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* Windows components: lay out installer .exe wrappers without running them
The components page could only take .msi packages apart; most catalog entries ship an
installer .exe, so VC++ runtimes, .NET Framework 4.0-4.8 and the .NET Core/5+ runtimes sat
under 'Need a Windows installer'. droiddeck-msi-install now opens those wrappers and lays
out the packages inside the same way:
- WiX bundles (Visual C++ 2012-2022, .NET Core/5+ desktop runtimes): the .wixburn section
names the containers, each a cabinet found by its header (signing moves them); payloads
get the names the bundle manifest lists, so each package finds its cab1.cab beside it.
ARM64 packages are skipped, x86 and x64 both laid out.
- Self-extracting cabinets (Visual C++ 2005-2010): cabextract, external cabinet beside the
package (vc_red.cab).
- Self-extracting 7-Zip archives (.NET Framework 4.0-4.8): 7-Zip, now bundled with the
msitools (Arch Linux ARM 7zip 26.04: 7z + its 7z.so plugin, licences beside the others).
The complete product (netfx_Full_*) wins over the 4.0 parts and the per-Windows copies.
- An .exe that is its own setup program (NSIS, InnoSetup) reports that it holds no package.
- --unpack opens an archive for the app: DirectX's redistributable for XACT's cabinet picks.
The app executes the remaining catalog steps offline: set_windows (HKCU\Software\Wine
Version), set_register_key, get_from_cab (through --unpack) and 'uninstall Wine Mono' (the
mscoree override beside it is what matters), and reads url/file_name the catalog nests under
'environment' on a few .NET entries. Setup-program installers stay in the waiting section
with a note that says what they are.
Verified on this branch's engine with msitools, cabextract and 7z: VC++ 2010 x64 (19 files,
61 values), VC++ 2022 x64 bundle (26 files, 66 values), .NET 4.0 (1053 files, 6056 values,
Framework64\v4.0.30319 with clr.dll and mscorlib.dll, NDP\v4 keys) and .NET 4.8 (1633
files, 522 GAC assemblies, 6495 values). Not yet run on a device.
* Windows components: the pressed row greys out and shows its own two-step progress bar
Pressing a switch now greys that row at once and runs a thin bar across it: the download
0..100, then the install 0..100, with a caption naming the file or the stage (a dependency's
name in front while that installs first). Turning a component off greys the row the same way
until the pick is saved. The page-wide bar at the bottom is gone; Done waits on the busy row.
droiddeck-msi-install reports how far along it is ('progress 37% placing files'): reading,
each cabinet, every 5% of files placed, the registry, done - and a wrapper maps each package
into its share, so a bundle's two packages run 10..55 and 55..100. The app parses the percent
and passes a typed Progress (component, stage, phase, percent) up to the editor.
* Windows components: the ones turned on sort to the top of the list
In 'All components' the picks for this game come first, in their usual alphabetical order
among themselves; turning one off returns it to its place. The row moves once the install has
finished and the pick is saved, not while its progress bar is running.
* Windows components: an 'Installed for this game' section under the recommendations
What is turned on for this game gets its own section between Recommended and All components,
alphabetical; the recommendations stay where they are (a recommended pick stays there). A
component in the section leaves All components, and goes back to its place when turned off.
LB/RB jump through the new section too.
DroidDeck brings the SteamOS experience to Android: Valve's Steam client in Big Picture on your Adreno handheld, with Windows games through Valve's ARM64 Proton.
Note: DroidDeck does not have a stand-alone website. Do not click on any download links from websites claiming to be the DroidDeck team.
Requirements and install
Use Android 9 or newer on a supported Adreno device (730 or newer, or 8xx). Adreno 6xx is experimental: DirectX 11 uses DXVK 2 and may run, and DirectX 12 games can still crash. Mali, Xclipse, PowerVR, and Adreno 710 are unsupported. No root is required. Allow about 3 GB for the runtime and 1.1 GB more for the desktop and emulators. Install the APK from Releases, install the Linux runtime, then press Play and sign in. Steam downloads on first launch. Install Desktop & apps to use the desktop and emulators. The Store installs Linux apps and games from Flathub (ARM64 builds) with Flatpak; with additional options to install Appimages and set up scripts. Stores (Setup › Stores › "Show Stores in the rail") signs in to GOG, Epic Games and Amazon Games, browses their catalogs and libraries, downloads games into the Games storage and adds each one to the Steam client as a non-Steam game, so it launches through Proton like everything else; the cog on its chip row sets which tab a store opens on and the download speed tier.
Before Steam launches, you must turn off Restrict child processes in Developer options. If this option is not available in developer settings (Android 12 and 13 devices), first launch of Steam will present a "Fix it for me" button, which will help automate the setup process.
Community
Join the DroidDeck Discord for help, Preview builds, and device reports. Bug reports go in its #bug-reports forum; attach the session folder from Download/DroidDeck/ so the logs come with it.
Build
Run tools/build_local.sh with Docker, Java 17, the Android SDK/NDK, and zstd installed. It builds the ARM64 audio sinks from PulseAudio 13.0 and packages them into the APK at app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk. Set DROIDDECK_PA13_SOURCE_DIR to an existing PulseAudio 13.0 source directory to skip downloading it. To install the APK on an attached device, run tools/deploy_local.sh.
Limits
Compatibility and performance vary by device; hardware validation is limited. Desktop compositing uses software rendering. Firefox sandboxing is reduced under proot. See the session logs in Download/DroidDeck/ when diagnosing problems.
Credits and licence
GPL-3.0. Runtime, shim, input, and controller work build on WinNative and Bannerlator (maxjivi05). LSFG frame generation is from the work of Camille LaVey and the Eden emulator project, following lsfg-vk, ported to WinNative and DroidDeck by @maxjivi05; it needs your own copy of Lossless Scaling and ships none of its shaders. x86 AppImages, and any whose own runtime cannot unpack them, are unpacked with uruntime by VHSgunzo (MIT), shipped unmodified with its licence. See LICENSE. Steam and Proton belong to Valve Corporation; this project is not affiliated with Valve.