how do i download / use

[skeddles]

im trying to download it for windows, but everything i downloaded just seems to be a copy of the repo and no executables

[mmitch]

That's correct, there are no executables for Windows.
You will have to compile it yourself, see also here: #102 (comment)

[ruby-R53]

why is it like that though? have you considered using a windows VM/spare computer to make binary releases for it?

[mmitch]

For me personally it's because I don't use Windows, so tha feature has a lower priority than other gbsplay stuff/other computing stuff/the rest of my life and so it just never happens.

@mrehkopf had some initial success with cross-compiling to a native windows binary, but there were some issues with the terminal output I think. I did not yet have any time to look into it.

[mmitch]

If we get the cross-compiling running with a usable result, we should be able to put it into a GitHub Action pipeline and create .exe files as downloadable artifacts on the release pages.

[mrehkopf]

Since we already have native Windows builds in the pipeline, shouldn't it suffice to use their artifacts to roll a release? I just have no idea how this actions/pipeline stuff works. ^^;

[mmitch]

I think we would need a "standalone" .exe.

For example the binary from the Cygwin build would only run under Cygwin (I think).
Can I take an .exe built for MinGW and run it on any other Windows or do I need some mingw.dll alongside to make it work?
I don't know anything about that stuff at all :)

[mmitch]

I can take on the pipeline part, barring time and motivation…

[ruby-R53]

ah, that makes sense

[mrehkopf]

Here is a statically linked build artifact from a modified windows pipeline:
https://github.com/mmitch/gbsplay/actions/runs/9120268396/artifacts/1511366094
Could you try running in on Windows and see if it works?

[mmitch]

I think that artifact is only visible for project members because it's on a subpage of the GitHub Actions - the pipeline runs aren't public because something something logfiles.

I plan to include the standalone.exe build pipline into our release pipeline over this weekend.
Then we can do a beta release. The artifacts on the release page should be public.

[mmitch]

Or I'll just try an attachment in this comment :-)
standalone Windows binary.zip

[mmitch]

note to self: add a version number/tag/commit id to the artifact name or we'll have a lot of indistinguishable standalone Windows binary.zip files on our hands…

[mmitch]

@skeddles Comment #130 (comment) contains a binary
Could you please test if it works for you?

[skeddles]

the help printout runs, though i cant really figure out how to use it

[mrehkopf]

It's a command line player first and foremost, it takes the GBS file as an argument. To use it you could either:

• open a command window (cmd or powershell) in the folder where you put gbsplay.exe, then type gbsplay followed by a space and the name of your GBS file, e.g. gbsplay d:\music\gbs\mario.gbs
• drag&drop one of your GBS files on the player executable (gbsplay).

(I'd recommend the first option because it allows you to make some settings, e.g. disable the 2 minute playback limit)

If the player starts and displays the usage text without any weird DLL error windows or warnings from Windows about missing libraries, that's a good sign already though :)

[skeddles]

okay yup, it seems to be working, shows the song output and plays the music