So I added an APPS section to emulation station how do I add artwork

[lunarkingdom]

So I added an APPS section to emulation station, how do I add artwork? For those interested once I got xbmc working under the new APPS section that I need background art for, I was able to simply do this to add startx in my apps section with xbmc:

all you have to do is create a file called startx.sh and add the line
#!/bin/bash
sudo startx

save it in your ~/RetroPie/roms/apps folder and then “startx” will appear along with “xbmc” in your APPS section. I am guessing this will work for whatever you have installed or install in the future, it cleanly starts the app then when you use the exit it goes back to emulation station. Now if any of you could just help me get some background art for this section I will be a happy camper, it would be cool to know how they added the cool image with logos on the other emulator sections too ;-) but I am not so worried about that.

[lunarkingdom]

input appreciated!

[shywolf28]

if you added the startx then that will start your raspian os, i did that on mine too, buts up to xbmc or raspbian, as for the artwork, you just have to create your own theme, i created my own with the help of someone here that provided some images, still dont know how to add the artwork to the apps folder though..

take a look at my theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zJg5cv_xHQ

[lunarkingdom]

yeah nice theme dude! Yours also has zero artwork 9page is all white) when you select the apps section you created, this is what I am referring to. It looks so bland I would love ot be able to add artwork to this so it looks more natural!

[rromo12]

I wrote a guide up for doing this, it’s not perfect(I got a little lazy on the second half) but I think it’ll be enough to get you where you want.

Let me know if it works for you or if I missed anything.

[rromo12]

Weird it didn’t include my link(maybe it was me though I swear I put it in there) ill try again:

https://rromo12.wordpress.com/2014/09/11/retropie-add-artwork-to-apps-section/

[shywolf28]

Woohoo finally got it to work, the apps section has background and icon image to go to..let me know if you need help with it lunarkingdowm

[shywolf28]

some pics

[shywolf28]

like tis

[lunarkingdom]

I am having trouble adding and removing anything in the linux file system, I was going to just copy the folder and paste it to my thumb drive in file manager in startx but it does not recognize my fat32 thumb drive or any of my sd cards, reading up on compatability with iMac using mac os and seems complicated, how are you guys doing this?

[lunarkingdom]

Ideally if I could open the files on my iMac via sd card that would make it a breeze

[rromo12]

I used winSCP to transfer the files, although I cant remember If I had to change write permissions of the folder.

If you do the command would be:
sudo chmod 777 /etc/emulationstation/themes/simple/

alternatively you could zip up the files and upload them to dropbox then do

wget http:\\dropboxlinkhere.zip
and unzip it to the proper folder

[lunarkingdom]

gah so frustrating, any easy tutorials on accessing your files or at the very least how to read write a fat32 usb memory stick for it?

[rromo12]

When I plugged in my flashdrive I was able to access the files without changing anything, are you looking in /media/usb?

You should atleast be able to copy from the USB drive to the desktop without any issues?

You’ll probably have to change the permissions of the /etc/emulationstation/themes/simple/ folder.

What issue are you running into with your memory stick?

[lunarkingdom]

got past it using filezilla, how do I modify the icon .svg file? thats about all I have left to do ;-)

[lunarkingdom]

rromo12, do you think you could possible zip all the pictures and the xml file and give it to me, I spent the last 3 hours trying to get it to work and failed, I can access swap and replace files no problem but none of my images worked nor did my attempt at coding the theme.xml have any effect.

[rromo12]

Done.

Check your PMs. If you want to use your own images just zip them up and send them to me and i’ll see what I can do.

[lunarkingdom]

Thanks romo working on it now! Really appreciate your help!

[lunarkingdom]

so I added and modified the files and it did not work BUT I remember in previous modifications to this build when I added a folder I had to go in to the specified folder and do a sudo command to initialize the folder, did you have to do this on your build? I am 99% sure I added everything properly.

[rromo12]

I’m not sure what you mean,

the folders should go as follows

apps.theme should be copied to /etc/emulationstation/themes/simple and then renamed to apps

apps.gamelists should be moved to
/home/pi/.emulationstation/gamelists
then renamed to apps

apps.downloaded_images be moved to
/home/pi/.emulationstation/downloaded_images
then renamed to apps

If you’re still having issues you should try renaming your es_system.cfg at /etc/emulationstation to something else and try mine.

[lunarkingdom]

That did it, I am pretty sure the problem was in es_system.cfg I had this for apps but I went back and reinstalled the way you described in your post and it worked perfect:

<system>
<fullname>apps</fullname>
<name>APPS</name>
<path>~/RetroPie/roms/apps</path>
<extension>.sh</extension>
<command>bash %ROM%</command>
<platform>apps</platform>
<theme>appS</theme>
</system>

when I should have had this:

<system>
<fullname>Apps</fullname>
<name>apps</name>
<path>~/RetroPie/roms/apps</path>
<extension>.sh .SH</extension>
<command>%ROM%</command>
<platform>pc</platform>
<theme>apps</theme>
</system>

Thank you so very very much, please for the sake of others write a tutorial and load the files to mediashare.com so others can bask in the glory of this mod, so sick man can not thank you enough rromo12!!!!!!!!

[ramchip]

First off I would like to say thanks for everyones hard work! I have just gotten to this point. rromo12 – I have everything setup for my APPS menu – XBMC and Raspbian. I was wondering if I might be able to get your artwork zip? Also is it possible to control XBMC and Raspbian (mouse) with a PS3 controller?

[shywolf28]

Dont know if you would like mine, but you can use this i made

[ramchip]

Where do I get these .theme files? From what I am reading those are the most important and almost any image can be used. Correct?

[shywolf28]

correct, emulationstation by default has a theme file called simple already installed by default, if you would like, you can create a new one yourself (which is what i did) and you can change themes at anytime in the main menu of emulationstation.

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