Launch Platforms

[JoeViking245]

Launch Platforms

View File

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This is a BigBox plugin that allows you to launch a game/application directly from the Platform Wheel View level.

Setup:

- Right click on the downloaded LaunchPlatform.zip and click "Unblock" and then OK

- Open the zip file and copy the folder "LaunchPlatform into your ../LaunchBox/Plugins/  folder

- Open LaunchBox and create a new Platform.  (i.e. Music Box Alpha)

- In the lower right hand corner click "Add"

- Fill in (at minimum)
   Title: 
   Platform: (select the Platform you just created)
   (click on "Launching") Application Path: 

- Click OK

- Now click "Tools" and [at the bottom] click "Launch Platform Setup"

- Oh... you might first want to create a backup of the Theme folder you use for BigBox.  You shouldn't need it, but always a good idea.

 

- Step 1  In the Available Themes List will be all themes you have.  Click on the one you use (the one you backed up) then click "Setup Theme".  This will now be listed in the Modified Themes List.  At any time you can undo the changes made by selecting the Theme in the Modified Themes List and click "Restore Theme".

- Step 2  Select the Platform (Music Box Alpha) in the Available Platforms List and click "Add Platform" (or you can just double-click it).  This will move it to the Platforms Ready List.  When you are done, click "Done".

- Now start BigBox.  (look for the 3 horizontal lines in the upper left, click it and click "BigBox")

 

- Scroll through your Platforms wheel until you find your new Platform and select it.

If all goes well, this will directly launch your program (Music Box Alpha) without going into the games wheel.  And if things really go well, when your system is in Attract Mode, it may stop on this Platform, but then move on to the next Platform without trying to go to the games wheel.

@jayjay is the brains behind getting this to work, but I'm the one that threw it all together.  So credit goes to where credit is due.  (you decide )  If something's not working right, go ahead and post here and it'll get looked at.  And possibly even get resolved.

---

• Submitter
  JoeViking245
• Submitted
  07/07/2020
• Category
  Third-party Apps and Plugins

 

[thefritz11]

So this is exactly what I was looking for but going through all these steps with success and when testing I still have to click through platform>select game>Hit launch as I did before plugin. Any thoughts?

[JoeViking245]

1 hour ago, thefritz11 said:

So this is exactly what I was looking for

Wow! I completely forgot about this plugin. lol

1 hour ago, thefritz11 said:

I still have to click through platform>select game>Hit launch as I did before plugin. Any thoughts?

Try a different Theme.  To "see it in action", copy and paste the "Default" theme folder.

Then in LaunchBox under Tools, "Launch Platform Setup", setup the "Default - Copy" theme. I assume the Platform's already been added.

Now switch to BigBox, set "Default - Copy" as theme you want to use (Options, Manage Themes), then try selecting the "Platform" again and see it Launch.

As a side note, it appears we made "Launch Platform Setup" available in BigBox as well. So you don't have to go back to LaunchBox to 'Setup' a different Platform.  (Go to Options and it's near the bottom of the menu.)

So here's the deal... a lot of advancements have been made over the past year regarding Theme creation and all the cool things you can do with them.  Such as the COMMUNITY Theme Creator and more recently Wall Views.   This plugin requires the use of the "Platform Wheel View".  If you're using a Theme like "The POC", Wheel Views don't even exist.   Also, I think Themes that have the Platform Name 'slide off screen' after a second or 2 are not compatible with this plugin. (Actually the theme's fine, this plugin isn't compatible with the Theme ?).

[thefritz11]

9 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

Wow! I completely forgot about this plugin. lol

Try a different Theme.  To "see it in action", copy and paste the "Default" theme folder.

Then in LaunchBox under Tools, "Launch Platform Setup", setup the "Default - Copy" theme. I assume the Platform's already been added.

Now switch to BigBox, set "Default - Copy" as theme you want to use (Options, Manage Themes), then try selecting the "Platform" again and see it Launch.

As a side note, it appears we made "Launch Platform Setup" available in BigBox as well. So you don't have to go back to LaunchBox to 'Setup' a different Platform.  (Go to Options and it's near the bottom of the menu.)

