Basic Launcher Version 4.2.0

Simple Launcher v4.2.0 has been released, enhancing retro gaming by introducing on-the-fly file mounting for compressed files and disk images, allowing direct game launches without extraction. Support for mounting .iso and .zip files for RPCS3 is included, along with Xbox .xiso and XBLA ZIP files for Cxbx-Reloaded. The update features major refactoring, eliminating the caching system for direct file scanning and improving dependency management with new libraries. UI improvements were made across various tools, and bug fixes addressed threading issues for a smoother experience. Overall, the update enhances functionality and ease of use significantly.

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Simple Launcher v4.2.0 has been released. This emulator frontend streamlines the process of playing classic games.

Simple Launcher Changelog:
Core Feature Enhancements: On-the-Fly File Mounting
A major update is the addition of on-the-fly file mounting, which enables users to start games directly from compressed or disk image files without the need for manual extraction beforehand.
Note: Installation of Dokan from GitHub is required for mounting ZIP and XISO files.
ISO & ZIP Mounting for RPCS3: The launcher can now mount .iso and .zip files for the PlayStation 3 emulator (RPCS3). It utilizes PowerShell for ISO mounting and a new SimpleZipDrive.exe tool for ZIP files. Once mounted, it automatically locates and launches the necessary EBOOT.BIN file.
XISO Mounting for Cxbx-Reloaded: Support has been added for mounting Xbox ISO (.xiso) files in the Cxbx-Reloaded emulator. This is facilitated by a new MountXisoFiles service that employs the xbox-iso-vfs.exe tool to create a virtual drive and launch the default.xbe file.
XBLA ZIP Mounting: The system can now mount .zip files for Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) games by searching for a specific nested file structure required for launching.
ScummVM ZIP Mounting: The system is now capable of mounting .zip files for ScummVM games and automatically starting the game.
Major Refactoring & Dependency Changes
The core dependencies and internal mechanisms for file management have been significantly reworked to enhance stability and unify features.
Unified Archive Handling: The application has transitioned away from multiple libraries and external executables for file extraction, now primarily relying on Squid-Box.SevenZipSharp and ICSharpCode.SharpZipLib for a more cohesive and reliable process for handling .zip, .7z, and .rar files. The ExtractCompressedFile service has been updated to utilize these new libraries.
Removal of Caching System: The CacheManager has been entirely removed. The former caching system for game lists across different systems has been replaced by a more straightforward, on-demand file scanning approach. This change simplifies the application’s logic, eliminates the cache directory, and ensures the game list is perpetually current.
Update Tools
BatchConvertToCHD: Enhanced UI. Introduced the ability to check the integrity of CHD files and convert CSO files to CHD.
BatchConvertToCompressedFile: Enhanced UI. Introduced the ability to verify the integrity of compressed files.
BatchConvertIsoToXiso: Enhanced UI. Introduced the ability to verify the integrity of XISO files.
BatchConvertToRvz: Enhanced UI. Introduced the ability to test the integrity of RVZ files.
Bug Fixes and Other Enhancements
Fixed Threading Issue: The PlayTimeWindow and FavoritesWindow have been refactored for safer handling of file operations and UI updates across various threads, reducing crashes and ensuring a smoother user experience.
UI Consistency: The system selection screen now restricts the maximum thumbnail size to 100 px to prevent distortion from oversized images, maintaining a consistent appearance.