Hacking WiiFlow Lite

[fledge68]

uploaded wfl_r1137_as_wiiflow.zip today. @Tetsuo Shima

https://sourceforge.net/projects/wiiflow-lite/files/wfl_as_wiiflow/wfl_r1137_as_wiiflow.zip/download

this is wfl patched to work as wiiflow.

which means you put it in apps/wiiflow folder

and you can use wiiflow official forwarders, wiiflow bootmii launcher, and wiiflow priiloader dol.
and it will use the hidden wiiflow channel to return to wiiflow.

the only differences from official wiiflow are:

it will still use wiiflow_lite.ini
categories_lite.ini
and the themes_lite folder with the modified themes and coverflows

patch file is included just to show the source code changes.

 

[einsteinx2]

emulation station?
DO tell

Basically in my UI, when I scroll through games, it shows the box art on the right side for about 2 seconds then it fades to a ~10 second gameplay video. Which is great for friends playing that don't know the games, or even for myself when discovering new games to play since I have full NoIntro USA sets. It sounds like this WiiFlow video feature would allow me to have essentially the same thing. E.g. you select games by the cover and name, then you see the cover on the left with the banner area showing gameplay footage. I LOVE this concept.

Also thanks @fledge68 for the update! I'll get your changes merged into my repo (or possibly just start over with this release and re-apply my changes) and switch back to the latest devkitppc and libogc and try and compile this weekend.

 

[kaisersozeh]

You have this media for your whole rom collection?
PM me, bro!

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

uploaded wfl_r1137_as_wiiflow.zip today. @Tetsuo Shima

https://sourceforge.net/projects/wiiflow-lite/files/wfl_as_wiiflow/wfl_r1137_as_wiiflow.zip/download

this is wfl patched to work as wiiflow.

which means you put it in apps/wiiflow folder

and you can use wiiflow official forwarders, wiiflow bootmii launcher, and wiiflow priiloader dol.
and it will use the hidden wiiflow channel to return to wiiflow.

the only differences from official wiiflow are:

it will still use wiiflow_lite.ini
categories_lite.ini
and the themes_lite folder with the modified themes and coverflows

patch file is included just to show the source code changes.

@fledge68
I'm having some strange bugs with this release, affecting coverflows with multiple magic numbers.
first problem (introduced by this new release): I'm using a coverflow for old PC games with Dosbox, ScummVM, Eduke32 etc.. and another one for arcade games with MAME, Fba, Fba-Neo, Cps1, Cps2 etc..

[BUTTON_3]
image=fba.png
image_s=fba.png
source=plugin
magic=43505331,43505332,464E454F,464E254F,4d414d57
emuflow=4

[BUTTON_12]
image=PC.png
image_s=PC.png
source=plugin
magic=5343564D,44424F58,5052424D,56434D6D,44554B45,444E4356,444E4443,444E4E57,51305730
emuflow=7

Most of the games are correctly displayed, but a few others are placed after the last game (ignoring alphabetical order) and are not showing the game title when the cursor is hovering over them. This behaviour seems not plugin related (e.g. it's not affecting every game of the same plugin, just a few of them).
Edit: This problem is not related just to coverflows with multiple magic numbers, but it affects everything (wii games included)

second problem (already present in the previous release) is that all coverflows with multiple magic numbers are displayed with the same emuflow, even if in my source_menu.ini they are set to different emuflow numbers. I can't change it even from Wiilofw's interface e.g. If I press '1' on the wiimote to change emuflow for arcade coverflow, it changes emuflow for PC games coverflow as well.

third problem (already present in the previous release): Repeated buttons in page 2 of my source menu, after the last icon.

 

[kaisersozeh]

On that last one, do you have a blank source menu entry at the end of the ini?

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

No. Is it needed?

 

[kaisersozeh]

Yup. Last button number, image={empty}, etc.
Might help, might not.

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

tried with:
[BUTTON_15]
image=
image_s=
source=
magic=
emuflow=

but no luck

 

[kaisersozeh]

That's all I got....

