How to edit game, emulators and apps entries/list ?

[technoob]

Recently I've installed an emulator that couldn't be placed in F: partition (not enough space), so I placed it in E: partition (I know, unproper, it should be for savegames). It runs ok, but only from File Explorer. How can I edit it so it appears on the emulators list (basically how to create a link) ? Of course, can this be done with other games and apps? Will it work both on Evox dash and others (UnleashX, Avalaunch and XBMC) in the same way ?

Edited January 3, 2023 by technoob

[KaosEngineer]

Each replacement dashboard has its own configuration file to add directories to be scanned to look for an app's/game's default.xbe file one level subdirectory below the set path entries. When a default.xbe file is found, an entry for it is added to the menu.

For UnleashX, the paths to scan for the various menus is found in the file config.xml; for evoxdash, evox.ini; and XBMC4Xbox well you add additional sources to one of menu item entries ( e.g., Programs > Games) by going into the context sensitive menu after selecting that menu item.  Press the Start, Black or White button to open the pop-up context sensitive menu to add Source paths. 

For example in Evoxdash's evox.ini file, find the [Menu] configuration region of the file. Locate the menu Sections for Games and Apps.  You can add additional paths which are scanned for subfolders one-level below the set folder's location.  Each subfolder that has a default.xbe file gets an entry added to the menu.  The name automatically added is obtained from the internal TitleName (stored in the header of the default.xbe file itself. (See: .XBE File Format (caustik.com) for more information of the data stored in the XBE file's header.)

[Menu]

Section "Root"
{
	Item "Launch DVD",ID_Launch_DVD
	Item "Trainers",ID_trainer
	Item "MS Dashboard",ID_MS_Dash
	Item "Reboot",ID_Quick_Reboot
#	Item "Power Cycle",ID_Full_Reboot
	Item "Power Off",ID_Power_Off
#	Item "Lock Harddisk",@210
#	Item "Unlock Harddisk",@211
	Section "System Utils"
	{
		Item "Settings",ID_Settings
		Item "Flash BIOS",ID_Flash_Bios
		Item "Backup",ID_Backup
		Item "Skins",ID_Skins
	}
	Section  "Launch Menu"
	{
 		Section "Games"
		{
			AutoAddItem "e:\games\"
			AutoAddItem "f:\games\"
			SortAll
		}
		Section "Apps"
		{
			AutoAddItem "e:\apps\"
 			AutoAddItem "f:\apps\"
			SortAll
		}
	}
}

Note: Lines that have a # character in the first position are commented out/skipped when setting up the menu entries.

 

Edit: I need to verify which button to actually press for XBMC4Xbox to open the menu where you add Source paths.

[technoob]

So basically under section emulators (or games, apps, etc...) I have to add the line

item "e:\customapp\default.xbe"

with "customapp" being the interested game
?

Edited January 3, 2023 by technoob

[prtscn]

For XBMC, you simply create Emulators folder in E: partition. Mostly it has default source path preconfigured.

XBMC (dahsboard folder)/userdata/sources.xml

path for emulators may look like this:

 <source>
            <name>Emulators</name>
            <path pathversion="1">E:\Emulators\</path>
            <path pathversion="1">F:\Emulators\</path>
            <path pathversion="1">G:\Emulators\</path>
 </source>

In my case, all possible paritions were preconfigured, only emulators folder is required to be present in specified partition.

Every dashboard uses different configs, so it's not universal, you may need to add path manually.

So you make a Emulators folder, and for each dashboard you create path for that folder.

[HDShadow]

It is quite simple for all of the dashboards you specify.

For EvoX KaosEngineer has described the method perfectly and for other dashboards there are similar methods which basically just add an F:\ and G:\ path configuration to what should already be the default E:\ path.

However with an "Emulators" named folder not all dash versions include E:\Emulators even by default. You have to create the actual folder on any or all of the drives ie. it does no matter if you have them on all or just one or two.

But you then have to check the dash configuration file to see if the path exists and if not add it.

As KE describes you edit the evox.ini for an EvoX main dash.

For UnleashX you edit the config.xml. The syntax used can easily be understood from looking at whatever other entries are already there, like "Games":-

<List Text="Games" Sort="On" Auto="On">
			<Path>E:\Games</Path>
			<Path>F:\Games</Path>
			<Path>G:\Games</Path>
</List>

You just change "Games" to "Emulators"  or whatever the containing folder is called.

BTW make certain you use that </List> at the end of the new Emulators insertion. If you miss it you find your main menu listing will be messed up.

For XBMC (refer to prtscan's new post ^) : once the Emulators folder location has been created you just need to go to the main Programs menu and use the WHITE button context menu to bring up Add Source. It is pretty much self explanatory from then on - you just add the path or paths to the folder(s) location(s) and save.

Avalaunch has its own XML configuration file which looks more complicated than it actually is because it contains tutorial elements which make what the actual 'active' entries are less clear. But thankfully the Emulators section is usually already set up so if it doesn't include an E:\ path already you can add it. Again the syntax, in this case, is simple to understand:-

<list presetname="Emulators">
				<path>
					E:\Emulators
				</path>
				<path>
					F:\Emulators
				</path>
			</list>

As said with all dashboards you can have the same folder name on E:\ and/or F:\ and/or G:\. In all cases as long as the location path is included every Emulators' folders' contents will be listed as one under you main dash "Emulators" menu whatever the main dash or dash as app you're using.

My advice, as always, when doing something like this, is to back up the original configuration file before editing the copy. Once done try it out on a mirror or test copy the dash installed as an app.

With XBMC its not so important, because messing up an Add Source entry doesn't effect the main menu or other dashboard functions. But when editing any other main dashboard's configuration file it is recommended practice.            

   

Edited January 3, 2023 by HDShadow

[KaosEngineer]

1 hour ago, technoob said:

So basically under section emulators (or games, apps, etc...) I have to add the line

item "e:\customapp\default.xbe"

with "customapp" being the interested game
?

The format is a bit different than how you have written it:

item "<Name to display in menu>","<Full path to the .XBE file to run for this menu item>"

Note: The XBE file (XBox Executable) for a manually entered menu item does not have to be named default .xbe.  default.xbe is the name the Xbox's kernel looks for when a game disc is loaded into the DVD drive to play it.  This naming convention was carried over to replacement dashboards when they scan for files stored on the hard drive to automatically add entries to the Games/Apps/Emulators menus as set in its configuration file.  For Evoxdash, the configuration file is evox.ini and the menu configuration is found in the [Menu] Section {}(s) of the file.

Edit: Take a look at the following forum thread for a repost of documentation on using the Evolution-X dashboard:

• evox for dummies @ FileForums.com

For configuration information, start in the 3rd post, Part 4 of the document, and continue reading to the end of the thread.

[technoob]

thank you all very much, that guide will surely be helpful for further settings,  I'll try editing the config files a mentioned. 

[bugmenot]

Thanks very interesting post