Creating your own Launcher using VB6 (EZ as π)

[sandbox]

Want to make a new add-on for your server?! Here's a 10-step guide on how to create your own launcher for your server. This would serve great as a one-way directory for your players, you can easily redirect them to your applications, website, etc!

 

Disclaimer

I used VB6 because most players do not have a .NET framework version later then 3.0ish installed

Step 1: Download VB 6.0 portable, Run it afterwards. Don't forget to press Reg Key before running it.

 

Step 2: Select Standard EXE

 

Step 3: Click on the main form, then edit Caption under the Properties tab(lower right) rename it to your server name or whatever title you want. You can also re-size the form to whatever size you want your launcher to look like by dragging the borders, like how you re-size normal windows.

 

Step 4(Optional): Place an icon by browsing the file upon clicking Icon property.

 

Step 5: Create a button to launch your Patcher/Exe! By clicking the Command Button tool on the toolbox(left side), then dragging the desired size that you want on your main form.

 

Step 6(Optional): Create another button to launch Setup or any file that your players often access.

 

Step 7(Optional): Add your logo or banner to make your launcher pretty! Simply click the Picture Box tool, only two icons above the command button icon. Then browse for your logo by clicking the Picture property

 

Step 8: Time to code those buttons! Simply double click the Patcher button we made earlier, the coding area will pop-up afterwards. Copy the codes written in the photo or paste the code below. Don't forget to replace "Your RO Patcher.exe" to the name of your patcher/exe file!

Dim RetVal
RetVal = Shell("Your RO Patcher.exe",1)
Unload Form1

 

Step 9: Now, let's put the code for running the Setup.exe! Now, why is it much shorter? 'Cause the code below is needed to be used instead of the one below, only IF your exe/patcher contains spaces.

Shell ("Setup.exe")
Unload Form1

 

Step 10: Save your project then compile it! Go to File > Make Project1.exe

 

Hurray, we're done! Here's the finished product of what we created!

 

Now, just simply place this on the root folder of your RO files, along with setup, patcher, etc. so you wouldn't get errors!

 

To improve the design and functionality of your launcher, you might wanna add & explore some functions & properties of forms and controls!

[Kido]

coool thank you for the release o:!!!

[Altimage]

How to setup auto start exe ?

[Pneuma]

Also Maybe add in a guide for creating the Login Screen for users who require a Launcher to login?

[sandbox]

How to setup auto start exe ?

 

Auto-start from what?

 

Also Maybe add in a guide for creating the Login Screen for users who require a Launcher to login?

 

That, I might not be able to make. I'm not pro with gfx unfortunately.

[Altimage]

 

 

Auto-start from what?

 

from client seem likes splash screen.

[sandbox]

 

 

 

Auto-start from what?

 

from client seem likes splash screen.

 

Hmm.. I don't have the codes right now for I am at work, but i'll give you the logic,

 

> Create a new form, make it as your default form.

> Edit its properties and make it a borderless window

> Insert picture box then resize it to the max size of the form

> Code it to load for at least 1-3 seconds.

> After the loading delay, unload the picture box form, load your launcher's form

 

There's some code like that roaming in google, I can't code in VB during weekdays so yeah. Google would be your friend for this one.

[Altimage]

Thank you so much ^ ^

[Neo-Mind]

I was just wondering what the purpose of this launcher is  . My understanding is that the launcher served as a login screen to enter your credentials then launch the game / patcher.

[sandbox]

This would serve great as a one-way directory for your players, you can easily redirect them to your applications, website, etc!

 

You can use this to create a one-click access to your website/forums/wiki/patcher/exe. You can even use this like an offline NPC with the proper idea and coding. The possibilities are limitless, i'm just showing one of its purposes, what you only need is to imagine and improvise

 

Visual Basic/C# is a great OOP language which is used in some of the 3rd party tools that you see in our forums..

 

Even Visual C++ which is used by most people as rAthena's compiler only, which is sad since it has more uses like the one stated above.

[Microsoft]

Can you please give me the codes where I can put the website link? Thank you sandbox.

[Emmanskillz]

Thank You For This Sandbox

[sandbox]

Can you please give me the codes where I can put the website link? Thank you sandbox.

 

You can google codes easily. Anyways, here's the code

 

http://visualbasic.ittoolbox.com/groups/technical-functional/visualbasic-l/open-a-website-on-clicking-a-command-button-in-vb-60-windows-application-1223688

[Neo-Mind]

The solution presented at the top is dependent on whether the target system has IE. but someone has provided a better code a little lower.

Im just copying it below which should be the apt way of doing it.

Dim x As Long 
x = ShellExecute(large.hwnd, "Open", "http://www.windostat.org", &O0, &O0, 0) 

[ngoclong19]

Wow, that Visual Basic works like a charm on Windows 8.1. I missed VB6 since I used Windows 7. Now I don't need a VM to run Windows XP anymore. Thank you sandbox!

[sandbox]

Thanks! I can't even remember where I got that portable software xD

[Myth]

cool tut

[uyjulian]

I might make an addition to this tutorial about how to add cmd line switches (1rag1)

[vBrenth]

I might make an addition to this tutorial about how to add cmd line switches (1rag1)

 

Uhm sorry to bump any result to this?

[Cydh]

again, I missed something cool

 

sandbox @_@ u should come back here for a while to give a thank to u for this guide.

it's been years since last time I use VB6

[joelolopez]

i hope he include some login feature tutorial to the launcher using vb6

[uyjulian]

I might make an addition to this tutorial about how to add cmd line switches (1rag1)

 

Uhm sorry to bump any result to this?

Shell("/path/to/rag.exe -1rag1 (other args)")

Edited March 12, 2015 by uyjulian