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

Also, wii games are taking a very long time to start

 

[fledge68]

@fledge68
I'm having some strange bugs with this release, affecting coverflows with multiple magic numbers.
first problem (introduced by this new release): I'm using a coverflow for old PC games with Dosbox, ScummVM, Eduke32 etc.. and another one for arcade games with MAME, Fba, Fba-Neo, Cps1, Cps2 etc..

[BUTTON_3]
image=fba.png
image_s=fba.png
source=plugin
magic=43505331,43505332,464E454F,464E254F,4d414d57
emuflow=4

[BUTTON_12]
image=PC.png
image_s=PC.png
source=plugin
magic=5343564D,44424F58,5052424D,56434D6D,44554B45,444E4356,444E4443,444E4E57,51305730
emuflow=7

Most of the games are correctly displayed, but a few others are placed after the last game (ignoring alphabetical order) and are not showing the game title when the cursor is hovering over them. This behaviour seems not plugin related (e.g. it's not affecting every game of the same plugin, just a few of them).

second problem (already present in the previous release) is that all coverflows with multiple magic numbers are displayed with the same emuflow, even if in my source_menu.ini they are set to different emuflow numbers. I can't change it even from Wiilofw's interface e.g. If I press '1' on the wiimote to change emuflow for arcade coverflow, it changes emuflow for PC games coverflow as well.

third problem (already present in the previous release): Repeated buttons in page 2 of my source menu, after the last icon.

Also, wii games are taking a very long time to start

If using sd card put it in pc and run chkdsk to find and fix any errors.

2. Rename wiiflow_lite.ini and let wfl make a new one.

3. Delete cache lists folder dev:/wiiflow/cache/lists. Wfl will remake it with all new lists.

If these dont work i might have some more tips.

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

I'm using usb only. Tried also with a freshly formatted Hard disk bought today.
Renamed wiiflow_lite.ini and deleted cache lists, Now wii games are booting fast again but no changes for the other problems

 

[fledge68]

I'm using usb only. Tried also with a freshly formatted Hard disk bought today.
Renamed wiiflow_lite.ini and deleted cache lists, Now wii games are booting fast again but no changes for the other problems

next steps:

try making a new source_menu.ini with just a few of your buttons. or make a new source_menu.ini and add in only 4 btns and try wfl. if fine add in 4 more and keep repeating till the end or till you have issues.

2. also rename your wiiflow plugin folder and create a new one and try adding in one or two plugin ini's till you find one you have issues with.

if you have notepad++ you can open each of these ini files with it and up at the top select view then show symbol and select all. now look at the end of the ini if you see a null then erase it. i don't know how these get there but sometimes they cause issues for me.

EDIT!!!!!!!! I reread your previous post and now understand something
you said - second problem (already present in the previous release) is that all coverflows with multiple magic numbers are displayed with the same emuflow, even if in my source_menu.ini they are set to different emuflow numbers. I can't change it even from Wiilofw's interface e.g. If I press '1' on the wiimote to change emuflow for arcade coverflow, it changes emuflow for PC games coverflow as well.

this is how its supposed to work. if you have selected more than one plugin (ie. multiple magic #s via one source btn) wfl will use the default plugin coverflow layout. only if you choose one plugin will it remember that flow layout and use it the next time. emuflow= is now ignored if present under a source btn.

so you seem to have brought up a good point. I seem to need to come up with a new idea for flow layouts for people who use multi magic number source btns like you do.

 

[einsteinx2]

Update on my mod. I've started fresh with a new repo starting from the 1137 release. It's located here: https://github.com/einsteinx2/wiiflow-lite-einstein-mod

For now at least, I'll continue to post in this thread unless @fledge68 prefers I create a new one as my changes will be relatively minor and hopefully merged into WiiFlow Lite anyway.

I'm looking forward to helping make WiiFlow even better!!

