[Release][Launcher]PsyROSE Launcher

[iSPR]

firstly, i would like to apologize as this launcher is not open source as PsychoROSE is still using it. I would most probably release it when i make a v3 for PsychoROSE (this launcher is v2).

Okay, so how do i change it for my server!!!!!!!

well, you edit everything in a config file (.ini)
the best thing about this is that it is skinnable! and it requires no knowledge of VB to edit =D
even your users may skin it :D




The download link is below

Okay, first of all you need to do download the launcher and place it all in your ROSE Dir
Now, go LauncherFiles and open up launcher.ini with NotePad

You should see this:

[Launcher]
Width = 600
Height = 400
NewsURL = "News URL"
VoteURL = "Vote URL"
LauncherName = "W/E Launcher"

[Buttons]
launchbtnw = 100
launchbtnh = 25
votebtnw = 100
votebtnh = 25
closebtnw = 100
closebtnh = 25

[Music]
BGMplay = false
BGMname = 

[Server]
IPAdd = "Server IP Add"

[Update]
getVersionURL = "EXPLAINED BELOW"
UpdateZip = "EXPLAINED BELOW"

First of all make a web page, with your news and stuff and publish it into the internet
then, copy and paste the link in NewsURL = "YOUR LINK HERE"
Your news URL page must not be more than 530x204

Now, make another one but this time make a navigation bar or w/e that links to the voting page and again, publish it into your website
and again, copy paste the link in VoteURL = "Your LINK HERE"

Now, in LauncherName, Type your Launcher Name like PsychoROSE Launcher (This will be in the about box)

You don't need to care about the buttons section (its for advanced skinning =o)

in BGMPlay, set to "true" without the quotes. (If you want your launcher to play a music) else, put false
in BGMName(ONLY IF YOU SET BGMPLAY TO TRUE), type in your music file name (NOT PATH!) with the exact name and with the .wav extension (yes, the launcher only plays .wav file)
Now, paste your music into the LauncherFiles folder

Now, the SERVER
In IPAdd, put in your IP Address, no-ip is acceptable and i suggest using no-ip!
if you are putting a no-ip address, make sure you don't put http://

Ok, now the hard part

YOU MUST HOST two files into your web (not a file hoster)

1st file is update.ini and the contents of update.ini should be

1

Okay, 1 is your update version, so if there is any update, just replace the update.ini in your webspace
but this time increase that number by one. So 1 + 1 = 2 (<< for a person who don't know maths :D)
getting back to the .ini files
replace getVersionURL to the update.ini link . Example

getUpdateURL = http://www.myweb.com/update.ini

Now, the next file to upload to your web space is

update.zip

This is the most important file for update!
In the ZIP File, put in your update files, (If you have any)
don't worry about overwriting, the files would get overwritten
eventhough you don't have any update files, please host it! if not the launcher will crash!
Now, back to the .ini
in updateZIP, put in your update.zip link. Example :

UpdateZip = http://www.myweb.com/update.zip

Ok, were done editing the .ini files =\

Now the only thing left to do is skin the launcher!
You wouldn't want to be using my background for your rose right =]

I wrote a tutorial on how to skin the launcher in PsychoROSE

Editing image files AKA Skinning

Editing Button Files

in LauncherFiles, you will see close.png, closehover.png and the other buttons too.

These are the button files

close is during Normal State (means mouse is not over the button)

and hover is during Hover State (means mouse is over the button)

How to Edit?

Just use photoshop or something else and edit the button!
Don't worry, transparency is supported
Save as the exact file name or else your button wouldn't show up.

Editing Background

Editing Background? Easy!

Use any size you want that does not exceed 700x700
Make your own background and save it in LauncherFiles with the filename
Launcher.png
Now, go in the launcher, you will see your background but if your bg size is not 600x400 it will look incomplete
so, press the O button at the bottom left hand corner
You will see a numeric up down
Change the first one to the width of your background and second one to height
Press Done and Voila!

Editing Other Files

Music

You can play your own music in the launcher
Again, goto launcher files and paste your music there (ONLY .WAV FILES)
Find a .wav converted. There are plenty out there some even free
Open the launcher, click O again
and enter your musicname in the text box with the file extension (.wav)
Restart launcher and youre done!


FAQ

Q: Where is LauncherFiles
A: Its a folder located at the same location of the launcher, which is in ROSE Folder

Q: Why .wav?
A: Because making codes for playing .mp3 is hard xD and partly, im lazy

Q: Ok, so how do you convert to a .wav file
A: There are plenty out there. Google is your friend :]

Q: Is there in anyway change the location of the buttons?
A: Sadly, no. It would be too hard to find the exact coordinate in the launcher.

