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LaunchBox for Android 0.6 Beta Released!


Jason Carr

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The Android version of LaunchBox is now finally available in beta from the Play Store! Please keep in mind that this is still a very early release; it's functional, but we have many more things that are planned for it.

Here are some current known issues:

  • The export process does not yet support MS-DOS games
  • The export process does not yet properly handle bin/cue files
  • Extracting RAR files when launching games is not yet supported (but zip and 7-zip files work fine)
  • Progress is not yet reported while extracting archives on game launch
  • Temporary extracted ROM files are not yet cleaned up (they stay there forever until manually deleted)
  • Language translations are supported, but there's currently no way to manually change the language. It should use the Android system's language, however, if a translation is available for that language.
  • There's no way to view game details yet, only list your games and launch them

FAQ

Will LaunchBox for Android support Big Box features?
Yes, we plan to add Big Box-type views and features to the Android app soon.

Does the LaunchBox export process require a premium license?
No, the export process is available in the free version of the Windows app (in the latest beta release). Therefore, the only purchase required is the (current) $5 purchase of the Android app from the Play Store. The cost of the Android app may go up to $10 once we get it more fleshed out.

Will LaunchBox for Android always require the desktop app?
No, eventually you'll be able to import and edit games directly on Android. However, in the long run, we think most people who have desktop collections will prefer to manage their collection on the desktop and simply export it to Android.

Will such and such feature make it into the Android version?
Most likely, eventually, yes. We haven't planned out everything long-term, but most features are planned for the Android version, sans for some more extreme customization options.

Why isn't the Android app picking up my games/platforms?
Currently the Android app requires you to use the "Export to Android" process that is available only in the beta version of LaunchBox for Windows. You can either wait until everything comes out of beta, or you can go to Tools > Options > General > Updates in LaunchBox and check the box to update to beta releases. Then restart, and you should be prompted to update (or the update will be downloaded in the background if you have background updates enabled). Then you'll have an option to "Export to Android" under the Tools menu. The Android app does not automatically pick up platforms or games that you have previously copied over to your device, and requires the export process.

I've run the export process, but my platforms still aren't showing up. Why?
Make sure that the folder structure looks like this: /Android/data/com.unbrokensoftware.launchbox/files/LaunchBox/Data/Platforms/(xml files). We've had reports of issues with SD cards, so it's probably best to try putting it on your device's internal storage instead of the SD card if you're running into issues. We're working on getting all this stuff fixed.

All I'm seeing is a white screen and the app crashes; how do I fix it?
We're still working to resolve this issue on some devices, but in the mean time you can try deleting the /Android/data/com.unbrokensoftware.launchbox folder from your internal storage to see if that helps. Also delete it from your SD card if necessary. Once you have the app up and running, then you can try exporting from the desktop app.

Download

You can opt-in for testing the beta from Google Play here:

https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.unbrokensoftware.launchbox

Please report any bugs that you find in this thread. Enjoy!

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9 minutes ago, reminon said:

Heck yeah! My shield tv will love this!  My nintendo switch with android will too!

Will I need to update my license "expired in may" to test this? 

No, but you will need to update to the latest beta, so you will lose premium features if you update. But the Export to Android process is available in the free version of the desktop app.

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8 minutes ago, bundangdon said:

Great news! But I can't seem to find it on Google Play and from my browser I get this message:

App not available

A testing version of this app hasn't been published yet or isn't available for this account.

Jason noted at the top of his original thread he is still waiting on Google to open it up for beta testing. So for far still nothing released. 

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