SStatesMan - a savestates managing tool for PCSX2

[Leucos]

Hello to everyone, it's been a while since I've last programmed but now I can present you a savestates manager for PCSX2.
It's been a rather challenging project since I've started it using Visual Basic 6 but halfway I've decided to switch to Visual Basic .net 4.0, which was unknown to me.
To-Do list:

• savestates storage feature (done, but might change),
  
• savestates reorder function (done),
  
• screenshot manager (halfway done).
  

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SStatesMan

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Current version: 0.2.0.33642
  SStatesMan 0.2.0.33642.7z (Size: 216,4 KB / Downloads: 1.279)
The source code is now available on GitHub, released under GPL3.
Previous versions:

  SStatesMan 0.1.6.1680.7z (Size: 190,29 KB / Downloads: 908) - Changes

  SStatesMan 0.1.5.1630.7z (Size: 177,64 KB / Downloads: 709) - Changes

  SStatesMan 0.1.5.1575.7z (Size: 156,38 KB / Downloads: 802) - Changes

  SStatesMan 0.1.4r1460.7z (Size: 67,65 KB / Downloads: 832) - Changes

Note
You will need the .NET Framework 4.
It should be available on Windows Update inside the optional updates list. Or you can use one of these links:

• .NET Framework 4 Client Profile - Web Installer | Standalone Installer <== You should be fine with just this version.
  
• .NET Framework 4 Full version - Web Installer | Standalone Installer
  

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Installation
Download the 7zip package and extract all the files in a folder of your choice.

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The first start
After launching the executable, SStatesMan will attempt to detect PCSX2 directories.

If something goes wrong the settings window will open: click the "PCSX2 path" tab and set the correct paths for PCSX2 folder, the "inis" folder, the savestates folder and the screenshots folder, and then click "OK".

With the correct settings you should see the main window.
   
The main window is divided in two lists, the above one contains the games and the bottom one will display the list of files.
Multiple selection is done by using the checkboxes besides the items in the lists.
Savestates, stored and screenshots
There are three tabs on top of the main window, these allow you to switch between the three list modes:

• Savestates, the program will list all of your PCSX2 savestates;
  
• Stored, the program will list all of your stored savestates (more on that below);
  
• Screenshots, the program will list all of image files in the screenshot folder
  

Store/Restore a savestate
   
Ever feared to lose your progress by overwriting a savestate? Here's my response, you can now copy your savestates to another location so that it will not overwritten.
First you need to open the Settings dialog (Config>Settings) and in the first tab set a valid path for the "Store savestate folder", after that you'll be able to store and restore the file by using the button above the file list.
To see the stored savestates (and eventually restore a savestate) just switch list mode by clicking on the stored tab in the main window.
Stored savestates will have the .stored extension appended to the original filename.
The default behaviour is to copy the savestate when storing or restoring. If there is already a file with the same name the file will be sent to the recycle bin by default.
Reordering savestates
   
Make sure you are in savestates or stored list mode in the main window. Make sure you have selected (checked) only one game.
Click the "Reorder..." button in the upper left corner of the file list. A new window will open listing current savestates and available slots.
Use the buttons in the upper right corner of the list to move the checked savestates.
When you've done, click the "Reorder" button and then you can close the window.
Delete a file
   
Check the file(s) you want to delete and click "Delete..." in the upper left corner of the main window.
A confirmation window will open where you can select which files you really want to delete. To delete the file click the "Delete Checked" button, after that you can close the window.
File deletion works for both savestates, stored savestates and screenshots.
Launch PCSX2
   
You can launch PCSX2 from PCSX2>Launch PCSX2. If more than an executable are found you will be asked which one to launch.
To set the PCSX2 application directory open Config>Settings, in the "PCSX2 folders" tab please select the correct path. The PCSX2 executable file must be named PCSX2*.exe in order to be detected.
Launch a game
   
If the currently selected game has a disc image you can press the play button (or click PCSX2>Play ) to launch PCSX2 automatically booting the game.
However you need to first set up the folder where SStatesMan will look for the disc image files: open Config>Settings, SStatesMan tab and edit the Game disc images folder.
Game disc images are recognized by serial: the image file must be named . or *[]*.ext (the serial is directly inside square brackets).
The same extension used by PCSX2 are detected by SStatesMan, including .gz for compressed images.
Games with a disc image will have a different icon in the game list.

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The Settings
       
The settings window has of four tabs, most of the settings should be self-explanatory. If not please post a question or send me a PM/mail.
Tab 1: SStatesMan

• Restore SStatesMan settings to their defaults on next start up - Use this checkbox to reset savestates settings. Note that the actual reset happens when you reopen SStatesMan, so you can go back and uncheck this options before closing the main window.
  
