RIP-Felix

I hate black space more than editing LAY files (barely).

sure. Here it is (as it is now). I've made some changes, most notably I reduced the size of the rom folder to hold just the Games I most often play and GameEX builds that list fine. But with the same settings it will not see everything in the full set. Maybe it's just too big. GameEx.ini

BETA Test Notes for Switchdisc-1.0.5b

I must be stupid! Neither of those programs were of help. They must be for more advanced setups. I'm just looking for a list of rom names and their respective game titles for a complete 0.149 MAME set. Where is the one GameEX creates? Or is that different?

Does anyone have or know how I can get a Map for Mame 0.149 full rom set? I would like to use the built in GameEx MAME, but having trouble with it. Thought I could circumvent them by using the emulator entries. Problem is there is no [Arcade] MAME Map in the default maps with GameEX.

I have a full 0.149 Rom set but GameEX refuses to see all the games I have. I made sure it's not filtering them out and added some of the roms in question to the do not filter list. No success. I'm now wondering if my set is merged? I'll take for example 1941. The Rom is named "1941.7z". When opened in MAMEUI64 v0.149 the parent folder 1941 is seen and there are 3 sub versions (US, world and Japan). When selected the US version plays perfectly fine from the MAME GUI. However Gameex refuses to even list 1941. My question is does mean that I need to un merge my sets for GameEX to properly list my games? Or maybe it is pulling the wrong list info and I need to pull the database from the MAMEUI64 directly? Any ideas? EDIT: I set 0.149 as an emulator and it sees absolutely every file and loads them the same as MAME would. Of course this is not ideal because it take GameEX much longer to load. So this is proof that the default MAME setup is doing something.

It's actually the same as post #161. I just adjusted the pauses to make the process faster. There were 2 problems with my setup before: I needed to add (start "") before the filepath in both the launch before/after commands (eg. start "" "E:). The launch also command can't be used. SD needs to load before NullDC in order to finish the disc swap. It would always loose focus during the open file dialog.I wonder if a SD plugin for GameEX would best be approached as a ground up wizard based project. We would use SD as a template, maybe salvage some code, but otherwise take what we've learned from SD and tailor it to GameEX's unique needs. Honestly though, I think there is one more thing that would take the standalone SD over the top and it would need to be part of the plugin. Here are a couple Ideas I've come up with: Emulator Profiles: Emulator Wizard:

Breakthrough! Check out this SD log: I finally got it to go all the way through and by using the built in nulldc disc changing interface. The Key was your post from http://www.gameex.info/forums/topic/13402-using-a-ps3-controller-trouble/. The Better DS3 allowed me to retire my DS3tool_enabeler.exe and free up the launch before command. I set up the Launch before and after commands the same as ePSXe in GameEX: I used the default nulldc Advance config: I think the problem was that SD has to be launched before and not also. For whatever reason launching also screws up the process and causes GameEX to regain focus midway through the disk switch process. Thank god I found the better DS3, that solved not only a peeve I had with the PS3 controller pairing process but allowed me to free up the launch before option in all my emulators. Everything loads without motioninjoy popping up first and fixed the NullDC-switchdisk problem too. Here is the SD send keys I'm using: Null I think we got it buddy!

I've used motioninjoy for years and even made an executable script to open the interface and enable the profile I wanted. The problem was that I had to pair my PS3 controller first then run a game through GameEX and put my EXE in the run before field to get it to enable the controller. I was also limited to the 060005 version because there was a local pluin that allowed it to run offline. The better DS3 tool completely nullifys the need for my DS3tool_enabler.exe and the plugin...finally! There is an option to enable a profile automatically when your controller is paired. Just put the better DS3 executable in your startup folder, or run before GameEX if you prefer, and whenever you pair the controller your profile will automatically load, no need to even open the motioninjoy, it's all offline. This is how you make your computer a PS3! It's just like I dreamed of...finally! I'm glad I saw this. Freaking awesome.

