[TUTORIAL] uLaunchElf - First Steps-

[McBeth]

Download

get the latest uLaunchElf...cd version included

Alternative download: uLe 4.12 DVD

Tutorial

TOC
(click the topics you're interested in)

A) The basic Button Layout

B) First Settings

=> intro, the "failed to load LAUNCHELF.CNF" message
=> Non-Exploit-users: Create a Sys-Conf folder first!
=> Setting up a "launched by default" application
=> Skinning

C) Easy Browsing: Creating shortcuts (the pathpad)

D) SaveGame management
=> backup saves
=> put the backups back on MC

E) Basic file management
=>moving a file

F) Basic HDD management
=>creating a custom partition
=>removing a custom partition
=>expanding a custom partition
=>formatting a custom partition

G) Network
H) The JPG Viewer
I) Playing DVD PS2 backups using uLaunchElf and a slidecard
J) Troubleshooting
=> The corrupted data icon in the PS2Browser

click the thumbnails to enlarge

A) The basic button layout:

Please keep in mind that CIRCLE CONFIRMS AND X CANCELS!! You’ll save yourself some frustration…

• Triangle: back
• Square: reverse mark
• Circle: confirm/perform action/ LAUNCHES highlighted ELF
• Cross(x): cance/lmark/special action depending on menu
• R1: action menu
• L1: option menu

B) First settings

Intro

When you launch uLaucnhElf (uLe) for the first time, all you see is a plain screen with 2 entries:

- FILEBROWSER
- CONFIGURE

On the upper left you will also notice the message “failed to load LAUNCHELF.CNF”.



Don’t worry; this is NO sign for a bad exploit or something.
LAUNCHELF.CNF is nothing but a file containing your uLe configuration.
Once you save your settings, uLe will automatically create this file…


Let’s set up some basic stuff:

1) Setting up applications as default.

Some words to get you started:

Among other options, uLe offers the possibility to launch an application automatically at startup.

Launch uLe =>which launches automatically application X after a delay you previously set

For exploit users:

This means you would just switch on your PS2 with your PSx triggerdisc inserted and wait for your default app to boot automatically. Sweet, isn’t it?

For people launching uLe manually (dev mode, cd/dvd)

You’ll have to launch uLe manually and then wait for it to boot your default app.

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NON_Exploit users CAUTION! (exploit users SKIP to"the procedure")

If you're not launching uLe off the BxDATA-SYSTEM folder, you'll have to CREATE A SYS-CONF folder first:
(or, if you want it the easy way, get the Sys-Conf folder of the attachment, unpack it and use the method described under "2) Getting the backupped saves back on MC" to copy the folder on MC.)

Hit circle on Filebrowser
Hit circle on Mc0:\
Hir R1
choose "create"


Name the folder exactly SYS-CONF and hit OK




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The procedure:

• Select “configuration” by hitting circle on it.

Note: from now on, when I say “select entry x” you will simply hit circle on it, unless you are told to do something else

This screen will pop up:

• Now you select “default”

The path screen will pop up

• Now you browse to the file you want to have started automatically by uLe.

For exploit users:

If, when preparing the exploit installer, you (or your exploit-tutor) have chosen to copy additional applications along with the exploit files, you will have them in these folders:

BADATA-SYSTEM (users in NTSC regions, including JAP)
BEDATA-SYSTEM (users in PAL regions)

In that case, browse to them like this:

• In the “path” screen, select mc0:\ or mc1:\ (depending on where your MC with the file you need is plugged in)
• Select the BxDATA-SYSTEM folder (if you have no files there, select any other target...)

• Select your application

Note: the application may be named whatever, but will have the ELF extention.

Further note: The BOOT.ELF is UlaunchElf, so it makes no sense setting it up as default app, as it will result in an endless ule-boots-ule loop, lol

Done.

You will be redirected back to the screen where you selected “default”

• Select OK, at the bottom of the page.

Now let’s set the amount of time you’ll have to wait before uLe launches your default app.

For doing this

• Select configure
• Select “startup settings”

• Look for the “Default Timeout” entry and use x or circle to subtract/add to the timeout.

I suggest you use “2” as your setting.

• Now select “return”
• Hit “OK”

Note:

You can launch any elf from ANY location. This means you could, e.g., choose to have HDL launched off your USB drive (MASS) automatically.
This saves space on MC and allows you to easily update your applications by simply replacing them on your stick.

Further note.

You certainly have noticed that below the “default” entry on the “configuration” screen the buttons of your dualshock are enlisted.
You can assign an application to any of your buttons by selecting the respective entry and following exactly the same procedure as shown above (set up default app).

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2) Skinning

Now that you know how to use uLe as a launcher, you are surely thinking it’s one freakin cool app, which, however, does not really look like it. Infact, it looks lke crap.

To make a long story short, you want to SKIN it.

Note: get your skins here

Note2: You can put your skin image wherever (USB stick for example, or even on a hdd partition), just make sure it's gonna be accessible (read: keep the stick with the image plugged in or it won't load, lol)

Oh, well, here we go then:

• Once more, select “configuration”

=> screen settings

NOTE:
Since you are about to change skin, the colours that are preset in uLe may result in UNREADABLE entries and writings.