• By default hide the games list - SStatesMan will start showing only the savestates list with all the savestates, it's the same thing than clicking the [double up arrow] in the top-right corner of the savestates list.
  
• Automatically refresh the savestates list - SStatesMan will refresh the savestates list when a change is made.
  
• Extract savestates version - SStatesMan will show the savestates version in the version column (you can check your PCSX2 savestate version in the program log).
  
• Move the deleted savestates to the recycle bin instead of deleting them permanently
  
• Game disc images folder - the folder where SStatesMan will look for game disc image files (please refer to the "Launch a game" section above)
  
• Stored savestates folder - the folder where SStatesMan will move the stored savestates (please refer to the "Store/Restore a savestate" section above.)
  
• Game cover image folder - the folder where SStatesMan will look for cover images (please refer to question number 3 in the FAQ section.)
  

Tab 2: PCSX2 folder

• Program folder - this is where SStatesMan will look for the game database file named "GameIndex.dbf", which should be installed in the same directory as PCSX2.
  
• Ini files folder - it should point to the folder where PCSX2 read its ini configuration files (like PCSX2_ui.ini), this is used to automatically detect your savestates folder.
  
• Savestates folder - the most important, this is the directory that will be scanned by SStatesMan for savestates.
  
• Screenshots folder - this is the directory that will be scanned by SStatesMan for screenshots.

Tab 3: Theme dialog
Here you can set the windows theme.

• Enable windows gradient background image - Show/hide the image in the top/bottom panels of the windows.
  
• Enable windows gradient background - Enable/disable the shadow that highlight the main region of the window.
  

Tab 4: log
In this window you can see what SStatesMan has been doing behind the scenes. If you encounter any problem please send me this log.

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Uninstallation

1. Delete the executable "sstatesman.exe" and the "data" and "documents" folders.
   
2. On Vista/7 please open the Run window (Win+R) and type "%localappdata%" and press Ok.
   On XP please open the Run window (Win+R) and type "%userprofile%\local settings\application data" and press Ok (please note that both "local settings" and "application data" can have localized names in non-English versions of Windows.)
   
3. Delete the "leucos" folder.
   

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FAQ

Question 1: The file list is empty!
Answer:

1. If also the game list is empty please check your savestates/screenshot path setting in the Settings window.
   
2. If you are in the stored savestates list mode please note that the stored savestates folder default location is not set when first installed.
   
3. Select a game from the game list. When the application is first opened, no game is selected.
   
4. Try the refresh button in the upper left corner of the game list.

Question 2: The savestate list is not updating after I've selected another game in the game list.
Answer:
If you have checked a game(s) in the game list it(they) will have precedence over the selection. Hit the "none" button above the games list to check none game.

Question 3: How do I get the cover images like in the screenshot?
Answer:
It is done manually.

1. First you need to set up a cover images folder, in the Settings window.
   
2. Search in sites like gamefaq for the cover (about 200px in height should be fine).
   
3. Save the image in a folder of your choice.
   
4. Open SStatesMan and select the game you want to add the cover to.
   
5. Right-click the cover image and select "Select cover image...".
   
6. Browse to the image previously saved and click "Ok".
   

Or

1. First you need to set up a cover images folder, in the Settings window.
   
2. Search in sites like gamefaq for the cover (about 200px in height should be fine).
   
3. Save the image in the folder you configured in the first point.
   
4. Rename the file with the executable code written in the game list and the extension "jpg.
   E.G. for Valkirie Profile 2: Silmeria (Italian) the cover image should be named "SLES-54647.jpg".

Question 4: I want a big cover as shown in the screenshot
Answer: Try to click the cover

Question 5: When you will make the source available?
Answer: The source code is available on GitHub, released under GPL3.

[miseru99]

The poll lacks one option:
"It doesn't fix Super Robot Taisen!"
(should be below "It's useless")

Anyway thanks for app:3, I'm lazy to use such things most of the time, but it has some uses. Especially hdd space and ability to delete old/unwanted saves fast. Game DB could have search by title additionally to serial through to turn into fast compatibility check-list.

[jesalvein]

actually, I hardly ever use savestates since they can break quite easily.
But I remember using them a lot under epsx and I wish I could use your app at that time.
to sum it up : Even if I won't use it, thanks and Great job

[Leucos]

The poll lacks one option:
"It doesn't fix Super Robot Taisen!"
(should be below "It's useless")

Anyway thanks for app:3, I'm lazy to use such things most of the time, but it has some uses. Especially hdd space and ability to delete old/unwanted saves fast. Game DB could have search by title additionally to serial through to turn into fast compatibility check-list.

lol, is the SRT guy still around?

