A built in way to run exe files

[coyote.]

Steam deck markets its moddability. But i cant actually use any of my mods because they require an exe to run, and theres no easy way to do this.

I tried Lutris when i modded Skyrim, but that gave me errors for hours on end
Then i just recently i tried morrowind, thinking older game=simpler mods but morrowind code patch needs to run an exe

[MissingNerd]

You can run a exe and then a seperate game on top of that. I think your problem is more that the modloaders don't really work with windows games through proton

[coyote.]

I know you can load an exe into your steam library and try to run it that way, but i mean in desktop mode, you dont have an easy way to run an exe.

[Boblin the Goblin]

Originally posted by coyote.:

I know you can load an exe into your steam library and try to run it that way, but i mean in desktop mode, you dont have an easy way to run an exe.

It's because Linux doesn't have a native way to run and exe. An exe is a Windows format. You can use some tools that attempt to run it through a compatibility layer(like Steam does when it installs games) but it won't always work.

[d[-_-]b]

The steam deck is a PC so you can use any OS you want. You maybe looking for Windows on deck, Since the default OS is SteamOS , which is Linux.

Linux uses different formats, which is why we need wine or proton to run exe files. There is no way to do this without these projects and wont be different way any time soon, there is likely no need to even try,

These programs also run each app in its own container. So if you want to try run a program that directly influences another, it will work best if you run it within the same container.
Sometimes programs are simply incompatible with these layers, hence why we have protondb and similar places to let us know which games work.

[coyote.]

Maybe im the one missing something, but most exe you can load into the steam library and run through “game mode” with a proton layer.
All i really want is the ability to run the proton layer in desktop mode without having to download ANOTHER layer-loader thing, like wine or lutris

I use “game mode” 99% of the time, so i dont really want to dual-boot with windows. I heard it doesn’t work unless steamOS is the only os.

I’m just a little frustrated that i cant mod any of the elder scrolls games, since they all require a mod organizer (not technically, but its basically required) and none of the organizers work on Linux.

[schM0ggi]

I think you're missing something. Proton is Wine with some extras by Valve and others.
So you can run apps like mod tools with Proton just like you run games with Proton. I actually don't quite understand at what step you're having problems. Could you explain in more details?

[coyote.]

Originally posted by schM0ggi:

I think you're missing something. Proton is Wine with some extras by Valve and others.
So you can run apps like mod tools with Proton just like you run games with Proton. I actually don't quite understand at what step you're having problems. Could you explain in more details?

Basically I’ve been using SteamOS, and i would rather not deal with windows. I dont have a computer setup at all, so the deck is all i got. And having windows on that is not ideal.

So I’ve been downloading .exe’s like from itch.io and EA Origin, back when that was a thing, via desktop mode and then i would load it into my steam library.
Then go to game mode and use the settings to put a proton layer on it, (either one of steam’s or the latest one from ProtonUpQT)

And that works fine.
EXCEPT when youre working in desktop mode, like with mods.

(Ive used the Wine app and Lutris from the discover browser, and theyre very okay. Just not consistent)

All i really want is a built in button that lets any exe run through a proton layer.
They’re already on the machine. So id rather not jump through hoops to get a program to run, when you could just right click and select “run through proton”

[d[-_-]b]

Originally posted by coyote.:

Originally posted by schM0ggi:

I think you're missing something. Proton is Wine with some extras by Valve and others.
So you can run apps like mod tools with Proton just like you run games with Proton. I actually don't quite understand at what step you're having problems. Could you explain in more details?

Basically I’ve been using SteamOS, and i would rather not deal with windows. I dont have a computer setup at all, so the deck is all i got. And having windows on that is not ideal.

So I’ve been downloading .exe’s like from itch.io and EA Origin, back when that was a thing, via desktop mode and then i would load it into my steam library.
Then go to game mode and use the settings to put a proton layer on it, (either one of steam’s or the latest one from ProtonUpQT)

And that works fine.
EXCEPT when youre working in desktop mode, like with mods.

