[RESOLVED] Learning Curve = Really High and for 2 days I cannot make steam work

[nullPointer]

So there's a file in your Steam installation directory called screenshots.vdf. Mine is located under:

.. Steam\userdata\88640038\760\screenshots.vdf

But I'm not sure that location is universal. Basically GameEx uses that file to build steamdata.ini. It actually would be helpful to know if you can find that file in your Steam directory, and if so what it contains. If GameEx can't find that file, there may be something different about your Steam installation.

[slavearm]

No screenshots. But there is a sharedconfig.vdf under 7 which contains a list all my titles and last played.

under steam\userdata\50226191\config\localconfig.vdf contains all the games, friends, etc.

But screenshots.vdf does not exist on either my arcade machine, laptop, or desktop.

[nullPointer]

Oops I neglected to mention something up there. screenshots.vdf is the way GameEx detects the games you've imported into Steam (which totally makes sense why you wouldn't have one). For just regular ol' Steam games check for the following file:

..\Steam\config\config.vdf

I believe it's actually that file that GameEx uses to build the bulk of the list.

If that file is present it may be worth trying the following steps:

Close Steam then rename ..\Steam\config\config.vdf to config.old
Open Steam again and Steam will create a new config.vdf

Then open GameEx to see if anything has changed in the meantime

[slavearm]

Same thing. My steam password has some special characters in it, specifically = [ ] . Wonder if that is causing grief. Also, should I use my steam user name or user id? Username = slavearm, UserID= 48765468522101 or something like that.

[nullPointer]

My Steam pass has all sorts of special chars in it too, so that part shouldn't matter. The login information you enter in GameEx should be whatever you use to actually login to Steam.

But just to clarify, config.vdf is present and it has nodes for each of your games under the "apps" node?

[slavearm]

