Additional resources not visible

[parricc]

In the most recent build I've done of exogui, based on the current state of the repo (2024-07-30), most additional resources are not visible. The only one that appears is Manual, which is defined separately from the other additional resources.

The manual location for each game is defined in the platforms xml file by <ManualPath> entry. In eXo collections, manuals are typically put in the Manuals/<Platform> directory.

Other additional resources are located in subdirectories of the RootFolder entry in the appropriate Platforms/Data/ xml file. All subdirectories of the RootFolder entry should be searched for additional resources.

See this comparison between a build based on the current contents of the repo versus one I compiled on 2024-06-05:

The older build included items in the Extras folder. However, even it was missing some additional resources as there were also assets in a Magazines subdirectory.

For the game in the example screenshot, the MS-DOS.xml file has the following line: <RootFolder>eXo\eXoDOS\!dos\dott</RootFolder>

In this example, the above directory contains the following subdirectories and files:

── Extras
│   ├── Alternate Launcher.bat
│   ├── Alternate Launcher.bsh
│   ├── Alternate Launcher.command
│   ├── Day of the Tentacle (Non-Playable Demo Trailer).mp4
│   ├── Day of the Tentacle - Trailer.mp4
│   ├── Game Design Document.pdf
│   ├── Hint Book.pdf
│   ├── Reference Card.pdf
│   ├── Restored Artwork by Laserschwert - Box.jpg
│   ├── Restored Artwork by Laserschwert - Box (No Text).jpg
│   ├── Restored Artwork by Laserschwert - Box (No Title).jpg
│   └── VG Maps.pdf
└── Magazines
    ├── Walkthrough PC Gamer 1995-12 page 321.bat
    ├── Walkthrough PC Gamer 1995-12 page 321.bsh
    └── Walkthrough PC Gamer 1995-12 page 321.command

So in the 2024-06-05 build, we were missing an entry that pointing to the Walkthrough PC Gamer 1995-12 page 321.command script, which would have shown a walkthrough from a magazine.

But in the current build, nothing is showing from any of these subdirectories.

[parricc]

So, looking into other files, it's not all subdirectories in all cases.

For example, in MS-DOS Magazines & Newsletters.xml, there are some entries for interactive discs. One example has the following RootFolder tag:

<RootFolder>eXo\Magazines\PCGamerUS\PCGamer_1997_01</RootFolder>

If we look in that directory, it has stuff we wouldn't want listed in a frontend:

├── Apps
│   ├── qt
│   │   ├── NPQTW16.DLL
│   │   ├── PROBS16.TXT
│   │   ├── QTINSTAL.EXE
│   │   ├── QTVRW.QTC
│   │   └── README16.TXT
│   ├── VFW
│   │   ├── ACMCMPRS.DL_
│   │   ├── AVICAP.DL_
│   │   ├── AVIFILE.DL_
│   │   ├── CLEANUP.RE_
│   │   ├── COMPOBJ.DL_
│   │   ├── COPYRITE.TXT
│   │   ├── CTL3D.DL_
│   │   ├── DISPDIB.DL_
│   │   ├── DVA.38_
│   │   ├── ICCVID.DR_
│   │   ├── IMAADPCM.AC_
│   │   ├── INIUPD.DL_
│   │   ├── IR32.DL_
│   │   ├── IR41.DL_
│   │   ├── IYVU9.DL_
│   │   ├── MAP_WIN.HL_
│   ├── w32s
│   │   ├── 32SINST.INF
│   │   ├── 32SINST.MST
│   │   ├── CARDS.DLL
│   │   ├── COMCTL32.DLL
│   │   ├── COMDLG32.DLL
│   │   ├── COMPOBJ.DLL
│   │   ├── CRTDLL.DLL
│   │   ├── CTYPE.NLS
│   │   ├── FREECELL.EXE
│   │   ├── FREECELL.HLP
│   └── wing
├── cd
│   └── pcgamer.iso
├── drivers
│   ├── s3
│   │   ├── 8514FIX.FO_
│   │   ├── 8514OEM.FO_
│   │   ├── 8514SYS.FO_

The above is a partial list to give a general idea.

I haven't really dug into how LaunchBox works, so I don't know where the distinction is made between what should and shouldn't be listed.

[margorski]

Partially fixed in the commit: 95e9e8c7f70ed9beb41a71e7b74f960bd39fec43

Now extras from the extras directory are properly loaded on the exogui initialization.

[parricc]

Perhaps hard-coding a Magazines subdirectory of RootFolder in the same way as the Extras subdirectory will be the best way to get the shell scripts that launch magazine references displayed.

[parricc]

This issue is resolved. The refresh issue is still present, but in another ticket.