LaunchBox 13.28 Beta Thread

[JoeViking245]

7 hours ago, crusadeRGP said:

I'm not explaining myself correctly to ask what I"m trying to accomplish. I have a Magazine platform category within LaunchBox that includes various gaming literature in PDF format. How can I use the new LaunchBox reader to open these files to view in fullscreen?

One means of doing that is to create a new "emulator" that points to the reader executable.  e.g. "D:\LaunchBox\System\Software\LaunchBox Reader\LaunchBox.Reader.exe".  The make that "emulator" default for that platform.

You can get possible command-line parameters by running at the Windows Command prompt "LaunchBox.Reader.exe --help".

e.g.
Basic usage:
  LaunchBox.Reader.exe --path "C:\Docs\Manual.pdf"
  LaunchBox.Reader.exe open --path "C:\Docs\Manual.pdf" --theme black --fullscreen

I suspect that 2nd set of parameters can be rewritten to "--theme black --fullscreen --path".  Then when launched with the "game", LB will append the path at the end. Just like you see with regular emulators.

 

EDIT:

Found this in the LaunchBox Strategy Guide.    

Using LaunchBox Reader as a standalone app

Edited August 5 by JoeViking245
new discovery

[Rlad]

Regarding the issue i had with the D-input controller overriding the x-input in the reader, it seems to be a windows issue not specifically LB as i had the same problem testing ShadPS4.

[MysterNybble]

18 hours ago, Jabb3rJaw said:

Sorry I realize I copied the WMP file. Here are all the files requested with the most recent crash using VLC about an hour ago.  Here’s what’s confusing me, I normally get a crash within the first hour  if it goes longer without a crash it doesn’t crash at all and can run for hours  

Debug 2026-08-04 04-42-18 PM.log 395 kB · 1 download MediaEngine 2026-08-04 04-42-19 PM.worker.log 3.4 MB · 1 download MediaEngine Client 2026-08-04 04-42-19 PM.log 1.26 MB · 1 download native-v1-BigBox-20260804T211439836Z-p5200-t12296-C0000374-17b60245-34e8-4bb9-9b53-2a71cc2c.dmp 33.15 MB · 1 download native-v1-BigBox-20260804T211439836Z-p5200-t12296-C0000374-17b60245-34e8-4bb9-9b53-2a71cc2c.json 759 B · 1 download Report.wer 112.15 kB · 1 download

Thanks! While not conclusive (crashes never really are!), this strongly points to some input/controller-related issue. I'll have to scour our DirectX/DirectInput code to see if we're doing anything unsafe. This would explain the 'randomness'; it could be 'not every time but sometimes' while a controller powers up or down or loses connection to Windows itself.

[Jabb3rJaw]

1 hour ago, MysterNybble said:

Thanks! While not conclusive (crashes never really are!), this strongly points to some input/controller-related issue. I'll have to scour our DirectX/DirectInput code to see if we're doing anything unsafe. This would explain the 'randomness'; it could be 'not every time but sometimes' while a controller powers up or down or loses connection to Windows itself.

I use 2 Xbox controllers sometimes but I’m pretty sure it’s crashed without me turning on the controllers. Could iPac’s and pac led’s be considered a controller as well? I also have a trackball and spinner. 

[MysterNybble]

4 hours ago, Jabb3rJaw said:

I use 2 Xbox controllers sometimes but I’m pretty sure it’s crashed without me turning on the controllers. Could iPac’s and pac led’s be considered a controller as well? I also have a trackball and spinner. 

Thanks! I put a proposed fix in place for the next build related to your crash. I'm cautious in saying I fixed your issue, but hopeful :). The ipac could count if it's in dinput/game controller mode, but either way, the issue I saw could happen with just the Xbox controllers. The trackball and spinner probably behave more like mouse input than a controller, but again, it may not matter.

[Jabb3rJaw]

13 minutes ago, MysterNybble said:

Thanks! I put a proposed fix in place for the next build related to your crash. I'm cautious in saying I fixed your issue, but hopeful :). The ipac could count if it's in dinput/game controller mode, but either way, the issue I saw could happen with just the Xbox controllers. The trackball and spinner probably behave more like mouse input than a controller, but again, it may not matter.

Thanks! I Appreciate you looking into this! 

