[SOLVED/CLOSE] How to Run NonSteam Game with Launcher?

[Shuaizu]

How do you run a NonSteam game that has a launcher? For example, StarWars TheOldRepublic starts with a launcher, then opens the game. No matter if running as administrator or not, the game opens in Steam with launcher but then closes when the main game starts. I can't find a single solution online.

[mimizukari]

you can't, unless it just works, like it did for some games like anarchy online(on steam now tho)

[Bench]

You can.

Step 1 (script):
copy paste this script into a plain text editor (ex. notepad) and save it as "steamswtor.vbs" in the same directory as your swtor launcher (ex. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\BioWare\Star Wars - The Old Republic"):

' if nothing was passed in, we are starting from scratch, so start the launcher
If WScript.Arguments.length = 0 Then
	swtorHome = WScript.ScriptFullName
	swtorHome = Left(swtorHome, InStr(swtorHome, WScript.ScriptName)-1)
	
	'run the launcher
	Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "launcher.exe", "", swtorHome
	
	' create the file that the elevated script will copy swtor's path and commandline to
	set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
	set tempfolder = fso.GetSpecialFolder(2)
	tempname = tempfolder & "\" & "swtorsteam.tmp"
	set tempfile = fso.CreateTextFile(tempname)
	tempfile.close()

	'run this script but signal that it needs to elevate by giving it the tempfile name as an argument
	Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "cscript.exe", Chr(34) & WScript.ScriptFullName & Chr(34) & " " & tempname, "", "runas", 1

	WScript.Echo "Waiting for other script to finish..."
	' check every second if the temporary file has been updated with the commandline info
	Do While True
		'check the filesize of the tempfile
		set tempfile = fso.GetFile(tempname)
		If tempfile.Size > 0 Then Exit Do
		WScript.Sleep 1000
	Loop
	
	swtorExecutablePath = swtorHome + "swtor\retailclient"
	set tempfile = fso.OpenTextFile(tempname)
	swtorCommandLine = tempfile.ReadLine
	tempfile.close()
	
	Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "swtor.exe", swtorCommandLine, swtorExecutablePath

	fso.DeleteFile tempname
	WScript.Quit
Else
	' we are elevated now	
	WScript.Echo "Waiting for launcher to start swtor..."
	
	'Get Windows Manager object 
	Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\.\root\cimv2")

	' check every second for swtor.exe that was launched by swtor's launcher
	While True
	
		'Get info on processes named "swtor.exe"
		Set swtorInstanceList = objWMIService.ExecQuery _ 
		("Select * from Win32_Process Where Name =""swtor.exe""")
		
		for Each swtorInstance in swtorInstanceList
			cmdline = swtorInstance.CommandLine
	
			'look for something only our swtor will have in it's commandline arguments
			If InStr(cmdline, "username") > 0 Then
				'we found the swtor.exe we care about
				swtorInstance.Terminate()
				
				'remove the exe path and name from the cmdline
				position = InStr(1, cmdline, """ ") + 1
				cleanCmdLine = Right(cmdline, Len(cmdline) - position)
				
				tempname = WScript.Arguments(0)
				set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
				set tempfile = fso.OpenTextFile(tempname, 2)
				tempfile.WriteLine(cleanCmdLine)
				tempfile.close()

				WScript.Quit
			End If
		Next	
		
		WScript.Sleep 1000
	Wend
End If

Step 2 (steam):

- Open up steam and go to the menu option "Games" and click "Add a non-steam game to my library"
- Add "Star Wars the Old Republic" or browse to swtor's "launcher.exe" and add that.
- Now right-click the newly added game in steam's library, and click properties.

- Change the properties to match these:

> (Optional) Choose Icon: Browse to swtor's "launcher.exe" and select it

> (Optional) Name: Star Wars - The Old Republic

> (Required) Target: "C:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe" "PUT FULLPATH TO steamswtor.vbs"

> here's a full example (the quotes are important):
Target: "C:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\BioWare\Star Wars - The Old Republic\steamswtor.vbs"

> (Required) Start In(the quotes are important): "C:\Windows\System32"

That's it.