Example:

Each (or almost) skin you download, comes with a textfile containing the COLOUR SETTINGS the author of the skin has composed.
I strongly suggest you set THEM FIRST!!

For doing so, refer to the txt file the skin came with and apply the settings in the “screen settings” menu, at the top (colour 1-8)



After you have done so, choose

• Return
• Now OK, to make sure we save the settings already, in case you screw up

Now return to the screen settings menu and choose:

=>Skin settings
=>Skin path


Browse to your skin image and select it.

Note: The skin is nothing else than an image...

Further Note:
The skins usually come with 2 version: One is for PAL, one for NTSC. Do yourself a favour and choose the right one!

uLe will preview it.

• Change brightness settings as you please,
• then select APPLY SKIN

Voilà, uLe looks much cooler now, huh?
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[McBeth]

C) Easy Browsing: Creating shortcuts

(back to TOC)

click the thumbnails to enlarge

Sometimes browsing back and forth to some folders that are not too easy to access can be annoying.
uLaunchElf offers the possibility to set shortcuts, which can be accessed by tapping the R2 button.
We are talking about the pathpad.

The first time you hit R2, you'll see a progression of numbers from 00 to 29 (10 entries on each page of the pathpad...hit left or right to flip pages).


This means you may save up to 30 shortcuts.



Here's how you create a shortcut:

• you browse to a folder you'd like to have a shortcut to
• hit R2
• select the entry (from 00-29) you want to assign the path you are currently in to (in my example it's MASS/Saves)
• press the square button. the path you are currently browsing will appear in the pathpad.

• press triangle to get back
• next time you hit R2, you'll have that path set as a shortcut

Note: This setting WILL NOT be saved automatically!! If you don't manually save the new settings, the shortcuts will be available for your current session only.
If you want to save it, you need to enter the config menu and hit OK.

Further Note (for more experienced users):
If you want to keep the pathpad from being modified, you have to open your LAUNCHELF.CNF using an editor (even the one that comes with uLe. A USB keyboard is required in that case) and set pathpad_lock=1

D) Savegame management


What do we have now? A cool looking launcher. Is that all?

NOPE

I bet you’d like to know how to use uLe in order to manage your savegames…

Easy:

1) Copying savegames form MC to any Target (except for CD/DVD).

Note: You can also create a new partition on HDD in which you can put your savegames. For learning the “how-to”, refer to the next chapter “basic HDDManagement”.
You can also copy them directly to your PC, using the PS2Net function. Refer to the “PS2Net” chapter.
Further note: A lot of users ask if they can directly save on anything else than MC when playing their games…Unfortunately this is NOT possible.
uLe will “only” allow you to move your savegames to other media.

• Launch the filebrowser….you should be familiar with it now
• Browse to the MC that contains the saves you please to manage.
• You’ll see a list of ugly looking entries, like BESLUS-123456.

These entries are the IDs of your games. It’s hard to tell which entry is the save to which game, UNLESS YOU

• Hit L1…(you’ll access the option menu)
• Hit square…(this will show the MC content as GAMETITLE )
• And hit triangle to get back to the (now readable) savegames list.

• Mark the savegames you want to manage using the CROSS button (x)

You’ll see a * symbol appear next to the marked entries.

• Hit R1
• Hit copy

Note: even if you are planning to get rid of this savegame and just want to backup it before doing so, I suggest you do not use the CUT function…if anything goes wrong, you might end up with the loss of both your original save and your backup!! Use the copy option and delete the save from MC only after you have made sure the backup has been copied to its target…

• Browse to your target
• Hit R1
• Select PSUPASTE (!!)

Done…

2) Getting the backupped saves back on MC

Now let’s get them back to MC, shall we?

Use the filebrowser to browse to your save-backups.

• Mark them with X
• Hit R1
• Choose “Copy”

• Browse to your target MC
• Hit R1
• Choose PSUpaste

Yep, done

E) Basic File management

Basically you can manage any file like described above, the difference is you won't need the PSu copy option...

Let's go through some file moving in combination with a USB stick...

• select the filebrowser
• browse to the files youneed to manage
• mark them with x
• hit R1
• select cut (or any of the other entries...your choice)

• You'll see a coloured square in the uppr right corner, signalizing you've cut files (red square in my image)

• browse to your target
• hit R1
• select paste

that's all...nothing wild, really

[McBeth]

F) Basic HDDManagement
(back to TOC)
click the thumbnails to enlarge


Now let’s see some basic hdd management.

• Launch the filebrowser
• Select “MISC”

• Select the HDDManager.

Here you’ll get basic info on your hdd, such as free/total space and the present partitions (therefore you’ll have a list of your installed games as well, since every game gets installed on multiple partitions [128 MB each] )

Note that the system partitions are marked with a “_”, whereas custom partitions display a “+” in front of their name.

