[APPLICATION] Chankast Launch v1.3

[headkaze]

Chankast Launch v1.3 - By Headkaze

==================================

-: DESCRIPTION :-

This is a wrapper for the Dreamcast emulator Chankast (http://www.chanka.org). It works with all versions of Chankast, even those that are not designed for full screen mode. It is also written in C++ and is only 72k in size.

The purpose of this program is to launch a game in full screen mode so you can play it like an ordinary game without worrying about manually mounting images.

It now has an exit key option so you can quit Chankast easily.

-: INSTRUCTIONS :-

Drop chankcast_launch.exe into the same dir as chankast. Create a shortcut to it for each game. Right click on the shortcut and select properties. Edit the properties so it will launch the game as desired.

Eg. "C:\chankast\chankast_launch.exe" -fullscreen -cpu 108 -showstats -daemon "C:\Program Files\D-Tools\daemon.exe" 0 "D:\Dreamcast\image.cdi"

NOTE: I use DAEMON Tools 4.0 (http://www.daemon-tools.cc)

* To remove "Secure mode confirmation" dialog, go to Daemon Tools->Options->Secure mode to turn it off

* To remove "Unable to mount image. Device x has outstanding open handles." use the new -unmount option.

-: VERSION HISTORY :-

Version 1.3 Added exit key, no auto start, unmount image

Version 1.2 Added bin loading, -forcefull can now be used with -screen option to change resolution, forced delay to give Daemon Tools more time to mount the image, added region change

Version 1.1 Added -forcefull for versions < 0.25

Version 1.0 First Release

-: COMMAND LINE OPTIONS :-

USAGE: chankcast_launch.exe -options

options:

-chankast exe Chankast exe (Chankast_alpha_25.exe default)

-file bin Filename of iso/bin to load

-drive letter Set default drive letter

-screen 640x480|800x600|1024x768|1280x1024 Video Mode

-fullscreen Full Screen Mode

-forcefull Force Full Screen Mode (for versions < 0.25)

Can be used with the -screen switch to change resolution

-cpu value CPU Speed (100% default)

-priority normal|high Priority

-zwrite ZWrite

-zwritealpha AplhaTest ZWrite

-capcomhack Capcom Hack

-vga Cable Type to VGA

-ntsc Cable Type to NTSC

-showstats Show Stats

-daemon exe device iso Deamon Tools exe (full path "in quotes"),

device number, and ISO (full path "in quotes")

-unmount Unmount image on exit

-region jap|usa|euro Set region of DC flash file

-delay secs Delay in seconds for Deamon Tools to mount image (default 5 secs)

-exit ascii Define ascii key for exit (Default 27, ESC key)

-nostart No auto start

-help Displays this Message Box

chankast_launch.zip

[Tom Speirs]

Thanks for all the contributions Headkaze. Should be useful to a lot of folks.

Cheers,

Tom

[emphatic]

Thanks for this Headkaze, it works beautifully. But I can't get it to launch the games properly from inside GameEx. If I start GameEx with NO CD image mounted in Daemon Tools, and then launch one of the shortcuts that I've created, Chankast can't find the disc. So it seems that GameEx won't let Daemon Tools mount the image.

Doesn't it work anymore with newer GameEx versions? Have you tried running Chankast Loader yourself inside of GameEx lately?

Btw, the DreamCast games really are wonderful. Now if anyone could just add a config for one of the Sega Saturn emu's out there...

Emph

[Lorecarver]

Now if anyone could just add a config for one of the Sega Saturn emu's out there...

Emph

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I might be able to help you out on this one, I will Upload my config for my Sega Saturn Cassini Emulator in the User Configs area. Along with it will be all the ".bat" & Autoit files I use to run the emulator. I used Autoit script files to start the emulator so I could have the program launch and set everything up it's self.

Fenwick

[headkaze]

Thanks for this Headkaze, it works beautifully. But I can't get it to launch the games properly from inside GameEx. If I start GameEx with NO CD image mounted in Daemon Tools, and then launch one of the shortcuts that I've created, Chankast can't find the disc. So it seems that GameEx won't let Daemon Tools mount the image.