Worked for me

[Shuaizu]

Sorry I'm not going to run scripts and risk any game banning me for it.

[Bench]

Originally posted by MissPanda #BoTW:

Sorry I'm not going to run scripts and risk any game banning me for it.

Source: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=94152

17 pages long so it should be pretty safe if you ask me.

[Shuaizu]

Not risking it (:

[Shuaizu]

I already figured it out anyway. All you have to do is run both Steam + SWTOR as administrator and it'll work. No fishy script needed.

[mimizukari]

Originally posted by MissPanda #BoTW:

I already figured it out anyway. All you have to do is run both Steam + SWTOR as administrator and it'll work. No fishy script needed.

it isn't a fishy script, if you can read the coding you can tell all it does is what he said.

[S2.Souji]

Originally posted by Bench:

You can.

Step 1 (script):
copy paste this script into a plain text editor (ex. notepad) and save it as "steamswtor.vbs" in the same directory as your swtor launcher (ex. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\BioWare\Star Wars - The Old Republic"):

' if nothing was passed in, we are starting from scratch, so start the launcher
If WScript.Arguments.length = 0 Then
	swtorHome = WScript.ScriptFullName
	swtorHome = Left(swtorHome, InStr(swtorHome, WScript.ScriptName)-1)
	
	'run the launcher
	Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "launcher.exe", "", swtorHome
	
	' create the file that the elevated script will copy swtor's path and commandline to
	set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
	set tempfolder = fso.GetSpecialFolder(2)
	tempname = tempfolder & "\" & "swtorsteam.tmp"
	set tempfile = fso.CreateTextFile(tempname)
	tempfile.close()

	'run this script but signal that it needs to elevate by giving it the tempfile name as an argument
	Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "cscript.exe", Chr(34) & WScript.ScriptFullName & Chr(34) & " " & tempname, "", "runas", 1

	WScript.Echo "Waiting for other script to finish..."
	' check every second if the temporary file has been updated with the commandline info
	Do While True
		'check the filesize of the tempfile
		set tempfile = fso.GetFile(tempname)
		If tempfile.Size > 0 Then Exit Do
		WScript.Sleep 1000
	Loop
	
	swtorExecutablePath = swtorHome + "swtor\retailclient"
	set tempfile = fso.OpenTextFile(tempname)
	swtorCommandLine = tempfile.ReadLine
	tempfile.close()
	
	Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "swtor.exe", swtorCommandLine, swtorExecutablePath

	fso.DeleteFile tempname
	WScript.Quit
Else
	' we are elevated now	
	WScript.Echo "Waiting for launcher to start swtor..."
	
	'Get Windows Manager object 
	Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\.\root\cimv2")

	' check every second for swtor.exe that was launched by swtor's launcher
	While True
	
		'Get info on processes named "swtor.exe"
		Set swtorInstanceList = objWMIService.ExecQuery _ 
		("Select * from Win32_Process Where Name =""swtor.exe""")
		
		for Each swtorInstance in swtorInstanceList
			cmdline = swtorInstance.CommandLine
	
			'look for something only our swtor will have in it's commandline arguments
			If InStr(cmdline, "username") > 0 Then
				'we found the swtor.exe we care about
				swtorInstance.Terminate()
				
				'remove the exe path and name from the cmdline
				position = InStr(1, cmdline, """ ") + 1
				cleanCmdLine = Right(cmdline, Len(cmdline) - position)
				
				tempname = WScript.Arguments(0)
				set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
				set tempfile = fso.OpenTextFile(tempname, 2)
				tempfile.WriteLine(cleanCmdLine)
				tempfile.close()

				WScript.Quit
			End If
		Next	
		
		WScript.Sleep 1000
	Wend
End If

Step 2 (steam):

- Open up steam and go to the menu option "Games" and click "Add a non-steam game to my library"
- Add "Star Wars the Old Republic" or browse to swtor's "launcher.exe" and add that.
- Now right-click the newly added game in steam's library, and click properties.

