02 projects and solution

02 — Projects & Solution

The solution SimpleLauncher.sln and the two documented projects in depth. Related: 01 — Overview · 04 — Architecture

Solution layout (10 projects)

Project	Kind	Role
SimpleLauncher	WPF app (WinExe)	The launcher — UI, ViewModels, services, launch handlers, scanners, DI composition root
SimpleLauncher.Core	Class library	Shared logic — services, models, interfaces, persistence, emulator config injection
SimpleLauncher.Tests	xUnit test project	150 test files; references SimpleLauncher (and transitively Core)
SimpleLauncher.Updater	Console app	Self-update helper (Updater.exe) — downloads release zip, swaps files, relaunches app
SimpleLauncher.Avalonia	Avalonia UI app	In-progress cross-platform port (secondary/experimental)
SimpleLauncher.ResourceTranslator	Tool	Assists translating resources\strings.*.xaml files
Tools\Mame.DatCreator	WPF tool	Builds mame.dat (MessagePack) from MAME -listxml + software lists
Tools\RetroAchievements.DataFetcher	CLI tool	Fetches the RA game database into RetroAchievements.dat
Tools\XmlToBinaryConverter	WPF tool	Converts history.xml ↔ history.dat (MessagePack)

Dependency edges: SimpleLauncher → SimpleLauncher.Core; SimpleLauncher.Tests → SimpleLauncher; SimpleLauncher.Updater standalone; SimpleLauncher.Avalonia references Core (via InternalsVisibleTo).

SimpleLauncher\SimpleLauncher.csproj (the app)

Key properties:

<TargetFramework>net10.0-windows</TargetFramework>
<OutputType>WinExe</OutputType>
<UseWPF>true</UseWPF>
<LangVersion>14</LangVersion>
<Nullable>enable</Nullable>
<RuntimeIdentifiers>win-x64;win-arm64</RuntimeIdentifiers>
<ApplicationManifest>app.manifest</ApplicationManifest>
<StartupObject>SimpleLauncher.App</StartupObject>
<AssemblyVersion>/<FileVersion>/<Version>5.6.0</Version>
<AllowUnsafeBlocks>true</AllowUnsafeBlocks>
<RuntimeFrameworkVersion>10.0.2</RuntimeFrameworkVersion>
<SupportedOSPlatformVersion>7.0</SupportedOSPlatformVersion>

• Versioning: 5.6.0; kept consistent with Core, tests, app.manifest, and SimpleLauncher.Updater\version.txt (VersionConsistencyTests enforces it).
• InternalsVisibleTo("SimpleLauncher.Tests") — tests reach internal members.
• Copy-to-output payloads (<None Update=... CopyToOutputDirectory>):
  • appsettings.json (Always), WhatsNew.md (PreserveNewest), mame.dat (Always), system images images\systems\*.png (Always), audio\*.mp3.
  • tools\* payloads: findromcover\, createbatchfilesforscummvmgames\, createbatchfilesforwindowsgames\, BatchConvertTo7z\, CreateBatchFilesForPS3Games\ (stale entries for ps3batchlaunchercreator\ remain in the csproj but have no folder on disk — see 11 — Bundled Tools), plus 7za binaries, system images, and more.
• Global usings: System.IO, System.Net.Http, Serilog.
• NoWarn: NU1903;CS0436.
• Startup object is SimpleLauncher.App (see 04 — Architecture).

App packages (selected)

Package	Version	Used for
MahApps.Metro	2.4.11	UI theme/controls
CommunityToolkit.Mvvm	8.4.2	ViewModels (ObservableObject, RelayCommand)
MessagePack	3.1.8	Binary data files
Microsoft.Extensions.*	10.0.10	Configuration, DI, HTTP, resilience
Microsoft.Extensions.Http.Resilience	10.8.0	Polly retry policy on downloads
Microsoft.Data.Sqlite / SourceGear.sqlite3	10.0.10 / 3.53.4	SQLite (Amazon scan, Stella settings)
SharpCompress	0.50.4	Archive extraction
NAudio	2.3.0	UI sound effects
SharpDX + XInput + DirectInput	4.2.0	Gamepad input
InputSimulatorCore	1.0.5	Mouse simulation from gamepad
Serilog (+ Sinks.Async/Debug/File)	4.4.0	Logging
Tomlyn	2.10.1	TOML parsing (Xenia, Yumir configs)
YamlDotNet	18.1.0	YAML parsing (RPCS3 config)
Meziantou.Analyzer	3.0.139	Static analysis (PrivateAssets)
Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.NetAnalyzers	10.0.302	Static analysis

SimpleLauncher.Core\SimpleLauncher.Core.csproj (the library)

Key properties: net10.0-windows, IsPackable=true, Nullable enabled, LangVersion 14, DebugType=embedded, version 5.6.0.

• InternalsVisibleTo: SimpleLauncher.Tests, SimpleLauncher, SimpleLauncher.New, SimpleLauncher.Avalonia, SimpleLauncher.New.Tests.
• Global usings: System.IO, System.Net.Http, Serilog — so every Core service takes a Serilog ILogger by convention.
• Packages: the same core set as the app (CommunityToolkit.Mvvm, MessagePack, Microsoft.Extensions., SharpCompress, NAudio, SharpDX, Serilog, Tomlyn, YamlDotNet, SourceGear.sqlite3, Meziantou.Analyzer) — no WPF/MahApps (it targets net10.0-windows because of DPAPI ProtectedData, System.Drawing-adjacent helpers, and Windows-specific services, but stays UI-agnostic).

Folder structure of the app project

SimpleLauncher/
├── App.xaml(.cs)            DI composition root, startup sequence
├── MainWindow.xaml(.cs)     + 12 partials (hosts, menus, pagination, search, close events…)
├── *.xaml(.cs)              22 root windows (About, Debug, EasyMode, EditSystem, InjectConfig…)
├── InjectConfigWindows/     21 emulator config-injection dialogs
├── Pages/                   Favorites, GlobalSearch, PlayHistory
├── ViewModels/              44 ViewModels (incl. 21 Inject*ConfigViewModel)
├── Services/                UI services, launch handlers, scanners, RA, favorites, play history…
├── Interfaces/              host & service interfaces (29)
├── Models/                  app-side models (SearchResult, WindowScreenshot, RaAchievement…)
├── resources/               strings.{lang}.xaml (18 languages)
├── resources2/              theme overrides (HighContrast, Midnight)
├── tools/                   bundled executables (see 11)
├── samples/                 emulator config templates (samples\{Emulator}\*)
├── audio/ images/ icon/     shipped assets
└── appsettings.json, app.manifest, mame.dat, parameters.md, WhatsNew.md

Folder structure of the Core project

SimpleLauncher.Core/
├── Services/                ~30 areas (see 07 — Core Services)
├── Models/                  data models (Ra*, History, emulator settings, converters…)
├── Interfaces/              service contracts
└── (no UI, no XAML)

Related docs

• 01 — Overview
• 07 — Core Services
• 11 — Bundled Tools
• 15 — Development