XDLaunch - A Java-based Front-end for Doom source Ports

[MTrop]

I have made a program called "XDLaunch" for providing a front-end for running Doom Engine Source Ports and PWADs. The currently supported Source Ports are ZDoom, Skulltag, PrBoom, and Chocolate Doom, and more will be added later. It is close to where I want it to be (after a couple years of on-and-off development) in terms of a usable application. In fact, I have been using it a lot personally, so I think that's a good benchmark for something usable by others.

It not only provides a means for setting up profiles for games and such, but also creates a database for a person's stored PWADs and is intelligent enough to figure out if there are new or replaced graphics or music or sounds or what-have-you. It also displays the first replaced map in each WAD (if any) and the amount of maps each Wad (or Zip, or PK3) contains. Make sure that the profile's game setting matches the type of WADs that you are importing into the program.

It automatically reads inside zip files and automates the unzipping and cleanup processes on a per-launch basis. It stores all profiles by OS user, in the user's application settings directories (under a folder called XDLaunch). It will examine the APPDATA environment variable under Windows or the HOME variable under UNIX/Linux/OSX to find it. It also puts its temporary storage there.

It uses the TinyLAF look and feel for its appearance. I'd rather it use something like Doom Builder 2's look and feel, but I couldn't find anything free that I could use that was close enough.

The program is started by running XDLaunch.exe. It will automatically search for available JVMs, but you need at least a Sun 1.6.0 JVM for it to run. If you can't get it to run via the executable (or you use a non-Windows OS), make sure that the JARs in the Jar folder are included in the Java classpath and call "com.blackrook.xdl.XDMain" as the main class.

It's downloadable at http://www.blackrooksoftware.com/downloads/xdl-beta09a.zip

The program is IN BETA and may contain some bugs or whatever. That's where you guys come in: I need BETA TESTERS. Right now, I think it is in a perfectly usable state, but I need other people for testing/feature requests.

I also am in need of a better ICO maker. Why the hell is it still a pain in the ass these days to find one (even with the power of Google at my fingertips)?

Screenshots:

[wildweasel]

For a better ICO maker, just make a PNG at the appropriate dimensions, and convert it to an XP/Vista/7-compatible icon with translucency using IrfanView.

[MTrop]

Thanks. I was unaware that IrfanView even made ICOs.

It also has been years since I even installed it on a computer.