So here's the deal... a lot of advancements have been made over the past year regarding Theme creation and all the cool things you can do with them.  Such as the COMMUNITY Theme Creator and more recently Wall Views.   This plugin requires the use of the "Platform Wheel View".  If you're using a Theme like "The POC", Wheel Views don't even exist.   Also, I think Themes that have the Platform Name 'slide off screen' after a second or 2 are not compatible with this plugin. (Actually the theme's fine, this plugin isn't compatible with the Theme ?).

Really appreciate the quick response. Even the copy of the default theme doesn't work for me. Wonder if a recent update in LB caused the issue? Not a big deal but was excited to have a solution to launch Steam Big Picture mode directly from the main wheel. Tried a couple of platforms that had only 1 game and results are the same. 

[JoeViking245]

3 hours ago, thefritz11 said:

Wonder if a recent update in LB caused the issue?

I don't think so.  I tested it with 11.13 beta 4 (could have been beta 5 from today?) and it worked fine.

If you by chance downloaded the old one, that may be the issue.  Appears I failed to remove it when putting up v 1.02.  (1.02 is what you want)

BTW: when you click Tools, "Launch Platform Setup", it'll still say "Launch Platform Setup 1.01".  Another oops.

I suppose another thing is to make sure you're on one of the Platform Wheel Views.  The Games List View (below it) won't matter because you'll never get to that from 'this' Platform.  (not supposed to at least)

One other thing to check is, look in your "Default - Copy" theme folder, inside the "Views" folder for a sub-folder called "WheelBackup", and check that it has 4 files in it.    [  ..\LaunchBox\Themes\Default - Copy\Views\WheelBackup  ]

If the sub-folder OR the 4 files aren't there, then that Theme hasn't been Setup and wouldn't [shouldn't] appear in the Modified Themes list.  (and of course for it to work, it needs to be shown there [as well as the folder and files mentioned above need to exist])

4 hours ago, thefritz11 said:

Not a big deal

Ahhh... but it is.  Daw gone it!  lol  Seriously though, it does [still] work and the issue's going to be some tiny, little, forehead-slap thing (by either you or me. Or both.). I'm sure.

[thefritz11]

1 hour ago, JoeViking245 said:

 

Ahhh... but it is.  Daw gone it!  lol  Seriously though, it does [still] work and the issue's going to be some tiny, little, forehead-slap thing (by either you or me. Or both.). I'm sure.

When you are right...you are right. So everything looked like it was taking correctly but guess whose folder structure in the plugins directory was Plugins>LaunchPlatform 1.02>Launchplatform>.dll files That is all it took of course. 

 I was careless when extracting as I was so excited to have found a solution. As far as I can tell this functionality has not been added to Bigbox so I'm shocked this plugin isn't getting more attention. It is working GREAT now. Hopefully this helps anyone else who may be going too fast also. I'm finally creating a "mini" Bigbox setup that I'll actually use versus 10k games of garbage. So having it be clean and simple is key--this definitely helps that to happen so thanks to you for that sir. 

 

[JoeViking245]

@thefritz11 Glad  to hear it's working for you now! 

Ya, my instructions on this one weren't the best.  In fact I think Jay and threw this plugin together one weekend then just 'threw it out' here. lol

If you end up using one of 'them' fancy new fan-dangled Themes, I'd be curious to know which you use and even which one(s) it doesn't work on.  Not that we plan any updates. lol  But you never know.  

[thefritz11]

LOL, so still no other solution for launch from main menu that you know of? Seems like I spoke too soon as now the steam app is launching for all platforms now lol! Going to try a fresh install of plugin on copy of default theme and see if that works as I was using coverart but I have no real theme allegiance! 

[JoeViking245]

13 minutes ago, thefritz11 said:

so still no other solution for launch from main menu that you know of?

Not that I'm aware of.  Hence the plugin. lol

May want to do a Restore Theme and Restore Platform 1st before redoing everything.  

[thefritz11]

Working as intended on default theme which is good enough for me for now. Much appreciated...Launchbox is amazing but surprised this ask wasn't a bigger priority for the team.

[JoeViking245]

15 minutes ago, thefritz11 said:

Working as intended on default theme which is good enough for me for now. Much appreciated...Launchbox is amazing but surprised this ask wasn't a bigger priority for the team.

