Importing Exowin3x into my own launchbox instance where I already have Exodos setup?

[D3ano78]

Hi all, 

 

I'm just looking for a bit of guidance please. I have recently come across EXO's amazing work on these projects - the amount of time and effort he has put into this is mind blowing! 

Anyway I got the latest exodos release followed all the instructions and then was able to import this into my already made instance of LB. It all works perfectly and seems amazing. 

So I have the latest version of exowin3x and want to do exactly the same - I have seen EXO's own instructions following the way to basically use Exodos as the master and the overwrite/copy certain files from the later releases (win 1st and the Scumm if needed after) after you initially set them up leaving you with one instance of LB with all of his work included. This is all working purely with EXO'S files though and I want to check whether to just follow the same procedure in my own LB setup and basically overwrite the exodos stuff with the new win3x stuff after I have done the initial separate setup? 

Many thanks for any insight 

[blevinshousehold]

First, I am in no way a developer or programmer.  I know just enough to be dangerous. 🙂

I recently did as you described and imported eXoWin3x alongside my existing eXoDOS inside LB.  I followed the eXoDOS directions but did not copy over anything in the eXo folder except the eXoWin3x folder, leaving the original eXoDos copies of the dosbox, mt32, and SHADERS folders.  I also left the original plugin file in the plugin folder.

Worked great.

Now to save space like I do with eXoDOS, I did not copy all the game .zip files over.  I don't have the 340+gigs of free space (just like I don't have the 560+gig free space for the eXoDOS games).  However, unlike eXoDOS, eXoWin3x does not have the download capability so I just plug in a smaller 500gig external drive I have devoted to Win3x and just copy the games over when I intend to play them.  Tedious I know but them's the sacrifices we make.

Anyhoo, I wanted to still have a playlist similar to Installed eXoDOS Games, but the setup did not include an .xml for eXoWin3x, I assume since it just assumed the .zip files are all in place, present, and accounted for (even if they haven't been extracted yet).

I noticed that the metadata for the exoDOS games had the Installed toggle with a white square box (I'm sure there's a more precise naming convention for it) but once the game is installed (.zip extracted to the appropriate folder) then the metadata was changed to a check mark, therefor appearing on the installed playlist.

For eXoWin3x, all the titles also just show the white square, but that toggle DOESN'T change after installing it (double clicking and going through the setup process).

I even copied the existing Installed eXoDOS Games .xml file to a new one, made changes so it would look in platform Windows 3x, and even changed the playlistid (I read they need to be unique, but not sure how dangerous it is to just make up a number) and it worked once.  After that not again.

So that's where I stand.  Hopefully someone much, much, much smarter than me (you know, a normal person) can come up with a real Installed eXoWin3x Games .xml and/or a way to have the games automatically toggle the game metadata to a check mark when the .zip is extracted.

Sorry for the long drawn out answer to your question.

TLDR: yes they work together.

[Timber-eXoProjects]

Yea, I'm sorry @blevinshousehold! 😁
the eXoDOS Plugin coming with v5 was the first LB plugin I ever wrote

So it wasn't perfect  lol 😉

Try the one I attached, that should work for all eXo-Projects
In the next releases (eXoWin3x v2 and eXoDOS v6) there will be a much smarter version of the plugin 😉

 

The Playlist "Installed eXo* Games" is basically just a auto-populate playlist. You can add it yourself if you want:
- create new playlist
- set checkmark at "Auto-Populate this Playlist"
- Field = "Installed" and Comparison = "Is True"
- Field = "Platform" and Comparison = "Is Equal To" and Value = "Windows 3x" (for eXoWin3x or "MS-DOS" for eXoDOS)
 

have fun
-Timber

eXoplugin_v3.1-HF.zip

[blevinshousehold]

@Timber-eXoProjects Thanks so much!  That seems to do the trick.

 

I did notice that the "installed" playlists show up in the platform view (in addition to the expected Playlists view)... Is there a way to limit this to just the Playlists view?

 

Again thanks alot!

 

[Timber-eXoProjects]

@blevinshousehold
I'm not sure what you mean ... can you describe it a bit further?
sounds more like a general launchbox topic than a special case by the eXoDOS playlist 🤨

[blevinshousehold]

I agree I think it's a LB issue.  But to expand, when I install an eXoDos or eXoWin3x game, it will be listed in the "Installed eXo--- Games" playlist under the LB PLAYLIST category... as expected.

 

However, it seems the same playlist is ALSO displayed under the LB PLATFORM category.  The "Installed eXo--- Games" playlists will disappear from the PLATFORM category if all games are removed, but they will still remain (though unpopulated) in the PLAYLIST category, again as expected.