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DOS Game Installer & KEY2JOY.PAD
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Note: DOS Game Installer and KEY2JOY.PAD are in continous development. Use the "Update" function in the Help menu to get the latest.

DOS Game Installer is an alternative Launcher for eXoDOS. It started out as a generic DOS-launcher but was redesigned to exclusively work with the eXoDOS collection. DGI contains features that weren't possible with MEAGRE and LaunchBox. Besides an intuitive MAME-like look and feel, DGI allows you to install standalone games on your laptop, bedroom computer or directly to retropie, without the need for the full collection.

DGI also have support for the Keyb2joy.pad project, making it possible to play many DOS games with a joypad.

The keyb2joy.pad is a project to assist you to play DOS games with a controller. At its core its simply a structured, streamlined index. In it we filled in keymaps for over a thousand DOS-games, where functions like "movement", "jump" or "fire" were sorted into button layouts similar to stock controller settings. "Stock Controls" are button layouts that over time evolved to become the standard for each given genre. For instance, in all platform games, "jump" is assigned to the first button. In shoot-em up games, this button is used for "fire". In racing-games "accelerate". Etc. Etc. A person with skills in scripting can use the keyb2joy.pad project for whatever controller-mapping software they use.

The launcher itself is not a miracle. It was in fact written in autohotkey. But its based on several indexes that taken a long time to research, test and develop. If you wish to use the indexes in your project, let me know.

data\Canon Index.txt and data\Meta Index.txt are based on eXoDOS.
data\Configuration Index.txt contains what is necessary to create a working dosbox autoexec.
data\Controller Index.txt contains the keyb2joy.pad project.
data\Configuration Index Setup.txt contains reference to what hardware setup.exe is used by the game (if any).
data\Identification Index.txt contains one "needle" file. 99% of these files are unique for that game in filename and filesize.

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REQUIREMENTS
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DGI requires the following components.
eXoDOS, latest version (or an added repository, read below)
7-Zip: https://www.7-zip.org/download.html
DOSBox (including one copy of the original dosbox, ECE, daum and X (included in eXoDOS)
MT32 roms (included in eXoDOS)
Soundcanvas (included in eXoDOS)

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UPDATE TO THE LATEST VERSION
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By using Help > Update you can update DGI to the latest version. The update is fast and restarts the app for you.
You can also find updates on; http://heroquest.no-ip.com/dgi

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FIRST TIME USE
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First time you run DGI it will ask you some questions where you set up your path to eXoDOS, DOSBox and other things. You can later change the paths in Options > Edit Preferences, or by manually modifying data\DOS Game Installer.ini. You may also wipe that file and start over should you need to.

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PORTABLE OR EXODOS INTEGRATED
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When starting up DGI it will ask you if you have the eXoDOS on your harddrive. If you do not have eXoDOS locally stored, you may use it portable.

With eXoDOS, point DGI to the root folder of the collection as such:

C:\My Games\Old Games\eXoDOS v#
(... \eXoDOS\games\!dos)

With a full collection, you can run DGI in "eXoDOS Core Mode". If eXoDOS Core Mode is enabled in the Export menu, DGI will use eXoDOS paths for everything.
If not in Core Mode, DGI is fully portable. That means you can put it on a small USB-stick and have fun.
To get images for a portable DGI, copy the eXoDOS\images folder to data\images. Also read about adding a repository below.

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SET UP A CONTROLLER
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Use Options > Edit Preferences > Controllers to set up a controller for your game. You can "Add" a new controller with the wizard or import one from a connected Retropie (\\Retropie must be available on your computer). Remember to actually assign your controller by selecting it on the right hand screen. Different controllers can be used for your PC and your Retropie. If the assignment seem to fail you can delete and start over. And in the worst case, whipe the data\DOS Game Installer Controllers.ini file and restart.

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INSTALL A GAME
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You can just doubleclick a game or rightclick and select "install". If you want to reinstall a game by rightclicking it and select "Install". Reinstalling will not overwrite previous saves and settings but it will update your DOSBox configuration and controller map.

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UNINSTALLING A GAME
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You can remove a game from your virtual harddrive by rightclicking and select "uninstall". Uninstallation will only erase the original files, but keep settings and saves.

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TROUBLESHOOTING
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If a game doesn't work, bummer. To troubleshoot the game you can use various functions at your disposal to fix it.

Restart! : Most issues in DGI can be resolved by restarting the app.
Reinstall : Most game issues are resolved by just reinstalling, or uninstalling/reinstalling.
Rightclick > Boot to Folder : This option starts DOSBox in the expected folder where the main executeable is supposed to be.
Rightclick > Boot Setup : This option will run the hardware setup for the gsme, if known.
Access > Open Game Folder : Will allow you to browse the gamefolder for clues.
Access > Edit DOSBox Config : Will allow you to read and edit the DOSBox configuration.
Access > Open Zip in 7-zip : Will attempt to open the game in 7zip. If this doesnt work your path to eXoDOS or 7-zip is wrong.

Edit or delete data\DOS Game Installer.ini, data\DOS Game Installer SavedData.ini or edit\DOS Game Installer Controllers.ini if something is wrong or whipe these files to start fresh.

You can also remove the gamefiles, config and map if you need to.

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RETROPIE MODE
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To install games on Retropie you need Retropie on your network and accessible with \\Retropie

When DGI is set to Retropie mode three things will change;
1. DGI will attempt to use the Retropie paths when extracting files. Check paths in Edit Preferences (doesn't need to be changed)
2. DGI will use the Retropie paths when checking "Installed" games.
3. DGI will use the selected Retropie Controller

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AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER SUPPORT WITH KEY2JOY.PAD
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DGI use the Key2joy.pad project to offer automatic controller support for over a thousand action games. The only thing you need to do is to use Options > Edit Preferences > Controller and there set up a controller of your choice. Remember to also assign a controller on the right side of the window under "Select Controller Player 1".

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REPOSITORY
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If you have access to a http/https-driven eXoDOS repository you can paste the link into preferences. The link needs to point to the eXoDOS root folder from which you can see the "eXoDOS" folder:
www.myrepository/dosgames/eXoDOS-Collection
(... /eXoDOS/games/!dos)

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SUPPORT ON DOS GAME INSTALLER OR KEY2JOY.PAD
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For support to DGI or key2joy.pad, find eXoDOS on Discord or contact Jemy Murphy#3889. Alternatively jemym on Steam.
You can also find updates on; http://heroquest.no-ip.com/dgi
