.  And I acknowledge that Hyperspin is a pain in the a*$ to work with.  #marqueesupportdies

 

What exactly are you missing for your cab? This came out of the blue as your first post and just comes off as straight fanboyism. I'm glad you like Hyperspin, but absolutely nothing you've said tells me *why* you like Hyperspin better. Tell me why, and I'll either help you to figure out what you're missing, or at least consider adding what you're missing.

[wallmachine]

BigBox theme support for Options menu.

I am trying to add this plugin (GitHub) to the OptionsView.xaml and OptionsPage.xaml but I get the error below. It is accepting the FontSize and also stays centred in the OptionsView.xaml however it throws the error when I press up or down also not sure if/or I can add it to OptionsPage.xaml.

Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

App:     Big Box
Version: 9.10-beta-5
Type:    System.NullReferenceException
Site:    Int32 (System.Windows.Controls.ListBox)
Source:  Unbroken.LaunchBox.Wpf

   at (ListBox )
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Wpf.ListBoxHelper.GetNumberOfVerticalVisibleItems(ListBox listBox)
   at (<>c__DisplayClass15_0 )
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Wpf.BigBox.ViewModels.OptionsViewModel.<>c__DisplayClass15_0.<set_SelectedMenuItem>b__0()
   at System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherOperation.InvokeDelegateCore()
   at System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherOperation.InvokeImpl()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherOperation.Wait(TimeSpan timeout)
   at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.InvokeImpl(DispatcherOperation operation, CancellationToken cancellationToken, TimeSpan timeout)
   at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.Invoke(Action callback, DispatcherPriority priority, CancellationToken cancellationToken, TimeSpan timeout)
   at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.Invoke(Action callback, DispatcherPriority priority)
   at (Action , DispatcherPriority )
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Wpf.Threading.Invoke(Action callback, DispatcherPriority priority)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Wpf.BigBox.ViewModels.OptionsViewModel.set_SelectedMenuItem(MenuItemViewModel value)
   at (OptionsViewModel , Boolean , Boolean )
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Wpf.BigBox.ViewModels.OptionsViewModel.OnDown(Boolean held, Boolean onlyDownPressed)
   at (MainViewModel , Boolean )
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Wpf.BigBox.ViewModels.MainViewModel.OnDown(Boolean onlyDownPressed)
   at (MainViewModel , KeyEventArgs )
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Wpf.BigBox.ViewModels.MainViewModel.HandleKeyDown(KeyEventArgs e)
   at (MainView , Object , KeyEventArgs )
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Wpf.BigBox.Views.MainView.MainView_OnPreviewKeyDown(Object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.RoutedEventArgs.InvokeHandler(Delegate handler, Object target)
   at System.Windows.RoutedEventHandlerInfo.InvokeHandler(Object target, RoutedEventArgs routedEventArgs)
   at System.Windows.EventRoute.InvokeHandlersImpl(Object source, RoutedEventArgs args, Boolean reRaised)
   at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseEventImpl(DependencyObject sender, RoutedEventArgs args)
   at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseTrustedEvent(RoutedEventArgs args)
   at System.Windows.Input.InputManager.ProcessStagingArea()
   at System.Windows.Input.InputManager.ProcessInput(InputEventArgs input)
   at System.Windows.Input.InputProviderSite.ReportInput(InputReport inputReport)
   at System.Windows.Interop.HwndKeyboardInputProvider.ReportInput(IntPtr hwnd, InputMode mode, Int32 timestamp, RawKeyboardActions actions, Int32 scanCode, Boolean isExtendedKey, Boolean isSystemKey, Int32 virtualKey)
   at System.Windows.Interop.HwndKeyboardInputProvider.ProcessKeyAction(MSG& msg, Boolean& handled)
   at System.Windows.Interop.HwndSource.CriticalTranslateAccelerator(MSG& msg, ModifierKeys modifiers)
   at System.Windows.Interop.HwndSource.OnPreprocessMessage(Object param)
   at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs)
   at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.TryCatchWhen(Object source, Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs, Delegate catchHandler)

