cupid

Hi, Sorry, i was in hospital, but i'm fine now... I'll try the new plugin-system.

Yes... But, if you fix it, you could also support multiple inputs and some more informations, do you have the game screen resolution and/or the avga Res you switch to? Alternating/mirrored from Controls.dat? (future projects...) I really need the screenres and/or AVGA res (for another plugin)... That would be better than Controls... You're giving a small finger and i'm taking the whole hand now, i think ...

I need the Inputs... Your inputs are somehow scrambled... I wrote you somewhere in the forum and you told that you have to rewrite the code for the inputs. And additional to that I noticed that the inputs vary from different mame versions. Sometimes (in newer Mame Versions with XML Output) The inputs are like this: <input players="2" buttons="1" coins="2"> <control type="joy4way"/> </input> and in older with XML-Output (i had a mamepp.exe (maybe because of the pp???)) Thats from Memory as i don't have my notebook or my sources of my plugin here: <input players="2" buttons="1" coins="2" control="joy4way"> </input> In my plugin i read the control="" first and then all <control type=""/>, write them to an array and take the first element. But I'll use the GameEx mame from now on... Another thing i don't have to do with a setup wizard. __________ I thought about usability. I'd like to let the users decide about the right control type inside of gameex when they are in the details of a game. The problem is that i need a Row that is selectable and clickable (Like "Ultrastik Map=4Way (click to change)"). Is that possible in future versions? Now I could make such a function with a button combination and a messagebox, but if you have 7 or more Maps it would take long time to click the button combi and accept the messagebox 6 or more times to cycle through the maps. Thanks for your support. Cupid

Oh tom... now I understand you... Of course i'm answering false to initialisation if anything happens to the paths... I took everything out for debugging, so it's already programmed. Just not "in"... :-) Cupid

To Tom: I don't want to import the full mame list nomally. If you only have a few games installed in Mame it should (TODO) add only the runnned game to the list. You should not have to import the whole mame list in future versions. If a mame game is called, the game should be automatically added to the list. If another Emulator is called a new list should be created. You should be able to either set a default map for the new emulator or set the maps individually for each game. With mame and XML output i had a few issues with older Mame versions. If one had installed an older version of Mame in gameex the plugin won't work. Thats why it's hard coded at the moment and i'm not using the one in gameex.ini. To HK: I just use the working path of the plugin manager + "plugins\\ultrastik_plugin". As i'm creating some files i thought it would be good to make a new directory under plugins. Thanks to all! Please report it here if you use this plugin.

Name: UltraStik Plugin Version: 0.5 Author: Cupid Description: Sets UltraStik 360 Joysticks from Ultimarc for Games This plugin will select the correct map for Ultrastick 360 Joysticks for a Game, when you run it. OK, I got my plugin to work. But it is really a pre release, so it might not be easy to get it running. Also you have to configure your system a little bit for it. Here is a step by step guide to get it to work with Mame. 1. You MUST have Ultramap installed and it must have been installed to the default folder. (It's c:\programme\ultramap at my computer since i have a german windows installed, but would be c:\program files\ultramap at your computer. My plugin should get the default install path for programs for your windows) 2. You MUST have at least the standard ".um"-Files in your c:\program files\ultramap\maps folder Standard means at least: 2-way, Left & Right.um 2-way, Up & Down.um 4-way.um 8-way.um analog.um (I don't know if this is standard, if not, please create this map (should be an analog map of course)) 3. You MUST have a new and ORIGINAL!!! MAME version installed in c:\mame There MUST be a c:\mame\mame.exe file!!! The plugin works fine with MAME 0.111 from www.mame.net. This Mame-Version is only for reading the Gamelist in the Plugin manager. You will play the game with whatever MAME you have configured in the GameEx Config. 4. In your UltraMap you should set the required Joysticks under Tools/Options or you will get some annoying popups in GameEx. 5. Put Ultrastik_Plugin.dll in the plugins folder of GameEx. 6. Start the Plugin Manager of GameEx 7. Activate the plugin 8. Configure the plugin You should see an empty list (Game + UGC-File) You should see Box "Emulator" and MAME inside You should see another box ("UGC-File") with your first UGC-File. At least the UGC-Files of the above mentioned Standard um-Files should be there. 9. Choose File/Import Mame Games and wait some seconds. The game list should be visible now. Each game should have a good UGC-File now. You can sort the List by clicking on the header. 10. (Optional) you can change a Game's UGC-File by selecting a row, selecting the UGC-File in the bottom box and by clicking "set". 11. Close the configuration window by clicking on its X 12. Close the Plugin Manager 13. Start GameEx. Within GameEx your joysticks are 8-way. When you start a MAME game the corresponding UGC-File will be loaded. When you exit a MAME game your Joystick will be 8-way. If you have problems with this plugin, please report them in this topic and attach your config.xml and please list the files in your c:\program files\gameex\plugins\ultrastik_plugin folder. The next Todo's are the following: Write a Wizard to set everything up. Check for needed programs. Enable other Emulators Enable "in GameEx map change" Multirow select Try to set the undocumented deadzone without nag-screen Remove bugs Comment the code many more... Rule the world If the plugin works stable and the comments are in the code i'll release the code here Have fun! Cupid UltraStik_Plugin.zip

