ULaunch Switch

uLaunch
General
Author	XorTroll
Type	Title Launchers
Version	0.3.5
License	GPL-2.0
Last Updated	2023/04/04
Links
Download
Website
Source
Support Author

uLaunch is an open-source project that aims to replace the Nintendo Switch's HOME menu (qlaunch) with a custom. homebrew-oriented one.

Unlike other HOME menu extensions or patches, uLaunch is a complete reimplementation that is 100% open-source. It also enhances the console's functionality by taking over eShop and Parental control applets.

For those who are interested in the UI design, uLaunch, like Goldleaf, is a great example of how powerful Plutonium libraries can create beautiful UIs.

Features

• Proper launching and foreground management: launch, suspend and close applications and applets.
• Proper general channel handling (some of it might be not implemented): sleep, shutdown, reboot, HOME menu press detection...
• Settings:
  • Show connected WiFi network's name, MAC and IP address...
  • Open connection applet in case user wants to change network settings.
  • Change console's language and show active one.
  • Change console's nickname and show current one.
• User features:
  • Allow creating user on the startup menu.
  • Show user's page (in order to edit nickname, icon, friends...)
• Homebrew support:
  • Launching as applets (no need of "Album").
  • Launching as applications (using a "donor title").
  • Custom basic homebrew menu.
  • Option to add custom NRO accessors to main menu (homebrew or custom items easily accessible, no more need of "forwarders").
• UI:
  • Themes (different to official HOME menu themes/NXThemes).
    • Custom icons, menu assets and graphics (custom images, colors, sizes, positions...), background...
    • Custom background music and sound effects.
  • Folders in order to keep your main menu organized.
• Users:
  • PC-like login on startup (select user and use it for everything, log off, register/change/remove password...)
  • User password support (up to 15 characters).
• Miscellaneous extras:
  • Web browsing (via web-applet) directly from the main menu.
  • Console screen capturing from PC itself (Windows-only) via USB-C cable and "uViewer" tool.

Installation

Disclaimer

Ban risks - While no bans have been reported related to using uLaunch, replacing the retail HOME menu's functionality is never a completely safe idea, so always use it at your own risk.

Installing uLaunch

Download the latest release ZIP (Note: this project is released and meant to be used with Atmosphere, so use it with different CFWs at your own risk).

Copy everything inside the ZIP to the root of your SD card.

• If you have never used uLaunch or any kind of HOME menu replacement (NXThemes don't count) you wouldn't need to overwrite any files.
• You don't need to remove your normal HOME menu themes (NXThemes) in order to install uLaunch. Those themes are at a romfs dir inside contents/0100000000001000, while uLaunch's only file in that folder is exefs.nsp.

Launch your CFW (using emuMMC or sysMMC shouldn't make a difference) and enjoy your custom, new HOME menu.

Removing uLaunch

Important: Make sure you don't remove anything else but the stuff mentioned here, in order to avoid any potential trouble.

If you'd like to keep your custom themes, menu entries, config, etc. then just remove contents/0100000000001000/exefs.nsp inside Atmosphere's directory. If you happen to reinstall uLaunch later following the steps mentioned above, your previous themes, config, etc. you will still preserve your themes, config, etc. prior to the removal.

If you'd like to remove everything, then also remove the ulaunch folder on the root of the SD card.

(Note: if you use any HOME menu modification - like NXThemes - make sure you do not delete the entire 0100000000001000 folder, just the exefs.nsp file.)

User guide

The latest releases of uLaunch include the uViewer tool that allows you to create custom forwarders (e.g. RetroArch ones).

You can find themes for uLaunch on the r/uLaunchThemes subreddit.

For more detailed information on the project, including themeing, check out its wiki.

FAQ

Q. uLaunch gives me a blackscreen. How can I fix it?

• Make sure you're using the latest release of uLaunch.
• If the last uLaunch release is quite old - that is, new firmware updates or new Atmosphere versions have been released - then you might need to wait for a new release to be dropped, and in the meantime you might be able to use testing builds from the Discord server.
• uLaunch's blackscreens mighe also be caused due to invalid JSON files. The JSONs might have been corrupted (due to ExFAT, other homebrews...) so try deleting them.

Screenshots

Media

uLaunch Amiibo mod (Dcnigma-obscure-channel)

Changelog

v0.3.5 2023/04/04

• uLaunch:
  • Updated for latest Atmosphere (v1.5.1) and libnx.
  • Fixed support for certain games, like Nintendo Switch Online titles.
• uViewer:
  • No changes (therefore no new release binaries).

v0.3.4 2022/04/17

• Again nothing new, just recompiled with latest libnx and Atmosphere, which was needed for the latest Atmosphere release (v1.3.1).
• Again, since were there no changes at all, no uViewer binaries are provided.

v0.3.3 2022/03/26

• Nothing new, just recompiled with latest libnx and Atmosphere, which was needed for the latest Atmosphere release.
• Again, since were there no changes at all, no uViewer binaries are provided.

