LaunchBox 13.21 - Beta Thread

[faeran]

Hi everyone,

LaunchBox 13.21 beta 1 is out now for all willing to help test this release.

 

Thanks to all who help test these beta versions. Don't forget to include the following information in your feedback to help us out with tracking down with any issues you may face with these betas:

• Your Windows version
• Description of the issue
• Can it be reliably reproduced on your end?
• Reproduction steps

 

You can opt into the beta within LaunchBox by going to Tools > Options > General > Updates and turning on Update to Beta Releases. If a beta release is available, you will get prompted each time the app opens up, or you can manually check using Menu > Help > Check for Updates.

 

Beta 1 includes the following:

• New Premium Feature: A new section has been introduced under Tools > Manage > LaunchBox Themes & Media, providing users with the ability to browse and download Media Packs. These growing list of packs, created by both the LaunchBox team and the community, include Platform Clear Logos, Badges, Platform Icons, and Controller Input Graphics Packs. The packs are non-destructive, allowing users to seamlessly switch between them on the fly, and can be applied to both LaunchBox and Big Box independently. New packs will be regularly added, and applying or swapping between them is now just a simple click away.
• New Feature: Content Creators now have the ability to upload Media Packs for community access through the following page: https://www.launchbox-app.com/media
• New Feature: A new Xemu Integration Plugin has been added, allowing users to download and set up the Xemu emulator directly from LaunchBox
• Fixed: The freezing issue experienced by some users in Big Box has been resolved
• Fixed: The false out-of-memory error that appeared when a computer awoke from sleep has been addressed
• Fixed: The minimize/maximize game launch feature now functions correctly with additional applications
• Fixed: Game files containing more than one space in a row now launch as expected
• Fixed: The Nintendo 64DD now displays the required dependency files for supported RetroArch cores
• Fixed: Long-term stability in Big Box has been improved
• Fixed: Searching for a game while in certain areas of Big Box would display no results
• Fixed: Corrupted images cause fewer issues when loading in both LaunchBox and Big Box

 

There's a few things that are in need of testing:

• The Media management changes: heavy changes were made to the 4 media types in order to accommodate this new non-destructive media pack world we now live in. Things to test would be the LaunchBox Themes and media manager, as well as building your own packs under your LaunchBox\Images\Media Packs\ folder and seeing how they work.
• Check out Platform Clear Logos and see how they work now, especially if you are used to the old way of how things work.
• If you were having freezes in Big Box, do some overnight tests and see how you fair now.
• If you ran into issues with your computer showing an out of memory issue after it goes into a deep sleep, let us know how this fairs now.

 

Beta 2 will come out next week and will contain a few more items that will complete the media management system, along with any further fixes that we are looking to put into this release.

 

Thanks for testing guys.

[Fursphere]

Windows 11, upgrading from 13.20 release

Killed BigBox, something about a theme xml file error.  Never got past the splash logo. 

I'm rolling back to 13.20 right now to switch off my custom theme.  Then see what happens.

[Fursphere]

Its busted. 

 

(Inner Exception)

BinaryFormatter serialization and deserialization have been removed. See https://aka.ms/binaryformatter for more information.

App:     Big Box
Version: 13.21-beta-1
Theme:   Unified Redux
Type:    System.PlatformNotSupportedException
Site:    System.Object Deserialize(System.IO.Stream)
Source:  System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters

   at System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter.Deserialize(Stream serializationStream)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.<>c__DisplayClass7_0`1.<CreateUntypedDelegate>b__0(Object obj, Stream stream)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.DeserializeObject(Int32 typeIndex)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader._LoadObjectV2(Int32 pos, ResourceTypeCode& typeCode)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.LoadObjectV2(Int32 pos, ResourceTypeCode& typeCode)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.LoadObject(Int32 pos, ResourceTypeCode& typeCode)
   at System.Resources.RuntimeResourceSet.ReadValue(ResourceReader reader, Int32 dataPos, Boolean isString, ResourceLocator& locator)
   at System.Resources.RuntimeResourceSet.GetObject(String key, Boolean ignoreCase, Boolean isString)
   at System.Resources.ResourceManager.GetObject(String name, CultureInfo culture, Boolean wrapUnmanagedMemStream)
   at ArchiveCacheManager.Resources.get_badge()
   at ArchiveCacheManager.GameBadge.get_DefaultIcon()
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.BadgeManager.InitTransactionalImporter(Object key)
   at ContainerStubRepository.SelectPrincipalIssuer(IGameBadge key, ContainerStubRepository)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.BadgeManager.AddBadge(IGameBadge badge, Boolean isActive)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.ViewModels.MainViewModel.InitRegistry(Object, Boolean)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.ViewModels.MainViewModel..ctor()
   at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceDefaultCtor(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean wrapExceptions)


(Outer Exception)

Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.