Name: UltraStik Plugin Version: 0.5 Author: Cupid Description: Sets UltraStik 360 Joysticks from Ultimarc for Games This plugin will select the correct map for Ultrastick 360 Joysticks for a Game, when you run it. OK, I got my plugin to work. But it is really a pre release, so it might not be easy to get it running. Also you have to configure your system a little bit for it. Here is a step by step guide to get it to work with Mame. 1. You MUST have Ultramap installed and it must have been installed to the default folder. (It's c:\programme\ultramap at my computer since i have a german windows installed, but would be c:\program files\ultramap at your computer. My plugin should get the default install path for programs for your windows) 2. You MUST have at least the standard ".um"-Files in your c:\program files\ultramap\maps folder Standard means at least: 2-way, Left & Right.um 2-way, Up & Down.um 4-way.um 8-way.um analog.um (I don't know if this is standard, if not, please create this map (should be an analog map of course)) 3. You MUST have a new and ORIGINAL!!! MAME version installed in c:\mame There MUST be a c:\mame\mame.exe file!!! The plugin works fine with MAME 0.111 from www.mame.net. This Mame-Version is only for reading the Gamelist in the Plugin manager. You will play the game with whatever MAME you have configured in the GameEx Config. 4. In your UltraMap you should set the required Joysticks under Tools/Options or you will get some annoying popups in GameEx. 5. Put Ultrastik_Plugin.dll in the plugins folder of GameEx. 6. Start the Plugin Manager of GameEx 7. Activate the plugin 8. Configure the plugin You should see an empty list (Game + UGC-File) You should see Box "Emulator" and MAME inside You should see another box ("UGC-File") with your first UGC-File. At least the UGC-Files of the above mentioned Standard um-Files should be there. 9. Choose File/Import Mame Games and wait some seconds. The game list should be visible now. Each game should have a good UGC-File now. You can sort the List by clicking on the header. 10. (Optional) you can change a Game's UGC-File by selecting a row, selecting the UGC-File in the bottom box and by clicking "set". 11. Close the configuration window by clicking on its X 12. Close the Plugin Manager 13. Start GameEx. Within GameEx your joysticks are 8-way. When you start a MAME game the corresponding UGC-File will be loaded. When you exit a MAME game your Joystick will be 8-way. If you have problems with this plugin, please report them in this topic (click here!) and attach your config.xml and please list the files in your c:\program files\gameex\plugins\ultrastik_plugin folder. Have fun! Cupid UltraStik_Plugin.zip

Sorry to say it Hansolo77, but the Nintendo Wiimotes just function like you described (if I understand correctly). I think Nintendo has the copyright to this. In every wiimote there is a little infrared camera which picks up the two Light sources from the so called sensor bar. If you calibrate your wiimote with your wii, you can even see the raw output of thoses cameras (two dots). To show that there are no sensors in the sensor bar: You can even put two candles in front of you TV instead of the sensor bar and your wiimote will work. Look at wiimote hacking sites and you'll find it.

Happy new year to everyone!!! And best whishes and all your best to your home arcades... Ps: your ultrastick 360 will work well under gameex in a couple of weeks!!! The plugin works quite well now, but isn't ready to be released yet. Stay tuned!!! Best whishes from gemany!!! Cupid!!!!

That's why i like to live in Germany... The scene is not almost dead. The music is not the same... Its more industrial-like but you can find it, if you search for it. Check out www.synthetic.org. It can give you a liitle taste to what i mean... Even if it's almost mainstream there. (and not from germany :-) )

OK... Thanks HK. I'm using 2003 now. Thought about coding in Delphi, but now i started my plugin in c#. Thanks for all. Without your help i think i would have never got it to work.

Hope you also ordered the restrictor plates... I didn't like the throw without any plates... I now use the small circular RP.

