Launcher Simplified v5.3.1

Simple Launcher v5.3.1 is an emulator frontend designed to simplify retro gaming. The latest update includes various bug fixes such as improved network handling with 15-second HTTP request timeouts, enhanced game scanning with fixed JSON parsing, and better memory management to prevent leaks. Key improvements involve enhanced RetroArch validation and better error handling for batch file executions. Security measures have been added to prevent path traversal issues. The update also encompasses code quality enhancements, such as improved exception handling, optimized resource disposal, and refined performance. Additionally, documentation for the Tsugaru emulator platform has been corrected.

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Simple Launcher v5.3.1 has been released. This emulator frontend simplifies the experience of playing retro games.

Simple Launcher Changelog:
🔧 Bug Fixes
Network & HTTP Improvements
Implemented 15-second timeouts for all HTTP requests (bug reports, stats, support requests) to prevent indefinite hangs during network issues.
Added Operation Cancellation Handling – HTTP requests now manage timeout exceptions gracefully.
Microsoft Store Game Scanning
Resolved JSON Parsing Issues – Enhanced sanitization for JSON control characters to prevent crashes during game data parsing with special characters.
Ensured Directory Creation – Verified the existence of destination directories prior to saving extracted icons.
Thread Safety & UI Stability
Addressed Thread Safety Issues – Wrapped UI updates within dispatcher invocations in MainWindow to avoid cross-thread access exceptions.
Fixed String Comparison Issues – Employed case-insensitive string comparisons throughout for system names, file names, and emulator matching.
Memory Management
Fixed Memory Leaks – Implemented proper image source clearing to avoid BitmapImage reference leaks when clearing game grids.
Updated Async Cleanup – Replaced synchronous cleanup methods with async alternatives to prevent blocking.
Resolved Event Handler Leaks – Properly unsubscribed event handlers upon closing windows.
✨ Improvements
RetroArch Integration
Refined RetroArch Validation – Changed parameter requirements from “must start with -L” to “must contain -L” for more adaptable core configurations.
Localization Updates – Revised RetroArch parameter error messages in all 16 supported languages.
Blastem Emulator
Enhanced Blastem Error Handling – Introduced comprehensive error handling for Blastem configuration injection, addressing specific exception types (FileNotFound, UnauthorizedAccess, IOException).
Batch File Execution
Improved Batch File Error Reporting – Batch file failures now generate appropriate exceptions for easier debugging.
Async/Await Refactoring
Removed ConfigureAwait(false) – Eliminated .ConfigureAwait(false) from await calls across the application (LogErrorsService, EasyModeManager, DownloadManager, UpdateChecker, SystemManager, ContextMenuFunctions, App).
Proper Dispatcher Invokes – Incorporated proper dispatcher invocations for UI updates in async methods.
Security
Path Traversal Prevention – Enhanced validation to ensure resolved paths stay within intended base folders.
📦 Tools & Dependencies
Updated BatchConvertToRVZ and RomValidator binaries.
📚 Documentation
Corrected Tsugaru emulator platform documentation (PC-9800 series → FM Towns).
🏗️ Technical Improvements
Code Quality
Strengthened exception handling throughout async operations.
Improved null checks and defensive programming.
Enhanced logging for debugging purposes.
Ensured proper disposal of resources (mutex, cancellation tokens).
Performance
Implemented thread-safe loading state management with locks.
Adopted atomic operations for cancellation token source replacement.
Optimized file deletion with async retry logic.