(Ive used the Wine app and Lutris from the discover browser, and theyre very okay. Just not consistent)

All i really want is a built in button that lets any exe run through a proton layer.
They’re already on the machine. So id rather not jump through hoops to get a program to run, when you could just right click and select “run through proton”

you are using game mode (wayland running steamclient) to load stuff and its working but then you swap to desktop mode (xorg with desktop enviroment) and choose to then use lutris and wine.
and you didnt think, "hey ill use steam on desktop as well" ?
each app entry has its own proton prefix(*), if a mod needs to be in the same prefix so it has certain access then you need to edit the launch commands to run a different thing within it (the simple way)

you can also just add the exe as a non steam game and select the prefix layer you want.
(also simple, but its own prefix)
no need to go outside the steam client

here is another way, i run a script to launch within an existing prefix, but im not going to elaborate on it:
```
appid=$1
compatdataDir="/home/deck/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/"$appid
winePrefixDir="$compatdataDir/pfx"
cd "$winePrefixDir"
export STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH="$compatdataDir"
export STEAM_COMPAT_CLIENT_INSTALL_PATH="/home/deck/.steam"
export WINEPREFIX="$winePrefixDir"
/home/deck/.steam/root/steamapps/common/Proton\ -\ Experimental/proton run $2
```
(intermediate, but universal)

[schM0ggi]

Originally posted by coyote.:

Originally posted by schM0ggi:

I think you're missing something. Proton is Wine with some extras by Valve and others.
So you can run apps like mod tools with Proton just like you run games with Proton. I actually don't quite understand at what step you're having problems. Could you explain in more details?

Basically I’ve been using SteamOS, and i would rather not deal with windows. I dont have a computer setup at all, so the deck is all i got. And having windows on that is not ideal.

So I’ve been downloading .exe’s like from itch.io and EA Origin, back when that was a thing, via desktop mode and then i would load it into my steam library.
Then go to game mode and use the settings to put a proton layer on it, (either one of steam’s or the latest one from ProtonUpQT)

And that works fine.
EXCEPT when youre working in desktop mode, like with mods.

(Ive used the Wine app and Lutris from the discover browser, and theyre very okay. Just not consistent)

All i really want is a built in button that lets any exe run through a proton layer.
They’re already on the machine. So id rather not jump through hoops to get a program to run, when you could just right click and select “run through proton”

For every Windows app/game, be it Steam or non-steam, a new prefix (pfx) directory is created. That directory is the "fake" Windows environment for that app/game. So, if you have mods or mod tools that work via a dedicated .exe, you have to put them into the specific prefix of your game and, if needed, run that dedicated .exe in that environment.

There are several ways to do this. You can use Protontricks and the included filebrowser to navigate in that environment and actually run the .exe files with a double click (like in Windows). That's very helpful for configuration tools etc. When it comes to actually start the modded game via a dedicated .exe in Game Mode, a good way is to add a second non-steam entry and add the specific paths in the properties of that entry. Hitting play for the first time on that new entry will create a new prefix which is not the right environment (where your game is installed). So in order to run that new entry in the correct environment, a good way is to copy the name (long number) of the newly created prefix, then delete the complete directory and create a link with the name of the copied number and point it to the prefix directory of your actual game.

[infamous2o]

Ok i found a fix. You gotta create a bat file and place it in your games executable directory. Launch it as a custom command and command only in Steam Tinker Launch game menu. Make sure to have all your dependencies required by using protontricks (i needed dotnet). Here is my example which includes a 30 second pause to allow my dll injector to not fire off immediately.

@echo off
start bg3_dx11.exe
ping -n 31 127.0.0.1 > nul
start IGCSInjector.exe


Just replace the exe's with yours and make sure its saved as a bat file. I know its linux and may work with a .sh file but i didnt even try. Thought it would be more complex than that...

Just make sure to use quotes if your names have spaces like this

start "" "your game name.exe"

[Yokimy2ooo]

Does anyone have a video ?