POPSLoader is an open-source launcher for POPStarter that is scripted in Lua and built on top of the Enceladus runtime. This repository packages the launcher (POPSLOADER.ELF), runtime Lua scripts, textures, and required modules into a single, portable bundle intended for PlayStation 2 environments such as MMCE and USB mass storage.

POPSLoader was created by El_isra, and this repository is a fork of his work. Endless thanks to Isra for his contributions and open-source projects gifted to the community.

Project lineage: This project is derived from the Enceladus Lua environment and retains its GPLv3 licensing.

• AGENTS.md
• DEVELOPMENT.md
• docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
• docs/RUNTIME_LAYOUT.md
• docs/LAUNCH_PIPELINE.md (canonical launch behavior + device rules)
• docs/DEBUGGING.md
• docs/DOC_AUDIT.md

• No subfolder dependencies (assets load from ELF directory first).
• Legacy POPSLDR/ layout kept as fallback.

Place POPSLOADER.ELF, POPSTARTER.ELF, Lua scripts, images, and optional IRX modules in the same directory (no required subdirectories).

• system.lua, ui.lua, images.lua, pops_profiles.lua, PATCH_5.BIN
• UI images (*.png) and optional external IRX modules (*.irx)
  Legacy folders (POPSLDR/, IMG/, IRX/) are fallback-only.
  Profiles can override the PopStarter path if needed.
  See docs/RUNTIME_LAYOUT.md for layout details and compatibility notes.

Launch behavior, device rules, and POPStarter handoff are documented in docs/LAUNCH_PIPELINE.md. This repo does not contain POPStarter’s argument parsing, so POPStarter’s argv index must be verified in POPStarter’s own sources or documentation.

• The SMB slot represents MMCE (no SMB networking support); SMB.png is reused as the icon.
• MMCE auto-detects mmce0:/ and mmce1:/, with module load order: iomanX → fileXio → mmceman.
  See docs/ARCHITECTURE.md for implementation details.

• Triangle: Exit to OSDSYS (with confirmation).

• (USB Only) if you want POPStarter IGR to go back to POPSLoader automatically, copy POPSLOADER.ELF renamed as BOOT.ELF (legacy POPSLDR/ layout is still supported if you use it)
• you can replace the POPStarter IGR textures with custom ones that looks like stock POPSLoader UI by pasting the PATCH_5.BIN found inside the POPSLDR/ into the POPS/ folder

These are derived from the startup path parsing logic and used for asset resolution order (APP_DIR first, legacy fallback second).

• mass:/POPSLOADER.ELF → APP_DIR = mass:/
• mc0:/APPS/POPSLOADER.ELF → APP_DIR = mc0:/APPS/
• mmce0:/APPS/POPSLOADER.ELF → APP_DIR = mmce0:/APPS/

• israpps (El_isra) for POPSLoader.
• Daniel Santos for Enceladus: https://github.com/DanielSant0s/Enceladus

SInce this project is based on enceladus, it retains the GNU General public license v3.0