Games plug-in - Revision history

Kichik at 21:34, 3 December 2007

2007-12-03T21:34:45Z

â† Older revision		Revision as of 21:34, 3 December 2007
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	==Download==		==Download==
	<attach>NSISGames.zip</attach>		<attach>NSISGames.zip</attach>

			'''WARNING:''' This plug-in requires MSVCR80.dll. Make sure it's installed on the user's machine or distribute it manually to make sure the plug-in will successfully load.

	Decompress the link above and copy bin/Games.dll somewhere where your NSIS install script can see it, usually either in your NSIS plugins directory, or into the same directory as your NSIS install script if you include this line in your script:		Decompress the link above and copy bin/Games.dll somewhere where your NSIS install script can see it, usually either in your NSIS plugins directory, or into the same directory as your NSIS install script if you include this line in your script:

Sag47: /* See Also */

2007-08-17T20:26:41Z

See Also

â† Older revision		Revision as of 20:26, 17 August 2007
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	[http://www.extensiblesoft.com/gamex/GameExplorerManager10beta6.zip Games Explorer Manager] ([http://www.extensiblesoft.com/gamex/Screen.png Screenshot]) For someone who doesn't need to build an installer. Allows user to add any program or game currently installed into the Games Explorer.		[http://www.extensiblesoft.com/gamex/GameExplorerManager10beta6.zip Games Explorer Manager] ([http://www.extensiblesoft.com/gamex/Screen.png Screenshot]) For someone who doesn't need to build an installer. Allows user to add any program or game currently installed into the Games Explorer.

			[[Games_Explorer_Manager_Install]] for the Games Explorer Manager

	[http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=270878 Original forum discussion]		[http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=270878 Original forum discussion]

	[[Category:Plugins]]		[[Category:Plugins]]

Sag47: /* See Also */

2007-08-16T21:12:43Z

See Also

â† Older revision		Revision as of 21:12, 16 August 2007
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	[[Game_explorer]] An alternative method for registering with Games Explorer. It uses System.dll instead of a plug-in.		[[Game_explorer]] An alternative method for registering with Games Explorer. It uses System.dll instead of a plug-in.

	[http://www.~~neowin~~.~~net~~/~~forum~~/~~index~~.~~php?showtopic=550510&st=90&p=588761121&#entry588761121~~ Games Explorer Manager] ([http://www.extensiblesoft.com/gamex/~~GameExplorerManager10beta6~~.~~zip Direct Download~~]) For someone who doesn't need to build an installer. Allows user to add any program or game currently installed into the Games Explorer.		[http://www.extensiblesoft.com/gamex/GameExplorerManager10beta6.zip Games Explorer Manager] ([http://www.extensiblesoft.com/gamex/Screen.png Screenshot]) For someone who doesn't need to build an installer. Allows user to add any program or game currently installed into the Games Explorer.

	[http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=270878 Original forum discussion]		[http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=270878 Original forum discussion]

	[[Category:Plugins]]		[[Category:Plugins]]

Sag47: /* See Also */

2007-08-16T21:11:12Z

See Also

â† Older revision		Revision as of 21:11, 16 August 2007
Line 227:		Line 227:
	[[Game_explorer]] An alternative method for registering with Games Explorer. It uses System.dll instead of a plug-in.		[[Game_explorer]] An alternative method for registering with Games Explorer. It uses System.dll instead of a plug-in.

	[http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=550510&st=90&p=588761121&#entry588761121 Games Explorer Manager] For someone who doesn't need to build an installer. Allows user to add any program or game currently installed into the Games Explorer.		[http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=550510&st=90&p=588761121&#entry588761121 Games Explorer Manager] ([http://www.extensiblesoft.com/gamex/GameExplorerManager10beta6.zip Direct Download]) For someone who doesn't need to build an installer. Allows user to add any program or game currently installed into the Games Explorer.

	[http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=270878 Original forum discussion]		[http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=270878 Original forum discussion]

	[[Category:Plugins]]		[[Category:Plugins]]

Sag47: /* See Also */

2007-08-16T21:08:00Z

See Also

â† Older revision		Revision as of 21:08, 16 August 2007
Line 226:		Line 226:
	==See Also==		==See Also==
	[[Game_explorer]] An alternative method for registering with Games Explorer. It uses System.dll instead of a plug-in.		[[Game_explorer]] An alternative method for registering with Games Explorer. It uses System.dll instead of a plug-in.

			[http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=550510&st=90&p=588761121&#entry588761121 Games Explorer Manager] For someone who doesn't need to build an installer. Allows user to add any program or game currently installed into the Games Explorer.

	[http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=270878 Original forum discussion]		[http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=270878 Original forum discussion]

	[[Category:Plugins]]		[[Category:Plugins]]

38.112.120.106: /* TODO */

2007-08-03T04:15:23Z

TODO

â† Older revision		Revision as of 04:15, 3 August 2007
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	==TODO==		==TODO==
	The one feature that I plan to add to Games.dll <promo>for our next game,		* The one feature that I plan to add to Games.dll <promo>for our next game,
	[http://www.ldagames.com/hegemony Hegemony: Philip of Macedon]</promo> is support for a save games folder.		[http://www.ldagames.com/hegemony Hegemony: Philip of Macedon]</promo> is support for a save games folder.
	Microsoft wants all games for Vista to include a file extension for their saved		Microsoft wants all games for Vista to include a file extension for their saved
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	right-click on the game and select "Saved Games" to open a folder that will show		right-click on the game and select "Saved Games" to open a folder that will show
	your saved games.		your saved games.

