Scratch should have an sb2 to EXE converter!

Cub56

Suggestion: Scratch should make an in-built sb2 to exe file type converter so projects can be converted into standalone exe files.

(The stuff in the wiki doesn't work for me)

Important: this topic is not a duplicate of this closed topic because the reasons for having the suggestion are very different and this includes a lot of different points that aren't covered in that OP, and that thread is also cluttered and several years old

Scratch 2.0 projects are in the format of .sb2 files which aren't very compatible with many file formats (if that makes sense) and you can't play the projects offline without downloading the Scratch editor.

“Why not just use someone else's converter?”
The reliability/safety of a lot of online sb2 to exe converters isn't really that confirmed, users may find it hard to tell whether they contain malware and I've tried several which haven't worked.

If a Scratcher had a game and wanted to, say:
Sell their game (this is allowed in the ToS)
Make their game into a so-called “proper game” for users to download and play (exe files are what's called stand alone executables meaning the file can just be opened as an application without needing another program to open it with (i.e. the Scratch editor)
Let a lot of people play their game offline without needing to download the Scratch editor first
Allow people to play without complications relating to Flash Player (a lot of browsers now block Flash due to security)
If a Scratcher made a really high quality complex game close to professional standards (not impossible on Scratch), they could put it on Steam (which requires specific file types)

this would be much easier to accomplish if the project could be converted into an .exe file so people can download it without the Scratch editor.

Basically so it's more like an actual professional game instead of needing to be opened in the editor.

“But why is this necessary? Why not just use the browser?”
See the bullet points above.

Last edited by Cub56 (April 3, 2017 14:07:23)

Climax999

Climax999

Support becaue it would be good to have sb2's into exes and share them but… how will you make changes if it's already an .exe?
NOTE: The offline editor needs Adobe Air (quite annoying).

Cub56

Climax999 wrote:
Support becaue it would be good to have sb2's into exes and share them but… how will you make changes if it's already an .exe?
NOTE: The offline editor needs Adobe Air (quite annoying).

It's not for you to make changes with, it's as a format for users to use the project once it has been completed. Also see the bullet points in the opening post.

JonathanSchaffer

support, processing has a feature like this.

Cub56

Thanks for support!

Greenduck54

Semi support! I'd like to see an actual .sb2 to .exe converter, even though it may be better to wait for 3.0 for suggesting this (since 3.0 will most likely be the official version by the end of 2018 and (should) also have a seperate file type (.sb3?)).

Cub56

Greenduck54 wrote:
Semi support! I'd like to see an actual .sb2 to .exe converter, even though it may be better to wait for 3.0 for suggesting this (since 3.0 will most likely be the official version by the end of 2018 and (should) also have a seperate file type (.sb3?)).

That's a long time to wait though…

Greenduck54

Cub56 wrote:
Greenduck54 wrote:
Semi support! I'd like to see an actual .sb2 to .exe converter, even though it may be better to wait for 3.0 for suggesting this (since 3.0 will most likely be the official version by the end of 2018 and (should) also have a seperate file type (.sb3?)).
That's a long time to wait though…

{offtopic} Well the 3.0 alpha will be out at the end of this year. (yay

) {/offtopic}

MathlyCat

So how about catering to non-Windows users? Because: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_systems

And the fact that Linux (even though it has a free utility) and OS X cannot run .exe's.

Cub56

Bumping after a while for more discussion

Hex4Nova

MathlyCat wrote:
So how about catering to non-Windows users? Because: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_systems

And the fact that Linux (even though it has a free utility) and OS X cannot run .exe's.

I think there's an emulator called WINE that can run .exe files on non-Windows OSes. Still a nice suggestion, don't get me wrong on that.

Cub56

Hex4Nova wrote:
MathlyCat wrote:
So how about catering to non-Windows users? Because: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_systems

And the fact that Linux (even though it has a free utility) and OS X cannot run .exe's.
I think there's an emulator called WINE that can run .exe files on non-Windows OSes. Still a nice suggestion, don't get me wrong on that.

There are probably some other ways the files can be emulated.

venyanwarrior

MathlyCat wrote:
So how about catering to non-Windows users? Because: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_systems

And the fact that Linux (even though it has a free utility) and OS X cannot run .exe's.

Yes! How about .sb2 to .mp3? This would work out for mac users like me.

venyanwarrior

Hex4Nova wrote:
MathlyCat wrote:
So how about catering to non-Windows users? Because: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_systems

And the fact that Linux (even though it has a free utility) and OS X cannot run .exe's.
I think there's an emulator called WINE that can run .exe files on non-Windows OSes. Still a nice suggestion, don't get me wrong on that.

There is. I use it all the time!

Greenduck54

venyanwarrior wrote:
MathlyCat wrote:
So how about catering to non-Windows users? Because: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_systems

And the fact that Linux (even though it has a free utility) and OS X cannot run .exe's.

Yes! How about .sb2 to .mp3? This would work out for mac users like me.

No. .mp3 is an extension for sound files. This would just cause a lot of problems.
(Would you want to open a compiled scratch project in another scratch project?)
scratchception

Last edited by Greenduck54 (May 9, 2017 12:06:55)

Cub56

It'd probably be best to cater to the majority first, since non-Windows users won't be negatively affected by adding this.

jji10

I thought there already was an unofficial one?

Last edited by jji10 (May 10, 2017 01:46:19)

venyanwarrior

Greenduck54 wrote:
venyanwarrior wrote:
MathlyCat wrote:
So how about catering to non-Windows users? Because: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_systems

And the fact that Linux (even though it has a free utility) and OS X cannot run .exe's.

Yes! How about .sb2 to .mp3? This would work out for mac users like me.
No. .mp3 is an extension for sound files. This would just cause a lot of problems.
(Would you want to open a compiled scratch project in another scratch project?)
scratchception

Oops, I thought you meant the sound file from a project. Well, maybe a .exec? I'm pretty sure this works on both Mac and Windows.

Or a .SCRATCH file. ;)

Greenduck54

jji10 wrote:
I thought there already was an unofficial one?

cub56 wrote:
“Why not just use someone else's converter?”
The reliability/safety of a lot of online sb2 to exe converters isn't really that confirmed, users may find it hard to tell whether they contain malware and I've tried several which haven't worked.

Last edited by Greenduck54 (May 10, 2017 12:28:43)

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