[PLUGIN] LCD/LED Plugin 2.86

[Tempest]

EDIT: The files were in folder called PlugInLCD so you needed to extract those into the PLUGINS folder. I'm uploading a new one that won't be in another folder (less confusing).

I'm trying to teach you how to make things idiot proof!

It shows V2.77 in the plugin manager now, but Galaga still has both P1 and P2 controls lit. (I can't promise I haven't messed things up!)

Top Gunner does not have an entry in controls.xml, and only lights P1 buttons... I just thought I'd throw that in, I don't know if it's helpful or not.

I have not setup CPWizard on this computer yet, I'll make it a priority, and let you know.

[Tempest]

HK,

I would not consider this a bug, but...

It looks like the Mame default profile starts working as soon as you enter the Mame section of Gameex. I was expecting for the Mame profile not to be used until Mame was actually running. I had the thought that I could have the appropriate buttons for using Gameex to be lit while in Gameex, and to have the buttons used to interact with Mame lit only while Mame is actually running.

I have 5 buttons that I am using to operate Gameex, and Mame. I don't know if this would work or not, but I had the Idea of putting 2 different colored labels on the buttons, and lighting them with 2 different colors (The opposite color of the labels), so that only 1 set of labels would be obvious for Mame, or Gameex.

Here's a lousy example of what I mean: (I used Saran Wrap on the button, and wrote on it with a marker )

Button set to white:

Button set to red:

Button set to blue:

[Tempest]

HK,

I posted in the feature request thread... Tom fixed the "last played" issue, but had some info for you.

Here is my post, and his reply:

(Tempest @ Sep 1 2008, 03:13 PM)Tom,

Regarding LCD/LED Wiz, I would like to add that after I exit a game, and am returned to the Game info page, the Led's are not in the same state as before I started the game... they do not revert to the Mame (or is it Gameex?) default profile that I have setup, until I hit "back" again, and return to the game list.

Ive fixed the last played list, but I cant duplicate or see the other issues. I need a bit more detail please. For the last issue, I think the plugin needs to check for the GameExit event?

[headkaze]

The thing is when you launch a game from GameEx and return back to GameEx the buttons should be lit the same way anyway. Can you explain why the buttons are not lit correctly returning back to GameEx?

[Toonces]

HK,

I posted in the feature request thread... Tom fixed the "last played" issue, but had some info for you.

Here is my post, and his reply:

Ive fixed the last played list, but I cant duplicate or see the other issues. I need a bit more detail please. For the last issue, I think the plugin needs to check for the GameExit event?

Hi Tempest, I read your post in feature requests and from the way you describe it sounds normal to me. You said when you exit the game it goes back to the Game Information page and does not go back to your default settings until you go back to the the game list. Since the plugin changes state with every game as you scroll through the list I am assuming it is taking you back to the game list and doesn't change back until you go back to the main menu? At least that is the way it works for me. When I am on the main menu I get the GameEx LEDs. As soon as I select MAME from the main menu and see my list of roms, it starts showing me the buttons that would be lit for the particular game I am looking at. When I exit a game it takes me back to that list and I can continue down the list and it changes according to the one I have highlighted. You shouldn't get the GameEx LEDs unless you are not in the MAME listing (or other listing like Favorites). At least that is how I understand it to work. HK, is that right?

Toonces

[headkaze]

Toonces: Yep that's how it works for me and how it should work. The LED's shouldn't change state when you launch the game so returning back to GameEx they should still be lit right. So I don't know what's happening in Tempest's case.

[Toonces]

Toonces: Yep that's how it works for me and how it should work. The LED's shouldn't change state when you launch the game so returning back to GameEx they should still be lit right. So I don't know what's happening in Tempest's case.

From reading his posts, it sounds like he's expecting them to go back to the gameex default setting instead of whatever game is selected.

[Toonces]

Hi HeadKaze, I've been meaning to ask for some time now but keep getting busy and forgetting. Are you familiar with the Art. Lebedev Optimus keyboards? I have the mini 3 (Optimus Mini Three) and was trying to think of a way to use it in a mame cabinet. Maybe for admin controls or something. Anyways, I was wondering if maybe you had some ideas on how it might be used and if you would be interested in writing or extending your plugin for said use (see Tempest, more than one person can talk that way). For plugin development, a mini 3 is not required as you can use the control panel app to see what is going on but it's possible that I could get one to you for the hard work on making it a little more useful

Let me know what you think.

