How to add a .pdf file for guides on games ?

[vince16]

5 minutes ago, Retro808 said:

Probably important you understand the hierarchy within LB. 

LB sees this levels. 1) Platform Category 2) Platform 3) Playlist

1) Platform Category: This can be anything you want to top level organize "Platforms" and "Playlists". A Platform Category can have any Platform and/or Playlist within it. It can never have individual games. 

2) Platform: This is the main area you import individual games or magazines (such as you and others have done). A Platform can ONLY have individual games in it. 

3) Playlists: These are the custom playlists you make and like Platforms can only "list" games that meet the criteria you spelled out. 

When you edit a Platform Category, Platform, or Playlist there is a tab called "Parents" that tab allow you to tell LB where you want that "Platform Category", "Platform", or "Playlist to show up in your list. 

 

So in your case you can set it up like this. 

> Magazines (Platform Category: ")

        >Arcadia: (Platform)

                >All your individual Arcadia Magazines will be imported into "Arcadia" platform

        >Neo Geo Freak: (Platform)

                >All your individual Arcadia Magazines will be imported into "Neo Geo Freak" platform

        >Famitsu: (Platform)

                >All your individual Arcadia Magazines will be imported into "Famitsu" platform

....and so on.

 

I thought "Platform Category" was only for the 5 platform categories that Launchbox handles, i.e. 

-Arcade

-Computers

-Consoles

-Handhelds

-Pinballs (since there is a pinball icon in "Platform icons" in the LB image folder, not sure how to use it but anyway)

Call me a dimwit or blind or whatever, but I don't see any option in "Tools", "Manage" to create a new platform category... the closest I see is "Manage" -> "Platforms"... but that won't let me have different categories within for the different magazines, artbook or guidebook publishers and whatnot, as you pointed out.

I could create a playlist, like I usually do, but same problem, as you say it can only list games, games that meet my criteria, but it would mean I would have a long a$$ list of Arcadia magazines, I would need to scroll down a long time to see another publication, it wouldn't look very nice. Is there a way to create a new platform category, then?

[Retro808]

32 minutes ago, vince16 said:

 

Call me a dimwit or blind or whatever, but I don't see any option in "Tools", "Manage" to create a new platform category... the closest I see is "Manage" -> "Platforms"... but that won't let me have different categories within for the different magazines, artbook or guidebook publishers and whatnot, as you pointed out.

 

You need to change the view on the left hand side of LB from "Platforms" to "Platform Category. Then when you try to "Add" it will now give you the "Platform Category" option. It is the drop-down box right under the Search box.

 

[vince16]

27 minutes ago, Retro808 said:

You need to change the view on the left hand side of LB from "Platforms" to "Platform Category. Then when you try to "Add" it will now give you the "Platform Category" option. It is the drop-down box right under the Search box.

 

Yes I know, my Launchbox is always on "Platform Category" by default. Well, on this screenshot it's collapsed but usually it is not, it's just to show you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see I have many sagas, or collections, and I can tell you that had I known I could create a new platform category called "Sagas" or "Collections", I would have done that. Instead, I just created playlists that I all called "Saga..." so they would be together, at the bottom of the other platforms.

So, as shown on the image my Launchbox presentation is "Platform Category", that's what it reads in the window at the top left of the screen, but whether I choose "Manage" -> "Platforms"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...or "Import" -> "Manually Add a Game", I do not see any option to make it a platform category...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Believe me, I'd like to have the possibility to make other platform categories, called "Media" "Publishers" & "Sagas", since it would start with a letter that comes after "Arcade", "Computers", "Consoles", "Handhelds" they would end up at the bottom, that would be perfect for me. I'm not a big fan of all my collections (or sagas) in BigBox being on the same "wheel" as the plkatform categories Arcade, Computers, Consoles, Handhelds, but it's just the way it is because I created playlists, and to my knowledge there is no easy way in Launchbox to turn a playlist into a platform, let alone a platform category. I've been using LB (free version) for 2 years I think and Launchbox Premium/BigBox for only over a month, so maybe something has escaped my attention, but I don't see how to create new platform categories after "Arcade", "Computers" etc., that I could collapse or extend to show or hide the platforms they contain... sorry 😳