Really, I'd love to beta test it for you. I wonder if it will work one on the issue I was having. If it does then I could at least confirm the workaround can "fly outside of the nest". BTW: Nullpointer has worked his hair grey putting up with my incessant bug reporting. SD is really starting to live up to it's goal; to be "compatible with any emulator in which it's possible to switch discs for multi-disc games via keyboard shortcuts and/or command line directives." I think I speak for everyone when I say Thanks Man, your awesome!

Interesting, but maybe I'm going about this from the wrong approach. I was happy using the emulator groups before, I just like the extra info you get from the dedicated MAME (eg, controls, info, ratings, etc). I see under the advanced emulator settings there is a controls paths and an info path. So I guess the question is where does GameEX put these when it updates the MAME list? I should be able to just copy the path into the field...Actually I just realized that is for artwork. Is there any way to display the controls info GameEX provides automatically in the emulated MAME setup I'm using?

That should work but for some reason GameEX still refuses to see it. I updated the ROM set, now have full 0.149 ROM set and the 0.149 MameUI64. I opened the application by itself and it sees the parent file "1941.7z" and each sub file "US, world and Japan." when I select US it starts fine and plays normal. But when I update the GameEX list it just does not show up even though 1941 is added to the do not filter list. Weird!

I forgot about that setting...Doh! Unfortunately it still doesn't see 1941. It works when I run it with my emulator setup for MAME but not the default GameEX all MAME games list. I'm updating my rom set to 0.149 and will see if that fixes the issue. Till then...

Is there a way to manually re-run the MAME update list process after making the change? It did not prompt me to. Also 1941 is in the folder but it does not show up in the list, but when I search all roms it finds it. Are ghost roms normal?

Thanks, that's a really good idea.

I have two separate mame folders to utilize 0.147 and 0.143. In the mame settings I used the rompath to the one in 0.147. However this only displays the roms that work with that version of mame (because I only put the roms that work for that version in their respective folders). Only after I test a game and find which version it works best in do I put it in the one of the folders. Because of this I have been using the emulator entries for the separate versions of mame, however that means that I have to forgo the information gameex automatically finds, such as game descriptions, controls, similar games, ratings, etc. This is useful information I would like to take advantage of. Is there any way to have separate entries for mame to run more than one version of mame and merge them into one list like is possible using the emulator entries? Or is this mame settings thing really only meant for a complete rom set?

I just went into the MAME settings in the wizard and Set it to show all Mame Games. I previously had all these options set to "no". This way only my emulators show on the screen. I have MAME set up as emulators because I use two versions 0.147 and 0.143b then merge sets so they appear in one list. However I figured these MAME option have to do with the attract mode, so I enabled show allmame games to see which ones it showed. It only showed the simpsons (which explains that one) and splatterhouse (which I don't have explaining the reason it fails to load that one). However, gameex prompted me to update the MAME Game list which sounded promising and I agreed. It then got stuck at "Creating verify.dat (55%)" and has been stuck there unresponsive for the last 20mins. Explain that one? My Thumbnail really captures how I feel about now! EDIT: oh...wait I did something and it finished the process. I'll edit back in a bit if that fixed the problem...Yes it did fix the problem. However it still shows splatterhouse which is not in the location I told it MAME was located and it is not showing a number of other game that are in the folder, namely 1942, and 1943 to name a few.

I was wondering how the MAME game attract/screensavers work. I have it enabled but the only one that works is the Simpsons. The others just try to load go black then return to gameex. Perhaps it requires that I have a complete rom set? If so is there a list somewhere where I can tell it to use the ones I want to use?

Back in December I got the urge to put together my own custom cabinet. No wife to stifle the manic desire to relive the golden age of wasteful spending at the local "wonderland" (they took Nickels). As a result this was born: $500 - Custom built PC (AMD phenom x2 unlocked to x4, 120GB SSD OS drive/640GB Data HDD) $250 - Building materials & marquee printout. $250 - Vertically mounted Visio 32" TV hooked in via RGB $200 - X-Arcade tanksticks w/ trackball (works great as the mouse!) $50 - Coin door (accept quarters) $25 - Smartswitch power strip switches on marquee light, coin led, and exhaust fan when computer on. $1275 - Approxamate total cost. I already had the TV and replaced it earlier with a better one. I also had many of the computer parts laying around from previous custom PC builds and was planning a mini ITX built anyway. So the real cost was more like $525 over a few months time. So it was not too bad. The real issue has been integrating the software for a screen in portrait.