_____________________________

But but but, the .exe file icon is PsychoROSE
Once again, google is your friend
search for ".exe icon changer" and there is a big list there
pick one that is suitable for you ;)

We're done =DD

DOWNLOAD

Sorry, but the file is too big for attachments so i had to use a hosting service ;)

PsyROSELauncherv2.zip

SOURCE:
PsyROSESource.zip

Any errors and i will fix it ASAP ; ]

Ahh, the credits

YES I FOUND THE GUY WHO WROTE THE DOWNLOAD CODDEE!!!!
it was all along in the code >_>
anyway thanks to
'2006 kleinma MSMVP
'vbforum

SharpZibLib.dll (for unzipping files)
Nini.dll (for reading .ini files)
Interop.WMPlib.dll (for playing music)

thats all i guess ;]

[MentaL]

[Chaddie]

Very Nice! Might use in the future :)

[gailfriz]

Lol, how dare you take our launcher and post them here... xD

[xxsmurfxx]

Could you maybe post the source :angel:

[cellcote]

What do i now add to update.zip? Do i just make a folder 3Ddate and putt it in there? Or do i need to put the vfs in it or the things that need to be in the vfs?

And how does the news file look like?

[Lolkereltje]

Very nice!

[iSPR]

What do i now add to update.zip? Do i just make a folder 3Ddate and putt it in there? Or do i need to put the vfs in it or the things that need to be in the vfs?

And how does the news file look like?

the content of update.zip is your update files...
host the update.zip into your web and just copy and paste the link into the launcher.ini under updateZip

[cellcote]

Ok, I got the update working. Is there any way to change the news, and do I need to upload my full 3ddate.vfs in there, or is there something for it?

[☠RockAngeL☠]

Just AWesome Launcher !!

[Akai]

Did you make this with Visual Basic or C++? Either way, would you mind sending me your Auto Update code?

Very nice job.

[gailfriz]

He did this with Visual Basic

[iSPR]

Did you make this with Visual Basic or C++? Either way, would you mind sending me your Auto Update code?

Very nice job.

well first of all, i would like to say that i didn't write the download code >.< but i wrote the auto updater
ill give credits when i can find the guy who wrote the code :p

anyways,the auto update code is just a simple code downloading a .ini file (or .txt file) and checks the number in it... heres the code

Imports System.IO 'Place this at the top most of the code section

Public Class Launcher

Dim currentversion as String

 Private Sub Launcher_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load


        'get the current version
        Dim currentversionini As New StreamReader("update.ini")
        currentversion = currentversionini.ReadLine
        currentversionini.Dispose()
        'Dispose the var to avoid conflict
        ListBox1.Items.Add("Checking for Updates")
        ListBox1.Items.Add("Current version is " & currentversion & "")
        updatechecker.Start()

End Sub

Private Function GetUpdateVersion()
        Try
            If File.Exists("update.ini") Then
                Kill("update.ini")

                _GetUpdateVersion = New WebFileDownloader
                _GetUpdateVersion.DownloadFileWithProgress('URL HERE', "update.ini") 

                Dim newversionini As New StreamReader("update.ini")
                newversion = newversionini.ReadLine
                newversionini.Dispose()
                ListBox1.Items.Add("Update version is " & newversion & "")
                updatechecker2.Start()
            Else

                _GetUpdateVersion = New WebFileDownloader
                _GetUpdateVersion.DownloadFileWithProgress(getVersion, "update.ini")
                Dim newversionini As New StreamReader("update.ini")
                newversion = newversionini.ReadLine
                newversionini.Dispose()
                ListBox1.Items.Add("Update version is " & newversion & "")
                updatechecker2.Start()
            End If

        Catch ex As Exception

            ListBox1.Items.Add("ERROR")
            Dim oFile As IO.File
            Dim oWrite As StreamWriter
            oWrite = oFile.CreateText("update.ini")
            oWrite.WriteLine("FAILED")
            oWrite.Dispose()
            MsgBox("Failed to get update version. Please check your internet connection")
        End Try
    End Function

    Private Sub updatechecker_Tick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles updatechecker.Tick
        GetSettings()
        GetUpdateVersion()
        updatechecker.Stop()
    End Sub

Private Sub updatechecker2_Tick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles updatechecker2.Tick

        If currentversion = newversion Then
            updatedrose = True
            startrose.ImageLocation = progimages & "launch.png"
            ListBox1.Items.Add("No new updates")
            updatechecker2.Stop()
        Else
            If newversion = "" Then
                MsgBox("Failed to get update version. Please check your internet connection")
                updatechecker2.Stop()
            Else
                ListBox1.Items.Add("Downloading Update")
                updatechecker2.Stop()
                DownloadUpdateROSE()
            End If
        End If

    End Sub

[pcprob]

can u send me the complete source plz?

[richardboer]

I got a question, because this launcher is written using Visual Studio 2008, most of the time it requires .NET Framework 3

Is still also needed with this launcher?
(Got vista so .NET Framework 3 is already standard installed :P)

Btw, are you sure you can't release the source?
Because i think in the current state it's not really usefull for servers, because i think a lot of stuff should loaded from different locations.
Think of a different location of the ini file, if you where able too load it from a webhost, it gives you the advantage too edit this for all the players at once. (And who needs that edit box thingie with the sounds)
Also it would look a lot beter if you wouldn't need external picture's but just include those into the .exe or into a .dll file.
That way players can't easily adjust those either.

And for the update.ini that the launcher needs, it would be a lot beter if it wasn't in a .ini file type but just something strange as .qxz or whatever weird extension so that players won't go messing around with it that fast. (And it's possible too change the name too something that looks important for ROSE. Also it gives the advantage too place that ini in a different directory.)

[kiu911]

wow Good Job ..
i have one question .. does this luncher extract files into the VFS or no ? ^^