[WINDOWS] HOW-TO launch Windows Emulator Applications using the Launcher Addon
#1
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This might be useful for people using the Launcher Addon with Windows.

Normally with the Launcher-Addon, Emulator-ROMs are somewhat easier to handle then direct Windows-programs. When adding a new game-ROM to an emulator, you simply copy the ROM-file into the ROM-directory and then rescan the Launcher-item in XBMC. Windows-programs need to be added one-by-one as stand-alone launcher-items. Another problem with this is, that you cannot group all Windows-Games or -Programs into a seperate Launcher-"group".

Using this HOW-TO you can handle Windows-programs exactly like Emulator-ROMs using normal Windows-shortcuts and a special EXE-file.

  1. Download [url=http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZNUY8DLI&setlang=en"]this file[/url] and extract WindowsShortcutLauncher.exe into any directory.
  2. Create a new folder anywhere and place shortcuts to all programs you would like have in your Windows-Launcher-item.
  3. Create a new Launcher-item in XBMC using the following code:
    Code:
        <launcher>
            <name>Windows Programs</name>
            <application>Path-to\WindowsShortcutLauncher.exe</application>
            <args>"%rom%"</args>
            <rompath>Path-to-Your-Shortcuts-Folder</rompath>
            <thumbpath>Path-to-Your-Thumbs-Folder</thumbpath>
            <fanartpath>Path-to-Your-Fanart-Folder</fanartpath>
            <romext>lnk</romext>
            <platform>IBM PC Compatible</platform>
            <thumb>Path-to-Your-Windows-Thumb</thumb>
            <fanart>Path-to-Your-Wundows-Fanart</fanart>
            <genre></genre>
            <release></release>
            <publisher>Microsoft</publisher>
            <launcherplot></launcherplot>
            <wait>false</wait>
            <roms>
            </roms>
        </launcher>
  4. Now you can scan the Launcher-Item for new files and they will be added just like ROM-games to emulators.

Of course you can also make more than one such Launcher-item (e.g. Programs and Games). You just need to use different Shortcut-folders.

This was tested using XBMC Dharma, the current Advanced Launcher Addon-version by Angelscry and Windows 7.

Of course, using Angelscry's (excellent!) version of launcher, the automatic scraping of game-infos is also working nicely.

So what is this EXE-file and what does it do?

It's actually very simple. Using the script-language "Autohotkey" i created the EXE using the following code:
Code:
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%
RunWait, %1%
WinWaitClose
This does nothing else than launching the shortcut-file passed to the EXE via a parameter.
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#2
mandark Wrote:Create a new Launcher-item in XBMC using the following code:
Code:
    <launcher>
        <name>Windows Programs</name>
        <application>Path-to\WindowsShortcutLauncher.exe</application>
        <args></args>
        <rompath>Path-to-Your-Shortcuts-Folder</rompath>
        <thumbpath>Path-to-Your-Thumbs-Folder</thumbpath>
        <fanartpath>Path-to-Your-Fanart-Folder</fanartpath>
        <romext>lnk</romext>
        <platform>IBM PC Compatible</platform>
        <thumb>Path-to-Your-Windows-Thumb</thumb>
        <fanart>Path-to-Your-Wundows-Fanart</fanart>
        <genre></genre>
        <release></release>
        <publisher>Microsoft</publisher>
        <launcherplot></launcherplot>
        <wait>false</wait>
        <roms>
        </roms>
    </launcher>

Where and in witch file do I need to paste the code?

Grtz

Maarten Bolhuis
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#3
mbolhuis Wrote:Where and in witch file do I need to paste the code?

