Steam now allows you to use custom images in Grid view. I have a list of my Steam custom images.
However, you cannot add multiple entries to the same program in Steam and give them each a custom image. They will all use the same image.
Fortunately, you can run BAT files and, because they can all have different names, you can assign them each custom images.
Unfortunately, Steam won’t let you add BAT files to your library.
Fortunately, you can con Steam into running them.
Add a BAT file to Steam
- Write a BAT file to load your emulator with the appropriate command-line switches to load the desired game.
- For example:
R-Racing Evolution Gamecube.bat
- For example:
- Use a BAT-to-EXE tool to convert your BAT file to an EXE. I have written one and it is available on my Solutions page.
- For example:
R-Racing Evolution Gamecube.exe
- For example:
- In Steam, Add a game: Add a Non-Steam Game…, Browse and select your new exe then Add Selected Programs.
- You can now add a custom image.
Emulator Command-Line Examples
Dolphin
CD "C:\Program Files\Dolphin" "C:\Program Files\Dolphin\Dolphin.exe" /e "E:\Gamecube\R-Racing Evolution Gamecube.gcz" /b
- The /e switch loads the file specified directly into Dolphin.
- The /b switch exits Dolphin when you exit the game.
ePSXe
CD "C:\Program Files\ePSXe" "C:\Program Files\ePSXe\epsxe.exe" -loadmemc0 memcards\MotoRacer.mcr -nogui -loadbin "E:\PlayStation\Moto Racer [SLUS_004.98].bin"
- The -loadmemc0 switch specifies a file to use as a memory card. I assign one card per game and it saves having to remember what’s where.
- The -nogui switch doesn’t show the ePSXe window and, instead, loads the ISO specified.
- The -loadbin switch specifies the ISO to use.
MAME
CD "C:\MAME" "C:\MAME\mame.exe" 1941.zip -autosave
- The -autosave switch automatically creates a save state file when exiting MAME and automatically attempts to reload it when later starting MAME with the same game.
PCSX2
CD "C:\Program Files (x86)\PCSX2 0.9.8" "C:\Program Files (x86)\PCSX2 0.9.8\pcsx2-r4600.exe" "E:\PlayStation 2\Auto Modellista [SLUS-20642] 4x3 screenshot (F8).iso"
- The first parameter specifies an ISO to run.
- You can add a –nogui switch to the end of the line. The –nogui switch exits PCSX2 when you exit the game but, for me on build 4600, the PCSX2 process never exits. Omitting the switch allows you to close the PCSX2 window and the program ends correctly.
Hey, I’ve been setting up my emulators to work with steam with the help of your guide, and I seem to be having trouble with epsxe. It worked fine the first time, and loaded the game, but after that I just get a BIOS error. Here’s what a batch looks like:
http://i.imgur.com/kr2iRgL.png
Any advice?
Try loading ePSXe on its own and set up the BIOS again.
Please, i have already resolved my problem, i added /d after the first CD, i did it like this:
CD /d “C:\Program Files\Dolphin”
“C:\Program Files\Dolphin\Dolphin.exe” /e “E:\Gamecube\R-Racing Evolution Gamecube.gcz” /b
It gives me various errors, some of they are (mi dolphin is not installed, is just portable):
Says “Error loading plugin Plugin_VideoOGL.dll: cant find file”
“Cant init video Plugin”
“Couldnt Init the core check you configuration”
The emulator works if i launch the emulator from his exe normally, even if i setup the shortcut on steam, launch and select the game individually it works normally.
What should i do ?
Hi, n64 is all set, I even saved a template so I don’t have to bug ya. But no with Dolphin I enter this:
CD “D:\Emulation\Wii”
“D:\Emulation\Wii\Dolphin.exe” /e
“D:\EMulation\Wii\Super Mario Sunshine.iso” /b
And I get the program telling me a set of usage commands. Im using the latest version of Dolphin.
The second (Dolphin.exe) line is all one line. Additionally, you may have to set Dolphin to run as an administrator in order for it to save to memory cards.