Yay! (again. loL) 

I think having something 'like this' was asked about here in the Forums (loosely), but not sure if it was ever Bitbucket-ed.  Though both methods get the attention of the Developer(s) (Bitbucket more-so), it's up to the Community (for the most part) what features get added.  As in "by popular demand".... "majority rule"... and... if Jason feels like it.  

If you're adamant about this feature and are up for it, scan through Bitbucket (top of this page, Help & Support, Request a Feature) and see if a request for it has been made (may need to look back as far as 1 year. lol).  If so, UpVote it.  And if not, create a new Request.

Though to be honest, I don't think it would ever 'top the charts' in requests.  But never hurts to ask/request. 

Have fun with your 'mini' setup and don't forget to actually play the games too.

[thefritz11]

29 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

Yay! (again. loL) 

I think having something 'like this' was asked about here in the Forums (loosely), but not sure if it was ever Bitbucket-ed.  Though both methods get the attention of the Developer(s) (Bitbucket more-so), it's up to the Community (for the most part) what features get added.  As in "by popular demand".... "majority rule"... and... if Jason feels like it.  

If you're adamant about this feature and are up for it, scan through Bitbucket (top of this page, Help & Support, Request a Feature) and see if a request for it has been made (may need to look back as far as 1 year. lol).  If so, UpVote it.  And if not, create a new Request.

Though to be honest, I don't think it would ever 'top the charts' in requests.  But never hurts to ask/request. 

Have fun with your 'mini' setup and don't forget to actually play the games too.

Hahh, many thanks---it actually helps to know I'm not alone in the craziness of the time spent tweaking versus timing playing formula.

[thefritz11]

Grr..the Ghost is in the machine--now the platform steam is launching for everything in the main menu (even those not assigned or with more than 1 game). This is happening in the default-copy theme too. Hmm....

 

EDIT: Even stranger here is that hte first time I test it it works as expected...steam launches directly from platform---other platforms open game selection...but 2nd time all platforms launch steam directly.

Edited July 22, 2021 by thefritz11

[JoeViking245]

Is Steam the only Platform in Platforms Ready for Launch Platform?  (step 2 in the 'setup' process)

And you're saying if you select say Arcade Platform or Nintendo Wii Platform, you Steam app is launching instead of it going to the list of games for the respective Platform?  That's messed up. lol

Look in your LaunchPlatforms plugin folder.  What text (.txt) files do you see?  If you answered Yes to my 1st question, you should only have "Steam.txt" (or what_ever_your_platform_is_named.txt) plus the 2 .dll fies.  If you have "Arcade.txt" and "Nintendo Wii.txt" (example above), that would explain a lot.  In other words, delete the spurious txt file(s).

 

[thefritz11]

2 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

Is Steam the only Platform in Platforms Ready for Launch Platform?  (step 2 in the 'setup' process)

Yes.

2 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

 

And you're saying if you select say Arcade Platform or Nintendo Wii Platform, you Steam app is launching instead of it going to the list of games for the respective Platform?  That's messed up. lol

Exactly this LOL, very very strange. I could make an excellent "breaker" of software as I always find a way.

2 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

Look in your LaunchPlatforms plugin folder.  What text (.txt) files do you see?  If you answered Yes to my 1st question, you should only have "Steam.txt" (or what_ever_your_platform_is_named.txt) plus the 2 .dll fies.  If you have "Arcade.txt" and "Nintendo Wii.txt" (example above), that would explain a lot.  In other words, delete the spurious txt file(s).

 

Did this and only 1 text file in that folder "steam.txt"

Wonky.

[JoeViking245]

3 hours ago, thefritz11 said:

Wonky

Indeed.  So I did some testing on my main PC and on my cab using 6 different Themes, running through various Platforms and have come to the conclusion it's all you.  And I mean that in the kindest, most sincere way. 

There's no reasoning to why your Steam app opens up when trying to go into your Arcade Platform in BigBox.  Especially when Arcade probably has anywhere between 20 and 400 games.  Also, since you can't get into the Arcade Platform, your mini BigBox setup is more like a mini brick-Box setup.  (Sorry. That was bad.)

