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[Derrek3D]

Hello,

I have a problem with the installation of my game and I need some help. I'm using Inno Setup to create a setup for my game and I add the following line at the end of my setup script to register the game in Vista's Game Explorer:

Code: [Select]

[Run]
Filename: "{app}\Game.exe"; Parameters: "-gameexplorer add"

The problem is that if I don't have the proper version of DirectX installed on the machine, this line causes WME to display an error regarding the missing DirectX dll. I'm well aware of the DirectX problem and I even prepared a game launcher to help the user install DirectX if it is missing, but the game launcher is designed to run when the user runs the game and not during the installation process.

Is DirectX needed during the Game Explorer registration? If it is not, then why does WME display that error message even if the "-gameexplorer add" parameter is used?

The same goes for the following line:

Code: [Select]

[UninstallRun]
Filename: "{app}\Game.exe"; Parameters: "-gameexplorer remove"

I get the DirectX error message when I uninstall the game if DirectX is not installed.

Thanks.

[Mnemonic]

Which DLL? Are you using the Direct3D 9 version of WME?

[Derrek3D]

Yes, I'm using the Direct3D 9. The error message says it can't find D3DX9_34.dll.

[Mnemonic]

This DLL is linked statically to wme_D3D9.exe. Which means, it has to be present, no matter if wme is currently using it or not. The error is reported by Windows.
There's not much I can do about it, it's not feasible to load this one dynamically (that's what WME does with the other DX libraries). So I'm afraid your options are:
1) install DirectX first
2) include the DLL with your game (which technically violates DirextX EULA, however I've seen several commercial games doing it)
3) search the web for a minimal installer which only installs the D3DX library (someone's been maintaining those in the past) and install it prior to invoking the GameExplorer integration

[Mnemonic]

4) ugly but effective: include both the DX 8 and DX 9 versions of wme.exe, and use the DX 8 version to integrate with GameExplorer and DX 9 to actually run the game.

[Derrek3D]

Ok, please explain how to do this.

I'm compiling my game with the Direct3D 9 version of WME and my resulting game has two files: Game.exe and Settings.exe. What do I need to do next in order to have also the DirectX 8 version of wme.exe?

[Mnemonic]

You'd have to copy it manually from WME directory to your compiled game directory under a different name, and use that name when invoking the GE integration from your installer.

[Derrek3D]

So if my final game folder now has Game.exe and Settings.exe, should I now copy the file wme.exe (of size 1,839,104 bytes) from the WME installation folder to my game folder, name it whatever I like, and then call it from the Inno Setup to register/unregister the Game Explorer integration?

Have I got it right?

[Mnemonic]

Yes, that's what I meant.

[Derrek3D]

I tried this and nothing happened. The Game Explorer remains empty after the installation. When I think of it, I don't understand how it can work at all. I mean, the gdf and the thumbnail reside in my Game.exe so how is the command:

Code: [Select]

Filename: "{app}\wme.exe"; Parameters: "-gameexplorer add"

supposed to know what to do?

[Mnemonic]

Hm, right, stupid me. I forgot the GE info is stored in the executable, so this approach won't work...