Why StoreTrainer Was Built (2018–2020)
Many classic 1990s and 2000s PC games require either specific command-line switches (such as resolution overrides, -windowed, or mod directory flags) or companion memory-resident game trainers that must be launched in the proper working directory before or alongside the game executable.
Built inside a Windows 2000 Professional SP4 VM using pure Win32 API calls (shell32.dll ShellExecuteA, comdlg32.dll GetOpenFileNameA, and SHBrowseForFolder) without heavy third-party ActiveX/OCX dependencies, StoreTrainer runs natively on a Pentium-era Windows 95/98 retro rig just as cleanly as on a modern Windows 11 workstation.
Zero-Database .sfile Flat-File Specification
True to RaggieSoft's zero-database philosophy, StoreTrainer stores each game profile as a human-readable 6-line sequential text file (<GameName>.sfile) alongside StoreTrainer.cfg:
Line 1: GameName (Display title in the StoreTrainer list) Line 2: GameFile (Full path to the game .exe binary) Line 3: GameArgs (Optional command-line switches for the game) Line 4: TrainerFile (Full path to the companion trainer .exe, or empty) Line 5: TrainerArgs (Optional command-line switches for the trainer) Line 6: GamePath (Working directory passed to ShellExecuteA) Line 7: TrainerPath (Trainer working directory passed to ShellExecuteA)
Verified Windows Operating System Compatibility Matrix
| Operating System Family | Supported Releases | Architecture & Runtime Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 9x (Win32) | Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows ME | Verified via NSIS WinVer.nsh (AtLeastWin95); deploys msvbvm60.dll if absent. |
| Windows NT Classic | Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional SP4, Windows XP | Primary Development Environment: Built & compiled inside Windows 2000 Professional SP4. |
| Modern Windows NT (x86/x64) | Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11 | Runs seamlessly via WOW64 (TStore.exe VB6) or natively via the included TStore.NET port. |