 

[Retro808]

Left hand pane right click any platform name and choose "Add" >  "New Category"

 

[vince16]

10 hours ago, Retro808 said:

Left hand pane right click any platform name and choose "Add" >  "New Category"

 

You see, THAT right there, "Magazines", "Playlists", with the little arrow pointing right, indicating those categories are collapsable or extendable and contain sub-folders, that's exactly what I'm talking about! That is what I'm trying to create! And right-clicking and adding "New Category" doesn't give me that over here...

[Retro808]

2 hours ago, vince16 said:

You see, THAT right there, "Magazines", "Playlists", with the little arrow pointing right, indicating those categories are collapsable or extendable and contain sub-folders, that's exactly what I'm talking about! That is what I'm trying to create! And right-clicking and adding "New Category" doesn't give me that over here...

In your LB on that left side, right click on a platform name and post a pic of what shows. Please make sure to have the pic show the entire left hand side of your screen. 
 

What version LB are you on. 

[vince16]

Any platform? OK. I'm using LB 13.6, like everyone I assume.

[Headrush69]

Maybe I'm missing what your looking for, but you won't get the collapsable part until you add another item that has the upper category set as a parent.

If you highlight a category and choose new category, it should preset the new items parent as the currently highlighted category,

[vince16]

If I add a new category I call "Magazines", here it is, but it's not a platform category like "Arcade", "Computers", "Consoles", "Handhelds" or "Pinball", since it doesn't show right under "Handhelds". There are my playlists "Homebrews & Hacks" and "Laserdisc Games" in between. And there's no arrow pointing right to show that it contains anything, and I don't see anything in the menu to let me add subcategories.

@ Headrush69: Thanks for the heads-up. But how do I add another item then, may I ask?

I'm just trying to figure out how I can have what Retro808 has in this pic.

Edited October 4, 2023 by vince16

[Retro808]

20 minutes ago, vince16 said:

If I add a new category I call "Magazines", here it is, but it's not a platform category like "Arcade", "Computers", "Consoles", "Handhelds" or "Pinball", since it doesn't show right under "Handhelds". There are my playlists "Homebrews & Hacks" and "Laserdisc Games" in between. And there's no arrow pointing right to show that it contains anything, and I don't see anything in the menu to let me add subcategories.

@ Headrush69: Thanks for the heads-up. But how do I add another item then, may I ask?

I'm just trying to figure out how I can have what Retro808 has in this pic.

You are making a new Platform Category. That is exactly what your pics are showing. What you are missing if you are not clicking on the "Parents" tab and telling LB to show it on the main level like the other Platform Categories.  I mentioned in my prior posts you need to do this. I also showed you a pic of that. 

In the "Parents" tab check the box for "Root"

Also as @Headrush69 mentioned the new "Category" will not show up the drop arrow until you add a platform with its imported magazines to it. So when you add a new magazine platform go into the "Parents" tab and check the box for "Magazines" (Platform Category) so it will show up as an option under it. 

Here is an example of just now adding "Test 1" as a new "Category"

 

[vince16]

OMG... I create a category, IT THEN APPEARS in the large box in the "Parents" tab of the Edit menu, it's not on the same column and even says (category), you go there, untick the box "Root", scroll to the very bottom and see the category you created and tick the box, et voilà, c'est fait! Ahem, sorry, meant to say, et voilà, it's done. Dammit, I really didn't pay enough attention to the way that parents thing works. It's all right guys, thanks for your help, I think I finally got it.

Sorry if I bothered you.

