Logging Infrastructure / Normalize Paths

- Added base logging infrastructure
- Create scan log during library/game scan in %ProgramData%\CreamInstaller\scan.log
- Normalize Steam library paths (libraryfolders.vdf) using Path.GetFullPath + ResolvePath to handle slashes, casing, and drive changes
- Diagnostics.ResolvePath: wrap GetFileSystemInfos in try/catch and guard against empty results to prevent IndexOutOfRangeException (May assist with issues on slow or intermittently accessible external drives)

.github/workflows/create-release.yml

@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ jobs:
           tag_name: v${{ inputs.version }}
           name: ${{ inputs.title || format('Release v{0}', inputs.version) }}
           body: ${{ inputs.notes }}
+          generate_release_notes: true
           files: |
             ./publish/CreamInstaller.exe
             ./publish/CreamInstaller.zip

.github/workflows/dev-ci-builds.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+name: Dev CI Builds
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - dev
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup .NET
+        uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v4
+        with:
+          dotnet-version: '8.0.x'
+
+      - name: Restore dependencies
+        run: dotnet restore CreamInstaller.sln
+
+      - name: Build Release
+        run: dotnet build CreamInstaller.sln --configuration Release --no-restore
+
+      - name: Publish single-file
+        run: dotnet publish CreamInstaller.sln -c Release -r win-x64 -p:PublishSingleFile=true --self-contained true --output ./publish
+
+      - name: Set short commit SHA and branch name
+        id: vars
+        run: |
+          $shortSha = $env:GITHUB_SHA.Substring(0,7)
+          $branch = $env:GITHUB_REF_NAME
+          Write-Output "shortSha=$shortSha" >> $env:GITHUB_ENV
+          Write-Output "branch=$branch" >> $env:GITHUB_ENV
+        shell: pwsh
+
+      - name: Rename EXE with branch and short commit SHA
+        run: |
+          Rename-Item -Path ./publish/CreamInstaller.exe -NewName "CreamInstaller-CI-$env:branch-$env:shortSha.exe"
+        shell: pwsh
+
+      - name: Upload artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: CreamInstaller-CI-${{ env.branch }}-${{ env.shortSha }}
+          path: ./publish/CreamInstaller-CI-${{ env.branch }}-${{ env.shortSha }}.exe

CreamInstaller/CreamInstaller.csproj

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
         <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows10.0.22621.0</TargetFramework>
         <UseWindowsForms>True</UseWindowsForms>
         <ApplicationIcon>Resources\program.ico</ApplicationIcon>
-        <Version>5.0.1.9</Version>
+        <Version>5.0.2.0</Version>
         <Copyright>2025, FroggMaster (https://github.com/FroggMaster)</Copyright>
         <Company>CreamInstaller</Company>
         <Product>Automatic DLC Unlocker Installer &amp; Configuration Generator</Product>

CreamInstaller/Forms/SelectForm.cs

@@ -569,6 +569,8 @@ internal sealed partial class SelectForm : CustomForm
         progressLabel.Text = "Waiting for user to select which programs/games to scan . . .";
         ShowProgressBar();
         await ProgramData.Setup(this);
+        ProgramData.ClearLog();
+        ProgramData.Log($"[Scan] CreamInstaller {Program.Version} — scan started at {DateTime.UtcNow:yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss} UTC");
         bool scan = forceScan;
         if (!scan && (programsToScan is null || programsToScan.Count < 1 || forceProvideChoices))
         {

CreamInstaller/Platforms/Epic/EpicStore.cs

@@ -58,13 +58,13 @@ internal static class EpicStore
                 cacheFile.DeleteFile();
             }
 
-        if (response is null)
+        if (response is null || response.Data?.Catalog is null)
             return dlcIds;
-        List<Element> searchStore = [..response.Data.Catalog.SearchStore.Elements];
+        List<Element> searchStore = [..response.Data.Catalog.SearchStore?.Elements ?? []];
         foreach (Element element in searchStore)
         {
             string title = element.Title;
-            string product = element.CatalogNs is not null && element.CatalogNs.Mappings.Length > 0
+            string product = element.CatalogNs?.Mappings is { Length: > 0 }
                 ? element.CatalogNs.Mappings.First().PageSlug
                 : null;
             string icon = null;
@@ -81,11 +81,11 @@ internal static class EpicStore
                 dlcIds.Populate(item.Id, title, product, icon, null, element.Items.Length == 1);
         }
 
