Minecraft Preview Version Switcher App for Minecraft Bedrock Edition

# MCBEPreviewSwitcher | Foxy's Bedrock Profile & Version Switcher
# Last Updated: 26rd May 2022
# Version: 0.2.0
# Made for MC Bedrock Edition 1.18+
# For more info visit http://foxynotail.com
# Copyright © 2020, FoxyNoTail
###############################

Ok, let's get into it...

YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE ADMINISTRATOR PRIVALEGES ON YOUR DEVICE FOR THIS TO WORK!!!

# WHAT IS IT? #
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MCBEPreviewSwitcher is an app that allows you to have multiple Minecraft Preview profiles and versions on the same Windows device.


# WHAT IS A PROFILE
-------------------
A profile is all of the settings, resource packs, behaviour packs, worlds, skin packs, world templates that Minecraft uses when it's loaded.
It normally lives inside the com.mojang folder on your computer.

By creating multiple Profiles it is possible, using this app, to make Minecraft Preview use a different profile when it launches.
For instance, you could have your standard profile, with all of your normal worlds and settings, and you could have a second profile that has lower graphics settings, different resource packs enabled and a different list of worlds for your alt account.

There are lots of reasons for having multiple profiles. One of the best reasons is that when you uninstall Minecraft Preview, for whatever reason, your profile data won't get deleted like it normally does during the uninstall process. So it's there when you reinstall, just like you left it!

The other good reason for using a profile instead of the default profile is that you can store it anywhere on any drive, so your worlds and resource packs won't eat up all the space on your boot drive!

How do you make profiles?
-------------------------

Easy, just make an directory inside of the "Profiles" directory.
When you start the app, choose the new directory name and when you hit launch, Minecraft will load with all of the default settings and the folder structure inside of your new profile will be created.

Alternatively, you can just copy everything inside of the com.mojang folder found here: %localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.MinecraftWindowsBeta_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\games\com.mojang

Selecting the "Default" profile will tell Minecraft to use the normal com.mojang directory.
Selecting any of your custom ones will tell Minecraft to use your new Profile directories.
So when you install a resource pack or make a new world, they'll be stored inside your new Profile directory.


# WHAT IS A VERSION
--------------------
Versions are the different releases of the Minecraft Preview for example 1.19.0.35 and 1.19.10.20
Each of these main versions has many different sub versions that get released as the game is developed, fixed and updated.
As of writing this 1.19.10.20 is the latest preview version.

Normally, to switch between these versions, you may losw all of your worlds, settings and packs.

Using this software, you can pick whatever version you want to play and just launch it, without having to opt into the Preview or installing anything.
You will need the version files for each version you want to play, and there are a few ways to get hold of them.

THE EASY WAY
=============
BEFORE YOU DO THIS...
FULLY BACKUP YOUR MINECRAFT PREVIEW FOLDER AND DATA
%localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.MinecraftWindowsBeta_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\games\com.mojang

Use The MCLauncher from MRArm - It's a little outdated now, but it still works mostly.
Link: https://github.com/MCMrARM/mc-w10-version-launcher
Download it, run it as administrator and download any of the versions from the list.
To download them you WILL need to have purchased the game on the device you're downloading them too as the app uses your Windows Update Store info to download the game.

It is also better if you are enrolled in the BETA so that you can download all of the versions in the list, otherwise you'll keep getting errors.

This program does not show the RTX releases.

Once you've got the versions downloaded, change "version_dir" in the "options.txt" file to point to the MCLauncher folder and the MCBESwitcher app will read the versions from there.

THE HARD WAY
============
BEFORE YOU DO THIS...
FULLY BACKUP YOUR MINECRAFT PREVIEW FOLDER AND DATA
%localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.MinecraftWindowsBeta_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\games\com.mojang

1. Use the Microsoft Store app to install Minecraft Preview.
2. Go to your WindowsApps folder (C:\Program Files\WindowsApps) - (If you can't access this folder you will need to change the folder permissions to allow yourself access.)
3. Copy the Microsoft.Microsoft.MinecraftWindowsBeta_VERSION_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe folder to the "Versions" directory with this app.
4. Rename it to "Minecraft-Preview-VERSION" where VERSION is the version number of the game. For example: Minecraft-Preview-1.19.0.385
5. Go into the folder and delete the AppxSignature.p7x file
6. Uninstall Minecraft using the Apps and Features settings in Windows.

Now you can choose which ever version you want to play from the MCBEPreviewSwitcher and it will load the correct version when you hit Load and Launch.

Don't forget! You need to uninstall the store version of Minecraft Preview first before you can use the Switcher.

How do you get newer versions when they are released?
-----------------------------------------------------
Using THE HARD WAY, you'll need to install each new version using the Microsoft Store app and go through the steps above to add it to your versions list.
It's much easier to use the MCLauncher from MRArm to download the versions you want.

# HOW TO INSTALL #
------------------
1. Make sure you have Administrative Privileges on the Device and User Account you're using.
2. Make a complete backup of your Minecraft Folders: %localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.MinecraftWindowsBeta_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\games\com.mojang]
3. Download the latest version from https://foxynotail.com
4. Unizip the MCBEPreviewSwitcher-VERSON.zip file into any new folder on your PC where you want your Profiles and Versions to live.
5. Follower "How do you make profiles?" above to create new profiles.
6. Once you have your Minecraft versions installed or downloaded, (using THE EASY WAY or THE HARD WAY or any other way you can do it), then uninstall Minecraft from your device.
7. Run MCBESwitcher.exe as an administrator
8. Choose your desired profile and version and hit launch.

# That's it!

But Foxy... What about the instructions on how it all works...
Erm... I guess you'll have to watch my videos for that ;)
https://youtube.com/foxynotail

FAQ
===
Q: MCLauncher won't work / doesn't download anything / etc. etc.
A: Go ask MrArm - I have nothing to do with his program.

Q: I don't have any profiles other than Default
A: Make sure your options.txt file has the profile_dir pointing at where you're keeping your profiles.

Q: When I choose another profile Minecraft launches slowly and none of my packs or worlds are there.
A: Make sure you're running with Administrative Privileges. This system changes permissions of folders on your PC to allow Minecraft to see inside of them. If it can't change those permissions, Minecraft won't be able to see inside your profile folders and will load with nothing.

Q: I can't download different versions?
A: Version switching should only be attempted by advanced users that understand computers, permissions, directory structures etc.

Q: I can't access the WindowsApps folder
A: This should only be attempted by advanced users that understand computers, permissions, directory structures etc.

Q: It didn't work
A: What didn't work?

Q: Switching versions isn't working
A: 1. Make sure you're running with Administrative Privileges.
2. This system adds and updates appx packages behind the scenes using PowerShell.
3. Make sure you have PowerShell installed.
4. Make sure the store version of Minecraft Preview is uninstalled
5. This should only be attempted by advanced users that understand computers, permissions, directory structures etc.

I hope you managed ok. Any issues, then please contact me via my discord. Details can be found on https://foxynotail.com

# Copyright © 2022, FoxyNoTail