Anyway, in fact GameDb Util is a small debug tool meant only to inspect the array and test loading algorithms, hence the not so good looking window. I will probably remove/hid it when I reach the beta.
In future if I have a good number request (and time) maybe I will release an enhanced version of the util separately as it's not a lot of work.

If you want to search by game title you could export the gameDB to a csv (comma separated value) text file and then open it in Excel and use Autofilter, it's not so flashy but I think it's useful.

[Leucos]

actually, I hardly ever use savestates since they can break quite easily.
But I remember using them a lot under epsx and I wish I could use your app at that time.
to sum it up : Even if I won't use it, thanks and Great job

You're quite the opposite of me, I use them a lot. And I may be lucky but the only times I found that the savestates broke the game was while playing Star Ocean 3 (cutscene break) and Suikoden IV (frozen screen), so I tend to consider them reliable.

[nosisab Ken Keleh]

Since sstates are the way to save the game in between save points, they are immensely useful... and dangerous if the user doesn't learn and use to make the normal saves whenever possible.

A sstate manager is indeed welcome. PS: as would be a slot cycler (I hope that last word exist or is understandable).

PPS: "Normal" slotted sstates could be kept (left untouched), to keep before important events like boss fights, the automated cycled sstate being like a safeguard and never to keep persistent data. Beyond the slot number it could be timestamped so to easy locating the last done.

[Bositman]

Nice! Does it use our game database mdf to get the game info and compatibility status?
PS Stickied

[rama]

Nice gui job there!
(I personally don't have any use for this tool though )

[Leucos]

A sstate manager is indeed welcome. PS: as would be a slot cycler (I hope that last word exist or is understandable).

I don't know if I have get it right but here it is what I plan to do: the ability to store savestates alongside the normal ones, you save a normal savestate then you store it. The stored savestates will be moved to a specific location together with a small descritption (e.g.: cutscene after I've defeated "inset boss name here") and then restored when you want.

Nice! Does it use our game database mdf to get the game info and compatibility status?
PS Stickied

Yes, but my parser is currently twice slower than PCSX2 one. You can play with it using the GameDB Util.
Thanks for sticking the thread!

Nice gui job there!
(I personally don't have any use for this tool though )

Thanks!! It's my personal interpretation of the Metro Design UI from Windows Phone 7 and Media Center (and possibly Windows 8).

PS. During September I will have university exams (I study Economics) so I will be very busy and most likely I won't be able to post new revisions.

[Leucos]

New version released: 0.1.4r1460

Download it via the first post.

Major good news:

• Faster GameDB loading algorithm
  
• GameDB util: you can now search within the game db (I'm preparing to release GameDB util as a standalone application)
  

Changelog:

Code:

[+] About dialog:       link to PCSX2 forums
[F] About/Settings dialog: tabs don't have hover effect when activated
[*] Main/Delete window: custom checkboxes in listviews
[*] Main window:        new style to selection information
[*] GameDB util:        new info panel
[*] GameDB util:        listview instead of listbox
[*] GameDB util:        colored compat information backgrounds in list view
[-] GameDB:             removed loading algorithm v2, it was obsolete and wasn't faster than v1
[*] GameDB:             renamed loading algorithm v3 to v2
[+] GameDB:             new loading algorithm (new v3), three times faster than v2 and twice than v1
[*] GameDB:             loading algorithm v3 is now the default loading algorithm
[F] GameDB:             some fixes to the new GameDB loading algorithm
[F] Main window:        big interface rewriting, UI refresh should happen only when needed
[-] Resources:          removed unused resources
[F] Main window:        the game cover image doesn't overlap the game list or the information anymore
[+] Main window:        savestates files count in the size column of the games list
[F] Main window:        the games listview is now updated after deleting savestates
[F] Main window:        if there are no more savestates (after deletion) a game is removed from the list
[F] GameDB:             BIOS savestates now show "(PS2 Bios)" instead of "unknown"
[*] GameDB:             BIOS is now shown as "Playable"
[*] GameDB util:        Improvements to the region detection algorithm
[*] Theme:              borderless settings/about windows
[*] Theme:              changed the window border color from darkgrat to dimgray
[+] Main window:        buttons to collapse/expand the games and savestates lists
[+] GameDB util:        it is now possible to make extended searches, results are presented in the list view
[*] GameDB util:        better support to searches in the interface
[F] GameDB:             improvements e fixes to the region algorithm for showing flags
[-] Resources:          removed unused resources