[Retro808]

3 minutes ago, vince16 said:

OMG... I create a category, IT THEN APPEARS in the large box in the "Parents" tab of the Edit menu, it's not on the same column and even says (category), you go there, untick the box "Root", scroll to the very bottom and see the category you created and tick the box, et voilà, c'est fait! Ahem, sorry, meant to say, et voilà, it's done. Dammit, I really didn't pay enough attention to the way that parents thing works. It's all right guys, thanks for your help, I think I finally got it.

Sorry if I bothered you.

No worries. End goal was getting you where you want. Now just make sure when you add new magazine platforms check the "Parents" tab and make sure you check the box for the "Category" you want it under. Also make sure "root" is unchecked or it will show up in both places. 

Also, you can always move existing items anywhere you want just by editing its "Parents" tab. 

[vince16]

Yeah I got that now, thanks for the tip. I used to not see what's in that "parents" window, let alone at the bottom of it, maybe because contrary to the platform categories that deal with real hardware and list all the different platforms in a long column, there is no list or column that appears in the "parents" tab of the edit menu for these.

Say, when I want to import my magazines, I have to add a new emulator, that actually happens to be a pdf reader, like sumatra pdf for example (in my case)? Then I import the pdf of the mags like they are roms?

[Retro808]

1 hour ago, vince16 said:

Yeah I got that now, thanks for the tip. I used to not see what's in that "parents" window, let alone at the bottom of it, maybe because contrary to the platform categories that deal with real hardware and list all the different platforms in a long column, there is no list or column that appears in the "parents" tab of the edit menu for these.

 

Not sure I follow you on this. The "Parents" tab shows up in edit window when you right click on the name and select edit. The "Parents" tab even shows up if you go >Tools >Manage >Platforms and edit any platform from there. So not really sure where you are looking that does not show the parents tab. 

1 hour ago, vince16 said:

 

Say, when I want to import my magazines, I have to add a new emulator, that actually happens to be a pdf reader, like sumatra pdf for example (in my case)? Then I import the pdf of the mags like they are roms?

Yes, just add it like any rom and assign it the "new emulator" you added. Also make sure in that "new emulator" you add the platform name of the magazines that will be opened with that reader to the "Associated Platforms" tab. 

[vince16]

May I have just a last question pertaining to pdf files in LB/BB? For whatever reason my digital artbook of ResEvil 6, when read in BigBox, automatically uses a different pdf reader than sumatra. The way you zoom in and out in that pdf reader, in bursts so to speak, makes it not ideal (being able to continuously zoom in and out smoothly, by keeping R2 or L2 pressed for ex. would be so much nicer), but it's certainly way better than sumatra pdf reader since the document can be controlled with a gaming controller. But all my other pdf files in BigBox, when launched, use sumatra pdf reader. It feels disjointed, not sure how to express it, to suddenly have to use a mouse in BigBox.

Is there a way to use whatever pdf reader BigBox uses by default for ALL my pdf files?

[leostrife]

13 hours ago, vince16 said:

May I have just a last question pertaining to pdf files in LB/BB? For whatever reason my digital artbook of ResEvil 6, when read in BigBox, automatically uses a different pdf reader than sumatra. The way you zoom in and out in that pdf reader, in bursts so to speak, makes it not ideal (being able to continuously zoom in and out smoothly, by keeping R2 or L2 pressed for ex. would be so much nicer), but it's certainly way better than sumatra pdf reader since the document can be controlled with a gaming controller. But all my other pdf files in BigBox, when launched, use sumatra pdf reader. It feels disjointed, not sure how to express it, to suddenly have to use a mouse in BigBox.

Is there a way to use whatever pdf reader BigBox uses by default for ALL my pdf files?

I think that just by adding the reader as an emulator to open pdfs, Launchbox still lacks an option for you to simply select an external reader of your choice for pdfs, crb and cbz, something that Sumatra does very well, in fact saving where you left off and directing you to the screen of your choice.
There should also be at least other fields for PDF: guides, manuals, maps and tips.