Actually on a 32" TV in portrait the 4:3 game fill a space that is just as big as it would if you used a standard monitor. The black space isn't that annoying, it's just a convenient place to put the artwork, control panels, and marquee! That just requires some custom bezel work since this is an uncommon setup. I'd say go for it!

It's been a lot of work, but it is doable. I've certainly ran into more obstacles than a regular 4:3 or even a 16:9 monitor would have. My favorate Arcade games are the scroll down shooters like 1941. So I wanted to do a vertical screen from the beginning. Setup in MAME wasn't that bad it's all the other assorted emulators that end up turning you grey. It's been about 9 months since I Built the thing and I think everything is starting to settle into a robust arcade. I'm enjoying it more and more now that there isn't some random issue poping up all the time. It's been a lot of fun though. Pushed my limits technically and mechanically. If you do decide to do a portrait build, here are a few things to look out for: Make sure your computer can rotate the screen 90 or 270 degrees and keep that setting. I have and old laptop I was going to use but it could not rotate the screen. And make sure it doesn't randomly reset after shutdown or during Full screen resizes (many emus have different resolutions that load and go full screen automatically). Make sure your monitor or TV can display a good resolution in portrait using the RGB input. I found that the RGB input was the only one that after loosing signal, when the computer shuts off, will shut the TV off automatically after a bit and wait for a signal to turn it back on again. The HDMI inputs did not work for me, and my tv doesn't have DVI so I can't comment. Use a Smartstrip energy Saving Surge Protector with Autoswitching Technology. like this one:http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Strip-Protector-Autoswitching-Technology/dp/B0006PUDQK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377277923&sr=8-1&keywords=smartstrip You can set the monitor as the switching device and the marquee light, coin door LED, cabinet Fans, and etc as switched devices. Then the computer goes in one of the unstwitched outlets. This way when you turn the computer on the monitor receives signal via RGB and turns on also, then all of your switched outlets are turned on automatically when the power strip senses the voltage increase in the switched device. Everything comes on at the press of one button, which you could put anywhere you want! Put your cabinet on casters. You'll thank yourself later. There will be a lot of software tweaking to get your emulators to display correctly but I have been able to get most to work. I have had to try new emulators to do it though. Some simply wont work, and other will but not very well. Luckily MAME works great and does it almost automatically. MAME is awesome!

I actually played around with the lay files some more and got the hang of it. Most of the games that have homebrew bezels have enough artwork for me to rearrange into a PNG that will suit my needs. Just requires a little paint.net magic. Any way I figured out that the entry "Screen index="0"" refers to the Game window. X is the horizontal position on the screen and Y is vertical. Height and width are self explanatory. The numbers are ambiguous so it just took some trial and error till I got the hang of it. The following is the default lay from Mortal Kombat. <view name="Upright_Artwork"> <bezel element="bezel"> <bounds x="0" y="0" width="4000" height="3600" /> </bezel> <bezel element="inst"> <bounds x="778" y="2973" width="2444" height="556" /> </bezel> <screen index="0"> <bounds x="440" y="482" width="3120" height="2340" /> </screen> <marquee element="marquee"> <bounds x="0" y="-1125" width="4000" height="1175" /> </marquee> <cpanel element="cpo"> <bounds x="-200" y="3650" width="4400" height="2204" /> </cpanel> </view>

Anyone out there who has created their own Bezels, backdrops, etc in MAME? I found this but it wasn't much help: http://mamedev.org/devwiki/index.php?title=Layouts_and_Rendering_for_MAME_Artwork_System

I don't want to sretch the game window. I want the game at pixel ratio or 4:3, I just want the bezel I created in 9:3 to be displaed correctly and not squashed into 4:3 around the game window. I'm sure I just need to specify the bounds correctly in the LAY file. I messed around with them a bit but I don't know what each x, y, width, and height coordinate correspond to.