Toonces

[headkaze]

Hi HeadKaze, I've been meaning to ask for some time now but keep getting busy and forgetting. Are you familiar with the Art. Lebedev Optimus keyboards? I have the mini 3 (Optimus Mini Three) and was trying to think of a way to use it in a mame cabinet. Maybe for admin controls or something. Anyways, I was wondering if maybe you had some ideas on how it might be used and if you would be interested in writing or extending your plugin for said use (see Tempest, more than one person can talk that way). For plugin development, a mini 3 is not required as you can use the control panel app to see what is going on but it's possible that I could get one to you for the hard work on making it a little more useful

Let me know what you think.

Toonces

Mate I always love free stuff for my cab I will add support if you want to send me one, as for what to display on the 3 buttons. I guess you could display a marquee across all three, and maybe control info when running a game. You know what though I reakon it would be better to get a mini LCD screen like those found in a car (some have VGA input I think) and use that as a secondary display for displaying game graphics / CP etc. The good thing about using a secondary display is that GameEx supports them already using Game Extender.

[Tempest]

I'm sorry... I don't know which of my posts you guys are refering too. If it's the one with the pictures, I said that it wasn't a bug, I just had the thought running through my head of the multicolor labels, (Did you see my pics? I thought it was a pretty cool idea), then I discovered it wouldn't work... No problem there....

The other thing was this:

Start Gameex: (I use the start page, and mame is on the start page)

At this point NONE of my game controls are lit

Select Mame: (I'm looking at my mame options - Adult, vector, lightgun, etc)

At this point NONE of my game controls are lit

Select All Mame Games: (The first game on my list is 005, so the P1B1 (and at this point P2B1) button is lit

Hit "back": (I'm looking at my mame options - Adult, vector, lightgun, etc)

At this point my P1B1 button remains lit.

Hit "back": I'm back on the "start Page"

At this point my P1B1 button remains lit.

I don't think the player button should remain lit when I back out of the lists. I tried the home button to go from the gamelist, to the start page with the same results.

If it doesn't work like that for you guys, then I have something wrong....

Also, can anyone confirm that the the latest version V2.77 does NOT light both P1B1, and P2B1?

Edit: Please read on, I don't think you meant this either! DOH!

[Tempest]

The thing is when you launch a game from GameEx and return back to GameEx the buttons should be lit the same way anyway. Can you explain why the buttons are not lit correctly returning back to GameEx?

Sorry again!

When I return from a game, all of my buttons are Off.

I was going to guess what else you might need to know, but I'm a poor guesser...

Let me know...

[Tempest]

From reading his posts, it sounds like he's expecting them to go back to the gameex default setting instead of whatever game is selected.

I was expecting to have the default gameex profile the entire time i was still in Gameex. That way I could light the buttons that are used to navigate Gameex at all times while still using the Gameex Front-end. Then, when an Emulator was running, the emulator default profile would step in...

After 3 posts, I hope at least some of this seems rational!

[headkaze]

When I return from a game, all of my buttons are Off.

That's not how it should work, the buttons of the game are supposed to be still lit. Something is going wrong here.

I was expecting to have the default gameex profile the entire time i was still in Gameex. That way I could light the buttons that are used to navigate Gameex at all times while still using the Gameex Front-end. Then, when an Emulator was running, the emulator default profile would step in...

After 3 posts, I hope at least some of this seems rational!

At the moment the plugin lights the controls for the game when you are browsing through the game list. Your idea does make sense though!

[Toonces]

I'm sorry... I don't know which of my posts you guys are refering too. If it's the one with the pictures, I said that it wasn't a bug, I just had the thought running through my head of the multicolor labels, (Did you see my pics? I thought it was a pretty cool idea), then I discovered it wouldn't work... No problem there....