Recent Log:

   7:38:25 AM Music.Pause Start
   7:38:25 AM Music.Resume Start
   7:38:25 AM Music.Resume Start
   7:38:28 AM Music.Pause Start
   7:38:29 AM Music.Resume Start
   7:38:29 AM Music.StopAndResumeBackground Start
   7:38:30 AM Music.Initialize Start
   7:38:30 AM Music.Kill Start
   7:38:30 AM Music.Kill Finished
   7:38:34 AM Music.Kill Start
   7:38:34 AM Music.Kill Finished
   7:38:35 AM Exception

 

I edited the project as follows.

OptionsView.xaml

xmlns:lbsc="clr-namespace:ListBoxScrollCenter;assembly=ListBoxScrollCenter"

<lbsc:OptionsList Name="MenuItems" FontSize="30">
			<i:Interaction.Triggers>
				<i:EventTrigger EventName="MouseDoubleClick">
					<cal:ActionMessage MethodName="OnEnter" />
				</i:EventTrigger>
			</i:Interaction.Triggers>
</lbsc:OptionsList>

 

OptionsList.xaml

<UserControl x:Class="ListBoxScrollCenter.OptionsList"
             xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
             xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006" 
             xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008" 
             xmlns:local="clr-namespace:ListBoxScrollCenter"
             mc:Ignorable="d" 
             d:DesignHeight="400" d:DesignWidth="600">
    <local:DPIFix>
        <ListBox Name="CenteredLB" SelectionChanged="ScrollIntoView" Style="{DynamicResource ListBoxStyle}" ItemsSource="{Binding MenuItems}" SelectedItem="{Binding Path=SelectedMenuItem}">
            <ListBox.ItemsPanel>
                <ItemsPanelTemplate>
                    <VirtualizingStackPanel IsItemsHost="True" Orientation="Vertical" VirtualizingPanel.VirtualizationMode="Recycling"/>
                </ItemsPanelTemplate>
            </ListBox.ItemsPanel>
            <ListBox.ItemTemplate>
                <DataTemplate>
                    <Border Name="Border" Width="{Binding ActualWidth, RelativeSource={RelativeSource AncestorType={x:Type ListBox}}}" Padding="10,5,0,5">
                        <DockPanel>
                            <TextBlock Name="Text" DockPanel.Dock="Left" Text="{Binding Text}" TextTrimming="CharacterEllipsis" TextWrapping="NoWrap"/>
                        </DockPanel>
                    </Border>
                </DataTemplate>
            </ListBox.ItemTemplate>
        </ListBox>
    </local:DPIFix>
</UserControl>

 

OptionsList.xaml.cs

using System.Windows.Controls;

namespace ListBoxScrollCenter
{
    public partial class OptionsList : UserControl
    {
        public OptionsList()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void ScrollIntoView(object sender, SelectionChangedEventArgs e)
        {
            CenteredLB.ScrollToCenterOfView(CenteredLB.SelectedItem);
        }
    }
}

[thogar480]

Jason, I don’t like Hyperspin at all.

Big box does everything I need except provide enough options for dynamic marquee support.  I don’t want to have to get a $500 stretch vitrolite monitor as a second screen. If we could position the marquee image where we wanted like in Hypermarquee, I’d be a happy guy.  That way, in my particular build (vewlix style cab) I could use any old monitor for the marquee by moving the image to the top of the screen and hiding the bottom.

I have a full blown working version of Launch box on my media computer that runs my console ROMs and I love it. This ain’t fanboy speak for Hyperspin - I think Hyperspin is a complete nightmare to work with - but it has hypermarquee   

Im a paid supporter of launch box btw. I just wish marquee support was something higher up on the new feature poll list, so it’s probably a long way away. I did what I could and voted, sent this same request through the feature wish list etc. I don’t expect you to just drop everything and put this feature in immediately - I just wish the poll system worked for my issue.  And that’s what I’m saying, my need is not as common in this community. 