[Retro808]

13 hours ago, vince16 said:

May I have just a last question pertaining to pdf files in LB/BB? For whatever reason my digital artbook of ResEvil 6, when read in BigBox, automatically uses a different pdf reader than sumatra. The way you zoom in and out in that pdf reader, in bursts so to speak, makes it not ideal (being able to continuously zoom in and out smoothly, by keeping R2 or L2 pressed for ex. would be so much nicer), but it's certainly way better than sumatra pdf reader since the document can be controlled with a gaming controller. But all my other pdf files in BigBox, when launched, use sumatra pdf reader. It feels disjointed, not sure how to express it, to suddenly have to use a mouse in BigBox.

Is there a way to use whatever pdf reader BigBox uses by default for ALL my pdf files?

In BB Settings > General ....all the way towards the bottom turn off the option to use built-in pdf reader. Then in Windows make sure you set Sumatra as your Default reader for pdf files. 

[vince16]

On 10/5/2023 at 10:24 PM, Retro808 said:

In BB Settings > General ....all the way towards the bottom turn off the option to use built-in pdf reader. Then in Windows make sure you set Sumatra as your Default reader for pdf files. 

Err, as a matter of fact, like I said I would like to use BigBox's default PDF reader, Chromium it's called apparently?, for everything. I tried deleting sumatra pdf reader as an emulator, hoping that BigBox would automatically fall back on its default pdf reader, but no dice. I have some artbooks and stuff that I added as additional apps to already existing games that use BigBox's default pdf reader, and I'm fine with that, but the magazines I added as platforms under the "Magazines" platform category require an emulator, and like I said earlier, that sumatra pdf reader that I add doesn't cut it for me. I'd much rather have BigBox's default pdf reader to read everything, not just the artbooks, guidebooks, user's manuals, but also the magazines.

I think turning off the option to use built-in pdf reader in BB settings is going to prove slightly counterproductive in this regard...

[Retro808]

1 hour ago, vince16 said:

Err, as a matter of fact, like I said I would like to use BigBox's default PDF reader, Chromium it's called apparently?, for everything. I tried deleting sumatra pdf reader as an emulator, hoping that BigBox would automatically fall back on its default pdf reader, but no dice. I have some artbooks and stuff that I added as additional apps to already existing games that use BigBox's default pdf reader, and I'm fine with that, but the magazines I added as platforms under the "Magazines" platform category require an emulator, and like I said earlier, that sumatra pdf reader that I add doesn't cut it for me. I'd much rather have BigBox's default pdf reader to read everything, not just the artbooks, guidebooks, user's manuals, but also the magazines.

I think turning off the option to use built-in pdf reader in BB settings is going to prove slightly counterproductive in this regard...

My bad I misread what you posted. For some reason when you said in BigBox the pdf "automatically uses a different reader than sumatra" I read that as it was using the BB default. Not sure what I was thinking. 

If you deleted Sumatra did you also check to make sure in your BB settings you had to option ticked to "Use built-in pdf reader"?

[vince16]

On 10/9/2023 at 12:32 AM, Retro808 said:

My bad I misread what you posted. For some reason when you said in BigBox the pdf "automatically uses a different reader than sumatra" I read that as it was using the BB default. Not sure what I was thinking. 

If you deleted Sumatra did you also check to make sure in your BB settings you had to option ticked to "Use built-in pdf reader"?

Yeah I just checked a little while ago, the 2 boxes saying "use BB's default pdf reader for manuals" & "use BB's default pdf reader for additional apps", or w/e it is, are ticked.

It seems that, for whatever reason, BigBox only uses its default pdf reader for additional apps. It's the only case where I get to use it. For "platforms" (or "magazines" in this case), it's always looking for an emulator. I switched to CDisplayEX, but the problem is the same, I can only control it using the mouse, when BigBox's default pdf reader allows me to control it with my gaming controller.

It's a minor issue compared to some I've had before, but it's quite a bit annoying. Seems to me there is room right there for improvement in a future update.