The other thing was this:

Start Gameex: (I use the start page, and mame is on the start page)

At this point NONE of my game controls are lit

Select Mame: (I'm looking at my mame options - Adult, vector, lightgun, etc)

At this point NONE of my game controls are lit

Select All Mame Games: (The first game on my list is 005, so the P1B1 (and at this point P2B1) button is lit

Hit "back": (I'm looking at my mame options - Adult, vector, lightgun, etc)

At this point my P1B1 button remains lit.

Hit "back": I'm back on the "start Page"

At this point my P1B1 button remains lit.

I don't think the player button should remain lit when I back out of the lists. I tried the home button to go from the gamelist, to the start page with the same results.

If it doesn't work like that for you guys, then I have something wrong....

Also, can anyone confirm that the the latest version V2.77 does NOT light both P1B1, and P2B1?

Edit: Please read on, I don't think you meant this either! DOH!

The multicolor labels IS a cool idea. I am hoping to do something similar using the Optimus Mini 3 keyboard though it won't be split screen per button it does allow for 9 different mappings using shift and control keys. More than plenty for MAME admin keys.

I am using flat menus and have all of the mame sub items disabled so I only have All MAME games. I have 14 buttons w/ RGB LEDs and 1 LEDWiz. Buttons for player 1 & 2 are wired to the same ports so I that player 2 buttons mirror player 1 (I don't know if there are any or many games that would have different controls for player 1 & 2 (Lucky & Wild is all that comes to mind and player 1 is driver and player 2 shoots so it's not quite the type of game you can play with 6 buttons) so I wired them together and saved the $50 on a second LEDWiz)Here's what happens for me:

ok, I was going to type this all out when it occurred to me to take a video instead. You can grab the movie from my server HERE and as you can see, my lights perform a little differently than what you describe.

One suggestion I have is to be able to bulk set a button to a particular color in the MAME profile. The example I have is that I like my Player Start buttons to be Purple to match my cab and every game has them lit as white. It would be cool to be able to change it for all the existing games without having to do it in every game. Just a suggestion that has nothing to do with the problems Tempest is seeing.

When I first set my LEDs up, I thought they would work the way Tempest describes. That as long as I was in GameEx, I would have the GameEx default lights. I quickly learned that I was wrong and even seemed to remember some conversations on the subject some time back when you first added LEDWiz support or maybe before where this behavior was discussed and it was said then that the LEDs would change as you scrolled through the list so you would see the controls before you even launched the game. I could be making things up though as it's been a while since I've had my LEDWiz and kept up on the subject (My LEDWiz was one of the beta group that Randy sold and I just now got around to permanently installing it. Talk about procrastinating!). Anyways, maybe you could add an option to choose when to switch the LEDs? Either the default way it is now or on game launch and if on game launch is selcted, they would return to the gameex default profile when the game is exited (or maybe 2 options, 1 when to switch and 1 when to switch back. I don't know, 2 options seems more than is necessary since you'd expect it to work one way or the other not necessarily a combination of both)?

Anyways, I hope the movie helps show how the plugin works for me and that it is different from what you describe Tempest. What I would do (and did do when I mucked around too much) is download the latest plugin and remove all of the existing plugin and config files (for the LCDPlugin only) then just go in and set the minimum necessary to get the plugin working then go from there. Earlier in this thread, HeadKaze gave 3 screenshots showing how to configure the plugin. Those 3 screenshots are the best guide for setting it up and getting it working. I had it all mucked up before I looked at those and after I copied the plugin off to the desktop (as backup), reinstalled it from the download on the first post of this thread and set the config exactly how the screenshots shows it works perfectly. Then you can go from there knowing that it's correct from the start.

Hope that helps, sorry it's so long.

Toonces

[Tempest]

That's not how it should work, the buttons of the game are supposed to be still lit. Something is going wrong here.

At the moment the plugin lights the controls for the game when you are browsing through the game list. Your idea does make sense though!

I like that it lights up the buttons for the game while browsing through the game list, I just didn't expect it to switch to the Mame default profile while in the Mame pages in Gameex.

The way it works now:

When I go to the Mame game list, it lights the buttons, and switches to the default Mame profile.

