Add non Steam game from within Big Picture mode

[Manuel-Kehl]

As I am using a few non Steam programs like SuperTuxKart or XBMC, it would be nice to have an option for easily adding those without tweaking lightdm.conf + rebooting every time.

[ghost]

Agreed.

If you want to know how to use your backups, let me know.

[johnv-valve]

I'm currently working on this feature

[ghost]

@johnv-valve Any words on the capability of using regular Linux backups on SteamOS?

[johnv-valve]

@Amarildojr I am not sure what you are asking. I am working on Big Picture parity with the desktop client "Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library..." dialog. There may be some new features in that area later, but the first step is bringing the existing desktop feature into Big Picture.

If you have a different scenario in mind, I suggest you open a separate issue for that.

[Manuel-Kehl]

@johnv-valve thank you. I am looking forward to see this implemented!

[ghost]

@johnv-valve We're unable to backup our games from the big picture account. But I found a way:

• open the Desktop account and copy your backups to a folder (/home/Desktop, for instance);
• open the Terminal and type "steam". After logging into your Steam account, backup your games (we're still on the Desktop account);
• open the Terminal and type "sudo nautilus", then navigate to your home folder, type Ctrl + H (this will enable you to view hidden folders), go to your Steam folder and copy the SteamApps folder;
• go to the other account home folder and navigate to it's steam folder, delete the SteamApps folder and paste yours there.
• Still in the other account's Steam folder, right-click -> properties, and make it available to anyone to read-write into it (or select the desired groups);
• Log-off;

Now the account that automatically log-ins has your SteamApps folder that contains all games backed up already. All you need to do is log off (in the big picture mode) then log-in again. Then select your backup games and click "Install" (or is it "Download"?). It will then verify the game's files. After that, you're ready to play with no need to download the entire games list again.

[tweitzel]

On SteamOS, it would be a nice touch if this only showed up when Enable Linux Desktop is checked, since it is arguably useless without that.

[MrSchism]

I disagree, @tweitzel . Consider if someone had logged into shell once, enabled ssh/sftp, then disabled going to desktop (because they can just remotely handle things via ssh). If they push games (for example, from GoG when they get their linux support going) to SteamOS from a desktop, this could be perfect reasonable to have without having to support dropping to desktop every time.

[johnv-valve]

This feature just shipped in today's client beta.

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/SteamClientBeta#announcements/detail/1694787904868150933

Let me know if you have any issues!

[ghost]

@johnv-valve Can I use the BETA DVD (downloaded about two months ago)? Will it update itself and be as the latest images?

[johnv-valve]

yes, steam will update itself automatically

[Manuel-Kehl]

@Amarildojr you may need to execute 'sudo apt-get install steamos-beta-repo' in the terminal to add and activate the alchemist_beta repositories.

@johnv-valve Thanks for implementing this!

EDIT: I was just about to post, when your answer appeared :-)

[ghost]

OK I will test my old DVD tomorrow.

[darthcloud]

How do we browse to a file if it's not on the list presented to us?

I added my apps .desktop to /usr/share/applications but look like it's not the right folder.

Which folder is shown?

[ghost]

So you're not able to browse the whole disk?

[Ryochan7]

There is no option to browse the disk. Steam does detect .desktop files located in /usr/share/applications along with /home/steam/Desktop and /home/steam/.local/share/applications. One important tip is that you cannot have the .desktop file linked to a script in the /home/steam/bin directory even if that directory is placed in the $PATH variable. You would have to either copy the script to /usr/local/bin or use a symbolic link.

[darthcloud]

A small minority of the apps in /usr/share/applications are showing up. They shall be all there regarless of the location of the binary/scripts file it link to.

[Ryochan7]

The desktop client also doesn't show .desktop entries in the main listing that use user directories like /home/steam/bin for storing a script even if that directory is in the steam user's path. Luckily with the desktop client, you can open the browse dialog and open the custom .desktop file and it will import properly.

Apart from that, almost all of the unique .desktop entries that appear in Gnome on my system appear in Steam.

[johnv-valve]

On SteamOS, it should discover .desktop files in these directories
/home/steam/.local/share/applications
/usr/share/applications
/home/steam/Desktop

Also it needs to be an appropriate .desktop file
not NoDisplay=true
not Categories=Settings
Type=Applications

If you have a case where you are not seeing this behavior or you think this behavior needs to change, please open a separate issue with all the details. (including the .desktop file)

[madmodderx]

I'm trying to make a .desktop for stepmania and ive been tinkering (comparing it to a working one) with it for a while and i've been getting no results

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Categories=Game;DanceGame;
Name=Stepmania
Icon=/home/desktop/Desktop/stepmania-stepmania-299b469/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/stepmania-ssc.svg
Exec=./stepmania
Path=/home/desktop/Desktop/stepmania-stepmania-299b469/
Terminal=false

Whats wrong with it?

[dscharrer]

Whats wrong with it?

Exec does not support relative paths, only full paths or commands in $PATH.

[elmat0]

I cannot for the life of me get supertuxkart to show up as an addable game. The .desktop is stored in /usr/share/applications. Here is the .desktop contents. Any tips?

[Desktop Entry]
Name=SuperTuxKart
Version=1.0
Icon=supertuxkart
GenericName=A kart racing game
GenericName[de]=Ein Kart-Rennspiel
GenericName[fr]=Un jeu de karting
GenericName[gl]=Xogo de carreiras con karts
GenericName[ro]=Un joc de curse cu carturi
Exec=supertuxkart --log=file
Terminal=false
StartupNotify=false
Type=Application
TryExec=supertuxkart
Categories=Game;

[mdeguzis]

@elmat0 , see #424 for notes. Since it's inception, this features does not allow spaces in the Exec= line. The wiki entry I made was updated. A workaround is to create a script and reference it:

Script:

#!/bin/bash
supertuxkart --log=file

Desktop file

[Desktop Entry]
Name=SuperTuxKart
Version=1.0
Icon=supertuxkart
GenericName=A kart racing game
GenericName[de]=Ein Kart-Rennspiel
GenericName[fr]=Un jeu de karting
GenericName[gl]=Xogo de carreiras con karts
GenericName[ro]=Un joc de curse cu carturi
Exec=/absolute/path/supretuxkart.sh
Terminal=false
StartupNotify=false
Type=Application
TryExec=supertuxkart
Categories=Game;

[madmodderx]

Are you sure you can't use "\ " to add the space character?

On Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 3:44 PM mikeyd notifications@github.com wrote:

@elmat0 https://github.com/elmat0 , see #424
#424 for notes. Since
it's inception, this features does not allow spaces in the Exec= line. A
workaround is to create a script and reference it:

Script:

#!/bin/bash
supertuxkart --log=file

Desktop file

[Desktop Entry]
Name=SuperTuxKart
Version=1.0
Icon=supertuxkart
GenericName=A kart racing game
GenericName[de]=Ein Kart-Rennspiel
GenericName[fr]=Un jeu de karting
GenericName[gl]=Xogo de carreiras con karts
GenericName[ro]=Un joc de curse cu carturi
Exec=/absolute/path/supretuxkart.sh
Terminal=false
StartupNotify=false
Type=Application
TryExec=supertuxkart
Categories=Game;

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