			Currently, the plugin doesn't support UTF-16, which is a problem, because Microsoft's GDF tool seems to export in this format. The solution for now is to convert it to UTF-8 (and don't forget to update your <?xml?> tag as well).

	==Links==		==Links==

38.112.120.106: /* The Games::registerGame function in detail */

2007-08-03T01:22:54Z

The Games::registerGame function in detail

â† Older revision		Revision as of 01:22, 3 August 2007
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	"0" if there was an error,		"0" if there was an error,
	"1" if everything was successful, but the target machine isn't Vista,		"" if everything was successful, but the target machine isn't Vista,
	or it will be the location of your game's "Tasks" folder. See [[#Tasks Folder\|Tasks Folder]]		or it will be the location of your game's "Tasks" folder. See [[#Tasks Folder\|Tasks Folder]]
	for more information on setting up your tasks.		for more information on setting up your tasks.

Skorpion: /* Using MCEWrapper */ Some more insight after testing on XP

2007-05-10T06:38:15Z

Using MCEWrapper: Some more insight after testing on XP

â† Older revision		Revision as of 06:38, 10 May 2007
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	;Media Center doesn't re-launch after your game exits.		;Media Center doesn't re-launch after your game exits.
	:When your game exits, it's your job to relaunch Media Center. ~~You can~~ do that ~~by running~~ the following ~~code~~:		:When your game exits, it's your job to relaunch Media Center. There's two ways to do that. [http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms977646.aspx The official docs] suggest that you should execute "%systemroot%\ehome\ehshell.exe" on exit. This works, but make sure you only do it if you know you're being launched from Media Center.

			:Aaron Stebner, the Program Manager for Media Center, has also [http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2007/01/07/mailbag-how-to-launch-an-exe-from-within-windows-media-center.aspx suggested] that you can use code such as the following:

	HWND hwndMCE = FindWindow(_T("eHome Render Window"), NULL);		HWND hwndMCE = FindWindow(_T("eHome Render Window"), NULL);
	if(hwndMCE)		if(hwndMCE)
	ShowWindow(hwndMCE, SW_RESTORE);		ShowWindow(hwndMCE, SW_RESTORE);

			:This is safer if you don't know whether or not your game was launched from Media Center, but unfortunately the XP version of Media Center doesn't go back to full-screen mode using this approach, so it's really Vista-only.

			:Neither solution is particularly elegant, Microsoft. In fact, it would have been awfully nice if we didn't have to do it at all!

	:MCEWrapper will automatically do this. I've set this up so it will even work if your game launches multiple applications (like a launcher and then your game) by using job objects (see CreateJobObject in MSDN), but this isn't tested yet. [mailto:rick@ldagames.com Any reports will be appreciated!]		:MCEWrapper will automatically do this. I've set this up so it will even work if your game launches multiple applications (like a launcher and then your game) by using job objects (see CreateJobObject in MSDN), but this isn't tested yet. [mailto:rick@ldagames.com Any reports will be appreciated!]

Skorpion: /* Tips for other programmers trying to write this themselves */ Discoveries while testing on XP.

2007-05-10T06:29:57Z

Tips for other programmers trying to write this themselves: Discoveries while testing on XP.

â† Older revision		Revision as of 06:29, 10 May 2007
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	if you use the same GDF everywhere, as long as you don't need multiple entry		if you use the same GDF everywhere, as long as you don't need multiple entry
	points in Media Center (in which case it's obvious that you need multiple		points in Media Center (in which case it's obvious that you need multiple
	GUIDs).		GUIDs). Oh, and for backwards compatability with Windows XP, don't forget to
			register yourself in the "Services\More Programs" category, because I haven't
			found a way to let Windows XP Media Center see the Games service.

	Finally, this isn't really poorly documented, but it may be easy to overlook.		Finally, this isn't really poorly documented, but it may be easy to overlook.
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	whenever the registry functions call for a samDesired parameter, to make sure		whenever the registry functions call for a samDesired parameter, to make sure
	that you write the variable in the 64-bit registry, if there is one (it will		that you write the variable in the 64-bit registry, if there is one (it will
	write it in the 32-bit registry if there isn't). Actually, this is another		write it in the 32-bit registry if there isn't). The annoying part here is
	thing I haven't tested, since I don't have a 64-bit version of Windows. If you		that you can't use KEY_WOW64_64KEY with RegKeyDelete, and RegKeyDeleteEx is
	test it, [mailto:rick@ldagames.com let me know!]		only available on XP64 or Vista, so you have to manually LoadLibrary() and
			GetProcAddress(). Actually, this is another thing I haven't tested, since I
			don't have a 64-bit version of Windows. If you test it, [mailto:rick@ldagames.com let me know!]

	==TODO==		==TODO==

Skorpion: /* Links */

2007-05-10T06:16:44Z

Links

â† Older revision		Revision as of 06:16, 10 May 2007
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	==Links==		==Links==
	[http://www.ldagames.com Longbow Digital Arts (shameless self-promo)]		[http://www.ldagames.com Longbow Digital Arts (shameless self-promo)]

			[http://www.grinninglizard.com/tinyxml/index.html Tiny XML] This project uses TinyXML to parse the GDF file, as well as using their TiXmlString class to keep the binary small.

	[http://msdn.microsoft.com/mce Developer information for working with Media Center]		[http://msdn.microsoft.com/mce Developer information for working with Media Center]