Getting started

Installing APIExpose is a single installer: download, run, activate.

Before you begin

a working RetroBat installation;
the .NET 8 runtime;
a backup of your RetroBat folder if your installation matters to you — APIExpose modifies gamelists and settings.

Download APIExpose-Cabinet-Setup.exe from the releases page — it contains the program, the tools (ffmpeg, ImageMagick, translateLocally) and the full Data Pack.
Run the installer: it installs the plugin into RetroBat\plugins\ and registers the EmulationStation start hook — you get:
```
RetroBat\plugins\APIExpose\
```
Start RetroBat as usual: APIExpose starts automatically, runs its startup work, then lets EmulationStation continue.

What does the hook do?

The installer only registers this script on the EmulationStation side, without modifying updatestores.bat or anything else in RetroBat:

emulationstation\.emulationstation\scripts\start\APIExpose-start-wait.bat

With APIExpose running, open in a browser:

http://127.0.0.1:12345/api/v1/health

Expected answer:

{ "status": "healthy", "version": "1.0.0+..." }

Startup progress lives at /api/v1/startup/ready, and the full endpoint list at http://127.0.0.1:12345/swagger/index.html.

APIExpose adds its options to the EmulationStation menus, translated — no file to edit for everyday use:

EXTENDED OPTIONS
API SETTINGS
AUTO SCRAPING MANAGER
LOCAL MEDIA MANAGER
ROMS PACK MANAGER
THEMES MANAGER
COLLECTIONS PACK MANAGER

Action	How
Stop APIExpose	Double-click `stop.bat`
Remove the automatic startup	Double-click `uninstall-es-start-hook.bat`

Files stay in plugins\APIExpose — reinstalling the hook brings everything back.

Simple advice

Install the hook once, then start RetroBat normally. Do not delete the media\, resources\, tools\ or wrapper\ folders: APIExpose needs them.