Vista Games Explorer

Where's the box art?

from GalCiv2 Forums
I'm sure somebody must have asked this already, but I can't find it anywhere - what can I (or Stardock) do to get GalCiv2 showing up in the Vista Games Explorer? Using the normal Stardock online installer doesn't put anything in the Games Explorer at all, and when I manually drag a shortcut, it goes to a generic file icon and the caption "Galactic Civilization 2 (1995)", instead of box art, ESRB ratings, etc. The game seems to run fine (I have an 8800GTX and nVidia driver 101.41), but it is annoying that I can't concentrate all my games in the one spot as promised. I gather there is a special file you have to get registered on Microsoft's servers with the box art - is this something that Stardock is unable/unwilling to do?
4,388 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Airshark,

What version of GalCiv2 are you running, did you install it from Stardock Central, and do you have these files in your GalCiv2 folder?

GDFGC2Install.exe

GameuxInstallHelper.dll

GDFGalCiv2.dll 

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
floodover, we don't have game definition files for GalCiv1.

Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Just drag a shortcut into the games explorer window
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Airshark,


What version of GalCiv2 are you running, did you install it from Stardock Central, and do you have these files in your GalCiv2 folder?


GDFGC2Install.exe


GameuxInstallHelper.dll


GDFGalCiv2.dll 



I purchased the game online and installed it from Stardock Central. I have all three files you mention in Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Just drag a shortcut into the games explorer window


Except as I stated in my original post, that doesn't work.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Just drag a shortcut into the games explorer window


Except as I stated in my original post, that doesn't work.


Looks like a lot of reading if you want the rest of the stuff.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Tetrasodium,

Even if he did follow those instructions, chances are it wouldn't work because our older games don't have digitally signed exe files.

Airshark,

I thought that the SDC installer would have done it automatically, but here is how to do it manually:

1) Right click on the GDFGC2Install.exe and choose Send to Desktop (Create shortcut).

2) Right click on the shortcut and click on the shortcut tab if it isn't on there already. 

3) Click in the Target field and hit the end key, followed by a space.

4) Type the word INSTALL, then hit Space, then type GALCIV2

So your Target should be something like this:

"C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2" INSTALL GALCIV2

Hit OK to close the icon and save the changes.

Now double click on the shortcut and it should run the program to add GalCiv2 to your Games Explorer menu.   To remove it from the Games Explorer, use the same shortcut but change INSTALL to UNINSTALL.

This can also be done for Dark Avatar if you have that as well, but you will need to create another shortcut for the copy of GDFGC2Install.exe file in the DarkAvatar folder, and you will need to use the parameter DARKAVATAR instead of GALCIV2.

If the registry keys are not present for GalCiv2 or DarkAvatar, this probably won't work.

Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Tetrasodium,


Even if he did follow those instructions, chances are it wouldn't work because our older games don't have digitally signed exe files.


Airshark,


I thought that the SDC installer would have done it automatically, but here is how to do it manually:


1) Right click on the GDFGC2Install.exe and choose Send to Desktop (Create shortcut).


2) Right click on the shortcut and click on the shortcut tab if it isn't on there already. 


3) Click in the Target field and hit the end key, followed by a space.


4) Type the word INSTALL, then hit Space, then type GALCIV2


So your Target should be something like this:


"C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2" INSTALL GALCIV2


Hit OK to close the icon and save the changes.


Now double click on the shortcut and it should run the program to add GalCiv2 to your Games Explorer menu.   To remove it from the Games Explorer, use the same shortcut but change INSTALL to UNINSTALL.


This can also be done for Dark Avatar if you have that as well, but you will need to create another shortcut for the copy of GDFGC2Install.exe file in the DarkAvatar folder, and you will need to use the parameter DARKAVATAR instead of GALCIV2.


If the registry keys are not present for GalCiv2 or DarkAvatar, this probably won't work.



Thanks. This worked like a charm. I think this is probably kinda common, perhaps you should mention it in the FAQ.