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Is there a way to get a Netboot UI in Windows?

grendelrt

grendelrt

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I have been searching on here and see all the Pi based solution, WiPi, PiForce Tools, Dragonminded, etc. and was wondering is there a solution just for a Webui on windows? I am still just loading with cmd prompt and transfergames.exe currently which works fine but would like a nicer solution where I can just click and go. My laptop\desk is 2ft from my cabinet so hoping to find a solution where I don't have to run a dedicated Pi for a single task.
 
You could run the dragonminded server stuff in a Linux VM. It might run natively on Windows, but I don't have a lot of experience with that. I also had issues running it on BSD.
 
notsonic said:
You could run the dragonminded server stuff in a Linux VM. It might run natively on Windows, but I don't have a lot of experience with that. I also had issues running it on BSD.
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Yeah I was looking into that before I posted this, was hoping maybe someone had already done that or had an alternative way of going about it.
 
At one point I had a very crude php script that sat in a local apache install and would just launch your game. Mine was written for Linux but you could technically do it with windows. There's nothing to stop you from having an apache server locally and a php script that executes transfergame, though security wise you break some best practices letting php run code. But its not a public server so, not a real risk. Still if I were stuck with Windows, I'd try a VM too first, since if the networking works out, I always found Linux to "be best" for netbooting and it would probably work.
 
Dragonminded netboot can be run from Windows and provided a simple webinterface. (just tested it with windows 11)
If the web interface does not provide a fitting solution you can always code your own solution based on dragon minded code, since the netboot project provides a lot of features to start games. Hope this helps :)
 
Orakelschaf said:
Dragonminded netboot can be run from Windows and provided a simple webinterface. (just tested it with windows 11)
If the web interface does not provide a fitting solution you can always code your own solution based on dragon minded code, since the netboot project provides a lot of features to start games. Hope this helps :)
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Thanks I will have to check this out, I have it running in a VM already , havent gotten to use it yet, just finished recapping my Sun PSU today. Hopefully tomorrow I can test the Ubuntu VM version I built :)
 
No need for a VM (which is overkill for just running pythin scripts ) :) - It runs fine (as far as i have tested) under windows, since it is "only" a python script.

Btw why don't you just use the OSM directly on your pi/noami, which can be either auto loaded or triggered by a NFC card? (Talking about the WiPi Image using dragonminded's OSM) (OSM = On Screen Menu)
 
Orakelschaf said:
No need for a VM (which is overkill for just running pythin scripts ) :) - It runs fine (as far as i have tested) under windows, since it is "only" a python script.

Btw why don't you just use the OSM directly on your pi/noami, which can be either auto loaded or triggered by a NFC card? (Talking about the WiPi Image using dragonminded's OSM) (OSM = On Screen Menu)
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I had already built the VM before you posted the windows stuff. I am still playing around with it, I have been using the command line for like 10 years, so anything is an upgrade lol.
 
grendelrt said:
I have been searching on here and see all the Pi based solution, WiPi, PiForce Tools, Dragonminded, etc. and was wondering is there a solution just for a Webui on windows? I am still just loading with cmd prompt and transfergames.exe currently which works fine but would like a nicer solution where I can just click and go. My laptop\desk is 2ft from my cabinet so hoping to find a solution where I don't have to run a dedicated Pi for a single task.
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I have a NAS/htpc close to my cabs and a deep hate for rpis so I setup steam to run the python script, runs great and looks pretty although it took some time to curate all the art for steam
 
cdmn1 said:
I have a NAS/htpc close to my cabs and a deep hate for rpis so I setup steam to run the python script, runs great and looks pretty although it took some time to curate all the art for steam
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You should post some screens or video, I think a lot of people would be interested in that solution. :)
 
Orakelschaf said:
Dragonminded netboot can be run from Windows and provided a simple webinterface. (just tested it with windows 11)
If the web interface does not provide a fitting solution you can always code your own solution based on dragon minded code, since the netboot project provides a lot of features to start games. Hope this helps :)
Click to expand...
I got everything running in the VM to play around and then went back and followed your instructions in windows. I setup a .bat file to do everything and have it running on windows, thanks for listing this all out for me, made it super simple!
 
If you add a dynamic placeholder to the batch file for the game / rom name you can add it to steam as "custom game" and add all games easily that way. - Love the above suggestion!

( do you need more details how to do so?)
 
grendelrt said:
You should post some screens or video, I think a lot of people would be interested in that solution. :)
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So here is how it turned out:

steam1.jpg



I setup each game like this
Target: Where your python.exe is located
Start in: where your roms are located
Launch option: python script + rom name

Like I mentioned, the hard part was curating all the art (transparent logos, banners, posters etc) but it ended up looking nice and easy to use.
Power on cab, click and run game on steam, wait for game to netboot


 
cdmn1 said:
Like I mentioned, the hard part was curating all the art (transparent logos, banners, posters etc) but it ended up looking nice and easy to use.
Power on cab, click and run game on steam, wait for game to netboot

Click to expand...

Very very cool!
 
Orakelschaf said:
Is there a way to get a ZIP with all he artwork from you? :)
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Yeah I can create a zip of these however please keep in mind:

-About 1/3 of the art (most popular or ported titles) was readily available in steamgriddb, remaining art adapted or custom made by me

-not sure if there is any way to import these besides adding them individually

-I only have 2 cabs with standard CPs and a couple Naomi's and a useless Triforce, so I did not setup any art for dedicated games (analog, driving, light gun, etc) neither did I make any art for Chihiro nor type3 Triforce etc

Having said that, I'll make a zip with the art in a couple of days
 
@cdmn1 : If you launch the games by steam, do you use openjvs? - How is your openjvs setup and how do you run different openjvs configurations?
 
Orakelschaf said:
@cdmn1 : If you launch the games by steam, do you use openjvs? - How is your openjvs setup and how do you run different openjvs configurations?
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Never used openjvs, I guess you use it to interface controllers with a JVS IO but I run my Naomi's in standard NUC/NNC cabs with 2P6B control panels
 
Orakelschaf said:
@cdmn1 : If you launch the games by steam, do you use openjvs? - How is your openjvs setup and how do you run different openjvs configurations?
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he's using steam on his pc as a launcher to run transfergame or netboot.py, not actually running the games on his pc nor controlling his pc with the cabinet.
 
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