App:     Big Box
Version: 13.21-beta-1
Theme:   Unified Redux
Type:    System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException
Site:    System.Object CreateInstanceDefaultCtor(Boolean, Boolean)
Source:  System.Private.CoreLib

   at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceDefaultCtor(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean wrapExceptions)
   at Caliburn.Micro.BootstrapperBase.DisplayRootViewForAsync(Type viewModelType, IDictionary`2 settings)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.Bootstrapper.OnStartup(Object sender, StartupEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Application.<.ctor>b__1_0(Object unused)
   at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs)
   at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.TryCatchWhen(Object source, Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs, Delegate catchHandler)

Recent Log:

   1:03:43 PM Exception

 

[faeran]

13 minutes ago, Fursphere said:

Its busted. 

 

(Inner Exception)

BinaryFormatter serialization and deserialization have been removed. See https://aka.ms/binaryformatter for more information.

App:     Big Box
Version: 13.21-beta-1
Theme:   Unified Redux
Type:    System.PlatformNotSupportedException
Site:    System.Object Deserialize(System.IO.Stream)
Source:  System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters

   at System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter.Deserialize(Stream serializationStream)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.<>c__DisplayClass7_0`1.<CreateUntypedDelegate>b__0(Object obj, Stream stream)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.DeserializeObject(Int32 typeIndex)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader._LoadObjectV2(Int32 pos, ResourceTypeCode& typeCode)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.LoadObjectV2(Int32 pos, ResourceTypeCode& typeCode)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.LoadObject(Int32 pos, ResourceTypeCode& typeCode)
   at System.Resources.RuntimeResourceSet.ReadValue(ResourceReader reader, Int32 dataPos, Boolean isString, ResourceLocator& locator)
   at System.Resources.RuntimeResourceSet.GetObject(String key, Boolean ignoreCase, Boolean isString)
   at System.Resources.ResourceManager.GetObject(String name, CultureInfo culture, Boolean wrapUnmanagedMemStream)
   at ArchiveCacheManager.Resources.get_badge()
   at ArchiveCacheManager.GameBadge.get_DefaultIcon()
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.BadgeManager.InitTransactionalImporter(Object key)
   at ContainerStubRepository.SelectPrincipalIssuer(IGameBadge key, ContainerStubRepository)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.BadgeManager.AddBadge(IGameBadge badge, Boolean isActive)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.ViewModels.MainViewModel.InitRegistry(Object, Boolean)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.ViewModels.MainViewModel..ctor()
   at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceDefaultCtor(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean wrapExceptions)


(Outer Exception)

Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.

App:     Big Box
Version: 13.21-beta-1
Theme:   Unified Redux
Type:    System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException
Site:    System.Object CreateInstanceDefaultCtor(Boolean, Boolean)
Source:  System.Private.CoreLib

   at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceDefaultCtor(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean wrapExceptions)
   at Caliburn.Micro.BootstrapperBase.DisplayRootViewForAsync(Type viewModelType, IDictionary`2 settings)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.Bootstrapper.OnStartup(Object sender, StartupEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Application.<.ctor>b__1_0(Object unused)
   at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs)
   at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.TryCatchWhen(Object source, Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs, Delegate catchHandler)

Recent Log:

   1:03:43 PM Exception

 

This reads that you have a broken plugin. Possibly the Archive Cache Manager. Remove it from your plugins folder and let us know if that solves it for you.

[Fursphere]

That was it.   I thought I had already deleted that plugin.   

 

[The Papaw]

@faeran

It's always included there, you just didn't notice before 😉

If you say so 😊

[Fursphere]

Platform Clear Logos will not populate in 13.21 Beta 1 from files.

Rolled back to 13.20 and ran the platform wheel cache reset, and all images populated correctly. 

What's even weirder, in 13.21, I deleted the BB-Cache folder contents, verified the correct images are in the correct folders for 'clear logos', and BigBox was showing the BigBox default images - even though those images are not present on my system.  where the heck were they being pulled from?   

Anyway, like I said, rolled back, purged cached, and images populated as expected. 

Edited Saturday at 01:13 AM by Fursphere

[TheNewClassics]

Something funky is happening with game screenshots for me. I'm using Default Critical Zone, and the game screenshot with show up for a second and then vanish. This is when I'm scrolling through the games. 

[JoeViking245]

1 hour ago, Fursphere said:

where the heck were they being pulled from? 

With v13.21-b1 installed, look in \LaunchBox\Images\Media Packs\Platform Clear Logos\

When you go into Tools > Manage > LaunchBox Themes & Media and select the Type: Platform Clear Logos, then select Legacy Conversion Logo Pack, it should say

Quote

This media pack was created when you upgraded from version 13.20 or earlier of LaunchBox to version 13.21 or newer. This pack contains the files you
were using before the media pack feature was implemented. If you no longer need this feel free to uninstall it.

