Getting Started

Getting Started

Option 1 — the Windows exe (easiest)

1. Download Frameshift.exe from Releases.
2. Run it. A desktop window opens; the same app also serves your home network for paired devices (see Device Pairing & Security).
3. Allow the Windows Firewall prompt on Private networks if you want to use it from a phone/tablet.

The exe keeps its data in a data\ folder next to itself and updates itself: when a new release ships, a banner offers one-click Update & restart, and you can read the release notes right in the app before applying. (Checksum-verified; disable in Settings if you prefer.)

Windows may warn about an unsigned exe the first time — it's built by GitHub Actions from the public source; you can also build it yourself with build_exe.bat.

Upgrading from the app's Elite Trader days? Your install updates normally and may keep the EliteTrader.exe filename on disk — that's expected and fine.

Option 2 — run from source (Windows)

Python 3.12 is the tested version.

git clone https://github.com/TannerMidd/frameshift
cd frameshift
run.bat

run.bat creates a virtual environment, installs dependencies and starts the app. run.bat --headless runs the server only (open the URL in a browser).

Option 3 — Linux / Steam Deck

The game runs under Steam Proton; the app runs natively:

git clone https://github.com/TannerMidd/frameshift
cd frameshift
chmod +x run.sh
./run.sh --headless

Open the printed URL in any browser. Journals inside the Proton prefix are auto-detected (~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/359320/pfx/... and ~/.steam variants). Headless + browser is the recommended mode on Linux. Autoplot is Windows-only; everything else works fully.

First run: what happens automatically

• Journal detection — the app finds the Elite Dangerous journal folder by itself, including a relocated Saved Games folder (resolved via the Windows known-folder API).
• The startup sequence — a short cockpit-styled banner (FLIGHT RECORDER → COCKPIT RESTORE → SYSTEMS CHECK) shows Frameshift replaying your latest journals. Journals are the source of truth: the live cockpit is rebuilt from them at every launch, normally in seconds. The very first run also catalogs your journal history for analytics — that one-time pass can take a few minutes on a large history, shows its progress, and never repeats.
• If the journal folder can't be found, a banner appears with an OPEN SETTINGS button → paste the folder path into Settings → Journal folder (it validates as you type and applies immediately, no restart).

Next steps

• Build the Market Database for local, instant trade routes.
• Mount a tablet: pair it, then see Flight Panel Mode.
• Bind nothing, change nothing — Autoplot uses your existing keys.