The way I thought it would work:

When I go to the Mame game list, it lights the buttons, and keeps using the Gameex profile.

To re-iterate, the reason I thought it would work the second way, is because I'm still in Gameex, and I had the Gameex default profile lighting up the buttons that are used to control Gameex. I would have wanted to switch to the Mame default profile only after Mame was running, so that then the buttons used to control Mame would be lit.

I'm not trying to beat you over the head, I just wanted to make sure it was clear.

I will double check my setup, and see if I can fix my "all lights off" issue.

[headkaze]

Tempest: There is an option called "LED's off when game is run" but to be honest I never tested it and didn't even know if it was working. I didn't think anyone would not want the buttons lit during a game. If the LEDs are turned off during the game I should probably turn them back on when returning back to GameEx.

If I get some time I'll add an option to "Only use GameEx profile in GameEx" or something to that effect. Stay tuned

[headkaze]

PlugInLCD v2.78 Released

- "LED's Off When Game is Run" option is now working

- "Use GameEx Profile in List" option added. When viewing games in a list it will now show the default emulator profile unless this option is selected in which case it will show the GameEx default profile.

- "Light Game Buttons in List" will turn off lighting the game buttons while scrolling through a list and show the default emulator profile or the GameEx default profile depending on how the "Use GameEx Profile in List" option is set.

Tempest: You have me really confused! I noticed that when in GameEx the plugin was never setting the MAME default profile. So I have no idea what was going on there. But I have changed it to do that now and added an option to turn it off. Also I've made sure the buttons are lit when returning back from a game. So there should be all the options there you need to set it how you like

[Tempest]

Tempest: You have me really confused!

At least from now on, you will know how I feel most of the time!

Thanks for the update HK! I will try it went I get home from work!

[Tempest]

HK,

I've tried it with, and without a tick, in the "light game buttons in list" Option. My game buttons do not light in the lists.

Also, How do I get the trackball to light for centipede?

I have it mapped, and it lights in Attract mode. It also lights in the "LED input map" tab. The strange thing is that the Leds are connected toports 29,30,31, and if I set the ports to 28,28,28, the trackball stays lit.

I am willing to delete a bunch of files, and start over, if you think it will help.

I also do not understand how the Default for Gameex, and Mame is supposed to work. If I am viewing a mame game in the profile editor, and then goto Gamexx default, it sets the gameex default to whatever game I was viewing. It does the same thing for Mame default.

I hope that you are not pulling your hair out, or drinking excessively, because of me!

Thanks for your help!

[Toonces]

HK,

I've tried it with, and without a tick, in the "light game buttons in list" Option. My game buttons do not light in the lists.

Also, How do I get the trackball to light for centipede?

I have it mapped, and it lights in Attract mode. It also lights in the "LED input map" tab. The strange thing is that the Leds are connected toports 29,30,31, and if I set the ports to 28,28,28, the trackball stays lit.

I am willing to delete a bunch of files, and start over, if you think it will help.

I also do not understand how the Default for Gameex, and Mame is supposed to work. If I am viewing a mame game in the profile editor, and then goto Gamexx default, it sets the gameex default to whatever game I was viewing. It does the same thing for Mame default.

I hope that you are not pulling your hair out, or drinking excessively, because of me!

Thanks for your help!

Tempest, do you have a mame.ini in your MAME directory? I noticed similar behavior and my lights weren't correct. I checked the log file and noticed the plugin was looking for mame.ini and could not find it so it did not finish loading (at least that's what it looked like to me). I created a mame.ini (mame -createconfig) and everything loaded up including the game configs. I also stopped seeing that behavior where the last selected profile was being shown.

Toonces

[headkaze]

Tempest: Definately something wrong with your config there. I would probably start again and read the 3 screenshots I posted which unfortunately is about the best tutorial I've put together for setting it up.

The small tutorial: http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?sh...amp;#entry30660

And Toonces is absolutely right about mame.ini, it has to be located in the Mame folder especially if your using a ctrlr file.

I have explained things throughout this thread, and I know it's boring reading a whole thread but it might help you understand how it works. Like how a Mame profile and GameEx profile works. They override each other, like say your viewing a Mame game. It goes GameEx default->Mame default->game. So if a game doesn't have an entry it will use the default profile for that emulator. The GameEx profile is main profile used inside GameEx. You can also create profiles for individual games that override the defaults.

