Hacking USB Loader GX

[themanuel]

Nice!
Perhaps Cyan could use a bit of both and implement this more easily at some point.

 

[Cyan]

I'm looking for someone to test the loader with devolution for me.
Send me a PM if you are interested and already have devolution set up and working.
Thanks

 

[pBullet]

I've been using GX as the replacement for my Wii Menu for quite some time now, it feels extremely native.

I have DIOS MIOS Lite 2.3, but it reports the loader is not supported. I then installed DIOS MIOS 2.3, changed the internal paths for GCN game loading in settings to point to my USB, but it also reports the loader is not supported. I tried looking for an older revision of DIOS MIOS Lite but I can't seem to find any, so I'm wondering if you guys will be updating the loader to support it.

The other thing-- a few posts above, that organization concept, is honestly the only real thing I'm missing. That, along with the ability to "hide" certain NAND titles from showing up in USB Loader GX (like Forecast Channel, News Channel, etc, without actually uninstalling them). Maybe even add the same "drag and drop" that the Wii Menu has for moving around the banners (in banner mode).

Probably both of these things have been asked for or talked about for the past couple of months, but in the event they weren't, they are honestly the only things I am really missing.

Thanks for your work, being a web dev myself I can see when effort is put into something that you're simply a "volunteer" for and make no income off it. It's truly astounding!

 

[themanuel]

The other thing-- a few posts above, that organization concept, is honestly the only real thing I'm missing. That, along with the ability to "hide" certain NAND titles from showing up in USB Loader GX (like Forecast Channel, News Channel, etc, without actually uninstalling them).

Already available:
- Go to the individual channel's settings
- Go to Categories
- Create a new category (I called mine "Hidden") and check its box twice to show and X instead of a check mark
- Scroll to the top to the All category and make it show an X too

Channels with the X will not show up when you have All set to X, but will show when you set it to check mark.

Cyan already has DM 2.3 working. He is waiting for a volunteer to verify if Devolution works OK before releasing the next rev.

 

[pBullet]

Oh wow, that's rather clever. Thanks for the tip. Though, what do you mean by an "X"? I just click it and it goes from blank square to checked square. So I would just make a new category called "Games", add every game I own into it and exclude the ones I don't want to show?

So I take it the current stable revision (release) of USB Loader GX does not support the latest DML? And that it isn't just a problem I'm having?

 

[Cyan]

I think you are using v3.0 and not the latest beta (r1202).

In revision past v3.0 I added a new way to hide a category easily instead of "placing ALL games one by one in a category except one game".
Some users have hundred of games, it's easier to just select the one you don't want to display, than select the games you want to keep.


TheManuel explanation is a bit incomplete/incorrect.

- First, go into an individual game Settings
- Go into Categories
- Add a category (for example, name it "Hidden")
- Set this category for all the games you want to hide.


- Now, in the main screen, go into the main Category menu (from the top bar).
- This is where you have more than Blank/check state : Blank > Check > Cross > Plus > Blank

- Set the "Hidden" category to [X] (Forbidden to display games with this category)
- Set "All" to [X] (Display ALL categories, except the forbidden)

See here for a better explanation an some examples:
http://gbatemp.net/topic/149922-usb-loader-gx/page__view__findpost__p__4251265

I have DIOS MIOS Lite 2.3, but it reports the loader is not supported. I then installed DIOS MIOS 2.3, changed the internal paths for GCN game loading in settings to point to my USB, but it also reports the loader is not supported.

I don't think there's something coded which report that it's not supported.
2.3 is supported by the latest revision (r1202), but should detect always DML instead of DM. (I fixed that in r1203)

I suppose you didn't use the latest beta, but the latest stable v3.0 (which supports only DIOS MIOS Lite, not DIOS MIOS).

Maybe even add the same "drag and drop" that the Wii Menu has for moving around the banners (in banner mode).

It can't be done with the current system. please think a little.

Spoiler: I'll think for you...

Imagine I add the ability to move the banners on the Channel Layout. I can add the option, it will require a file which store the Titles order.

The current system let you sort games by Names/favorite level/number of player/etc.
I suppose that to prevent the automatic re-sort it should be a new option "User" in the sort list.

So, if it's a new sorting method, it will be available on all Layout (List/wall/carousel/channel).
How would you sort the games on the non-channel layout? I guess it shouldn't be limited to Channel layout as it's available everywhere.