v0.3.2 2022/02/11

• uLaunch:
  • Most of the code was rewritten or cleaned up, which might mean slightly faster load times, etc.
  • Reinstalled/never launched titles can be launched properly (until now, they had to be launched first on regular qlaunch in order to work) .
  • Other minor internal changes, fixes, etc.
• uMenu:
  • Updated with last libnx, Plutonium and Atmosphere. This (mostly Plutonium changes) might also slightly better performance.
  • Atmosphere's info is shown now along with the system firmware (like with regular qlaunch) .
• uViewer:
  • No changes (not providing new release binaries).

v0.3.1 2021/09/26

• uLaunch:
  • Compiled with latest Atmosphere libraries, effectively supporting up to 1.1.1 and 13.0.0 firmware.
  • Slightly reduced the main menu's memory size from 192MB to 176MB. Previously, certain applets would crash due to lack of memory (for instance, swkbd when editing a user's name on the user page), and thanks to this memory reduction these issues are fixed now.
  • Fixed a bug where launching a title when another one is opened would fail due to not waiting until the opened title actually exits.
• uViewer and RetroArch plugin:
  • Nothing was changed, only the version number was updated.

v0.3.0 2021/08/11

• uLaunch:
  • Updated with last libnx and Atmosphere.
  • Now, instead of always overriding certain applets (if you had uLaunch on your SD), uLaunch makes use of ECS to launch its processes over a certain applet, so that the applet can be used normally when the process isn't launched.
  • The internal comunication system between uLaunch's processes has changed internally and made more fast and efficient.
  • Several bugs/issues with older versions were fixed.
• USB support:
  • USB support is back (it was temporarily removed the last release due to weird technical issues).
  • USB now supports an alternative system, which is available under certain circumstances (having patches enabling it being on >10.0.0) and which is significantly faster.
• uMenu:
  • When launching homebrew as applications, uMenu won't make use of the internal flog system application it used to use (which might have been risky for potential bans). Instead, making use of ECS (mentioned above), after a donor title has been selected by pressing up, homebrew can easily be launched over that application like normal Atmosphere does. Note that you won't be able to launch homebrew over an application unless you select that application as the donor application.
  • HOME menu pressing is properly supported on the different menus. For instance, pressing the HOME button inside the settings menu will make it return to the main menu.
  • The default theme design was reworked, giving it a more dark/purple-ish style, in order to make it more uniform and consistent with the project's logo.
• uViewer:
  • The RetroArch entry creator plugin was updated to work with the latest RetroArch installation.
  • It's been a while, but it's finally here! Have fun with a custom HOME menu.

v0.2.1 2019/12/30

• This a basic version to support latest libnx and Atmosphere, so not many features were added.
• General:
  • Added support for latest Atmosphere, libstratosphere and libnx, fixing potential bugs they all could have had.
• USB viewer:
  • USB viewing has been force-disabled for this version, since it is completely broken.
• Main menu:
  • Fixed a bug where homebrew couldn't be launched from main menu, even in applet mode, when there is an application suspended.
  • Added the option to rename folders by pressing X on the main menu (with the folder selected).
  • Next release will be way more complete.

v0.2 2019/12/01

• Main menu:
  • Added a new way to open menus without touchscreen: presenting the quick menu! Just hold L/R-stick, then move it while being held to select a menu, leave the stick and profit.
  • Changed the web browser touchable menu item with the controller applet one, for what it's worth.
• Settings menu:
  • New settings were added:.
    • Console information upload (enable/disable).
    • Automatic titles' download (e/d).
    • Console auto-update (e/d).
    • Bluetooth (e/d).
    • 3.0 USB (e/d).
    • NFC (e/d).
    • Wireless LAN (e/d).
    • MAC address.
    • Serial number.
• Added controller menu applet (as a menu touchable icon, as mentioned above) support to change/manage players and controllers.
• Added album applet (as part of the aforementioned quick menu) support to view your captures.
• Added a power menu (as part of the aforementioned quick menu) to quickly power off, reboot or sleep the console.
• QForegroundViewer has been refactored into a major application: uViewer.
  • New entry creator menu (custom entry creator to be accessible from main menu), customizable with plugins.
  • This includes a custom RetroArch-themed DLL plugin, easily loadable by uViewer, to make ROM forwarding really easy.
  • Added a new way to open menus without touchscreen: presenting the quick menu! Just hold L/R-stick, then move it while being held to select a menu, leave the stick and profit.
• General:
  • Custom icons in entry JSONs can now be used with normal titles too, not just homebrew.
  • Custom name/author/version texts in entries are no longer restricted to 511/15 characters.
  • Certain parts of the code/functionality were slightly improved (speed might be slightly faster in certain laggy moments).

v0.1 2019/11/11

• Extract the ZIP to your CFW's directory.
• Have fun with a custom, brand new HOME menu.

Credits

• SciresM for Atmosphere-libs.
• Switchbrew team for libnx and nx-hbloader, the base of the uHbTarget processes (they're essentially wrappers of nx-hbloader). This project also makes use of hx-hbmenu's icon.
• C4Phoenix for the amazing design of this project's logo.
• Icons8 website for a big part of the icons used by the default style.
• Several scene developers for their help with small issues or features.
• Everyone from Discord or other places whose suggestions made this project a little bit better.

External links

• GitHub - https://github.com/XorTroll/uLaunch
• GBAtemp - https://gbatemp.net/threads/ulaunch-custom-open-source-nintendo-switch-home-menu-reimplementation.551914/