Grtz

Maarten Bolhuis

hi!

first of all, if you use the current version of the "Advanced Launcher Addon" the XML-code i posted is not valid anymore. it needs ""%rom%"" as argument. i have changed the XML-code in the first post accordingly.

the code goes into the launcher.xml of the advanced launcher addon. your can find this file in your XBMC-profile folder under \userdata\addon_data\plugin.program.advanced.launcher.

its maybe simpler if you add a new launcher in directly in XBMC by entering the advanced launcher addon in XBMC and choosing "Create new launcher" in the context menu. enter the following information in the next appearing dialogs:

  1. choose "File launcher"
  2. select the "WindowsShortcutLauncher.exe" as executable
  3. enter "%rom%" (including double quotes) as arguments
  4. select the folder, where you put your shortcut files as the "files path"
  5. enter "lnk" as file-extension
  6. enter the title of your launcher-item (e.g. "Windows Games")
  7. choose "IBM PC Compatible" as the System-Platform
  8. finally choose your thumbnails- and fanart-paths

this should create a new launcher-item. then enter the context-menu of that launcher item and choose "add roms" and then "scan for new roms". after the scannign finishes, the launcher-item should be pupulated with the games you created shortcuts for.
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#4
mandark Wrote:its maybe simpler if you add a new launcher in directly in XBMC by entering the advanced launcher addon in XBMC and choosing "Create new launcher" in the context menu. enter the following information in the next appearing dialogs:

  1. choose "File launcher"
  2. select the "WindowsShortcutLauncher.exe" as executable
  3. enter "%rom%" (including double quotes) as arguments
  4. select the folder, where you put your shortcut files as the "files path"
  5. enter "lnk" as file-extension
  6. enter the title of your launcher-item (e.g. "Windows Games")
  7. choose "IBM PC Compatible" as the System-Platform
  8. finally choose your thumbnails- and fanart-paths

this should create a new launcher-item. then enter the context-menu of that launcher item and choose "add roms" and then "scan for new roms". after the scannign finishes, the launcher-item should be pupulated with the games you created shortcuts for.

It worked perfectly THANK YOU!!!!

grtz
Maarten Bolhuis
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#5
Works great for most games but one is giving me trouble. I created the shortcut in exactly the same way as all my working ones (right-click on the .exe, create shortcut, move to the folder I have the launcher pointing to for roms) but I get this error every time:

Failed attempt to launch program or document:
Action: <D:\Emulators\windows\qg2vga.lnk>
Params: < >

The current thread will exit.

Specifically: The system cannot find the path specified.

Line #
--> 002: RunWait,%1%

Any ideas? The shortcut executes fine if I simply click on it, it's only when using th WindowsShortcutLauncher it doesn't work.
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#6
BrotherMagneto Wrote:Works great for most games but one is giving me trouble. I created the shortcut in exactly the same way as all my working ones (right-click on the .exe, create shortcut, move to the folder I have the launcher pointing to for roms) but I get this error every time:

Failed attempt to launch program or document:
Action: <D:\Emulators\windows\qg2vga.lnk>
Params: < >

The current thread will exit.

Specifically: The system cannot find the path specified.

Line #
--> 002: RunWait,%1%

Any ideas? The shortcut executes fine if I simply click on it, it's only when using th WindowsShortcutLauncher it doesn't work.
are you sure, you don't have any mistake in your launcher.xml-file? is the game "Quest for Glory 2 VGA"? then maybe you forgot the "f" in the lnk file, since the exe of the game is "Qfg2vga.exe".

you could also try launching the shortcut with WindowsShortcutLauncher using "open with" in windows, and not XBMC. if that works, the problem must lie with the launcher-addon or its config.
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#7
So I'm officially stumped.

Shortcut launches fine if I double-click on it.
I can launch all other shortcuts created in the same method (right-clicking on the exe file, creating shortcut, copying newly created shortcut to roms directory) using WindowsShortcutLauncher in XBMC.
Can't get 'open with' as an option when I right click on a shortcut but that's probably my unfamiliarity with Win7.
The same game (Quest for Glory II VGA) works fine if I just add it as a standalone program in advanced launcher.

Gonna try messing around with it some more and see if I've missed something obvious but that's the state of things. I double-checked the code in the XML file and its all fine.
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#8
Follow-up post:

AGDInteractive released a 2.0 version of the Quest for Glory II VGA remake. On a whim I downloaded it, made a new shortcut, and installed it using your launcher and now it works perfectly.

Who knows?
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[WINDOWS] HOW-TO launch Windows Emulator Applications using the Launcher Addon0