I'm thinking your solution is to start over.

1. Restore any Modified Themes.
2. Exit LaunchBox/BigBox
3. Delete the "LaunchPlatform" folder that's inside Plugins.
4. Delete the "Default - Copy" folder that's inside Themes.
5. Re-create the "Default - Copy" folder.
6. Start BigBox.
7. Set your Theme to "Default - Copy".  Say "Yes" when asked to reset all Platforms and Playlists.
8. Shuffle in and out of your Platforms making sure everything is okee-dokee.
9. Exit BigBox.
10. unblock and copy the whole folder inside the zip file into your Plugins folder.
11. Start LaunchBox
12. Run the setup program as before selecting "Default - Copy" Theme and your Steam Platform
13. Exit LaunchBox, Start BigBox
14. repeat step #8
15. If step #14 is not okee-dokee
    1. go back into the BigBox Menu and select "Launch Platform Setup", remove the Steam Platform and click Done.
    2. repeat step #8
    3. If step 15.2 is all okee-dokee, Do NOT use the Steam app with this plugin.
16. If step #14 IS okee-dokee
17. GAME ON

 

 

[thefritz11]

1 hour ago, JoeViking245 said:

Indeed.  So I did some testing on my main PC and on my cab using 6 different Themes, running through various Platforms and have come to the conclusion it's all you.  And I mean that in the kindest, most sincere way. 

There's no reasoning to why your Steam app opens up when trying to go into your Arcade Platform in BigBox.  Especially when Arcade probably has anywhere between 20 and 400 games.  Also, since you can't get into the Arcade Platform, your mini BigBox setup is more like a mini brick-Box setup.  (Sorry. That was bad.)

I'm thinking your solution is to start over.

1. Restore any Modified Themes.
2. Exit LaunchBox/BigBox
3. Delete the "LaunchPlatform" folder that's inside Plugins.
4. Delete the "Default - Copy" folder that's inside Themes.
5. Re-create the "Default - Copy" folder.
6. Start BigBox.
7. Set your Theme to "Default - Copy".  Say "Yes" when asked to reset all Platforms and Playlists.
8. Shuffle in and out of your Platforms making sure everything is okee-dokee.
9. Exit BigBox.
10. unblock and copy the whole folder inside the zip file into your Plugins folder.
11. Start LaunchBox
12. Run the setup program as before selecting "Default - Copy" Theme and your Steam Platform
13. Exit LaunchBox, Start BigBox
14. repeat step #8
15. If step #14 is not okee-dokee
    1. go back into the BigBox Menu and select "Launch Platform Setup", remove the Steam Platform and click Done.
    2. repeat step #8
    3. If step 15.2 is all okee-dokee, Do NOT use the Steam app with this plugin.
16. If step #14 IS okee-dokee
17. GAME ON

 

 

The old it's not me it's you. Been there before Hah! Thanks again so much for the time--will try this tonight as report back just for giggles. Thanks again.

[thefritz11]

1 hour ago, JoeViking245 said:

Indeed.  So I did some testing on my main PC and on my cab using 6 different Themes, running through various Platforms and have come to the conclusion it's all you.  And I mean that in the kindest, most sincere way. 

There's no reasoning to why your Steam app opens up when trying to go into your Arcade Platform in BigBox.  Especially when Arcade probably has anywhere between 20 and 400 games.  Also, since you can't get into the Arcade Platform, your mini BigBox setup is more like a mini brick-Box setup.  (Sorry. That was bad.)

I'm thinking your solution is to start over.

