Xebra ccda and Gamex woes

[stigzler]

OK. Got Deamon tools lite installed.

Got psx files in a folder with cue and bin files

Got xebra up and running

Want gamex starting psx games with ccda files (such as wipeout 3)

Now, can get this working outside of gameex by doing the following:

Manually mounting the cue file in DTLite interface (say onto G: drive)

In Xebra: file open
CD-Rom via SPTI
then navigate to the virtual cd-rom drive and open ANY file.

Run

Plays just chipper! yay!

However, when try and launch via GameEx - plays OK - but no CD tracks over the game! Booo!

Can't find any decent guidance on GamEx site regarding how it goes about mounting images aside from some assurances of 'seamless integration' for DTools lite.

Could anyone advise - presumably need to change command line script? notice pre-existing uses "IMAGE" rather than "SPTI"

Thanks

[DJoneK]

you need to mount the image and use SPTI... this is my command line for Xebra

XEBRA.exe -SPTI M: -RUN2 -FULL

M: being my virtual drive. I use a batch file though which does some other things before and after. If you use the GameEx built in virtualdrive, I dunno how it would go, but it would be something similar. Maybe replace M: with [virtualdrive] or something like that.

[stigzler]

Thanks DJone. When you say

"replace M: with [virtualdrive]"

do you mean actually type in "[virtualdrive]" or do you mean put my virtual drive letter in the place of "[virtualdrive]"

seen this notation in the gameex help callout ("[virtualdrive]") - but it really is about as clear as mud. Also a really awkward way to communicate, as square brackets normally indicates that the reader should replace the contents therein with contents relevant to their situation.

Sorry, had a really frustrating day with gameex and emulator setups. Just wish there was some good, clear help on common issues, rather than having to trawl forums and 20 different slightly differing approaches to variations on a common problem!

thanks again

[DJoneK]

I think GameEx uses "[virtualdrive]" as a variable, so it points to the mounted image regardless of drive letter.

You should try the following commandline:

XEBRA.exe -SPTI [virtualdrive] -RUN2 -FULL

Every emulator has their own options, and not everyone uses the same options, so there's no single commandlines for everybody. I think there's a list of commandlines for most emulators somewhere on the forums. I'll try to dig it out and point to it here.

EDIT: OK, I was talking about this: http://www.gameex.info/forums/topic/3-user-submitted-configs-map-files-wrappers-and-databases-uploads/?p=53501

It doesn't list all emulators though, just the most common used ones.

[stigzler]

thanks DJ, very helpful#

Just one thing - where's the reference to the [rompath][romfile] in that command?

EDIT: That link doesn't appear to have xebra setup

[stigzler]

Nope - not working!!! I'm going round in circles on forums and in settings and getting no-where fast. Wish there was some clearer documentation on GameEx site regarding setting up and running emulators - also on the functionality of the virtualdrive stuff. Getting incredibly frustrated.

Got into the wonderful world of manual mounting - none the clearer!

To reduce this to basics:

I have:

working Xebra,

a 7z file for a ccda game

DTools Lite

How do I get this working in GameEx?

(really liked GameEx at first, but slowly going off it!)

Thanks

[Draco1962]

Sorry you are having some issues. I am sure that one of our gurus will be able to help you find a resolution. Just keep in mind that, while some things will run just great out of the box, this is a frontend and requires a bit of tweaking here and there to get things working well with the emulators.

That being said, any reason you chose Xebra as opposed to some of the other PS1 emulators? Xebra is not one of the more widely used PS1 emulators (I believe that ePSXe is more often used and updated).

[stigzler]

Thanks Draco. Despairing here and getting incredibly frustrated. Chose Xebra because of good reccs, although it would appear as if the lack of clarity around mounting/7z/cue/bins etc. exist for the other Ems too - epsxe for eg.

I think the problem is one of communication and different levels of tech know how really. For e.g. mounting images via a batch file looses me a bit.

Bring on some idiot's guides!

Ta

Steve

[Draco1962]

I don't emulate that system so have no familiarity, but I am sure that more help is on the way!