OK, i can get it to work. I can even use C#Express to program the code. But If I add a component to the form (or delete something), nant doesn't compile anymore. I can get it to work again, if i excange the configuration.resx with an old one and if if comment out these two lines: ... ((System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize)(this.pictureBox1)).BeginInit(); ... ((System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize)(this.pictureBox1)).EndInit(); ... Btw: i didn't do anything with the PictureBox1, I added a checkbox. That drives me crazy So my question: what IDE do you use? Is it more easy with yours? Thanks for all the support HK. BTW: I'm now wearing a T-shirt with your avatar on it... One of the greatest bands ever. ;-) Cupid

Works! Thanks!

OK HK, I have compiled the code you attached. If i press configure nothing happens. Does the Configure Button in the Template you attached work, if you compile it with nant? cupid

Yes indeed. I'm very interested as you see :-)... I'd like to get my Ultrasticks to work... Nplayers seems to me ok... (but i dont need the infos from it in the first version of my plugin) OK, I will read controls.ini myself. Thanks for your support.

Hi Tom, (should be "strange results" in the topic... can't edit it anymore...) Great work, nice that we can add plugins now. I just programmed my plugin a little bit. And Msgboxed Game_Info.Mame_Info.Controls for some games. It gives me only ";joy8way;" for 1942 (as example). For '88games i got ";layers=;" (????). I expected "8-way Joystick+joy8way" for 1942 and Just Buttons+button for '88games 1. Could you please explain what I can expect in this struct? 2. Could you please Add some fields to the Game_Info struct according to Controls.ini [1942] gamename=1942 (set 1) numPlayers=2 alternating=1 mirrored=1 tilt=0 cocktail=1 usesService=0 miscDetails= P1NumButtons=2 P1Controls=8-way Joystick+joy8way P1_BUTTON1=Fire P1_BUTTON2=Loop P1_JOYSTICK_UP=Up P1_JOYSTICK_DOWN=Down P1_JOYSTICK_LEFT=Left P1_JOYSTICK_RIGHT=Right [88games] gamename='88 Games numPlayers=2 alternating=0 mirrored=1 tilt=0 cocktail=1 usesService=0 miscDetails=This is a 4 player team type game where 2 players compete each time P1NumButtons=3 P1Controls=Just Buttons+button P1_BUTTON1=Run P1_BUTTON2=Jump P1_BUTTON3=Run

OK... got the second error myself. Tom changed the call to the Event_Timer Method My testplugin works now... yay!!! (except the configure screen) again for everybody: its not public void Event_Timer() anymore it's now public void Event_Timer(IntPtr InfoPtr) (I just read about this in the release news of the new version and analysed the VB code because the c# Code is the same as in the previous version) But I need help on the dialog box. The configure Dialog is not opening. Headkaze, I'll try to compile your code tomorrorw, let's see if the button works there.

vuduman, at the moment you have to use an application to switch from any to any other mode. Look at http://www.ultimarc.com . Everything is explained there. Just to be clear: you dont switch the hardware, just the software in the joystick. It has no hardware switches like other joys, but is an analog joystick with some logics to simulate a dedicated 2,4,8 way or diagonal joystick. You can even design own templates to make a 3 way joystick or other weird things. I'm trying to write a plugin for GameEx to set the joystick modes according to a game. So from gameex this could (if i'm successful) be very easy. Cupid

Hmmm... got another problem here. Now my plugin shows up in the plugin manager, but if i press configure nothing happens. If I load Gameex with my new plugin, GameEx acts normal, but without any plugin functionality. I get the following log entries: ... 17:22:13.8 14.12.2006: Loading PlugIns 17:22:13.9 14.12.2006: Loaded Plugin:"Testplugin" Version 0.1 By Cupid 17:22:13.9 14.12.2006: PlugIn: "Testplugin" Initialized OK ... 17:22:42.3 14.12.2006: Testing Main Loop Once: Processing Frame 17:22:42.5 14.12.2006: Testing Main Loop Once: Main Loop ran successfully 17:22:44.3 14.12.2006: PlugIn: "Testplugin" caused an exception and is being disabled. 17:22:44.3 14.12.2006: Methode GameEx.Plugin.Event_Timer konnte nicht gefunden werden. (Translated: Method GameEx.Plugin.Event_Timer could not be found.) 17:22:44.3 14.12.2006: at System.RuntimeType.InvokeMember(String name, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object target, Object[] args, ParameterModifier[] modifiers, CultureInfo culture, String[] namedParameters) 17:22:44.3 14.12.2006: at GameEx.PlugIns.InvokeMethod(Object obj, String sProperty, Object oValue) 17:22:44.3 14.12.2006: at GameEx.PlugIns.InvokeMethod(Object obj, String sProperty, Game_Info oValue) 17:22:44.3 14.12.2006: at GameEx.PlugIns.Event_Timer() ... Does this mean that GameEx does not find my public void Event_Timer()??? I used the templates from Tom. It looks like GameEx seems to read PluginInfo, but can't call any methods from Plugin... Maybe you can help out once more. I would have searched forever to solve the 1.1/2.0 mistake. Thanks Cupid

