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Launcher Setup

Creating an intuitive launcher is key to a smooth start for your game or application. You have the option to build this launcher in Unity or any C# project that supports .NET Standard 2.1 or higher, allowing for a range of frameworks like WPF, Xamarin, or .NET MAUI. The launcher serves as the initial point of interaction for your users, so it's crucial to make it user-friendly and effective in communicating updates and user actions.

Prerequisite: Set up a running server for the Cobra Updater and upload and publish a version via the Unity editor.

Unity Launcher Setup

Use the Unity launcher provided by Cobra Updater for a tailored experience.

  1. Open Unity Launcher Scene: Find the sample Unity launcher in Examples/Scenes/Demo Launcher and open it.
  2. Select Updater GameObject: Locate the 'Updater' game object in the scene hierarchy.
  3. Configure Settings: In the inspector, set your application name (matching Cobra Updater) and server URL (https://updater.yourdomain.com).
  4. Pre-Setup Check: Confirm a successful upload and publication of at least one version on your server.
  5. Test Launcher: Enter play mode to check installation and update functionalities.
  6. Customization (Optional): Modify components with custom ones if desired. Refer to the class descriptions and tutorials in the documentation.

Console Launcher Setup

For a GUI-less launcher, use the included C# console application.

  1. Extract Console Launcher: Unzip Server.zip.
  2. Open in IDE: Load the solution in your preferred IDE.
  3. Configure in Program.cs: Update baseUrl and applicationName variables in the ByteCobra.Updater.Console project.
  4. Execute Program: Run the program to check and manage game installation and updates.
  5. Customization (Optional): Replace components with custom versions if needed. Consult the documentation for further guidance.

Custom Launcher

To create a custom launcher in C# (non-Unity), use the source code from the Server.zip file. The ByteCobra.Updater.Console example demonstrates a basic console launcher. You can develop custom launchers in any .NET Standard 2.1 compatible framework, such as WPF or .NET MAUI.