[Tempest]

The terms [-VIRTUALDRIVE-], [ROMPATH], [ROMFILE], [ROM], etc are used within GameEx to create the command line used to run a game in an emulator.

In the setup wizard you set up your working path: D:\Emulators\Nintendo Game Boy Color\Mednafen

your rompath: D:\Emulators\Nintendo Game Boy Color\Roms

The rom extension: zip

and the command line: mednafen.exe -fs 1 "[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]"

GameEx uses the variables to create the correct set of commands using the 'runitgame.bat' file. If you run a game called 'SomeGame' from the Game Boy Color emulator in GameEX, the runitgame.bat may look something like this:

D:\

D:\Emulators\Nintendo Game Boy Color\Mednafen

mednafen.exe -fs 1 "D:\Emulators\Nintendo Game Boy Color\Roms\SomeGame.zip"

That may not be exactly right, but you get the idea.

Please note that the correct usage of the VD is [-VIRTUALDRIVE-] not [virtualdrive]. I also believe that you have to select an option to install the VD when installing GameEX.

Click on the 'Applications and Guides by Tempest' in my signature, ang then on 'How to ask for help'. There is some basic info on troubleshooting in that topic. Pay special attention to the runitgame.bat section.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Tempest
Added colors for fun.

[T. Goodchild]

I've tried dtlite throughout xp and win8 and something small always changed. Currently on win8 32 using dtlite 4.47.1.0.333 sptd 1.83 my config is as follows, I dont use the virtual drive parameter.

For the commandline of xebra

XEBRA.EXE -SPTI E: -RUN2 -FULL

E: Being the virtual drive letter yours may be different

then I use launch before launch after. What changes over the versions is needing to add the scsi command where before I didn't have to.

LaunchBefore=""C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools Lite\DTLite.exe" -mount scsi, 0,"[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]""
LaunchAfter="C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools Lite\DTLite.exe" -unmount scsi, 0

I use the redump images so the music works on everything but xebra memory card stability and gui leaves something to be desired.

Xebra is the best in terms of accuracy but for usability I still use pcsx-reloaded with a similar config.

[stigzler]

thanks folks - will look into this when get a minute

[stigzler]

Thanks Tempest - that explains the basics in theory, but hard to apply to my specific situation.

Thanks for the relevant; clear and step-by-step response, Goodchild. However, doesn't work, sadly! I think it may have something to do with GameEx trying to mount a .7z file onto the DTLite virtual drive (set up as a SCSI drive).

The drama continues!

[nullPointer]

If your disc images are still archived you'll need to apply the games in zips/7zips feature, so that GameEx knows to unpack the games prior to attempting to mount the image(s). In order to get a full picture of what's happening here the best plan will probably be to upload a copy of the emulator config your using for XEBRA, along with your log in the event of an issue, and your runitgame.bat so we can have a look at the exact order of operations in which the game is being loaded. Please refer to the How to Ask For Help thread for details.

Thanks stigzler! I'm pretty sure we can get you on your feet, we just need to have a full understanding of your operating parameters before we can do so in a way that is both effective and efficient.

[stigzler]

Thanks null. In the end, I gave up trying to rely on gameex's integrated mountdisk and unzip support, and used a batch file which calls 7z and then mounts to DTLite. Hard to tell what's going on inside the black box!

thanks for your response

[nullPointer]

Heh, In all honesty I'm inclined to agree with you. Call me a control freak, but I like to write my own scripts so that I know exactly what's going on, I can tweak them at my leisure, and if something goes wrong I only have myself to blame. If you're interested in taking an alternate approach that's something like a happy medium between full automation and granular level of control you could also give Adultery's Virtual Drive Loader a try. It's a brilliant piece of kit.

[stigzler]

Well - had to use someone elses script tbh - just tweaked - but also made more logical sense than trying to guess what's in the black box.

Thanks for the recc - but really really really with getting all this set up:

"If it aint broke - don't fix it!"

lol - cautious about 1 tinker too far!