I’m not probably starting the cab woodworking until October anyway when it cools off a little (in Phoenix). I appreciate that LEDBlinky is already supported and second screen is already there, I just need to move the image around. 

I appreciate your program and efforts that why I support it financially. 

 

 

[Johnny T]

50 minutes ago, Jason Carr said:

What exactly are you missing for your cab? This came out of the blue as your first post and just comes off as straight fanboyism. I'm glad you like Hyperspin, but absolutely nothing you've said tells me *why* you like Hyperspin better. Tell me why, and I'll either help you to figure out what you're missing, or at least consider adding what you're missing.

I'm an ex-hyperspin user AND a cabinet builder and I get more than I've ever got from a front-end with LaunchBox/BigBox. 

If you pine for Hyperspin then you are clearly not understanding just how easy Big Box is mate. 

Please just give it a proper go. Try the YouTube tutorial and spend literally 20 minutes and you'll be up and running. It is really really really REALLY simple! 

I was amazing at how easy it is to set up. It makes tinkering a pleasure rather than a chore. 

Just make the leap!! (Don't worry - I'll catch ya!) ?

 

[Lordmonkus]

2 minutes ago, thogar480 said:

Jason, I don’t like Hyperspin at all.

Big box does everything I need except provide enough options for dynamic marquee support.  I don’t want to have to get a $500 stretch vitrolite monitor as a second screen. If we could position the marquee image where we wanted like in Hypermarquee, I’d be a happy guy.  That way, in my particular build (vewlix style cab) I could use any old monitor for the marquee by moving the image to the top of the screen and hiding the bottom.

I have a full blown working version of Launch box on my media computer that runs my console ROMs and I love it. This ain’t fanboy speak for Hyperspin - I think Hyperspin is a complete nightmare to work with - but it has hypermarquee   

Im a paid supporter of launch box btw. I just wish marquee support was something higher up on the new feature poll list, so it’s probably a long way away. I did what I could and voted, sent this same request through the feature wish list etc. I don’t expect you to just drop everything and put this feature in immediately - I just wish the poll system worked for my issue.  And that’s what I’m saying, my need is not as common in this community. 

I’m not probably starting the cab woodworking until October anyway when it cools off a little (in Phoenix). I appreciate that LEDBlinky is already supported and second screen is already there, I just need to move the image around. 

I appreciate your program and efforts that why I support it financially. 

 

 

Your first post here mentioned nothing of marquees other than the # at the end of the post. Instead your first post was just some weird rant about XBox controllers.

[thogar480]

Right, I should have been more specific.  Not sure it was weird, but whatever.  I'm disappointed that marquee support is 22 on the list and xbox controller additional support is near the top.  XBOX controller support being something i personally have ZERO need for.  I realize that's a high priority for a large number of people in this community.  I just don't want to play Total Carnage with a controller.

17 minutes ago, Johnny T said:

I'm an ex-hyperspin user AND a cabinet builder and I get more than I've ever got from a front-end with LaunchBox/BigBox. 

If you pine for Hyperspin then you are clearly not understanding just how easy Big Box is mate. 

Please just give it a proper go. Try the YouTube tutorial and spend literally 20 minutes and you'll be up and running. It is really really really REALLY simple! 

I was amazing at how easy it is to set up. It makes tinkering a pleasure rather than a chore. 

Just make the leap!! (Don't worry - I'll catch ya!) ?

 

  I know Johnny T, like I said I'm already using Big Box and i love it.  It just doesn't have a specific feature I would like to see added, but apparently I'm in the minority.   

[Lordmonkus]

3 minutes ago, thogar480 said:

I'm disappointed that marquee support is 22 on the list and xbox controller additional support is near the top.  XBOX controller support being something i personally have ZERO need for.  I realize that's a high priority for a large number of people in this community.

The people who voted determined it, that's what a vote on a poll is for.

4 minutes ago, thogar480 said:

I just don't want to play Total Carnage with a controller.

And no one says you have to, use whatever controller you want.

Launchbox doesn't determine what controller you use in any emulator.