1. Restore any Modified Themes.
2. Exit LaunchBox/BigBox
3. Delete the "LaunchPlatform" folder that's inside Plugins.
4. Delete the "Default - Copy" folder that's inside Themes.
5. Re-create the "Default - Copy" folder.
6. Start BigBox.
7. Set your Theme to "Default - Copy".  Say "Yes" when asked to reset all Platforms and Playlists.
8. Shuffle in and out of your Platforms making sure everything is okee-dokee.
9. Exit BigBox.
10. unblock and copy the whole folder inside the zip file into your Plugins folder.
11. Start LaunchBox
12. Run the setup program as before selecting "Default - Copy" Theme and your Steam Platform
13. Exit LaunchBox, Start BigBox
14. repeat step #8
15. If step #14 is not okee-dokee
    1. go back into the BigBox Menu and select "Launch Platform Setup", remove the Steam Platform and click Done.
    2. repeat step #8
    3. If step 15.2 is all okee-dokee, Do NOT use the Steam app with this plugin.
16. If step #14 IS okee-dokee
17. GAME ON

 

 

So did all of this several times. Every time it works 100% correctly the first time adding Steam to Platform Launch in the addon. In other words if I click on arcade or whatever it loads arcade games list as expected, I click on Steam launcher and it launches directly to steam as I wanted. Joy---except NOT. Because now  after that initial time, every subsequent time I launch any platform from bigbox instead of games list I get steam. BUT the plot thickens. If I exit Bigbox and come back in---same thing all works as expected again for the first time only. Until AFTER I launch steam. Then every platform launches steam directly from wheel instead of entering games list. But if I exitBigbox all is good again until I launch steam. WTH?!?! Hah, crazytown.

 

 

 

 

[JoeViking245]

@thefritz11 When you switch to Arcade (Wii, whatever other than steam), give it a second [or 2 to be safe] ('til it shows the Arcade images/video/metadata), then hit enter.  

See if that works (to not load steam).

[thefritz11]

3 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

@thefritz11 When you switch to Arcade (Wii, whatever other than steam), give it a second [or 2 to be safe] ('til it shows the Arcade images/video/metadata), then hit enter.  

See if that works (to not load steam).

Thought you were onto something as I'm an impatient fellow but no luck I let is go for 1 minute and same result. Steam opens.

3 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

@thefritz11 When you switch to Arcade (Wii, whatever other than steam), give it a second [or 2 to be safe] ('til it shows the Arcade images/video/metadata), then hit enter.  

See if that works (to not load steam).

2 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

Indeed.  So I did some testing on my main PC and on my cab using 6 different Themes, running through various Platforms and have come to the conclusion it's all you.  And I mean that in the kindest, most sincere way. 

There's no reasoning to why your Steam app opens up when trying to go into your Arcade Platform in BigBox.  Especially when Arcade probably has anywhere between 20 and 400 games.  Also, since you can't get into the Arcade Platform, your mini BigBox setup is more like a mini brick-Box setup.  (Sorry. That was bad.)

I'm thinking your solution is to start over.

1. Restore any Modified Themes.
2. Exit LaunchBox/BigBox
3. Delete the "LaunchPlatform" folder that's inside Plugins.
4. Delete the "Default - Copy" folder that's inside Themes.
5. Re-create the "Default - Copy" folder.
6. Start BigBox.
7. Set your Theme to "Default - Copy".  Say "Yes" when asked to reset all Platforms and Playlists.
8. Shuffle in and out of your Platforms making sure everything is okee-dokee.
9. Exit BigBox.
10. unblock and copy the whole folder inside the zip file into your Plugins folder.
11. Start LaunchBox
12. Run the setup program as before selecting "Default - Copy" Theme and your Steam Platform
13. Exit LaunchBox, Start BigBox
14. repeat step #8
15. If step #14 is not okee-dokee
    1. go back into the BigBox Menu and select "Launch Platform Setup", remove the Steam Platform and click Done.
    2. repeat step #8
    3. If step 15.2 is all okee-dokee, Do NOT use the Steam app with this plugin.
16. If step #14 IS okee-dokee
17. GAME ON

 

 

So did all of this several times. Every time it works 100% correctly the first time adding Steam to Platform Launch in the addon. In other words if I click on arcade or whatever it loads arcade games list as expected, I click on Steam launcher and it launches directly to steam as I wanted. Joy---except NOT. Because now  after that initial time, every subsequent time I launch any platform from bigbox instead of games list I get steam. BUT the plot thickens. If I exit Bigbox and come back in---same thing all works as expected again for the first time only. Until AFTER I launch steam. Then every platform launches steam directly from wheel instead of entering games list. But if I exitBigbox all is good again until I launch steam. WTH?!?! Hah, crazytown.