[PLUGIN] Game Info Plugin

[stigzler]

Wow!! Looking forward to getting stuck into this.. fantastic as ever, Mr Adultery, Sir.

btw - I'm now getting seriously into coding and "fing" creation (doing a mutli-emulator PSX launcher) and it's given me a new-found appreciation for just how hard coding is! It's the most pedantic and infuriating yet deeply satisfying and elating thing I've done so far in this god-forsaken () hobby. So - much admiration and respect for the amazing amount of hard work and time you put into yer wares, Mr A.

[Adultery]

It's a love/hate relationship really.

I try to keep multiple projects going at once so I don't get bored.

[stigzler]

Just to register that this is top of my list to do when get back to other gameex projects. However, atm, working every minute on this other thing I'm doing. I want it finished and have my life and some decent sleep back!

GameInfo is a pet fave of mine - think it's the two monitor setup thing. btw... dynamic images?

[Adultery]

Well not to drop any insider info but...

I plan to support the layer method I use for the tagger, just have to port the class over.

Also planning to add video snap support and a fullscreen monitor mode for those fortunate enough to have a digital marquee/additional monitor/etc.

Lots of other things in front of that though, I just did a complete overhaul of the variable system (and added some additional ones GameEx doesn't currently support) so I need to update several plugins that use command line flags.

In other words, you have plenty of time.

[stigzler]

That does sound amazingly awesome. Oh for an LCD Marquee.... imagine it - Video Marquees.

Great job.

[Draco1962]

Or a DMD for a cab marquee..

[stigzler]

Just checked it out and much to my surprise - my GameTag popped up on my second monitor! Seemed to hang around a bit then pootle off somewhere.

Did have a quick look at the theme creator, but didn't dare dive in in a rush - I'm guessing it's essentially a GUI for populating the xml file? Looks like it was comprehensively done!

Most definitely looking forward to the GameTagger-esque layered system! Big dev logos on my second monitor! Can't wait.

Great work as ever.

[Adultery]

Well this plugin just underwent an 18-hour coding overhaul!

In a nutshell this was long overdue for an update (I think it was like October since last I put out an update) and a re-write in many places, so I set out to do just that around noon yesterday CST. So it's ready and I need to get to bed, I have to do some mandatory work OT tomorrow morning so I thought I was in a pretty solid stopping place. It should be noted that on the download page in the portal you can now get both the lite version and the full version if you want all the themes too. I also left 1.2.7 in case something wonky went down with the upgrade. I need to update the snapshots too, they're pretty outdated.
Anyhow, this isn't an all-encompasing list, there's so many changes I can't remember them all. But here's the news:

Version 1.2.8 is available!

• Updated all code bases to their most recent versions
• Quite a large amount of optimizing
• Brand new display handler to improve efficiency
• Moved HiScore checks to new DracLabs API
• Added game marquee to Hi-Score list
• Added emulator INI parsing for new features
• Extender Viewer now looks to GameEx's GameExtender Art Path for the emulator first, which looks really nice if you set that path to 'Backgrounds' from EmuMovies!
  In order of search:
  • Emulator's GameExtender Art Path
  • If MAME, the marquee path
  • Title path
  • Snap path
• This supports either a directory or a single file the same way GameEx does
• Lots of exception handling was added to keep Game Info running consistantly and smoothly no maatter how long you run it
• Huge efficiency tweak to the Last.FM code to both speed things up and improve accuracy
• Many other improvements too numerous to remember

You can access it from the usual places. Thanks!

[Adultery]

Theis plugin has been updated to 1.3.1!

• Fixed a couple minor bugs that were only seen in Windows 10
• Fixed a bug where GameExtender wasn't properly restoring after a game
• Optimized GameEx Integrated Services display code (ie Steam, UPlay, GX Arcade, Daphne, MAME, etc)
• Added a setting to leave your Game Tagger tag displayed while playing a game
• Optimized a lot of 'old' code
• Fixed a couple bugs in the displays
• Updated base code to most recent versions
• Many other changes and optimizations I forgot to mention

Use the new GameEx Reporitory or the Setup Wizard to get your download on quick and easy like, or get it at the usual places.