CD “D:\Emulation\Wii”
Dolphin.exe /e “D:\Emulation\Wii\Super Mario Sunshine.iso” /b
So all i put is that what you typed there exactly into a batch file?
Yes. Two lines: one beginning with CD and one Dolphin.exe.
http://socialcrime.com/images/Error.png I have the luck of Charlie Brown.. :P
My mistake this one; I tried to involve a little less typing.
CD “D:\Emulation\Wii”
“D:\Emulation\Wii\Dolphin.exe” /e “D:\Emulation\Wii\Super Mario Sunshine.iso” /b
Haha! TO quote Harrison Ford in Clear and Present Danger…”How dare YOU sir!!”
:P Anyways I’ll let ya know as soon as I get home, THX!!
Volume label or syntax incorrect blah blah. :P
CD “D:\Emulation\Wii”
“D:\Emulation\Wii\Dolphin.exe” /e
“D:\Emulation\Wii\Super Mario Sunshine.iso” /b
You’ve split the second line again.
The first line starts CD and ends Wii”.
The second line starts “D: and ends /b.
CD “D:\Emulation\Wii” “D:\Emulation\Wii\Dolphin.exe” /e
“D:\Emulation\Wii\Super Mario Sunshine.iso” /b
-like so? Still error. :(
No. Like this:
CD “D:\Emulation\Wii”
“D:\Emulation\Wii\Dolphin.exe” /e “D:\Emulation\Wii\Super Mario Sunshine.iso” /b
CD “D:\Emulation\Wii”
“D:\Emulation\Wii\Dolphin.exe” /e “D:\Emulation\Wii\Super Mario
Sunshine.iso” /b Still errors, any chance you wanna try sending me a batch file and see if its my copy and pasting that’s screwing up? pedge@socialcrime.comn TIA
CD “D:\Emulation\Wii”
“D:\Emulation\Wii\Dolphin.exe” /e “D:\Emulation\Wii\Super Mario Sunshine.iso” /b
SYntax error
Got it, its the ” as we are using two different Regions of keyboards. :D
At last!
Great Job. Any idea of how to do this with Final Burn Alpha?
Final Burn Alpha supports command-line launching. Simply supply the name of the rom, for example, bionicc, as a parameter to launch, in this case, Bionic Commando.
fba bionicc
fba64 bionicc
If it is the first time you’ve played a game, press F5 to set up your controller.
Thanks for the guide, I got it working fine with 3 of the 4 of the examples you listed.
I seem to be having a little problem setting my own batch up for Project64 though. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong, would you mind helping me out?
Here is the one I made for reference:
CD “C:\Program Files (x86)\N64″
“C:\Program Files (x86)\N64\Project64″ “D:\Emulators\N64\(game.exe).n64″
The game loads fine, but the command prompt window stays up for some reason. This doesn’t happen with any of the other emulator batches.
Thanks in advance, if you’re able to help.
1. Right-click your batch file and create a shortcut.
2. Right-click the shortcut and under the Shortcut tab, set Run to Minimized.
3. Use the shortcut to run the batch file invisibly.
Alternatively, you can convert the batch file to a windowless exe using Slimm Bat to Exe found on the Solutions page of this blog. If you do that, you can also use Steam to launch the game.
Thank you very much for the help, sir!
What about Project 64? That possible?
Yes. Simply add the ROM name to the command-line. With Project64 1.6 you don’t need any quotes around the ROM name even if it has a space in it.
Sorry to be picky but could you type me up an example? :D TIA!!
“C:\Program Files\Project64\project64.exe” E:\Nintendo 64 roms\California Speed.zip
“D:\Emulation\Nintendo64\Project64.exe” D:\Emulation\Nintendo 64\Roms\California Speed.zip No luck.
I would take these steps.