[dukdukgoos]

I'm finding that LB isn't shutting down cleanly quite often. When I shut down there's frequently a zombie process that remains active, and then when I try to restart I get a error and have to manually kill the zombie process before restarting. This has always been an infrequent problem in the past with LB, but seems to be happening more with the latest beta.

[rlfetterhoff]

I'm having issues uploading PlayStation Vita (Vita3K) game imports. The Vita3k is fully installed with 19 roms installed. Auto import is not working and when ever I try to import the roms manually it still does not see any.  Doesn't matter what directory i point to, it still doesn't recognize any of the roms.

I:\LaunchBox\Emulators\Vita3K

I:\LaunchBox\Emulators\Vita3K\portable\fs\ux0\app

F:\Games\Sony Playstation Vita

 

Windows 11 Pro

AMD Ryzen 7 7700X 8-Core Processor (4.50 GHz)

32.0 GB (31.2 GB usable)

AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT (16 GB)

[JoeViking245]

3 hours ago, rlfetterhoff said:

I'm having issues uploading PlayStation Vita (Vita3K) game imports.

Just did a fresh Vita3K install (into LaunchBox) and all appeared to work here. Here's the steps I took:

• Open Vita3K emulator and made sure games have been imported into the emulator and are playable (from within the emulator)
• Close Vita3K
• Open LaunchBox
  • Deleted my existing Sony Playstation Vita platform
  • Deleted my Vita3k emulator (in LaunchBox)
• Closed LaunchBox (to ensure it's all 'fresh' when reopening)
• Opened LaunchBox
  • Added new emulator
    • Selected Vita3k from the dropdown menu for Emulator Name
    • LaunchBox auto populated some fields, including the Associated Platform
    • Browsed to my existing Vita3K emulator folder and selected Vita3K.exe
    • Clicked OK to save and close
    • Closed Manage Emulators
• Made sure Auto Imports was enabled
  • Tools < Options < General < Automated Imports  (box was checked)
• Closed LaunchBox
• Opened LaunchBox
  • waited 5 maybe 10 seconds
  • LaunchBox updated the local database
  • LaunchBox imported the 3 games I had installed into Vita3K

[rlfetterhoff]

Interesting I followed your instructions, went step by step and still nothing. I have 19 roms, playable in vita3k and it won't be auto or manually recognized by launchbox. I've even tried to drag and drop. 

[MysterNybble]

12 hours ago, dukdukgoos said:

I'm finding that LB isn't shutting down cleanly quite often. When I shut down there's frequently a zombie process that remains active, and then when I try to restart I get a error and have to manually kill the zombie process before restarting. This has always been an infrequent problem in the past with LB, but seems to be happening more with the latest beta.

If you can turn on your logs and send us some of them, we might be able to see what's hanging on your machine :), thanks!

[Henstra1989]

This problem I have only accure to retroarch not other emulators or shortcuts
What I try to do is with BB start up game with retroarch and get a game startup screen first before entering the game
What I get now is BB start up game with retroarch and the game startup screen shows and than its stays stuck on a black screen
Retroarch is functioning I have full controll over it also but its just a black screen when alt+tab its the startup from bigbox in the way.
What not works to get focus back on retroarch = alt+tab 2 times, disable extract rom on launch, changing or resetting retroarch settings to default or something else
changing Retroarch Hiding other than exclussives or agressive hide the startup screen. 
what I can do to get focus from retroarch but its a workaround and not a perma fix = disable Startup screen or alt+enter 2 times to get the retroarch back in front
is there a way to get retroarch focus back after the startup launch screen?
I am on BB 13.28 beta-6 Win 11 with basic startboot services only

[Jabb3rJaw]

1 hour ago, Henstra1989 said:

This problem I have only accure to retroarch not other emulators or shortcuts
What I try to do is with BB start up game with retroarch and get a game startup screen first before entering the game
What I get now is BB start up game with retroarch and the game startup screen shows and than its stays stuck on a black screen
Retroarch is functioning I have full controll over it also but its just a black screen when alt+tab its the startup from bigbox in the way.
What not works to get focus back on retroarch = alt+tab 2 times, disable extract rom on launch, changing or resetting retroarch settings to default or something else
changing Retroarch Hiding other than exclussives or agressive hide the startup screen. 
what I can do to get focus from retroarch but its a workaround and not a perma fix = disable Startup screen or alt+enter 2 times to get the retroarch back in front
is there a way to get retroarch focus back after the startup launch screen?
I am on BB 13.28 beta-6 Win 11 with basic startboot services only

Not sure if this will help but found this worked for some - So i went to tools>manage>emulators, opened RetroArch , and unchecked the "Extract ROM archives before running", and... It worked.