-        List<Element> catalogOffers = [..response.Data.Catalog.CatalogOffers.Elements];
+        List<Element> catalogOffers = [..response.Data.Catalog.CatalogOffers?.Elements ?? []];
         foreach (Element element in catalogOffers)
         {
             string title = element.Title;
-            string product = element.CatalogNs is not null && element.CatalogNs.Mappings.Length > 0
+            string product = element.CatalogNs?.Mappings is { Length: > 0 }
                 ? element.CatalogNs.Mappings.First().PageSlug
                 : null;
             string icon = null;
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ internal static class EpicStore
             (string id, string name, string product, string icon, string developer) app = dlcIds[i];
             if (app.id != id)
                 continue;
+
             found = true;
             dlcIds[i] = canOverwrite
                 ? (app.id, title ?? app.name, product ?? app.product, icon ?? app.icon, developer ?? app.developer)

CreamInstaller/Platforms/Steam/SteamLibrary.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using CreamInstaller.Utility;
@@ -28,16 +29,19 @@ internal static class SteamLibrary
         {
             List<(string appId, string name, string branch, int buildId, string gameDirectory)> games = new();
             HashSet<string> gameLibraryDirectories = await GetLibraryDirectories();
+            ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Found {gameLibraryDirectories.Count} library folder(s).");
             foreach (string libraryDirectory in gameLibraryDirectories)
             {
                 if (Program.Canceled)
                     return games;
+                ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Scanning library: {libraryDirectory}");
                 foreach ((string appId, string name, string branch, int buildId, string gameDirectory) game in (await
                              GetGamesFromLibraryDirectory(
                                  libraryDirectory)).Where(game => games.All(_game => _game.appId != game.appId)))
                     games.Add(game);
             }
 
+            ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Total games detected: {games.Count}");
             return games;
         });
 
@@ -47,13 +51,21 @@ internal static class SteamLibrary
         {
             List<(string appId, string name, string branch, int buildId, string gameDirectory)> games = new();
             if (Program.Canceled || !libraryDirectory.DirectoryExists())
+            {
+                ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Skipping library (not found or canceled): {libraryDirectory}");
                 return games;
+            }
+
             foreach (string file in libraryDirectory.EnumerateDirectory("*.acf"))
             {
                 if (Program.Canceled)
                     return games;
                 if (!ValveDataFile.TryDeserialize(file.ReadFile(), out VProperty result))
+                {
+                    ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Failed to deserialize ACF: {file}");
                     continue;
+                }
+
                 string appId = result.Value.GetChild("appid")?.ToString();
                 string installdir = result.Value.GetChild("installdir")?.ToString();
                 string name = result.Value.GetChild("name")?.ToString();
@@ -61,11 +73,23 @@ internal static class SteamLibrary
                 if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(appId) || string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(installdir) ||
                     string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(name)
                     || string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(buildId))
+                {
+                    ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Skipping ACF with missing fields: {file}");
                     continue;
-                string gameDirectory = (libraryDirectory + @"\common\" + installdir).ResolvePath();
-                if (gameDirectory is null || !int.TryParse(appId, out int _) ||
-                    !int.TryParse(buildId, out int buildIdInt) || games.Any(g => g.appId == appId))
+                }
+
+                string rawGameDirectory = libraryDirectory + @"\common\" + installdir;
+                string gameDirectory = rawGameDirectory.ResolvePath();
+                if (gameDirectory is null)
+                {
+                    ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Game directory not found (drive may be slow or disconnected): {rawGameDirectory} | App: {name} ({appId})");
                     continue;
+                }
+
+                if (!int.TryParse(appId, out int _) || !int.TryParse(buildId, out int buildIdInt) ||
+                    games.Any(g => g.appId == appId))
+                    continue;
+
                 VToken userConfig = result.Value.GetChild("UserConfig");
                 string branch = userConfig?.GetChild("BetaKey")?.ToString();
                 branch ??= userConfig?.GetChild("betakey")?.ToString();
@@ -78,6 +102,8 @@ internal static class SteamLibrary
 
                 if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(branch))
                     branch = "public";
+
+                ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Detected game: {name} ({appId}) | Branch: {branch} | Dir: {gameDirectory}");
                 games.Add((appId, name, branch, buildIdInt, gameDirectory));
             }
 
