You can obtain source code for Minty Launcher here.
To avoid confusion, please read this whole document before opening Minty Launcher for the first time.
Note this manual is updated to the latest commit, not the latest release. Information here may be different than the version you downloaded. Please use the version that came with your download alongside a markdown viewer.
Just a collection of simple definitions you may see throughout here, the launcher, or in other places relating to Doom.
IWADS: Your game WADs. Some examples include DOOM.WAD and DOOM2.WAD.
PWADS: Maps, mods, etc. Same file extension as IWADs, so be aware of the differences.
Total Conversions (TCs): A PWAD that completely replaces every sound, texture, and map, and possibly modifies the behaviour of the original IWADs.
Complevel: Usually indicated by a number, it's a parameter used in some source ports to emulate other source ports.
Settings Preset: Any Minty Launcher preset stored in your Settings folder.
Settings Folder: Either %appdata\MintyLauncher or MintyLauncher depending on if you've made your settings portable or not.
For Framework Dependent Only: Make sure you've installed the .NET 9.0 Runtimes before running.
You'll need to set where your IWADs folder is. It will usually prompt you to do so after opening Minty Launcher for the first time, but if it doesn't (or you wish to change it later), do one of these methods:
- Click on the IWAD Selector Box. (Use this if you deleted/moved a folder or if you opened the program for the first time.)
- Go into Settings and clicking on Set IWADs Folder. (Use this if you just wish to change the folder.)
With either method, you'll need to navigate to where the folder containing your IWADs is and then select that folder.
Then, you'll need to select a source port. On the main window, click on Select Port and navigate to the executable file of your desired port. Now, select your desired IWAD and complevel and hit Play and it should boot you into the game!
The main window has several buttons and hidden gimmicks so it may be confusing at first.
The IWAD and Complevel selectors allow you to select which IWAD and source port you wish to emulate. Please note the latter is only usable in ports that support such features like DSDA-Doom and Woof.
The Extra Parameters box allows you to type in any extra parameters you wish to pass along to the source port, such as -playdemo to play a recorded demo.
You can also right-click the box to insert a file path easier.
You can also insert an * into the box to insert the alternate directory (details below). Example: -record */demos/demo.
Use Source Port As CWD Setting ON: It will use Minty Launcher's folder.
Use Source Port As CWD Setting OFF: It will use the source port's folder.
The Select Port button allows you to select which port you wish to use. You can also right-click the button to give all information about the currently selected port. This includes the file path of the port.
The External Files button opens up the External File Manager window, which allows you to sort load orders of maps, mods, and dehacked/bex patches.
Ask For Preset Location Setting OFF: The Selector Box will allow you to quickly select from your saved presets.
Ask For Preset Location Setting ON: The Load Preset button will allow you to load in a preset.
The Save Preset button will allow you to save a preset. If the Ask For Preset Location setting is OFF, it will pop up with a small box that'll allow you to put in a preset name. These are saved in your Settings Folder. If the Ask For Preset Location setting is OFF, you can right-click the button to quickly save the current preset.
You can drag files onto this window to quickly add them to your External File List. You can also hit the + button to add in an external file to the List as well.
You can right-click the + button to instead merge any files. This is meant for ports that emulate the original engine exactly, like Chocolate Doom or Minty Doom. This feature is otherwise unused.
If you need to see the file paths of each file, you can right-click the External File List. Selecting no files will show every file path. Selecting multiple files will show only those file paths.
You can select one or multiple file(s) to delete them with the - button.
You can reorder single files in the list with the Up and Down arrow buttons.
Note: The placement of .deh and .bex patches don't matter too much. They are always loaded before PWADs.
They're, however, loaded in the order they appear in the list.
This covers what each setting in the Settings window does.
These are settings relating to presets.
Load "Default" Preset on launch:
This will check for a preset named "Default" and load it automatically. It will only check the Settings Folder presets.
These are settings related to being able to more easily use the same executable across multiple computers, like on a thumb drive.
Ask For Preset Location:
This will replace the Load Preset Box with a button instead. Both the Load and Save buttons will pop up with a file dialog instead.
Use Source Port As CWD:
This will use the source port's folder as the port's working directory when launching it.
This will also have any asterisk in the Extra Parameters textbox insert Minty Launcher's working directory when this setting is on. It will use the Source Port's folder when it's off.
Recommended to keep this on.
Make Settings Portable:
This will move all files from your appdata to a folder called MintyLauncher. The launcher will then read from this folder instead of appdata.
Enable RPC Integration
Enables the Rich Presence integration of Minty Launcher.
This will show information such as your source port, IWAD, and loaded files like PWADs.
Amount Of Files Shown
The limit to how many individual file files can be shown on the Discord Activity. If it exceeds the limit, it will show "+ x more" at the end.
Setting it to 0 disables this functionality.
Set IWADs Folder:
This will allow you to change where your IWADs folder is located.
Close On Play:
This will close the launcher after the source port has been closed.
You can access your settings files (as well as presets) by going into Settings > Open Settings Folder
Each entry is in this format: source port file name;source port actual name.
For example, GZDoom would be gzdoom.exe;GZDoom.
Entry placement and the input for the source port's actual name doesn't matter.
If your source port's actual name contains a &, double it up &&.
When you select a source port (or open a preset that contains a source port), it will first look through this file. If an entry matches the source port executable name, it will replace the source port button and the Discord Activity source port description with the source port's actual name.
Each entry is in this format: complevel name;complevel number.
For example, Doom 2 would be Doom v1.9;2.
Entry placement dictates which order it will be shown in the complevel selector.
All presets are in the .mlPreset file format. The format looks like this internally:
Parameters
Source Port Path
Complevel Number (or - if None)
File Path(s)
IWAD File Name
Each file path is separated by a comma (,). When an option is left unchanged (with the exception of, complevel), it will remain blank in the preset as well.
Note that all of your settings (and your Default preset, if enabled) are loaded before these are checked.
Note: Single-lettered arguments can't be combined together. They must be separated.
--preset [Preset Name] loads in the preset from your Settings Folder. Exclude the file extension from the name.
--preset-path [Preset Path] or -p [Preset Path] loads in a preset from the desired path. Must be an .mlPreset file.
--iwad [IWAD File Name] or -w [IWAD File Name]: Loads in the IWAD file from your IWADs folder. Must include the file extension.
You can also input "None" to deselect the IWAD from a preset.
--iwad-folder [IWAD Folder Path]: Set the IWAD folder path. Call this before --iwad.
--no-gui or -n: Start the selected IWAD and preset without a GUI. Must be called after --iwad and --preset or --preset-path have been called.
--rpc [On/Off]: Enables/disables the RPC integration. Must be called after --no-gui has been called.
- Valid inputs for enabling it are on, 1, true.
- Valid inputs for disabling are off, 0, false.
- Temporary.
--rpc-files-shown [Amount Shown, 0-8]: Description in section 3a.
- Temporary.
--generate-update-files: Creates two files, titled deleteThis.mintyLauncher.portDatabase and deleteThis.mintyLauncher.complevel
so you can copy newly added information into your actual files in your Settings Folder.
- Will ignore every other argument if you have this, excluding
--info.
--info or -i: shows the current version of Minty Launcher.
- Will ignore every other argument if you have this.