[Henstra1989]

55 minutes ago, Jabb3rJaw said:

Not sure if this will help but found this worked for some - So i went to tools>manage>emulators, opened RetroArch , and unchecked the "Extract ROM archives before running", and... It worked.

I already tryed Uncheck " Extract ROM archives before running " 
I searched like different forums with AI for solutions this solution came also with the search but no luck
I think this bug returned on this beta build I didnt had it on stable build. 

Edited Sunday at 04:32 PM by Henstra1989

[Jabb3rJaw]

1 hour ago, Henstra1989 said:

I already tryed Uncheck " Extract ROM archives before running " 
I searched like different forums with AI for solutions this solution came also with the search but no luck
I think this bug returned on this beta build I didnt had it on stable build. 

I just tried mine with the beta and the first launch there was a long black screen and I thought I would experience the same thing but then the game booted. Now everything seems to boot as normal. I know that doesn’t help you though but hope it gets figured out. 

[Henstra1989]

33 minutes ago, Jabb3rJaw said:

I just tried mine with the beta and the first launch there was a long black screen and I thought I would experience the same thing but then the game booted. Now everything seems to boot as normal. I know that doesn’t help you though but hope it gets figured out. 

I dont know what happend but reinstalled the newest beta from launchbox and it magicaly fixed itself
its a me problem more than a launchbox problem I geuss ^^

thank you for helping me out

Edited Sunday at 06:47 PM by Henstra1989

[Retrofrogg]

On 8/1/2026 at 9:16 PM, Juganawt said:

I have a few minor nitpicks in regard to the new In the new clear cassette model (which, as a massive ZX Spectrum and C64 fan, I am extremely thankful for!).

There is a weird issue with the transparency and the reflective layer. There are these weird triangles on the corners of the box which are completely transparent and are not consistent with the rest of the model. When looking through the transparent sides of the model, you can clearly see a mirrored version of the inlay, which looks a bit off. It'd be a nice feature if we could add a new type of image that shows what was actually on the inverse of the cassette overlay, or maybe even populate the model with a cassette in various colours. 

Also, I'd love a double cassette jewel case model - many games had 2 cassettes side by side inside the jewel case, with 2 separate sets of cassette-holding prongs on the inside (4 prongs in total). Also, I'd like to see clam shell models. The ZX Spectrum and C64 had a variety of clam shell boxes from various companies, most notably the small, hard clamshells used by Imagine, Ocean and Datasoft, but also wider, softer clams from companies such as Mind Games, Mirrorsoft etc.

Finally, in the Images section of media, we currently have to assign cassette images as "Cart" or "Disc"s in the "Cart Front" and "Cart Back" image categories. It'd be nice if there was a properly labelled subcategory  for cassette tapes as well.

@Juganawt - I see that your post hasn't been replied to yet. I would echo all of your points - a better cassette model, in particular more photorealistic would be great. A double jewel case model would also be great. And so would cassette (side A) and cassette (side B) media types. 

I don't know if the Launchbox team are currently planning further improvements in terms of the above; it does remain a beta feature after all. I hope they do. 

In the meantime, I will soon be releasing a Launchbox theme which addresses most of the above (and more). It uses a more realistic cassette case model, and where the covers don't extend over the entire rear of the case, you can see the correct cassette image inside it (if you have that image assigned, of course). There is also a double jewel cassette model, amongst a few other models. Shameless self-plug  

Edited yesterday at 11:07 AM by Retrofrogg

[DrunkAus]

On 8/7/2026 at 2:36 AM, rlfetterhoff said:

Interesting I followed your instructions, went step by step and still nothing. I have 19 roms, playable in vita3k and it won't be auto or manually recognized by launchbox. I've even tried to drag and drop. 

Since you are running Vita3K in portable mode, that shifts the creation of the config.yml to inside the portable directory.

Try moving the config.yml to the root Vita3K folder and reopening LaunchBox, that got my games to auto import, I just moved it back after the import.

Edited 6 hours ago by DrunkAus

[erebus316]

Options > Platform Details > Play time

Turning this off does nothing, it still shows.