config.vdf

"InstallConfigStore"
{
"Software"
{
"Valve"
{
"Steam"
{
"SentryFile" "c:\\steam\\ssfn7392940263548280032"
"Accounts"
{
"slavearm"
{
"SteamID" "76561198010491919"
}
}
"CurrentCellID" "64"
"PingTimeForCurrentCellID" "0"
"MTBF" "1749745639"
"cip" "0200000083e76ea712527f390000e095d655"
"CM" "72.165.61.174:27017;72.165.61.174:27018;72.165.61.175:27017;72.165.61.175:27018;72.165.61.176:27017;72.165.61.176:27018;208.64.200.202:27017;208.64.200.202:27018;208.64.200.202:27019;208.64.200.203:27017;208.64.200.203:27018;208.64.200.203:27019;208.64.200.204:27017;208.64.200.204:27018;208.64.200.204:27019;208.64.200.205:27017;208.64.200.205:27018;208.64.200.205:27019;208.64.200.201:27017;208.64.200.201:27018;208.64.200.201:27019;208.64.200.201:27020;72.165.61.185:27017;72.165.61.185:27018;72.165.61.187:27017;72.165.61.187:27018;72.165.61.188:27017;72.165.61.188:27018;146.66.152.12:27017;146.66.152.12:27018;146.66.152.12:27019;146.66.152.13:27017;146.66.152.13:27018;146.66.152.13:27019;146.66.152.14:27017;146.66.152.14:27018;146.66.152.14:27019;146.66.152.15:27017;146.66.152.15:27018;146.66.152.15:27019;81.171.115.34:27017;81.171.115.34:27018;81.171.115.34:27019;81.171.115.35:27017;81.171.115.35:27018;81.171.115.35:27019;81.171.115.36:27017;81.171.115.36:27018;81.171.115.36:27019;81.171.115.37:27017;81.171.115.37:27018;81.171.115.37:27019;209.197.29.196:27017;209.197.29.196:27018;209.197.29.196:27019;209.197.29.197:27017;209.197.29.197:27018;209.197.29.197:27019;103.28.54.10:27017;103.28.54.10:27018;103.28.54.10:27019;103.28.54.11:27017;103.28.54.11:27018;103.28.54.11:27019;208.64.200.137:27017;208.64.200.137:27018;208.64.200.137:27019;208.64.200.137:27020;208.78.164.9:27017;208.78.164.9:27018;208.78.164.9:27019;208.78.164.10:27017;208.78.164.10:27018;208.78.164.10:27019;208.78.164.11:27017;208.78.164.11:27018;208.78.164.11:27019;208.78.164.12:27017;208.78.164.12:27018;208.78.164.12:27019;208.78.164.13:27017;208.78.164.13:27018;208.78.164.13:27019;208.78.164.14:27017;208.78.164.14:27018;208.78.164.14:27019;146.66.152.10:27017;146.66.152.10:27018;146.66.152.10:27019;146.66.152.11:27017;146.66.152.11:27018;146.66.152.11:27019;146.66.156.8:27017;146.66.156.8:27018;146.66.156.8:27019;146.66.156.8:27020;146.66.156.9:27017;146.66.156.9:27018;146.66.156.9:27019;146.66.156.9:27020;146.66.156.10:27017;146.66.156.10:27018;146.66.156.10:27019;146.66.156.10:27020;146.66.156.11:27017;146.66.156.11:27018;146.66.156.11:27019;146.66.156.11:27020;146.66.155.8:27017;146.66.155.8:27018;146.66.155.8:27019;146.66.155.8:27020;146.66.155.9:27017;146.66.155.9:27018;146.66.155.9:27019;146.66.155.9:27020;103.10.125.16:27017;103.10.125.16:27018;103.10.125.16:27019;103.10.125.16:27020;103.10.125.17:27017;103.10.125.17:27018;103.10.125.17:27019;103.10.125.17:27020;221.228.193.179:27017;221.228.193.179:27018;221.228.193.179:27019;221.228.193.179:27020;221.6.100.188:27017;221.6.100.188:27018;221.6.100.188:27019;221.6.100.188:27020;58.215.54.120:27017;58.215.54.120:27018;58.215.54.120:27019;58.215.54.120:27020;221.6.100.46:27017;221.6.100.46:27018;221.6.100.46:27019;221.6.100.46:27020;58.215.54.121:27017;58.215.54.121:27018;58.215.54.121:27019;58.215.54.121:27020;221.6.100.186:27017;221.6.100.186:27018;221.6.100.186:27019;221.6.100.186:27020"
"CMVer" "-1299633720"
"CS" "4.71.136.118:80;205.185.220.132:80;205.185.220.130:80;65.115.96.238:80;63.145.224.22:80;205.185.220.131:80;65.115.96.210:80;209.197.6.230:80;209.197.6.231:80;65.113.32.98:80;209.197.6.232:80;4.79.238.62:80;205.196.6.131:80;208.64.200.8:80;208.64.200.7:80;208.64.203.16:80;208.64.203.26:80;208.64.200.9:80;4.28.151.210:80;205.196.6.130:80;4.31.8.238:80;4.28.20.42:80;209.197.26.246:80;63.148.172.214:80;63.156.205.54:80;209.197.26.242:80;209.197.26.243:80;4.71.22.214:80;4.59.90.42:80;4.30.21.122:80;62.115.37.74:80;67.131.239.46:80;209.197.18.148:80;62.115.37.78:80;65.113.48.90:80;65.113.64.122:80;173.167.56.174:80;209.197.18.147:80;4.53.114.118:80;4.53.114.174:80;209.197.20.101:80;209.197.20.103:80;205.171.40.174:80;65.126.30.70:80;209.197.20.100:80;65.112.64.246:80;199.229.227.122:80;209.197.20.102:80;4.71.244.170:80;4.71.183.242:80;4.28.56.74:80;63.149.72.158:80;63.231.204.94:80;209.197.30.35:80;62.115.37.66:80;63.234.91.158:80;4.28.130.22:80;4.31.28.74:80;209.197.30.34:80;4.78.132.198:80;65.119.212.110:80;4.28.130.42:80;209.197.10.86:80;195.50.121.122:80;80.239.194.146:80;62.115.11.250:80;209.197.10.85:80;77.67.61.234:80;79.141.161.11:80;79.141.173.15:80;81.171.115.13:80;81.171.115.12:80;80.239.160.42:80;81.171.115.11:80;77.67.56.186:80;77.67.56.162:80;77.67.60.42:80;212.72.47.42:80;80.239.194.162:80;212.73.200.186:80"
"CSVer" "0"
"ContentReported" "36151452833"
"Rate" "30000"
"SurveyDate" "2013-04-12"
"ConnectCache"
{
"d53606ac1" "020000008e9b3fca751e2b5ee596b71bff9c99dae8325185f372c109"
}
}
}
}
}