- Change the properties to match these:

> (Optional) Choose Icon: Browse to swtor's "launcher.exe" and select it

> (Optional) Name: Star Wars - The Old Republic

> (Required) Target: "C:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe" "PUT FULLPATH TO steamswtor.vbs"

> here's a full example (the quotes are important):
Target: "C:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\BioWare\Star Wars - The Old Republic\steamswtor.vbs"

> (Required) Start In(the quotes are important): "C:\Windows\System32"

That's it.

Worked for me :happyleon:

helo. thanks for this. but what should i change in the script if i want to use it for other games? thanks again.

[Bench]

Which games do you wanna add?

[Quarren King of Q]

I have state of decay externally, I would like to as I am using nexus mod manager. i want to be able to click launch in nexus mod manager and it will start with steam as a non steam game

[no arms no feet only cheat]

Originally posted by Bench:

You can.

Step 1 (script):
copy paste this script into a plain text editor (ex. notepad) and save it as "steamswtor.vbs" in the same directory as your swtor launcher (ex. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\BioWare\Star Wars - The Old Republic"):

' if nothing was passed in, we are starting from scratch, so start the launcher
If WScript.Arguments.length = 0 Then
	swtorHome = WScript.ScriptFullName
	swtorHome = Left(swtorHome, InStr(swtorHome, WScript.ScriptName)-1)
	
	'run the launcher
	Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "launcher.exe", "", swtorHome
	
	' create the file that the elevated script will copy swtor's path and commandline to
	set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
	set tempfolder = fso.GetSpecialFolder(2)
	tempname = tempfolder & "\" & "swtorsteam.tmp"
	set tempfile = fso.CreateTextFile(tempname)
	tempfile.close()

	'run this script but signal that it needs to elevate by giving it the tempfile name as an argument
	Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "cscript.exe", Chr(34) & WScript.ScriptFullName & Chr(34) & " " & tempname, "", "runas", 1

	WScript.Echo "Waiting for other script to finish..."
	' check every second if the temporary file has been updated with the commandline info
	Do While True
		'check the filesize of the tempfile
		set tempfile = fso.GetFile(tempname)
		If tempfile.Size > 0 Then Exit Do
		WScript.Sleep 1000
	Loop
	
	swtorExecutablePath = swtorHome + "swtor\retailclient"
	set tempfile = fso.OpenTextFile(tempname)
	swtorCommandLine = tempfile.ReadLine
	tempfile.close()
	
	Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "swtor.exe", swtorCommandLine, swtorExecutablePath

	fso.DeleteFile tempname
	WScript.Quit
Else
	' we are elevated now	
	WScript.Echo "Waiting for launcher to start swtor..."
	
	'Get Windows Manager object 
	Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\.\root\cimv2")

	' check every second for swtor.exe that was launched by swtor's launcher
	While True
	
		'Get info on processes named "swtor.exe"
		Set swtorInstanceList = objWMIService.ExecQuery _ 
		("Select * from Win32_Process Where Name =""swtor.exe""")
		
		for Each swtorInstance in swtorInstanceList
			cmdline = swtorInstance.CommandLine
	
			'look for something only our swtor will have in it's commandline arguments
			If InStr(cmdline, "username") > 0 Then
				'we found the swtor.exe we care about
				swtorInstance.Terminate()
				
				'remove the exe path and name from the cmdline
				position = InStr(1, cmdline, """ ") + 1
				cleanCmdLine = Right(cmdline, Len(cmdline) - position)
				
				tempname = WScript.Arguments(0)
				set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
				set tempfile = fso.OpenTextFile(tempname, 2)
				tempfile.WriteLine(cleanCmdLine)
				tempfile.close()

				WScript.Quit
			End If
		Next	
		
		WScript.Sleep 1000
	Wend
End If

Step 2 (steam):

- Open up steam and go to the menu option "Games" and click "Add a non-steam game to my library"
- Add "Star Wars the Old Republic" or browse to swtor's "launcher.exe" and add that.
- Now right-click the newly added game in steam's library, and click properties.