OK, I have now loaded the plugin in Vc#Express and I'm calling the batch as a post-build event. Now i can use the IDE and compile it in one step under .net 1.1. cupid

Yes! Works like charm! I even managed to compile the speech plugin... That needed some research how to include Libs. For everyone: How i did it: 1. download nant and unzip to any directory. 2. copy Headkaze's default.build and build.bat into the downloaded Plugintemplate from TS 3. edit build.bat and set the path correctly to nant 4. copy Interop.Speechlib.dll from gameex\plugin dir (thats the .net 1.1 version) to the template dir 5. edit default.build and insert <references> <include name="Interop.SpeechLib.dll"/> </references> after </sources> 6. execute build.bat 7. copy the DLL to the plugin dir (remove sthe speech plugin before, but don't remove the interop.speechlib.dll Thanks HeadKaze.

Hi, I can't get the C# Template for the plugin to work. I'm sorry, if i just made some bad beginner mistakes... I'm good at PHP and learned C some years ago... Both without IDEs. I must say that this MS IDE is great, but often i dont know what to do. Maybe it's just a stupid mistake i made. Maybe we can make a tutorial here in the forum. I'll start it with what i did. Here is what I did: 1. unzip the Template. 2. open MSVC#2005Express 3. File/open project - choose the Folder and then GXPlugin.csproj 4. VC#Express converts the project with no errors 5. I have several warning in my error list: ' * Load of property 'OutputPath' failed. The entered Path is not a valid output path. ' * Unable to create directory "G:\-DATA-\-MyProjects-" and so on... PS: I dont have such a directory ' * The referenced Componetnt 'Speechlib' could not be found. ' * The referenced Component 'System' could not be found ' * and System.Data, System.Drawing, System.Windows.Forms and System XML 5. I doubleclick plugin.cs to have a look at it 6. I rightclick the Project: "GXPlugin" and choose properties 7. In GXPlugin I click on Build, but the at point 5 mentioned Output path seems ok (is bin\Release\)??? Why do i get the error? 8. OK, I try to compile with Build/Build Solution but i get the same errors. 9. OK, then i try Debug/Start Debugging (Of course i get "A project with an Output Type of Class Library cannot be started directly.) 10. My warnings (except the output Path error) were gone!??? Why??? 11. OK, just one warning, let's compile... Build/Build soultion 12. One Error, one warning, both about "G:\-DATA-\-My PROJECTS-" and so on... 13. in the Project properties / Build i set the output path manually to a path that i have (although it seems ok. 14. I "Build Solution" again. No Error (Just a warning about the output path (not a valid... ) 15. In the outpuit path are two new .dll files. Wow... 16. I copy the files to my gameex plugins directory (made a backup of course) and i say "yes to the question if i want to overwrite". 17. I start the Pluginmanager.exe and the speech-plugin is gone... :-( Could anyone help me with that.

I had the same detecting issue with two ultrasticks at my passive USB-hub. As I made it active my issues were gone (using XP-Pro). It seems to me, that they use more than 100mA... I have installed the firmware with beta Mouse support, but i had to set the mouse-speed to minimum to control the mouse with the sticks. This resulted in a ultra slow trackball (from ultimarc) and spinner in my machine (OK, you can set the speed in Mame to, but i couldn't control windows with my trackball anymore because it was so slow). So I'm not using the Mouse function with my joysticks. I tried several mouse drivers, but found no driver where you can control the speed of one device and not the others. Although i have not much spare time, I'm planning to write a plugin to auto-set the Ultrasticks depending on the Game. But at the moment i ran into several problems using VC#Express and the Templates. I'm into it, but don't expect any pace on this project. I'll try to solve the problems at first by myself (to learn some more about it), but if I can't solve them i'll ask the community. If I have the first version running, I will upload the sources here in the forum. Ah... and yes! I love these sticks. 4 way mode works great. I too like the soft springs (they are just like the soft sanwa springs originally installed in my Sega Naomi).

@nullus: Ahhh... YOU YOU YOU... :-) Good work! Cupid