This is saying if you end up using a different logo pack, you can uninstall this one.

 

Hope that helps [at least some].

[Fursphere]

Interesting.   Would that 'block' images from populating from the old location?   Even if the new location doesn't have images for various platforms / platform categories / playlists?

After rolling back to 13.20, getting the images to populate, then upgrading back to 13.21 - my custom(?) images stayed in place. 

[Fursphere]

So let me see if I have this right... 

To manage Launchbox Themes - you go to "Launchbox Themes and Media Manager"

To manage BigBox Themes - you go to BigBox Themes manager (in BigBox).   

But to manage BigBox clear platform images packs, you go to "Launchbox Themes and Media Manager"   (With no preview of what you're actually installing to boot)

A bit confusing, no?

Edited Saturday at 03:48 AM by Fursphere

[zugswang]

Will not load BigBox - get this error

(Inner Exception)

BinaryFormatter serialization and deserialization have been removed. See https://aka.ms/binaryformatter for more information.

App:     Big Box
Version: 13.21-beta-1
Theme:   CriticalZoneV2 - BlueBox
Type:    System.PlatformNotSupportedException
Site:    System.Object Deserialize(System.IO.Stream)
Source:  System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters

   at System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter.Deserialize(Stream serializationStream)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.<>c__DisplayClass7_0`1.<CreateUntypedDelegate>b__0(Object obj, Stream stream)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.DeserializeObject(Int32 typeIndex)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader._LoadObjectV2(Int32 pos, ResourceTypeCode& typeCode)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.LoadObjectV2(Int32 pos, ResourceTypeCode& typeCode)
   at System.Resources.ResourceReader.LoadObject(Int32 pos, ResourceTypeCode& typeCode)
   at System.Resources.RuntimeResourceSet.ReadValue(ResourceReader reader, Int32 dataPos, Boolean isString, ResourceLocator& locator)
   at System.Resources.RuntimeResourceSet.GetObject(String key, Boolean ignoreCase, Boolean isString)
   at System.Resources.ResourceManager.GetObject(String name, CultureInfo culture, Boolean wrapUnmanagedMemStream)
   at RetroAchievementBadges.Properties.Resources.get_RA()
   at RetroAchievementBadges.Class1.get_DefaultIcon()
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.BadgeManager.InitTransactionalImporter(Object key)
   at ContainerStubRepository.SelectPrincipalIssuer(IGameBadge key, ContainerStubRepository)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.BadgeManager.AddBadge(IGameBadge badge, Boolean isActive)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.ViewModels.MainViewModel.InitRegistry(Object, Boolean)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.ViewModels.MainViewModel..ctor()
   at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceDefaultCtor(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean wrapExceptions)

(Outer Exception)

Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.

App:     Big Box
Version: 13.21-beta-1
Theme:   CriticalZoneV2 - BlueBox
Type:    System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException
Site:    System.Object CreateInstanceDefaultCtor(Boolean, Boolean)
Source:  System.Private.CoreLib

   at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceDefaultCtor(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean wrapExceptions)
   at Caliburn.Micro.BootstrapperBase.DisplayRootViewForAsync(Type viewModelType, IDictionary`2 settings)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.Bootstrapper.OnStartup(Object sender, StartupEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Application.<.ctor>b__1_0(Object unused)
   at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs)
   at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.TryCatchWhen(Object source, Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs, Delegate catchHandler)

Recent Log:

   09:00:10 Exception

[dbalcar]

RetroArch not showing correct version in the emulator management window.  I have 2 RetroArch installs and my RetroArch 2023 is at version 1.20.0 but the LB management window shows 1.16.0.   The RetroArch 2024 arcade is correct at version 1.16.0
Thanks

[Rlad]

Maybe require the packs to have the main five category logos so you dont have this oddness.

i now we can change them ourselves im just thinking from a noob friendly POV.

[JoeViking245]

10 hours ago, Fursphere said:

So let me see if I have this right... 

To manage Launchbox Themes - you go to "Launchbox Themes and Media Manager"
To manage BigBox Themes - you go to BigBox Themes manager (in BigBox).   

But to manage BigBox clear platform images packs, you go to "Launchbox Themes and Media Manager"   (With no preview of what you're actually installing to boot)

A bit confusing, no?

Kinda, not really.  Theme management between the 2 hasn't changed.   Well, LB added "and Media Manager" to the menu title.

Platform Clear Logos have always been managed in LaunchBox.  It's just now you are able to pick-and-choose between image packs, on-the-fly.  

