GamingCommander

© 2026 ins · github.com/instant0/GamingCommander
License: CC BY-NC 4.0

GamingCommander is a C# Windows-native game management and launcher with a Norton Commander-inspired dual-pane interface.

The visual goal is inspired by classic commander-style tools, but the UI should scale with modern window resizing instead of being limited to a fixed legacy text resolution.

Current State

MVP is complete. Phase 2 baseline (scan + launch) is complete. Remaining Phase 2 work is SyncMove (manifest repair). Live status: META/SESSION/CURRENT.md.

Current status:

• ✅ Steam library scanning, ACF cross-referencing, Installed/Moved/Orphaned/Missing detection
• ✅ Standalone game detection for 10 platforms (GOG, EA, Ubisoft, Epic, Blizzard, Xbox, Rockstar, Steam Emu)
• ✅ Executable scoring and noise filtering (21-tier blacklist; embedded blacklist.json restore)
• ✅ Game launching: steam:// URI for Steam, direct .exe with args for standalone
• ✅ GOG metadata extraction, UE-aware exe discovery, .lnk shortcut resolution, container detection
• ✅ Dual-pane NC UI, first-run / F2 setup, F4 configure, F5 async rescan, F8/S filter, Esc/Backspace up (no F9)
• ✅ Epic local .item / .mancpn enrichment; right-pane colored tags
• ✅ Opt-in online extras (PCGW + Steam Store only). Contract: docs/ONLINE-AND-DATA.md

Development Environment

This repository can be scaffolded and partially validated from Linux using the .NET SDK.

However, Windows-specific tasks will still require a Windows machine, especially for:

• native UI verification,
• Windows registry integration,
• launcher detection against real client installs,
• symlink/junction and manifest migration validation,
• packaging and installer testing.

Dev notes (archived Phase 0): META/COMPLETED/archived-docs/development-environment.md.

Solution Layout

src/
  GamingCommander.Core/        Interface definitions + domain models + shared helpers
  GamingCommander.Detection/   Game discovery abstractions + design-time stub
  GamingCommander.Migration/   Migration planning abstractions + design-time stub
  GamingCommander.UI/          ViewModels (Norton Commander shell)
  GamingCommander.App/         Avalonia app entry, windows, services, DI wiring
tests/
tools/
docs/
data/

Key Documents

• AGENTS.md — Agent guidance and reading order
• CONTRIBUTING.md — Contribution guidelines
• META/SESSION/CURRENT.md — Current project state
• META/ARCHITECTURE.md — Architecture decisions
• META/ROADMAP.md — Phase milestones and progress
• docs/ONLINE-AND-DATA.md — What we read, write, and contact (HOW / WHAT / WHY)
• docs/FAQ.md — User FAQ (install, scanning, caching, troubleshooting, limitations)
• docs/sbom/ — CycloneDX 1.6 Software Bill of Materials
• testdata/ — Test fixtures (not shipped). data/ is shipped defaults only.
• GamingCommander.Readme.txt — End-user access guide
• planning/ — Detailed implementation plans

Build & Test

Requirements: .NET 8 SDK.

dotnet build
dotnet test
dotnet list GamingCommander.sln package --vulnerable --include-transitive

The vuln check must report no vulnerable packages (app and tests). Test projects pin System.Net.Http 4.3.4 and System.Text.RegularExpressions 4.3.1 (tests/Directory.Build.props).

Windows Release (from Linux or Windows):

dotnet publish src/GamingCommander.App/GamingCommander.App.csproj -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained false -o ./publish

Needs the .NET 8 Desktop Runtime on the target PC. Publish root is the exe, GamingCommander.Readme.txt, and the three host files the apphost requires (GamingCommander.App.dll, .runtimeconfig.json, .deps.json). Support DLLs go in lib/; shipped defaults in data/. The Windows application manifest is embedded in the exe (app.manifest); a loose .exe.manifest is not shipped.

SBOM: docs/sbom/README.md.

Live session state: META/SESSION/CURRENT.md.