CPWizard pre-game launch display

[Wombat]

Apologies in advance for what amounts to a double-post (I had the following as a reply to another topic when by rights it really should be its own question). So, that said, let's try this again:-

I like Headkaze's CPWizard in that I can construct my own lookalike control panel and have it dynamically read the Mame controller info so that controls as I've remapped them on my system (I have a 7-button setup where I'd like to use the bottom row for the main fire buttons and as a Neo Geo layout

i.e.

- 5 6 7

1 2 3 4

but I'd like a 3 on 3 remapped layout to use with fighters

i.e.

- 1 2 3

x 4 5 6

and I'm familiar enough with MAME controller setups in order to do so.

What I'm UNCLEAR about is how to get it (HeadKaze's app) to replace the default control panel viewer in GameEx. The built-in one isn't aware of my remappings and runs off a different system and I think Tom admitted it was embryonic in some doco I once read.

At the moment I use the GameEx configuration to turn this VIEW CONTROL option off. Then, since CPwizard is running in the background I can within the game have P both Pause the game and bring up the overlay.

Is there anyway I can get CPwizard to display through GameEx BEFORE a game is launched however (i.e. where the original GameEx display of the panel is)? Will Tom & Headkaze ever consent to incorporating this into the main GameEx program or Tom to allow some flag to use this is preference?

[headkaze]

I've been meaning to work with Tom in adding a proper option to use CPWizard instead of the GameEx built in one but just haven't got around to it. CPWizard can be launched from command line before the game is run and displayed for a few seconds. But I don't think Mame has a Launch Before option which is the main issue. I'll have to see if this can be done.

The command line would looks something like this

CPWizard.exe -mode layout -emu mame -game [ROM] -timeout 5000

[Cero21]

I've been meaning to work with Tom in adding a proper option to use CPWizard instead of the GameEx built in one but just haven't got around to it. CPWizard can be launched from command line before the game is run and displayed for a few seconds. But I don't think Mame has a Launch Before option which is the main issue. I'll have to see if this can be done.

The command line would looks something like this

CPWizard.exe -mode layout -emu mame -game [ROM] -timeout 5000

+1 for integrating CPWizard into Gameex!

[Tom Speirs]

I can add support to launch CPWizard instead of GameEx own viewer. Like HK Says, we just have not got around to it. I dont think its a matter of consent or anything.

Im having trouble just keeping up with the forum lately, let alone adding new features to GameEx, and HK is always busy working on his projects too.

[headkaze]

Im having trouble just keeping up with the forum lately, let alone adding new features to GameEx, and HK is always busy working on his projects too.

Tell me about it! I come here every day and find it hard to keep up!

[Brian Hoffman]

Im having trouble just keeping up with the forum lately, let alone adding new features to GameEx, and HK is always busy working on his projects too.

Agreed me and Ben were just discussing that.. But hey with all these active users we must be doing somthing right

[Tom Speirs]

Tell me about it! I come here every day and find it hard to keep up!

Im hoping its just temporary crazy busy, otherwise might have to do something. Im actually a little concerned. Of course maybe unnecesarily.

[headkaze]

Im hoping its just temporary crazy busy, otherwise might have to do something. Im actually a little concerned. Of course maybe unnecesarily.

Have you got stats for visitors on the boards? It would be interesting to know the trends from last year and how they compare to this year.

[Brian Hoffman]

Have you got stats for visitors on the boards? It would be interesting to know the trends from last year and how they compare to this year.

According to webarchive.org as of

Mar 17 05 we had 58 registered members and 463 total posts

Apr 14 05 we had 99 registered members and 930 total posts

Oct 25, 2005 we had 331 registered members and 4,119 total posts

Dec 10, 2005 we had 391 registered members and 4,978 total posts

Dec 12, 2005 we had 394 registered members and 5,024 total posts

Dec 23, 2005we had 413 registered members and 5,239 total posts

Dec 31, 2005 we had 425 registered members and 5,335 total posts

Jan 01, 2006 we had 425 registered members and 5,344 total posts

Jan 01, 2006 we had 425 registered members and 5,350 total posts

Jan 02, 2006 we had 427 registered members and 5,360 total posts

Jan 02, 2006 we had 427 registered members and 5,367 total posts

Jan 05, 2006 we had 435 registered members and 5,408 total posts

Jan 18, 2006 we had 463 registered members and 5,796 total posts

Jul 11, 2006 05 we had 757 registered members and 10,359 total posts

Jul 16, 2006 we had 770 registered members and 10,565 total posts

Oct 23, 2006 we had 980 registered members and 14,318 total posts

Dec 14, 2006 we had 1,199 registered members and 16,160 total posts

Aug 28, 2007 we had 2,120 registered members and 25,216 total posts

MAY 05 2008 we had 3,171 registered members and 37,420 total posts

So from Mar 17 05 to Jul 11, 2006 a little over a year 699 users were added and 9,896 posts were made.

From Jul 11, 2006 to Aug 28, 2007 a little over a year 1363 users were added and 14,857 posts were made.. Almost double

From Aug 28, 2007 to TODAY MAY 05 2008 (9 MONTHS) 1051 users were added and 12,204 posts were made.. with 4 more months to go by the way this is being caculated we may very well be close to almost doubling again.

Things must be going well

[bkenobi]

Here's your problem!

[Cero21]

Here's your problem!

Yeah, cuz all us new guys are clueless! lol

[shaunopp]

Im hoping its just temporary crazy busy, otherwise might have to do something. Im actually a little concerned. Of course maybe unnecesarily.

Personally I blame Tempest for the spike in posts.

[Tempest]

Spike in posts huh? Well, I tell you what I'm not gonna do.

I'm not going to hi-jack this thread, because HK got onto me for doing that to another thread, and it's already been Hi-jacked (By two mods, and an administrator)

I'm not going to show a chart on the price of tea in china.

I'm not going to poke fun at anyone.

I'm going to do something crazy, like provide a solution to the problem.

Cero21- Here's what I did...

I did a batch output of my control panel. I then took one of the artwork categories that I wasn't using (in my case PCB's), and in mame settings, I pointed the path for PCB's to my CPWizard files that I had created. Then, go to Langauge, and select "Custom". Find the entry for PCB's, and change it to CPWizard, or whatever makes YOU happy.

Now in Gameex, when you select a game, and it shows the options for marquees, cabinets, etc. when you select "CPWizard", it will display the Control panel as created by CPWizard. If you want to see it fullscreen, press whatever key (button) you have setup as "select". I believe to exit fullscreen, you press "escape"

Hey everybody....

Do you like apples?

I answered a question, how do you like those apples?

That's from "Goodwill Hunting".

God, I hope my answer is correct!

Good to hear from you again Shaunopp. I would post more often, but I'm still trying to setup Zinc.

[Brian Hoffman]

I do believe you re-hijacked the thread !!!!

good job.. it sounds good to me