Has some data...

[nullPointer]

Now I think we may be getting to the bottom of it. My config.vdf file has a node called "apps" and under that node it contains entries for each game I've installed under Steam. Like so:

"InstallConfigStore"
{
"Software"
{
"Valve"
{
"Steam"
{
"Accounts"
{
"nullpointerx"
{
"SteamID" "76561198048905766"
}
}
"MTBF" "780700463"
"cip" "0200000006327702b4ca6dc9000057026b03"
"CM" "72.165.61.174:27017;72.165.61.174:27018;72.165.61.175:27017;72.165.61.175:27018;72.165.61.176:27017;72.165.61.176:27018;208.64.200.202:27017;208.64.200.202:27018;208.64.200.202:27019;208.64.200.203:27017;208.64.200.203:27018;208.64.200.203:27019;208.64.200.204:27017;208.64.200.204:27018;208.64.200.204:27019;208.64.200.205:27017;208.64.200.205:27018;208.64.200.205:27019;208.64.200.201:27017;208.64.200.201:27018;208.64.200.201:27019;208.64.200.201:27020;72.165.61.185:27017;72.165.61.185:27018;72.165.61.187:27017;72.165.61.187:27018;72.165.61.188:27017;72.165.61.188:27018;146.66.152.12:27017;146.66.152.12:27018;146.66.152.12:27019;146.66.152.13:27017;146.66.152.13:27018;146.66.152.13:27019;146.66.152.14:27017;146.66.152.14:27018;146.66.152.14:27019;146.66.152.15:27017;146.66.152.15:27018;146.66.152.15:27019;81.171.115.34:27017;81.171.115.34:27018;81.171.115.34:27019;81.171.115.35:27017;81.171.115.35:27018;81.171.115.35:27019;81.171.115.36:27017;81.171.115.36:27018;81.171.115.36:27019;81.171.115.37:27017;81.171.115.37:27018;81.171.115.37:27019;209.197.29.196:27017;209.197.29.196:27018;209.197.29.196:27019;209.197.29.197:27017;209.197.29.197:27018;209.197.29.197:27019;103.28.54.10:27017;103.28.54.10:27018;103.28.54.10:27019;103.28.54.11:27017;103.28.54.11:27018;103.28.54.11:27019;208.64.200.137:27017;208.64.200.137:27018;208.64.200.137:27019;208.64.200.137:27020;208.78.164.9:27017;208.78.164.9:27018;208.78.164.9:27019;208.78.164.10:27017;208.78.164.10:27018;208.78.164.10:27019;208.78.164.11:27017;208.78.164.11:27018;208.78.164.11:27019;208.78.164.12:27017;208.78.164.12:27018;208.78.164.12:27019;208.78.164.13:27017;208.78.164.13:27018;208.78.164.13:27019;208.78.164.14:27017;208.78.164.14:27018;208.78.164.14:27019;146.66.152.10:27017;146.66.152.10:27018;146.66.152.10:27019;146.66.152.11:27017;146.66.152.11:27018;146.66.152.11:27019;146.66.156.8:27017;146.66.156.8:27018;146.66.156.8:27019;146.66.156.8:27020;146.66.156.9:27017;146.66.156.9:27018;146.66.156.9:27019;146.66.156.9:27020;146.66.156.10:27017;146.66.156.10:27018;146.66.156.10:27019;146.66.156.10:27020;146.66.156.11:27017;146.66.156.11:27018;146.66.156.11:27019;146.66.156.11:27