Doesn't it work anymore with newer GameEx versions? Have you tried running Chankast Loader yourself inside of GameEx lately?

It works fine for me in the new versions. Perhaps you need to give it more time for it to mount the image (-delay parameter). Also, I use Daemon Tools 4 with the -unmount option, and it seems to work fine. You shouldn't have to have an image already mounted for it to work, but I'm guessing it's not getting enough time to mount. After you run chankast launch, is the image mounted or not? Also, I try to get all my stuff working from the shell (outside the front-end) before I attempt to get it to work in GameEx. Does it work outside GameEx?

[emphatic]

Headkaze: It works just fine outside of GameEx. It loads the game, mounting it and all, and when I launch another shortcut, it just mounts that game, just like it should.

How do I use the -unmount parameter? Where in the command line do I add it? And could you specify also how to delay the loading in GameEx? Thanks a lot!

Lorecarver: Looking forward to that config!

Emph

[emphatic]

So, just so you know, it still ain't working for me. How do you delay the load so Daemontools gets to finish the mounting? Or should I just keep my images mounted all the time and set different drive id's for each game?

It just feels stupid as I know that it works for others.

Edit: I use Daemontools 4.03 btw.

Edit 2: This is what a typical command line looks like for me:

D:\Chankast\chankast_launch.exe -screen 800x600 -fullscreen -cpu 108 -showstats -unmount -daemon "C:\Program\Tillbehör\DAEMON Tools\daemon.exe" 0 "D:\Chankast\games\JFM-BORDER.cdi"

I don't quite understand where it's optimal to put all the commands that I need. I tried to use -delay 10 but that did nothing but delay everything. My problem is that when I'm running this from inside GameEx, the Daemontool option just won't execute.

When I tried this yesterday, I had Daemontools running with an image mounted all the time because I didn't understand how to use the -unmount command. That's why I got the game that was currently working running each time. It's like Chankast Launch can't communicate with Daemontools from inside GameEx on my system or something.

I will now try to use the "run before" (or whatever it's called) option for Daemontools.

Emph

[headkaze]

So, just so you know, it still ain't working for me. How do you delay the load so Daemontools gets to finish the mounting? Or should I just keep my images mounted all the time and set different drive id's for each game?

It just feels stupid as I know that it works for others. 

Edit: I use Daemontools 4.03 btw.

Emph

You can place the command line switches in any order you like, so adding -unmount on the end will be fine. Unmount was added because DT4+ can complain about images being "in use" when you try to mount again. The -delay parameter is followed by the number of seconds to wait for the image to mount. The default is 5 seconds, so you could try -delay 10 or something and see if that helps. After you try that, and it still dosn't work, please post your *.lnk to chankast's command line (I'm assuming your using shortcuts along with my config example from the "user submitted configs" thead). Also, what do you mean by "not working" exactly. Does it just return to GameEx menu, or does it load Chankast but go to the CD audio player menu, or what?

[emphatic]

Hi, thanks for responding. When I write "not working" it goes to the cd player.

See the edited post above yours for command line.

Edit: I don't use .iso files, I use .cdi files. Guess it doesn't matter, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

Edit2: Installed Daemon Tools 4.00 instead of .03. Still only gets me to the the Dreamcast interface where "play" tells me I don't have a disc loaded.

Edit3: I now have a workaround this. I mount all my games (I only have three games that I play, so Daemon Tools mounting capacity is sufficient) manually and use the "-drive [letter]" option in Chankast Launch for each shortcut. So if game A is drive J: i add that -drive J option in that shortcut.

Well, until I get some REAL answers this will have to do.

Emph

[headkaze]

Your getting the "CD Player" because it's not mounting the image in time (or at all) or the game isn't self bootable. Did you try the "-delay 10" option or other number to give Daemon Tools longer time to mount the image before it launches Chankast? I really think this is the problem.

EDIT: I tried installing Daemon Tools v4.0.3, and it crashes Chankast with or without using chankast_launch. I uninstalled DT 4.0.3 and re-installed DT 4.0 (had to reboot after that else it still won't work), then Chankast works again.