[Krakerman]

Updated from within the Repository Mgr but when you look at the Installed plugins version it still list it as 1.2.8 after installing the plugin thou it is the correct version. Also after installing it is still listed under the Updates tab.

[Adultery]

I'm not sure why that would be, I'll poke the big guy about it.

[Krakerman]

Find anything out?

[Adultery]

I have to test something Ben left me, I'll get back to you. Haven't had time.

[Krakerman]

know that feeling .... Thanks

[noiseprisoner]

Just hooked up a 2nd monitor and enabled GameExtender and this plugin...freaking awesome! Nice job.

[Adultery]

Hey Krak, this won't show an updated version is available until you download it once through the repository manager. If the plugin was in there before it won't show on that screen until you've installed it once via the available tab. Then when updates come out it will be there like it should.

Probably want to download all plugins again through here so in the future they work as expected.

[Krakerman]

I did as you said and it does just as I explained. Going to manually install it now.

Manually installing it doesn't change either still reports as 1.2.8 as being installed. Ok even after deleting the plugin and re-installing reports it as 1.2.8. even thou it said it was 1.3.1

[Adultery]

If it's not working, could you provide some snaps for me to send back up the ladder?

I'll try and reproduce this tomorrow morning, for all day to work on it and I'll be playing Getaway II on Pinball Arcade anyhow. Sorry to make ya wait.

[Krakerman]

I even used the Plugin Downloader program and it reports that it is 1.2.8

See it list it as 1.2.8 but when I config the plugin it says 1.3.1???

[Adultery]

Hmm, that's certainly unusual! I wonder if it was my build? Hang tight, this may be something I did.

[Adultery]

Hi Krak, unfortunately it's showing as the proper version for me...

[Krakerman]

Strange thing is 1.3.1 is installed it's that the Repository Manager seems to think it's not. The information tab listed as 1.3.1 just not in the Updates and Installed List.

[Krakerman]

Ok so what I did I went into the RepositoryList config and manually changed the version to 1.3.1 and now it is working and no longer showing an available update.

So for whatever reason when I installed the latest update it will not change the version number in the RepositoryList config.

[Adultery]

Gotcha, I'll ping it back to Ben.

[Adultery]

Updated to 1.3.2

• Added new Extender Viewer Menu Mode!
  • Now can fully replace GameExtender on your 2nd monitor
  • Fast display updates when you select new page. No more waiting!
  • Tied into several menu changes
  • Displays Game Titles or Game Snaps
  • Uses your 'Attract Marquee' in your theme for the main page
• Added options to set black backgrounds and stretch images for all three modes (Attract Extender, Menu Extender, Game Extender)
• Lots of bug fixes and code optimizations

So the big addition here is the Menu Extender Viewer... Much like GameExtender you can now show images on your 2nd monitor with a little flexibility. The update is within a second so you'll notice the change right away when you select a new menu. If you look at the game info page for any game, the title snap or in-game snap is shown on the 2nd monitor (if available). The main images come from your selected GameEx theme first and the default GameEx theme if not found. Selecting emulators shows your theme's emulator logo as is set in your GameEx emulator settings. I am still looking at adding other menu change events so I may add some more triggers in the future. I think that's about it really.

Make sure you enable any or all of the three Extender Viewers and options in the Plugin Configuration > More > Extender Viewer section of the plugin configuration (as Menu Extender, Attract Extender and Game Extender are all set up and configured individually now).

I love GameExtender, don't get me wrong, and I of course encourage it if it suits your needs. But I thought it might be a little more efficient to just use something internal since I'm not looking at the stats on a server or anything. Please have a go and let me know what you think.