020;146.66.155.8:27017;146.66.155.8:27018;146.66.155.8:27019;146.66.155.8:27020;146.66.155.9:27017;146.66.155.9:27018;146.66.155.9:27019;146.66.155.9:27020;103.10.125.16:27017;103.10.125.16:27018;103.10.125.16:27019;103.10.125.16:27020;103.10.125.17:27017;103.10.125.17:27018;103.10.125.17:27019;103.10.125.17:27020;221.228.193.179:27017;221.228.193.179:27018;221.228.193.179:27019;221.228.193.179:27020;221.6.100.188:27017;221.6.100.188:27018;221.6.100.188:27019;221.6.100.188:27020;58.215.54.120:27017;58.215.54.120:27018;58.215.54.120:27019;58.215.54.120:27020;221.6.100.46:27017;221.6.100.46:27018;221.6.100.46:27019;221.6.100.46:27020;58.215.54.121:27017;58.215.54.121:27018;58.215.54.121:27019;58.215.54.121:27020;221.6.100.186:27017;221.6.100.186:27018;221.6.100.186:27019;221.6.100.186:27020"
"CMVer" "-1299633720"
"CS" "4.31.8.238:80;4.28.20.42:80;63.148.172.214:80;209.197.6.230:80;209.197.6.231:80;4.79.238.62:80;209.197.6.232:80;4.71.244.170:80;209.197.20.101:80;63.149.72.158:80;209.197.20.102:80;199.229.227.122:80;4.71.183.242:80;65.112.64.246:80;209.197.20.103:80;4.28.56.74:80;209.197.20.100:80;205.196.6.131:80;208.64.203.16:80;63.231.204.94:80;208.64.203.26:80;208.64.200.9:80;208.64.200.8:80;208.64.200.7:80;205.185.220.131:80;63.145.224.22:80;65.115.96.238:80;205.185.220.130:80;205.185.220.132:80;62.115.37.66:80;205.196.6.130:80;209.197.30.34:80;209.197.30.35:80;65.115.96.210:80;4.28.130.22:80;4.28.151.210:80;4.31.28.74:80;63.234.91.158:80;4.78.132.198:80;65.119.212.110:80;65.113.32.98:80;62.115.37.78:80;209.197.18.148:80;205.171.40.174:80;4.53.114.174:80;4.53.114.118:80;65.113.48.90:80;173.167.56.174:80;209.197.18.147:80;65.126.30.70:80;65.113.64.122:80;4.28.130.42:80;4.71.136.118:80;209.197.26.242:80;63.156.205.54:80;209.197.26.246:80;4.71.22.214:80;209.197.26.243:80;62.115.37.74:80;4.30.21.122:80;67.131.239.46:80;4.59.90.42:80;209.197.10.86:80;80.239.194.146:80;209.197.10.85:80;62.115.11.250:80;77.67.56.162:80;81.171.115.13:80;81.171.115.12:80;80.239.160.42:80;79.141.161.11:80;81.171.115.11:80;79.141.173.15:80;80.239.194.162:80;195.50.121.122:80;77.67.61.234:80;77.67.56.186:80;212.73.200.186:80;212.73.205.178:80;81.171.106.194:80"
"CSVer" "0"
"SentryFile" "e:\\steam\\ssfn6901484954114967719"
"ContentReported" "314672534597"
"apps"
{
"215"
{
"HasAllLocalContent" "1"
"UpToDate" "1"
"installdir" "e:\\steam\\steamapps\\nullpointerx\\source sdk base"
}
"218"
{
"HasAllLocalContent" "1"
"UpToDate" "1"
"installdir" "e:\\steam\\steamapps\\nullpointerx\\source sdk base 2007"
"UpdateKBtoDL" "0"
"additionalcontent" "220,380,420"
}

...