1. I trust that your ROM name is correct and refers to a file that exists.
2. Double-check you are using version 1.6. Load Project64 on its own and check the title bar.
3. Double-check the ROM works from inside Project64 using File->Open.
4. If you are on Vista or later, you may need to run Project64 as an adminstrator depending on where it is trying to write save states and memory cards. (Though looking at your command line and your use of a custom folder, that shouldn’t be necessary.)
Outside of that, I don’t know.
CD “D:\Emulation\Nintendo64″
“D:\Emulation\Nintendo64\Project64.exe” “D:\Emulation\Nintendo 64\Roms\LEGO Racers.z64″
When I try that a CMD window opens and closes, thats it. :/
Don’t put quotes around the rom name.
Also, use double apostrophe’s, not opening and closing quotation marks. On a UK keyboard it is Shift and 2.
CD “D:\Emulation\Nintendo64″
“D:\Emulation\Nintendo64\Project64.exe” D:\Emulation\Nintendo 64\Roms\LEGO Racers.z64
Just closes before i Can read but i think i saw something about syntax incorrect.
To see your error message, open a command window (Press Windows+R, then type cmd and press Enter or on Windows 8 right-click the bottom left corner and select Command Prompt) then type the Project64.exe line in and press Enter.
What line do i type? TIA
Type: “D:\Emulation\Nintendo64\Project64.exe” D:\Emulation\Nintendo 64\Roms\LEGO Racers.z64
http://socialcrime.com/images/Untitled.png Still problems. :(
Nice easy fix. You copied the line incorrectly and missed the speechmark after D:\Emulation\Nintendo64Project64.exe.
The first part, the command, has speechmarks around it. The second part, the argument, does not.
I dont have a UK keyboard whats it in US, thanks
Shift-Apostrophe.
CD “D:\Emulation\Nintendo64″ “D:\Emulation\Nintendo64\Project64.exe”
D:\Emulation\Nintendo 64\Roms\LEGO Racers.z64
And i am doing shift apostrophe. ;P
1. Are you sure you are using Project64 version 1.6? The version is critical.
2. Have you played LEGO Racers using the Project64 user interface?
3. Have you tried other roms? That said, if the rom were a problem, Project64 would load and pop a box up on the screen saying that it “does not appear to be a valid Nintendo64 rom” or it would say “Attempt to open file failed” if you spelled the rom name incorrectly. I trust it is doing neither of those things.
Finally got it! And I wasn’t using 1.6 totally thought I was. why doesn’t it work with 1.7 and up anyways? Anyways thanks so much for your patience. Two things. How do i close the command window when PJ starts, and how can I make PJ full screen on start in commands? TIA!!
Update, batch to exe has the invisible option that worked to close the window. But is their a command to run pj in fullscreen at start?
Load Project64.exe and select Settings from the Options menu. It’s the last item.
Select the Options tab and tick the box “On loading a ROM go to full screen”.
Enjoy!
Will do, thx!!
Im having New Super Mario Bros crash when I try this. Any clue? I have the files right from what I know.
I presume it works fine directly from Dolphin. Make sure there are quotation marks around any file path. The difference between forward slash and backward slash is important. Dolphin may need to be run as an administrator.
Oddly, I can run the Dolphin command-line shown above but I can’t launch Dolphin itself from Steam. How strange is that?
Fixed!! Thanks, I wasn’t coding it right. :D
Might be kind of silly to ask, but what about SNES, N64, GBA, Genesis, and other emulators? Surely there’s a command line to load up a ROM immediately for these older emulators?
A lot of emulators have command line switches. If they’re not clearly specified in a readme or by appending /? to the exe, I use Google to try and find an example.
Nice! Thanks a lot, and thanks for the great post. This combined with Steam’s Big Screen feature is going to be amazing.
Is it possible to make Dolphin run iso’s like this? Because it keeps saying the file doesn’t exist, even though it brings the directory up in Dolphin.
When I wrote this article it certainly worked. I was using it to play The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker direct from Steam. Are you using full path names in quotes? Also, there is a small mistake in the first CD which should read CD “C:\Program Files\Dolphin”. Perhaps that’s the problem.