So, let's Imagine I will also add the ability to move the titles on these layouts (grab/move, or move up/down one by one?).
Some layers will have more problem than others to move the pages while holding the game. But, ok, let's imagine that it's done and easy to move

What will happen of the empty slots?
You know, you don't need to put a Title in every adjacent locations, you can have a lot of empty slots between each titles on the channel layout.
These empty slot would need to be reflected on all layouts too, or else it's too un-user friendly to select the position to move these Titles on other layouts. We can ignore them completely, but it's not the solution (because of the problem I'll explain next).

It would become too unfriendly for something which should be used by people from all ages.
We already have users complaining about the current difficulty of the loader.
So, we limit the reorder feature to the Channel Layout only.

If it's only for Channel layout:
When you switch to List/wall/carousel layout, would the order carried away? or reseted? as it's not possible to order them in these layout, switching back and forth is not the easier solution to move a game.
But, let's keep the solution that the user need to switch the layout to move games.

If you have 500+ games (yes, some users have that many games!), while grabbing a channel how many screen would you have to switch until you find an empty place? we are not talking about 48 slots like the System menu, but infinite pages.
You can imagine yourself placing the channels where you want manually? that's a new game by itself!

Let's (again) imagine that you don't have hundreds of games, but only 40 titles (easily reached with channel, gamecube, wii)

You prepare your Wii Title disposition and are happy with it.

Now, you want to search for "Mario". Will it hide the other channels without moving the Mario games? (please, scroll all pages yourself to find your games!), or better way is to temporarily regroup the channels without leaving spaces.
It will prevent you from moving a channel on a hidden Title location, but you can't use the search feature to reorder your games easily.

Search feature is not the only problem:
The loader let you Display/Hide games permanently (not on temporary search string) based on:
- Parental Control
- Origin (Wii, GameCube, Channel, EmuNAND)
- Category
- Favorite switch

With the Category System, you can decide to display only Wii Games.
You start sorting them like you want.
Then you decide to display only GameCube Games, and again you sort them like you want.
What would happen if you decide to display both Wii and Gamecube games at the same time?
How will the loader decide the channel location when a game will share the same location information for two different Title?

We move one of the conflicted Titles (There can be a lot on the same spot), on the first free slot? It would be a catastrophe as your ordering is now all broken! it's in random order, even worse than a simple "sort alphabetically" or "sort by rank" etc.

The only way to not mess it would be to keep an "Order file" for each possible combination of these 7 switches, which means 5040 different "memorized" states. (without counting all the possible state that the User's Category allows you to create).

So, for each of these 5040 combinations of display settings, you will have to order your 40 games. (I'm already pretty sure you won't do more than 10 times before getting bored!)

Now, imagine people with 500+games.
Do you think they would like to spend their time reordering their game on each possibilities? Not even twice!


Conclusion:
The Rearranging sound very interesting feature that users would like, but it's:
- too much work and time spent for the developer
- Even much harder for the user for a feature which will not be used due to the usability complexity.

And I'm pretty sure I missed few other reason which make it harder to implement, like adding a new game, etc.

If you have a better and easier idea which I'm not thinking, please share it
But always keep in mind all the Loader's features, it must still be usable with any of them at any time.

 

[themanuel]

TheManuel explanation is a bit incomplete/incorrect.

Sorry. I was going by memory.

 

[Cyan]

in the game setting, you have only simple checkboxes (you enable or disable the category for that game)

The advanced multi-state checkbox is on the main menu only.

 

[themanuel]

in the game setting, you have only simple checkboxes (you enable or disable the category for that game)

The advanced multi-state checkbox is on the main menu only.

Indeed.
Hey, if nobody helps you with Devolution, I'll install it on my Wii and test it.
What tests are you looking for?

 

[rizzod]

Okay so let me get this right.. the latest CFG USB Loader Runs GC Games off Hard drive perfectly (Dios Mios) without having to put discs in but GX can't... wtf?

 

[Cyan]

What?
You tested it and found that you needed a disc in the drive?

GX has nothing to do with the way DIOS MIOS is working.
The Wii reboot and load BC to switch in gamecube mode. then MIOS is used.

I've read that DM(L) still required a disc in the drive. when DML 1.0 was released, Crediar said the "nodisc" was not needed anymore, except for some streaming games which may still require it, but maybe it's an old information and it's not required anymore.