Before (and still) you could import individual Image Packs (Tools < Image Packs < Import). TBH, I never tried it so don't know how that all worked.  But my guess is you import 'the pack' and "set it".  And if you found a better (say, 'platform clear logo') pack, you import and set that one.  Whether these ones will now get added to the new Media Manager, don't know.

I agree a sample preview would be nice.  And since we're only still in beta, the developers may have already thought about that and just haven't implemented it yet.  Or have no plans to.  I have no idea.  (could always ask nicely to add that feature. )  There is the Get Support icon for each pack you can click that will take you where those images originated (the support page for the downloads).

Since, i.e. platform Clear Logos sets, can [now] be set separately to apply to LaunchBox or BigBox or Both, it would seem that being able to change those on-the-fly for BigBox, in BigBox, could make sense.  As above, could already be a thought, may have no plans to, could always ask nicely.

[Fursphere]

I could see this being a handy

2 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

Since, i.e. platform Clear Logos sets, can [now] be set separately to apply to LaunchBox or BigBox or Both, it would seem that being able to change those on-the-fly for BigBox, in BigBox, could make sense.  As above, could already be a thought, may have no plans to, could always ask nicely.

I could see this being an interesting feature if there were massive organized sets to cover ALL clear logos (like the silver ring clear logo thread...).   Maybe that's the long term goal?   But with just platform clear logos, it just feels off.

I'm not clear on if I can I still manage my platform clear logos the old fashioned way?  (copying files directly into their appropriate folders?).  Or am I forced to use this use new feature?    

[Rlad]

43 minutes ago, Fursphere said:

I could see this being a handy

I could see this being an interesting feature if there were massive organized sets to cover ALL clear logos (like the silver ring clear logo thread...).   Maybe that's the long term goal?   But with just platform clear logos, it just feels off.

I'm not clear on if I can I still manage my platform clear logos the old fashioned way?  (copying files directly into their appropriate folders?).  Or am I forced to use this use new feature?    

When you upgrade to 13.21 it puts all of your current logos into the legacy pack and the individual ones become redundant, at least thats how i understand it. You can then manage them from there. Joe already said it-

12 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

With v13.21-b1 installed, look in \LaunchBox\Images\Media Packs\Platform Clear Logos\

When you go into Tools > Manage > LaunchBox Themes & Media and select the Type: Platform Clear Logos, then select Legacy Conversion Logo Pack, it should say

This is saying if you end up using a different logo pack, you can uninstall this one.

 

Hope that helps [at least some].

 

12 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

This media pack was created when you upgraded from version 13.20 or earlier of LaunchBox to version 13.21 or newer. This pack contains the files you
were using before the media pack feature was implemented. If you no longer need this feel free to uninstall it.

 

[JoeViking245]

26 minutes ago, Fursphere said:

I could see this being a handy

I could see this being an interesting feature if there were massive organized sets to cover ALL clear logos (like the silver ring clear logo thread...).   Maybe that's the long term goal?   But with just platform clear logos, it just feels off.

I'm not clear on if I can I still manage my platform clear logos the old fashioned way?  (copying files directly into their appropriate folders?).  Or am I forced to use this use new feature?    

Just keep in mind, this IS still in beta (beta-1 of possibly several) and is barely 24 hours old.  And the purpose of doing this way is flesh out anomalies, quirks and questions like this.

[xitanul]

Screenshots are broken and do not appear with most of themes, also you did not fix the freeze problem but just removed the possibility to choose VLC integration from what i see.

Also it will be nice that if disabled update that it does not update without my permission...

Edited Sunday at 01:48 PM by xitanul

[skizzosjt]

also came here to ask is VLC no longer an available option going forward?

this would be a terrible thing to implement from my perspective. though I have codecs for webm video files I apparently never noticed when using WMP how many of these videos do not play sound until just now! all play the videos OK, but WMP plays lots of webm videos without sound. please look into this because this missing sound issue only happens in Big Box (maybe in LB too? idk since I don't use vids in LB). said webm videos play fine with sound when I launch them with any media player directly from Windows Explorer. that includes Windows Media Player, VLC and "Media Player" and "Movies & TV" media player apps. 

additionally, the biggest issue is difference between VLC and WMP is they have different color management and even impact dimensions! WMP stretches the video's content width-wise relatively compared to VLC. I knew about the color handling difference between them for for a while, but more recently discovered WMP even impacts only the width dimension. Height does not change though. I know due to having a theme where the platform and game views both have exact same bezel/overlay where videos play and they are perfectly aligned between them and it's noticeable that things grow/shrink when moving between those views using WMP. On the other hand it looks perfect when using VLC since that is what I was using when aligning everything. being forced to use WMP will ruin all the hard work I put into a custom theme and is why I would expect VLC to remain available, along with resolving any long term freezing or related issue that has been recently suspected to be tied to it.