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Plugin API Command to Navigate Directly to a Platform in Big Box

LaunchBox for Windows

šŸ“‹ Summary

Add a Big Box plugin API command that allows plugins and themes to jump directly into the game library view for a specific platform from any screen.

ā— Problem

Theme and plugin creators currently have limited control over Big Box navigation.

At the moment, jumping to a specific platform usually requires navigating through the standard flow:

  • Go to Platforms

  • Select the desired platform

  • Enter that platformā€™s game list

This limits advanced theme concepts, such as custom home pages, dashboard layouts, or system view replacements that need to send users directly into a platform.

šŸ’” Proposal

Add a backend plugin API command for Big Box navigation, allowing plugins to:

  • Enter a specific platform directly

  • Jump from any Big Box screen into that platformā€™s game library view

  • Trigger the same behavior as manually selecting a platform from the platform view

Example use case:

  • A custom Big Box home page includes a ā€œWindows Gamesā€ tile

  • Selecting that tile calls the API command

  • Big Box jumps directly into the Windows platform game list

šŸ§© Use Cases

  • Theme creators build custom home pages with direct platform shortcuts

  • Plugins create dashboard style navigation experiences

  • Users can jump into favorite platforms without navigating through multiple screens

  • Big Box themes can push beyond the standard platform/category structure

šŸ“¦ Benefits

  • Expands what theme and plugin creators can build

  • Enables more modern and flexible Big Box navigation flows

  • Reduces navigation friction for users

  • Supports experimental and custom UI experiences without requiring core UI changes

āš ļø Considerations

  • Should preserve normal Big Box navigation state where possible

  • Needs clear behavior if the target platform does not exist

  • Could potentially be expanded later to support playlists, categories, or filters

āœ… Outcome

A plugin API command for direct platform navigation would give theme and plugin creators more control over Big Box, enabling richer custom home pages and more flexible navigation experiences.

Posted by JiboReid Ā·
Status: Open To Community2 comments

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Comments2

  • AstroBob changed status to Open To Community
    Teamā€¢

    May 20

    Pinned

    Hi there!

    Thanks so much for submitting this request and for taking the time to explain your use case ā€” that context is always super helpful.

    Iā€™ve gone ahead and fleshed out the main idea using the info you provided, and Iā€™m opening it up to the community for further discussion and feedback. Please let me know if this fleshed-out version doesnā€™t match your original intended request.

    Feel free to let me know if you have any extra thoughts, examples, or edge cases you think might be relevant!

    Cheers,
    The LaunchBox team

  • JiboReid

    ā€¢

    May 20

    Adding a backend plugin api command to jump straight to the games library view of specific platform

    I would really love to see an addition to the Launchbox plugin API that would allow jumping straight to a specific platform from any screen in BigBox. I'm building an experimental Hone Page out of the system view and would love the option to directly jump to Windows games from that view. Currently the only way I'm aware of to do so would be to navigate to platforms then to the game platform of choice. But with a plugin api addition this type of view switch would be possible. Could open up many opportunities for theme creators via a little plugin magic to push the bounds of what bigbox can do.