 

[rizzod]

What?
You tested it and found that you needed a disc in the drive?

GX has nothing to do with the way DIOS MIOS is working.
The Wii reboot and load BC to switch in gamecube mode. then MIOS is used.

I've read that DM(L) still required a disc in the drive. when DML 1.0 was released, Crediar said the "nodisc" was not needed anymore, except for some streaming games which may still require it, but maybe it's an old information and it's not required anymore.

I'm Running These games without disc on CFG though:
Mario Sunshine
Zelda: Wind Waker
Luigi's Mansion
Mario Kart Double Dash
Wario World
Maybe it's something i'm missing here Cyan, I currently have Dios Mios 2.0 Installed and USB Loader GX r1202... what am I doing wrong dude?
When I try to load a GC Game it says I have to install DIOS MIOS Lite or Devolution... but I have DIOS MIOS Lite Installed

 

[themanuel]

Try the last beta Cyan posted in Google Code before doing anything else.
This way you don't send him after potentially old bugs.

Then check the DML config options and make sure everything is set to default.

 

[rizzod]

Try the last beta Cyan posted in Google Code before doing anything else.
This way you don't send him after potentially old bugs.

Then check the DML config options and make sure everything is set to default.

That is the one im using... and how do i set the DML Settings to default?

 

[themanuel]

I would make a backup of your current cfg files (GlobalGX.cfg I think is the main one and there is one for individual game configurations) and move them out of the apps/usbloader_gx folder, then launch the app. If everything works fine, then we know it is a configuration issue. If not, then we can discard that.
Also, make sure you installed DM if launching from USB, not DML. It may be obvious but it is a common mistake.

 

[rizzod]

I would make a backup of your current cfg files (GlobalGX.cfg I think is the main one and there is one for individual game configurations) and move them out of the apps/usbloader_gx folder, then launch the app. If everything works fine, then we know it is a configuration issue. If not, then we can discard that.
Also, make sure you installed DM if launching from USB, not DML. It may be obvious but it is a common mistake.

Hold on, why would I have to Install DM instead DML? DML is working well on USB at the moment with CFG Loader?

 

[themanuel]

Hold on, why would I have to Install DM instead DML? DML is working well on USB at the moment with CFG Loader?

That does not make sense at all. DML only works for launching games from the SD card. DM only works for launching games from USB. Do you perhaps have some of your games in the SD card, as well as your hard drive?

 

[rizzod]

Hold on, why would I have to Install DM instead DML? DML is working well on USB at the moment with CFG Loader?

That does not make sense at all. DML only works for launching games from the SD card. DM only works for launching games from USB. Do you perhaps have some of your games in the SD card, as well as your hard drive?

Sorry I stand corrected, I have Dios Mios 2.2 currently installed... and am about to update to 2.3, but that still does not answer why it does not work on r1202 but on CFG...

 

[themanuel]

The fact that it works in one and not the other, coupled with the fact that it works for me and Cyan and countless others, suggests it is a configuration issue. Like Cyan said, all USB GX does is pass some arguments to DM and then it takes over. Try resetting the configuration files.

 

[Cyan]

DIOS MIOS Lite = SD card only
DIOS MIOS = USB only

If you are using USB Loader GX r1202, you should see the version that the loader detected by going into the Settings > Credit.

If GX doesn't report any DM or DML version on the top right, then you have a problem detecting your installed version.
It could be because you are not using AHBPROT (launching GX directly from Priiloader, or missing the tag in the meta.xml when launched from HBC.

If these two cases are not your current setup, and you still don't see the version in the Credit window, let me know how you are launching USBLoaderGX.
I can give you the latest beta (unreleased) with many bug fixed.


The message you have "you need DM or devo" is when no DM(L) is detected.
To switch between DM(L) and devolution, it's a setting you can select in the individual game setting or in the global settings.
GameCube Mode:
MIOS : anything using MIOS (MIOS, cMIOS, DIOS MIOS, DIOS MIOS Lite)
Devolution: Devolution itself, using IOS 58. You need to place the loader.bin in the correct folder.


Edit:
If you have DIOS MIOS installed, and it tells you that you need DIOS MIOS Lite, it's because you have the "Main GameCube" Path set to SD card instead of USB.
If you have DIOS MIOS Lite, and the "Main GameCube" path is on USB, it will ask you if you want to copy the game to SD card.