Here's all the info from the README.md file in the repo:

# WiiFlow Lite Einstein Mod

Upstream repo for WiiFlow Lite by fledge68: https://sourceforge.net/projects/wiiflow-lite

The purpose of this repo and mod is to have a place to freely work on my own modifications and improvements to WiiFlow Lite. I will closely track upstream and merge in any new revisions to stay up to date and hopefully my changes will be merged upstream as well.

I've changed APP_NAME to WiiFlow Lite Einstein Mod and added my name to DEVELOPERS alongside fledge68. Also I've removed the SVN revision script along with the .svn folder since I’m not using SVN. I’ve decided to use my own versioning system starting at build 1 to better track my own changes and avoid confusion, so I'll just be manually updating the source/svnrev.h file as I want to update build numbers. I've decided to leave the SVN_REV variable name alone to prevent other source code changes. I’ll always note in the commit what the current SVN version is when I merge in new changes. I’ll keep the APP_VERSION the same as whatever upstream WiiFlow Lite has set.

I’ll attempt to keep my changes mergeable (i.e. not make drastic refactorings, change brace style, variable naming conventions, etc). Also, I’ll attempt to keep compatibilty with the wiiflow_lite.ini file by only adding options, never renaming existing ones. Same goes for compatiblity with the wiiflow settings directory.

This mod runs in it’s own apps/wiiflow_einstein directory with it’s own ini file, so it can be used alongside upstream WiiFlow Lite, however it will share the wiiflow settings directory. Here is a forwarder for use with Priiloader to launch on boot as well as a WAD to install a Channel in the System Menu if you want: https://github.com/einsteinx2/wiiflow-lite-einstein-mod-forwarder. If there's demand, I can also create alternative builds that use the wiiflow_lite and wiiflow folders for compatibility with existing channels and Priiloader forwarders.

 

[kaisersozeh]

Woohoo!

 

[fledge68]

@einsteinx2 that's fine for now. I'll let you know if i change my mind on anything.

the gc banner sound option is nice except some of the custom banners have good sound clips and not just the annoying gc bootup sound. to each his own i guess.

 

[einsteinx2]

@einsteinx2 that's fine for now. I'll let you know if i change my mind on anything.

the gc banner sound option is nice except some of the custom banners have good sound clips and not just the annoying gc bootup sound. to each his own i guess.

Yeah I definitely realize it's not for everyone, that's why I made it a setting instead. Also regarding your point about some banners having good sounds, that's why I made that a separate setting. So if you have banners with sounds you want to play, only set play_default_sound=no and leave play_banner_sound as is. In my case, I only have banners that include the same sound, so I just set both to no to prevent all sounds. If I end up switching banner sets, it'll be easy to change the setting back and have the sounds again but not have them for games without banners.

Also btw I've edited my post a few times as I've made some quick progress. The app now runs out of apps/wiiflow_einstein so that users can run my mod alongside your version if they want. I've also created a Priiloader forwarder dol and a forwarder channel for the mod. However they still share the wiiflow settings folder like WiiFlow Lite does with the original WiiFlow. This should make it easier for people to check out my changes without moving off of WiiFlow Lite.

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

next steps:

try making a new source_menu.ini with just a few of your buttons. or make a new source_menu.ini and add in only 4 btns and try wfl. if fine add in 4 more and keep repeating till the end or till you have issues.

2. also rename your wiiflow plugin folder and create a new one and try adding in one or two plugin ini's till you find one you have issues with.

if you have notepad++ you can open each of these ini files with it and up at the top select view then show symbol and select all. now look at the end of the ini if you see a null then erase it. i don't know how these get there but sometimes they cause issues for me.

tried adding just 3 buttons: wii, gamecube, emunand... no plugins, but the problem is still there: some games are missing the title and are placed afeter the last games

 

[fledge68]

Woohoo!

tried adding just 3 buttons: wii, gamecube, emunand... no plugins, but the problem is still there: some games are missing the title and are placed afeter the last games

So this is your last problem. I recall having this issue like a year ago. I cant remember what i did to fix it. I assume they are plugin games only?

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

Not only plugins, even wii and gc games. If I switch to previous release everything's at the right place and all game titles are back