- Change the properties to match these:

> (Optional) Choose Icon: Browse to swtor's "launcher.exe" and select it

> (Optional) Name: Star Wars - The Old Republic

> (Required) Target: "C:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe" "PUT FULLPATH TO steamswtor.vbs"

> here's a full example (the quotes are important):
Target: "C:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\BioWare\Star Wars - The Old Republic\steamswtor.vbs"

> (Required) Start In(the quotes are important): "C:\Windows\System32"

That's it.

Worked for me :happyleon:

its working

[Drasuke]

Originally posted by Bench:

You can.

Step 1 (script):
copy paste this script into a plain text editor (ex. notepad) and save it as "steamswtor.vbs" in the same directory as your swtor launcher (ex. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\BioWare\Star Wars - The Old Republic"):

' if nothing was passed in, we are starting from scratch, so start the launcher
If WScript.Arguments.length = 0 Then
	swtorHome = WScript.ScriptFullName
	swtorHome = Left(swtorHome, InStr(swtorHome, WScript.ScriptName)-1)
	
	'run the launcher
	Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "launcher.exe", "", swtorHome
	
	' create the file that the elevated script will copy swtor's path and commandline to
	set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
	set tempfolder = fso.GetSpecialFolder(2)
	tempname = tempfolder & "\" & "swtorsteam.tmp"
	set tempfile = fso.CreateTextFile(tempname)
	tempfile.close()

	'run this script but signal that it needs to elevate by giving it the tempfile name as an argument
	Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "cscript.exe", Chr(34) & WScript.ScriptFullName & Chr(34) & " " & tempname, "", "runas", 1

	WScript.Echo "Waiting for other script to finish..."
	' check every second if the temporary file has been updated with the commandline info
	Do While True
		'check the filesize of the tempfile
		set tempfile = fso.GetFile(tempname)
		If tempfile.Size > 0 Then Exit Do
		WScript.Sleep 1000
	Loop
	
	swtorExecutablePath = swtorHome + "swtor\retailclient"
	set tempfile = fso.OpenTextFile(tempname)
	swtorCommandLine = tempfile.ReadLine
	tempfile.close()
	
	Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
	objShell.ShellExecute "swtor.exe", swtorCommandLine, swtorExecutablePath

	fso.DeleteFile tempname
	WScript.Quit
Else
	' we are elevated now	
	WScript.Echo "Waiting for launcher to start swtor..."
	
	'Get Windows Manager object 
	Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\.\root\cimv2")

	' check every second for swtor.exe that was launched by swtor's launcher
	While True
	
		'Get info on processes named "swtor.exe"
		Set swtorInstanceList = objWMIService.ExecQuery _ 
		("Select * from Win32_Process Where Name =""swtor.exe""")
		
		for Each swtorInstance in swtorInstanceList
			cmdline = swtorInstance.CommandLine
	
			'look for something only our swtor will have in it's commandline arguments
			If InStr(cmdline, "username") > 0 Then
				'we found the swtor.exe we care about
				swtorInstance.Terminate()
				
				'remove the exe path and name from the cmdline
				position = InStr(1, cmdline, """ ") + 1
				cleanCmdLine = Right(cmdline, Len(cmdline) - position)
				
				tempname = WScript.Arguments(0)
				set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
				set tempfile = fso.OpenTextFile(tempname, 2)
				tempfile.WriteLine(cleanCmdLine)
				tempfile.close()

				WScript.Quit
			End If
		Next	
		
		WScript.Sleep 1000
	Wend
End If

Step 2 (steam):

- Open up steam and go to the menu option "Games" and click "Add a non-steam game to my library"
- Add "Star Wars the Old Republic" or browse to swtor's "launcher.exe" and add that.
- Now right-click the newly added game in steam's library, and click properties.

- Change the properties to match these:

> (Optional) Choose Icon: Browse to swtor's "launcher.exe" and select it

> (Optional) Name: Star Wars - The Old Republic

> (Required) Target: "C:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe" "PUT FULLPATH TO steamswtor.vbs"

> here's a full example (the quotes are important):
Target: "C:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\BioWare\Star Wars - The Old Republic\steamswtor.vbs"

> (Required) Start In(the quotes are important): "C:\Windows\System32"

That's it.

Worked for me :happyleon:

Can some one help to me with this script to work on other game too?