@@ -92,25 +118,50 @@ internal static class SteamLibrary
                 return libraryDirectories;
             string steamInstallPath = InstallPath;
             if (steamInstallPath == null || !steamInstallPath.DirectoryExists())
+            {
+                ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Steam install path not found or inaccessible: {steamInstallPath ?? "(null)"}");
                 return libraryDirectories;
+            }
+
             string libraryFolder = steamInstallPath + @"\steamapps";
             if (!libraryFolder.DirectoryExists())
+            {
+                ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Default steamapps folder not found: {libraryFolder}");
                 return libraryDirectories;
+            }
+
             _ = libraryDirectories.Add(libraryFolder);
+            ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Default library folder: {libraryFolder}");
+
             string libraryFolders = libraryFolder + @"\libraryfolders.vdf";
             if (!libraryFolders.FileExists() ||
                 !ValveDataFile.TryDeserialize(libraryFolders.ReadFile(), out VProperty result))
+            {
+                ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] libraryfolders.vdf not found or failed to parse: {libraryFolders}");
                 return libraryDirectories;
+            }
+
             foreach (VToken vToken in result.Value.Where(p =>
                          p is VProperty property && int.TryParse(property.Key, out int _)))
             {
                 VProperty property = (VProperty)vToken;
-                string path = property.Value.GetChild("path")?.ToString();
-                if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(path))
+                string rawPath = property.Value.GetChild("path")?.ToString();
+                if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(rawPath))
                     continue;
-                path += @"\steamapps";
-                if (path.DirectoryExists())
-                    _ = libraryDirectories.Add(path);
+
+                // Normalize the path from VDF (may use forward slashes or wrong casing)
+                string normalizedPath = Path.GetFullPath(rawPath);
+                string steamappsPath = normalizedPath + @"\steamapps";
+                string resolvedPath = steamappsPath.ResolvePath();
+
+                if (resolvedPath is null)
+                {
+                    ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] External library not accessible (drive may be disconnected or letter changed): {steamappsPath}");
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                if (libraryDirectories.Add(resolvedPath))
+                    ProgramData.Log($"[Steam] Additional library folder found: {resolvedPath}");
             }
 
             return libraryDirectories;

CreamInstaller/Utility/Diagnostics.cs

@@ -54,7 +54,16 @@ internal static class Diagnostics
         if (info.Parent is null)
             return info.Name.ToUpperInvariant();
         string parent = ResolvePath(info.Parent.FullName);
-        string name = info.Parent.GetFileSystemInfos(info.Name)[0].Name;
-        return parent is null ? name : Path.Combine(parent, name);
+        try
+        {
+            FileSystemInfo[] infos = info.Parent.GetFileSystemInfos(info.Name);
+            string name = infos.Length > 0 ? infos[0].Name : info.Name;
+            return parent is null ? name : Path.Combine(parent, name);
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            // Fall back to the raw name if the filesystem call fails (e.g. on a slow external drive)
+            return parent is null ? info.Name : Path.Combine(parent, info.Name);
+        }
     }
 }

CreamInstaller/Utility/ProgramData.cs

@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Globalization;
+using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using System.Windows.Forms;
 using Newtonsoft.Json;
@@ -28,6 +30,38 @@ internal static class ProgramData
     private static readonly string DlcChoicesPath = DirectoryPath + @"\dlc.json";
     private static readonly string KoaloaderProxyChoicesPath = DirectoryPath + @"\proxies.json";
 
+    internal static readonly string LogPath = DirectoryPath + @"\scan.log";
+
+    private static readonly object LogLock = new();
+
+    internal static void Log(string message)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            string timestamp = DateTime.UtcNow.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.fff", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
+            string entry = $"[{timestamp}] {message}{Environment.NewLine}";
+            lock (LogLock)
+                File.AppendAllText(LogPath, entry, Encoding.UTF8);
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            // ignored — logging must never crash the application
+        }
+    }
+
+    internal static void ClearLog()
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            if (File.Exists(LogPath))
+                File.Delete(LogPath);
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            // ignored
+        }
+    }
+
     internal static async Task Setup(Form form = null)
         => await Task.Run(() =>
         {

README.md

@@ -74,14 +74,17 @@ If none of these work, your system may not support .NET 8 or may have underlying
 
 ### DLCs aren't unlocking in my game
 
-CreamInstaller only installs the unlockers — it does **not** guarantee they will work for every game.
+CreamInstaller only installs DLC **unlockers** — it does **not** guarantee they will work for every game.
 
-If the program successfully installed the unlockers but DLCs still aren’t unlocking, this is **not an issue with CreamInstaller itself** and isn’t something I can directly fix.
+If the program successfully installs the unlockers but DLCs still aren’t unlocking, this is **not an issue with CreamInstaller itself** and isn’t something I can directly fix. DLC Unlocker compatibility and behavior vary from game to game.
 
-Try the following:
+**DLC Files:** _This program does **not** automatically download or install actual DLC files for you. As the name implies, it is only a *DLC unlocker installer*. If the game you wish to unlock DLC for does not already include the DLC files (which is the case for many games), you must manually obtain and install those files yourself. This includes manually installing new DLCs and manually updating or reinstalling previously installed DLCs after game updates._
+
+If you’re having trouble, try the following:
+
+- Review the [Usage section](https://github.com/FroggMaster/CreamInstaller#usage) for proper setup  
+- Visit the [CS.RIN.RU forum](https://cs.rin.ru/forum/viewforum.php?f=10) for game-specific troubleshooting and compatibility info
 
-- Review the [Usage section](https://github.com/FroggMaster/CreamInstaller#usage) for proper setup
-- Visit the [CS.RIN.RU forum](https://cs.rin.ru/forum/viewforum.php?f=10) for game-specific troubleshooting
 
 ---