HELP! "Object reference not set to an instance of an object." error preventing all games from launching

[ajaxx71]

Sigh... I spent longer than i care to admit trying to get all games and emulators to work, only to have this error code come up a day later every time i try to launch something in either LB or BB.

"Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

App:     LaunchBox
Version: 13.6
Theme:   Default
Type:    System.NullReferenceException
Site:    System.Collections.Generic.HashSet`1[System.String] GetInstalledGameIds()
Source:  Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows

   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Integrations.EpicGames.Epic.GetInstalledGameIds()
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Desktop.ViewModels.GameDetailsViewModel..ctor(Game game, Brush backgroundBrush, Func`1 isWindowClosed)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Desktop.ViewModels.ContentViewModelBase.<>c__DisplayClass56_0.ChangeAbstractAlgo()
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Threading.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.ChangeTraversalConnection(Object )
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Threading.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.InvokeCommonFilter()
   at System.Threading.Thread.StartHelper.Callback(Object state)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
   at System.Threading.Thread.StartCallback()

Recent Log:

   9:07:48 PM Exception"

[C-Beats]

What game are you clicking on that you get this? If you go to Tools > Options > Integrations > Epic Games is the "Log out of Epic Games" enabled? If so can you push that and see if it corrects your issue?

[DaNobody]

I am having the same problem.  This is affecting every Neo Geo game and Playstation 2 game I try to play.  My Entire NeoGeo/PS2 Library But it is working on Sega Games and NES/SNES Libraries.  (Edit: Sorry I forgot to add that mine is occuring when I click the ... elipisis to configure the game)  I am assuming this is some odd configuration error.  I am new to this so it could be my error in some fashion I just don't know yet.

The games will play if I manually configure another Emulator... so I assume this is something specific to retroarch integration

I am on version 13.6

This is a new installation of Launch Box & I chose the "Allow LaunchBox to download and manage RetroArch" option.

Edited July 31, 2023 by DaNobody

[C-Beats]

24 minutes ago, DaNobody said:

I am having the same problem.  This is affecting every Neo Geo game and Playstation 2 game I try to play.  My Entire NeoGeo/PS2 Library But it is working on Sega Games and NES/SNES Libraries.  (Edit: Sorry I forgot to add that mine is occuring when I click the ... elipisis to configure the game)  I am assuming this is some odd configuration error.  I am new to this so it could be my error in some fashion I just don't know yet.

The games will play if I manually configure another Emulator... so I assume this is something specific to retroarch integration

I am on version 13.6

This is a new installation of Launch Box & I chose the "Allow LaunchBox to download and manage RetroArch" option.

That button is to run the configuration app assigned to the game, not to configure the emulator. I'd imagine if you go into the Edit Game window that game doesn't have a path in it's configuration path and is the cause for what you're seeing.

[DaNobody]

21 minutes ago, C-Beats said:

That button is to run the configuration app assigned to the game, not to configure the emulator. I'd imagine if you go into the Edit Game window that game doesn't have a path in it's configuration path and is the cause for what you're seeing.

Okay, that explains it... you are correct I do not have a "Configuration Path" defined for the game.  Since this is a console game I assume that is not required and not something I should be concerned with?

I still am not able to get LaunchBox to start any Neo Geo or Playstation 2 games (edit) When I try to launch the games "nothing happens" is my exact problem it was not until I hit the "configuration" button that game me the error and I found my way here.  It can launch NES/SNES and I am using the same options when importing my libraries.  If I open RetroArch directly and select the core and content manually the games will play that way.  I have went back and changed default emulators and I have specified the PCSX2 Libreto core during import as well... but the games will still not launch.  I have been editing the Platforms but I am not seeing where I can select the core to use.  I assume I should start looking at the command line argument documentation for RetroArch?

While I am old school with emulators (pre-2000) and I would like to get away from managing all of them myself. I am definitely interested in getting LaunchBox to manage my library instead.  So far the experience has been pretty good, but any little setting I can change to my my experience as fluid as possible would be great.

Edited July 31, 2023 by DaNobody

[C-Beats]

LaunchBox only launches a game, to change in game configurations that still needs done in the emulator. I'm not sure what's going on with Neo Geo but PS2 is likely caused by a missing BIOS and the fact you're using RetroArch instead of the stand alone emulator. You should not being the using RetroArch to emulate GameCube OR PS2 and should be using the standalone emulator instead. The cores aren't up-to-date and are very buggy compared to standalone.

[DaNobody]

13 minutes ago, C-Beats said:

LaunchBox only launches a game, to change in game configurations that still needs done in the emulator. I'm not sure what's going on with Neo Geo but PS2 is likely caused by a missing BIOS and the fact you're using RetroArch instead of the stand alone emulator. You should not being the using RetroArch to emulate GameCube OR PS2 and should be using the standalone emulator instead. The cores aren't up-to-date and are very buggy compared to standalone.