Example:

_system
+custom

1) Create a custom partition

• Hit R1
• Select “create”

• Give your partition a name and hit OK

…it’s “console-eXploits” in the example ;)

• Select a size by pressing the “left” or “right” button. Take a look at the bottom of the page for learning more commands (like 1 GB steps…).

THE MINUIMUM SIZE IS 128 MB!!

Note: Unlike PC partitions, you will NOT have to format your PS2 partition in order to use it!!

2) Removing the custom partition:

• Hit R1
• Select “remove”

3) Expanding the custom partition (pic useless)

• Hit R1
• Select “expand”

4) Formatting the custom partition(pic useless)

• Hit R1
• Select “format”

[McBeth]

G) The PS2Net function

(back to TOC)
click the thumbnails to enlarge

Note:
I assume you have read the tutorial on this matter and thus know how to set up your IP configuration.
If not, i attached a premade configuration file. Just put it on MC using the method described above for getting ps2 save backups back onto MC

Further note:
You will need a client runnign on your PC! (attached)

Last note, really:

If you are using a router, you'll need a normal patch cable.
If you connect your PS2 directly to your PC, you'll need a crossover cable!

If you want to activate a network connection

• select the filebrowser
• select MISC
• select PS2Net

wait for uLe to set everything up, till you get back to this screen:



done, now using the FILEBROWSER you can access "host"


H) The JPG-Viewer

Another nice feature of uLe is the integrated JPEG viewer

Since now you know how to get a network connection to work, you can use the JPEGViewer to start a slideshow of photos you have onyour PC and view them on your TV screen.

Or you can just watch single images.

• select the filebrowser
• select MISC
• select the JPGViewer.

The rest works just like the filebrowser you now are used to...

you browse



select the image


watch it



Additionally you can view thumbnails, etc.

[McBeth]

I) Playing DVD PS2 backups using uLaunchElf and a slidecard
(back to TOC)
click the thumbnails to enlarge

1. launch uLe
2. set "disc control ON" in the settings, if not set yet
3. Hit Eject, insert a high Toc DVD, wait for it to stop spinning (on some machines it might just slow down a lot...gotta live with it, lol, it's slow enough to swap, so no worries)
4. Hit filebrowser
5. (can skip this: 5. hit cdfs
   You'll see the contents of your original dvd, then hit triangle to get back to the device list.)
6. NOW swap for your backup using the slidetool (or fliptop if you happen to have one)
7. Again hit cdfs
   Now you'll see the content of your dvd backup
8. Simply hit circle on the SLES/SLUS whatever. It's working for me just fine.
   I've tried with Tenchu Wrath of Heaven and Tenchu Fatal shadows (yes, I love tenchu)

J) Troubleshooting


1) The "corrupted Data" icon in your PS2Browser - creating your own icons

Some of you might have noticed that the standard PS2Browser shows some (more) corrupted data icons ever since you've installed the exploit.



Don't worry!
This may have several reasons:

a) you have created a custom folder on MC but have not included icons. No Icon= corrupted data icon

b) you have copied a single file on the MC root folder (mc0:\...). Again, no icon = corrupted data
c) Your file is really broken, heh...no solution for this

What you can do is:

Create your own icon using uLe's on board tools...

• open up your custom folder
• hit R1 and select "New Icon"

• you'll be prompted to enter the Icon Title and the Icon Text.
• Type in whatever you like and hit OK.

Note: The title is he entry you will see in the PS2Browser in the upper right corner (the golden entry)
The icon text is what will be displayed DIRECTLY on he icon
(my example: IconTitle = McBeth@Console--eXploits Iconext McB@CeX)

Next time you enter the PS2Browser, you'll see the icon you created instead of the "corrupted data" cube.

Note: This won't work for files you have put DIRECTLY in the root folder (mc0:\...). However, you can just use the uLe filebrowser to move the spare files to a folder in which you can create an icon!

[amp2006]

gread job Mate ..now everything is Clear ..the more intreasting that you made with Pics ...
iam sure you upload it to the Noobs thread..and also if you upload it to sksapps site..

and glad you didnot cloesed ..
i was wondering why did you closed in the first time but i realize its under construction ...

you made it easy for noobs..everyone should be thankfull...

[*xist*]

Superb!

[JNABK]

Great job McBeth...........been needing an updated ule tut for a while.
Just a suggestion...........

if you want to make an html of this for the ease of adding without the members posting in between, ill host it for you on my server if you want.............let me know.

[McBeth]

Thanx guys

I link it to noob's first stop then?
(The JPG section needs a bit refreshing...I'll add slideshows...noobs like that)
K

I need the new rad host client...I can't find it on my jungle-hdd...HELP...don't make me search, lol

[McBeth]

LIGHTSPEED

thanx bro

I'll also make a "less-pics-more-text" version in a file (either html, doc, or pdf...let's see...) and cover some other topics...
I'll try and make something like a little uLe bible, gathering info from other members (don't feel like typing toomuch....I'll give others their credits of course)...though I don't exactly know what use that would be...noobs can't use it, experts know even without the bible...

help is appreciated