[RESOLVED] More GameBase Woes :(

[hansolo77]

Atari ST is the big one for me. This is the one computer I'm most desiring to get up and running properly. I've grabbed a copy of "GBST v3.1d" and have it all setup using the STeem emulator. I had this working years ago before the fire, but now it's giving me all kinds of trouble. For starters, GameBase is configured to primarily use STeem v3.2 as it's GO-TO emulator. It appears to be the one it uses for 98% of the games. All my favorites so far (like 50 or so) all seem to want to load with that emulator. This is ok I guess. My problem comes in the LAUNCHING of the emulator though. Apparently, STeem v3.2 is an unofficial release (it was included in the package, so I'm using it rather than something older). It's still a beta, or at least one of the DLL's are. Everytime it starts to load up, I get a comment prompt saying the DLL is in beta. Of course, this very easily disappears with the click of the [OK] button, or a press of the ENTER key. The problem is, when GameEx is used, you never see this prompt. The screen loads up black, and appears to be hanging, and not doing anything at all, when in fact it's just waiting for the dialog box to disappear so it can load. This one little problem is proving to be quite the adversary!

So I need help in attacking this problem. Here are some way's I've already thought of, but haven't tried yet since I'm waiting for a positive solution from here (I've also posted this at the GameBase forums)...

1) Don't use STeem v3.2 and use an older OFFICIAL version instead.

2) Replace the beta DLL with an official one from an older version of STeem.

3) Detect some method of disabling the DLL dialog box from STeem.

4) Enable some kind of command to add to the GameBase GEMUS ini files.

5) Have Tom build a better implementation of GameBase access in GameEx to allow additional functionality.

I'd really like to get #5, since this would include basic functionality already available from other emulators, such as: Mapping EmuMovies to replace static screenshots, Adding artwork for controller images, Extra input options to allow "send keys" so I can bypass that warning, Better display of what GameBase is being loaded (so in the Custom Menu program, you don't see the generic "GameBase System 1, GameBase System 2, GameBase System 3, etc.), Have the SCREENSHOT show up in the GameEx Live Tag rather than the title screen.

But lets not get ahead of my original request here... A solution to some how automating a key press to start the emulator.

You guys are awesome, so any ideas or suggestions are very welcome!

[Draco1962]

I think that some of the limitations are going to be within two areas - what the emulator allows for enabling/disabling/modifying features and Gamebase (same criteria). I think that you can get around the prompt yourself by going to Advanced Emulator setup in Setup Wizard for the emulator in question, enter 10000 (this is time to elapse prior to sending keys in milliseconds) in the Wait Before Keys section and in the Keys to Send field type "{Enter}" - Note that it is using braces instead of brackets for use with MS Send Keys. The link is a great reference and provided for in the Setup Wizard as a point of reference under the ?.

[hansolo77]

Draco; I'm not setting this up as a stand alone emulator, I'm using GameBase. Thats why I have the problem, since there's no way to edit and add a "Send Keys" to a GameBase GEMUS, and there's no way to tell GameEx to send it for this system only while using GameBase.

[Draco1962]

One thing you could try is obtaining an older copy of STeem (most recent version prior to the one you are running), extract the .dll file in question, and replace the beta file with the older file (making a backup of it first). No guarantees that this approach will work, but until a solution is made by the author, wouldn't hurt to try.

[hansolo77]

Heh, that was Idea #2.

[Draco1962]

Well... have you tried it or are you waiting for permission? LOL!

[Adultery]

Dundunduuun! Wake up son! dundunnndundunnn!! You're late for school!

LMAO

[Krakerman]

Dundunduuun! Wake up son! dundunnndundunnn!! You're late for school!

LMAO

See what you started Draco!

[hansolo77]

Actually, I was waiting to see if anybody had any BETTER ideas. I'll try this out though and see what kind of damage it does.

[hansolo77]

Ok, so get this....

I went to steem.atari.st (the homepage of the STeem emulator). The latest version there IS v3.2 (not beta). I downloaded the zip, extracted. There ARE no .dll files AT ALL. So what the heck is this "pasti.dll" file then? Just for trials, I renamed it "pasti.dll-old" and tried to run the emulator. NO POPUP ALERT! What gives? Having this DLL in the root path causes the popup that says it's in beta. So I'm good now with not having that popup anymore.

So what is the pasti.dll? My theory; there are lots of games in the GameBase that are labeled (Pasti Original). Perhaps this dll is a driver to play these games. The wierd part is, 99% of the games that are available as (Pasti Original) are also available without that labeling, and are playable just fine. Perhals Pasti Originals are a special type of disk and are included just for posterity?

In either case, this is fixed now, and I'm happy. Now if I can just figure out how to create a blank formatted disk so I can save my games (Like Dungeon Master!). Dad actually owned that game, so it's very close to me as being a very much played game.

[Draco1962]

Generally speaking, it is usually best to work with an official build as opposed to a beta release of any program. They are pretty much "use at your own risk." Since it was included and upon doing a little further research, 3.2 is the latest and last version of STeem. Can you name the .dll file that is giving the trouble?

[hansolo77]

I did..

PASTI.DLL

Guess you just read over it. Would be nice though, if this "beta" dll is really used to play originals, and that a fully working version would come into existance. But like I said, most of the games have "cracked" counterparts and don't really need to be listed.

[hansolo77]

Ah-HA! I love Google.

http://pasti.fxatari.com/

[Draco1962]

I did..

PASTI.DLL

Guess you just read over it. Would be nice though, if this "beta" dll is really used to play originals, and that a fully working version would come into existance. But like I said, most of the games have "cracked" counterparts and don't really need to be listed.

Actually we posted at the same time.. so ! LOL!

[hansolo77]

Hehe.. yeah that site describes exactly what I figured it was being used for... A driver that creates a way to play the originals, without needing to have them cracked. I'm so smart. Still, I don't understand why the author who released the latest version of this particular GameBase would include that beta driver, since it doesn't work. Anytime I try to play a "Pasti Original" with the dll, it just comes up and says it requires manual intervention, which doesn't work!