}
"CurrentCellID" "49"
"PingTimeForCurrentCellID" "24"
"NoSavePersonalInfo" "0"
"MaxServerBrowserPingsPerMin" "0"
"DownloadThrottleKbps" "0"
"AutoUpdateWindowStart" "-1"
"AutoUpdateWindowEnd" "-1"
"AllowDownloadsDuringGameplay" "0"
}
}
}
}

I wonder if Steam has changed the way they store and parse that data but not bothered to change legacy installations? At any rate, for the time being GameEx needs the "apps" section present in config.vdf in order to parse game information. At this point I'm thinking Tom may need to have a look at this ...

[slavearm]

Makes sense... steam had an update on the 7th. I had installed Bioshock Infinite before then. Nothing I have installed since shows up on my PC, and even on the arcade machine, Bioshock Infinite does not create the same entry in the vdf.

[slavearm]

Just verified this. Deleted config.vdf on my desktop, and when I reloaded steam, there was not an "apps" section in the newly created file. And now when I launch GE, Bioshock doesn't even show up.

Found the problem.... Dagnabit.

[nullPointer]

I'm thinking we're on to something here. I actually just installed two new games on Steam last night (thanks Humble Bundle!), and those two games are not displaying in GameEx. It would be good to get additional verification of this from someone that has Steam working in GameEx (i.e. make sure Steam is updated and then install a game from their library to see if GameEx picks it up), but yeah I'm guessing Steam made changes to the way it handles config.vdf.

Gabe what have you done to us!!

[Draco1962]

I wonder if this has anything to do with comptibility for SteamOS? You might want to look at this forum entry.

[slavearm]

It figures... I take a week off to build a new arcade, and get stuck troubleshooting steam integration for 4 days, only to discover a steam update ruined my life (at least sucked away 20+ hours).

I think I am just going to write a script to collect the app IDs from steam\steamapps\*.acf, select everything between _ and . to get the appIDs installed, query steamdb for app info, have it build link files using steam command line with steam.exe -applaunch [appID] -login <username> <password> , then populate that into the emulators section under, "Slavearm Ghetto Steam Integration", just need to make sure I have it execute steam.exe -shutdown when it is finished.

That seems like a bit of work to me though... and I still have a lot of other things to finish on this bad boy before my party next week.

Wish I didn't suck at .net. If Tom doesn't cook something up, I will write this towards the end of the week. Fair warning... if you want to use my version you are going to have to install python, because I will not have time to do it in any other language.

[Draco1962]

You should be able to put your shutdown command in the Launch After of the emulator config - no need to code for it.

[Draco1962]

Off topic - Do you do any robotics programming? Just asking because of your alias.

[slavearm]

RE: Off Topic - Just a bit... the name comes from a fantasy role playing game where there was a character class called "slavearms" that used sentient weapons which eventually completely melded with the user. The more a weapon melded with the owner, the more powerful the owner became. The cost was, the consciousness of the weapon became a stronger as well. Over time, it was difficult to tell who was in control. The weapon or the person. I think of it similar to Venom from the Spiderman series.

[Tom Speirs]

Okay, that is a lot to read through. So bottom line steam support is broken with the current steam version update, correct? If so lets start a new thread relating to that so we can get our experts working on fixing itt. Okay?

[slavearm]

Where do you want to open the thread, and is there anything I can do to help?

[Adultery]

Just make a new one in the main forum, and call it "Steam issues" or something.

[Tom Speirs]

There is no need now. Ill have it fixed shortly.

[slavearm]

Tom rocks. After a few iterations, I think he managed to nail everything (even with the crazy steam oddities on my system due to all the earlier troubleshooting). If you have the same problem, the update should be out soon.

[Adultery]

Yup, he's a decent guy to have on your side. :-)

Sorry we couldn't help ya, Steam is still a new feature to the community. I think we all learned something though. :-)

I updated my Steam app today and all is working great. :-)