Thank you for the help.  I definitely make sure the BIOS are sorted... like I said, if go into RetroArch directly and run the game it runs it just that LaunchBox is not Launching it correctly for some reason.  I did get the PS2 games to run now... I just decided to reinstall LaunchBox from scratch.  But still having the problem with Neo Geo Roms.  I am assuming I am doing something wrong and just need to get a little more familiar.

On a side note... I get a note during game editing that states

"Some fields have been disabled because Emulation is active."

But I don't have anything running other than the console.  Shutting down LaunchBox and reopening without launching any games does not resolve.  Restarting the computer also does not resolve this.

[Retro808]

Just now, DaNobody said:

Thank you for the help.  I definitely make sure the BIOS are sorted... like I said, if go into RetroArch directly and run the game it runs it just that LaunchBox is not Launching it correctly for some reason.  I did get the PS2 games to run now... I just decided to reinstall LaunchBox from scratch.  But still having the problem with Neo Geo Roms.  I am assuming I am doing something wrong and just need to get a little more familiar.

On a side note... I get a note during game editing that states

"Some fields have been disabled because Emulation is active."

But I don't have anything running other than the console.  Shutting down LaunchBox and reopening without launching any games does not resolve.  Restarting the computer also does not resolve this.

For Neo Geo just confirming you are using Retroach? If you are the issue usually when using Retroarch as the option the unzip/decompress the rom file is checked in the LB settings for Retroarch >Tools >Manage >Emulators edit Retroarch and look on the bottom right of the detail page. 

[C-Beats]

19 minutes ago, DaNobody said:

"Some fields have been disabled because Emulation is active."

This is intentional and simply telling you that because the game you have is a ROM some of the fields aren't needed or used and so we disable them to avoid confusion.

[DaNobody]

24 minutes ago, Retro808 said:

For Neo Geo just confirming you are using Retroach? If you are the issue usually when using Retroarch as the option the unzip/decompress the rom file is checked in the LB settings for Retroarch >Tools >Manage >Emulators edit Retroarch and look on the bottom right of the detail page. 

Thank you for the help!  I figured out how to "fix" the issue.  I created a New emulator configuration and applied it to my Neo Geo Library...  for those interested the specific details follows.

Emulator Name: "RetroArch Neo Geo"

Default Command Line Parameters: "-fullscreen -L cores\fbneo_libretro.dll"

6 minutes ago, C-Beats said:

This is intentional and simply telling you that because the game you have is a ROM some of the fields aren't needed or used and so we disable them to avoid confusion.

Okay I see... it's not that emulation is "active" as in something is running, but that emulation is "active" context in which the game will run.  Okay... thank you for taking the time to explain this to me.  I am definitely thinking about buying a license now... this was very fast support!  Once you started explaining a couples of this my old gears started turning and churning the cobwebs... the room is now full of smoke but I did get my original issue resolved!

Cheers!!!

[faeran]

11 minutes ago, DaNobody said:

Thank you for the help!  I figured out how to "fix" the issue.  I created a New emulator configuration and applied it to my Neo Geo Library...  for those interested the specific details follows.

Emulator Name: "RetroArch Neo Geo"

Default Command Line Parameters: "-fullscreen -L cores\fbneo_libretro.dll"

If I'm reading this right, I don't think you had to do anything as elaborate as this (although it's fine if you want to keep it this way). Instead, you could go into your main RetroArch's Associated Platforms tab, type in the name of your Neo Geo platform, choose the core, and uncheck the Extract ROMs option. That should work as well.

[DaNobody]

30 minutes ago, faeran said:

If I'm reading this right, I don't think you had to do anything as elaborate as this (although it's fine if you want to keep it this way). Instead, you could go into your main RetroArch's Associated Platforms tab, type in the name of your Neo Geo platform, choose the core, and uncheck the Extract ROMs option. That should work as well.

DAGNABBIT!  You are right!  Doing it your way is better.  I didn't even notice you could do this!  Thanks again for the help.  I changed the Core just as you said in the "Associated Platforms" page to the one that works and WABAM!  It's working that way.  I guess the "default" which is "fbalpha_libreto" is not so hot anymore. "fbneo_libreto" is the one that works for me.

 

Thanks fer all the help fellas!

[neil9000]

23 minutes ago, DaNobody said:

DAGNABBIT!  You are right!  Doing it your way is better.  I didn't even notice you could do this!  Thanks again for the help.  I changed the Core just as you said in the "Associated Platforms" page to the one that works and WABAM!  It's working that way.  I guess the "default" which is "fbalpha_libreto" is not so hot anymore. "fbneo_libreto" is the one that works for me.

 

Thanks fer all the help fellas!

fbalpha no longer exists, it was forked off into fbneo. Launchbox should be updated with neo as the default there.