[Tempest]

HK,

I want you to know I took offense to your post this morning... I think I woke up in a bad mood! (I'm ok now )

I had already re-read the whole thread, and double (quadruple) checked everything, before I posted last time, and could not find any errors. I uninstalled, and re-installed Gameex, and (almost) everything is working fine now. Please don't think that I don't try to get things working on my own... I had it working before, so I obviously had it right once, and then screwed something up.

I have one question, When I was talking about having the Gameex default profile on the whole time that I am in Gameex, It would have been my intention to still have the game buttons light while in the list. Currently, if I put a tick in the "Use Gameex Profile in List" box, it stops the buttons from lighting in the game list. I don't know if that's what you intended or not, Since you have the 2 checkboxes:

Use Gameex Profile in List

Light Game Buttons in List

I expected them to work independently of each other...

If this is working the way you want it to, don't mind me....

Thanks again for your help!

[headkaze]

Sorry I didn't mean to sound offensive Tempest, I was only trying to give some suggestions incase there was a config problem, but it looks like your right I didn't implement it correctly. Can you please try PlugInLCD 2.79?

[Tempest]

Old news:

I want you to know I took offense to your post this morning... I think I woke up in a bad mood! (I'm ok now )

Sorry I didn't mean to sound offensive Tempest, I was only trying to give some suggestions incase there was a config problem, but it looks like your right I didn't implement it correctly. Can you please try PlugInLCD 2.79?

I told you not to worry about it... I went to another forum, and called a guy an a$$hole... Like I said I was in a bad mood!

Tempest said...

The other thing was this:

Start Gameex: (I use the start page, and mame is on the start page)

At this point NONE of my game controls are lit

Select Mame: (I'm looking at my mame options - Adult, vector, lightgun, etc)

At this point NONE of my game controls are lit

Select All Mame Games: (The first game on my list is 005, so the P1B1 (and at this point P2B1) button is lit

Hit "back": (I'm looking at my mame options - Adult, vector, lightgun, etc)

At this point my P1B1 button remains lit.

Hit "back": I'm back on the "start Page"

At this point my P1B1 button remains lit.

I don't think the player button should remain lit when I back out of the lists. I tried the home button to go from the gamelist, to the start page with the same results.

If it doesn't work like that for you guys, then I have something wrong....

This still works like this for me, again, if this is the way it is supposed to work, then don't mind me....

New News:

1. I am using the latest version, and the Gameex profile works as I expected.

However, when I go to set up another default profile (in my case Visual pinmame). When I first start to set up the profile, it is set the same as the Gameex default profile, no problem, I go ahead and set up the Visual Pinmame default profile, and click "save". As soon as I click on the arrow for the drop down systems menu, the Visual Pinmame profile reverts to the Gameex default profile. I've tried clicking on the first game in my Visual Pinmame list, and clicking on the events tab, and then going back to the profile editor tab, but no matter what I do, it reverts to the Gameex default profile. In regards to this, the Mame default profile "mimics" the Gameex default profile. If I add a button to the Gameex default profile, it is automatically added to the Mame default profile (except the color is white)

2. I also can't get my trackball to light. It is working in the"LED input map" tab, and I have the P1_TRACKBALL input codes set to MOUSECODE_1_UP (DOWN, LEFT,and RIGHT), but it does not light in centipede. The only thing I could find in this thread, is to check the miniinfo.xml, and Centipede does have an entry there. (but you knew that already) When I check Centipede in the profile editor >mame>centipede, P1 Trackball is set to state = false.

Maybe It has to do with my Mame mappings? When I check them, I have them set to:

Track X Analog - Mouse X

Track Y Analog - Mouse Y

I tried setting both to "none", but it didn't help.

[Tempest]

HK,

Don't spend anytime on the problem I was having with default profiles. I have it working, but I will have some comments in the future when I figure out what is going on.

I have no solution to the trackball issue, or the lighted game button on return to the menu, so when you get a minute let me know what you think.