[emphatic]

This is insane! Now I have installed 4.00 instead of 4.03 and now Daemon Tools won't mount my images from Chankast Launch. Everything went fine when I had first installed it, but then I saw in you post that a reboot was needed and that's what made it NOT work for me.

It feels like there's something mystical going on here. Perharps we should call Scooby Doo and his gang to find out what?

I'm going back to my workaround for now. Because THAT still works.

Emph

[headkaze]

Bummer! The only thing I could suggest is to uninstall DT, reboot then install again, reboot, and see if it works then.

Scooby Doo where are you?

[emphatic]

The only thing I could suggest is to uninstall DT, reboot then install again, reboot, and see if it works then.

I will try that later tonight when my family is asleep.

Emph

[emugamer]

Been reading through the replies here and I have a question. I am also able to get the wrapper to work outside of GamEx. Works great!! I would like to get it to run through GamEx, but I'm not sure how to begin. Should I be tinkering in the configuration "External Application" section? - or the "Emulator" section? GamEx won't be pointing directly to Chankast - it seems like it would be pointing to the wrapper.

[headkaze]

Check out my post in the user submitted config topic pinned in the forums. I have an example config pasted in their.

[emugamer]

Check out my post in the user submitted config topic pinned in the forums. I have an example config pasted in their.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perfect!! Makes so much sense. Works great!!! Thanks a bunch!!

[emugamer]

Sorry to revisit this, but I was wondering if it was at all possible through GamEx to mount a DC boot image, then unmount when DC emu has booted and mount a non-self boot game image (using a similar command shortcut previously written by headkaze)

Or maybe always have the boot image mounted and then mount the game through gamex and on exit, unmount the game and re-mount the boot image.

Just curious...... - is it worth the effort?

[night]

sorry to dig up an old tread but i have been trying to get the launcher to work flawlessly but there is a problem i cant get solved the launcher works fine it starts the game as it should and i have used some of the flags to get things like fullscreen/cpu overclock/delay ect. ect. All that are really working well

but the problem are when i hit the escape key sometimes when it goes back to GameEx the Chankast emulator isnt shut down and running in the background while GameEx are running as well its only 2 times out of 10 but i cant seem to fix it ...

Any suggestions ??

[lingpanda]

sorry to dig up an old tread but i have been trying to get the launcher to work flawlessly but there is a problem i cant get solved the launcher works fine it starts the game as it should and i have used some of the flags to get things like fullscreen/cpu overclock/delay ect. ect. All that are really working well

but the problem are when i hit the escape key sometimes when it goes back to GameEx the Chankast emulator isnt shut down and running in the background while GameEx are running as well its only 2 times out of 10 but i cant seem to fix it ...

Any suggestions ??

Bump not only for night's problem but HeadKaze could you do something with alcohol 120% in place of Daemon Tools?

[lingpanda]

Bump not only for night's problem but HeadKaze could you do something with alcohol 120% in place of Daemon Tools?

Actually I just found a wrapper that will use alcohol 120%. Ive attached it to this post.

chankast_wrapper2.5d.zip

[smalltownguy]

Headkaze, I've recently started a build using XP 64bit. I can't seem to find a 64 bit version of daemon tools. I can install Daemon tools lite, but I'm not sure the syntax of the program launcher is talking correctly. I can't seem to get it to load disc images.

I've been able to use another wrapper to launch nulldc with alcohol 120, but it's not my favorite solution - it's not clean. Your wrapper does the best job launching chankast in a clean boot without cursors, menus, etc.

Have you ever tried this on a 64bit setup?

[headkaze]

My dev machine is 64-bit so it should work. I have Daemon Tools installed also. I would just download it and install, it probably has both 32 and 64 bit versions built into the installer.

[Draco1962]

Are there many that write programs for XP 64-bit? I know that many do not when there are drivers involved - virtual or otherwise just because there was so little support for it.

[Adultery]

In many cases no, but most programs run on 64-bit machines regardless. I'm pretty sure DT Lite can run on both, as HK said the installer decides for you I'm pretty sure.

[headkaze]

When I developed chankast_launch I was running XP 64