Zinc?

[Visitor Q]

Having a new PC, is there really a need to use Zinc anymore? I really want hi score support for Mr. Driller but using Zinc, I donâ??t think that is possible. =[

I really wish there was a way to tell Game Ex to play certain games in Mame and certain games in Zinc. I know this was a topic of discussion before and the answer was no.

[Tempest]

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?showtopic=6735

[Visitor Q]

So more or less set Zinc up as a seperate emulator and turn off support for it in Game Ex, sounds like a plan.

Thanks.

[bkenobi]

Well, that's not entirely accurate. If you use the version of MAME_Loader posted in the thread that Tempest posted, you will be able to use multiple emulators (including different versions of MAME, Zinc, Model2, etc) with the MAME rom set. I use different rom directories for different emulators since they don't all use the same version of rom (although the are all MAME roms). I don't think that version includes the Model2 code, but I can update it if you want.

Basically, you set up the MAME_Loader script as your AdvanceMAME exe, remove all command line arguments for AdvanceMAME, enable "use AdvanceMAME", disable "Use Zinc", and disable "Use Model2". Then, assuming you have the script set up correctly, it will launch the appropriate emulator for you.

There are certain limitations on the built-in support for GameEx. In general it works great, but if you run into one of these limitations, you pretty much have to turn it off and do something different (set it up as an emulator, use MAME_Loader, use MultiMAME, something else?).

[Visitor Q]

I'll have to try this when I get home. Right now all I want to do is have Mr. Driller play in Mame.

So the only things I need to edit in the script are the following two items to reflect where those two emulators are installed?

;MAME

MAME_Path := "C:\Emu\MAME\"

MAME_Exe := "mame.exe"

;ZiNc 1.1

Zinc_Path := "C:\Emu\ZiNc\"

Zinc_Exe := "zinc.exe"

[bkenobi]

You need to edit those two paths and edit the zinc.txt file. Remove mr driller and you should be good. Oh, and make sure you can run a zinc game by typing "zinc.exe #" where # is the number of the game. You might have to edit the path to your roms depending on your setup in the zinc.cfg file (I think).

[Visitor Q]

You need to edit those two paths and edit the zinc.txt file. Remove mr driller and you should be good. Oh, and make sure you can run a zinc game by typing "zinc.exe #" where # is the number of the game. You might have to edit the path to your roms depending on your setup in the zinc.cfg file (I think).

The zinc.txt file, does that go in the same dir as the script then?

I have the zinc roms in a seperate dir numbered.

I'm going to have to see this work... Does Mame work in the same way it work before with the menus as they are currently?

[bkenobi]

So the goal was to replace MAME with this script in GameEx. The problem with replacing it completely is that you need the actual mame.exe file in order to do updates to your list. I didn't know how to code up MAME_Loader to act just like MAME, so the solution is to use it in place of AdvanceMAME. Fortunately, Tom implemented things so that AdvanceMAME works just like MAME does as far as GameEx is concerned. The actual implementation for this script is better described in this thread:

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?sh...ost&p=36900

Basically, you put the script and any .txt files (e.g., zinc.txt) in your MAME directory and point GameEx's AdvanceMAME path to it. GameEx will send a command like:

MAME_Loader.exe mrdrillr

The script will take the game's name and look for it in all alternate MAME setups you have defined. Since you want to use standard MAME for Mr Driller, it won't find it in any list so it will default to standard MAME.

I have the zinc roms in a seperate dir numbered.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by that. If you mean that you renamed the roms to numbers, then that won't work. Just leave them as they are named in MAME's romset.

[Visitor Q]

I'll give it a go when I get home from work here in about 2 hours and see how far I get.

I'll let you know, thanks so far.

[Visitor Q]

So for my AdvanceMame Path I have: C:\Emulation\Emulators\Mame

For the exe I have: MAME_Loader.ahk (I removed the txt part)

Under options I have nothing

I turned off Zinc and edited the the loader file as follows.

;MAME

MAME_Path := "C:\Emulation\Emulators\Mame"

MAME_Exe := "mame.exe"

rem ;MAME Analog+

rem MAME_Analog_Path := "C:\Emu\MAME-rotary\"

rem MAME_Analog_Exe := "mameanalogXP.exe"

rem ;MAME v0.104u6 for gun games

rem MAME_Guns_Path := "C:\Emu\MAME-guns\"

rem MAME_Guns_Exe := "mame.exe"

;ZiNc 1.1

Zinc_Path := "C:\Emulation\Emulators\ZiNc"

Zinc_Exe := "zinc.exe"

Now Mame does not show up at all. What did I do wrong?

Also, do I have to turn off Model 2 no matter what?

I did not edit any of the other AdvanceMame options.

[fRequEnCy]

Why not just add as a separate emulator? Only thing you'll miss out on really is the high score support.

[Visitor Q]

Hi Score support for Mr. Driller is the only reason I am doing this.

[fRequEnCy]

Ahhh well that explains it.

Is this correct?

So for my AdvanceMame Path I have: C:\Emulation\Emulators\Mame

For the exe I have: MAME_Loader.ahk (I removed the txt part)

Under options I have nothing

Did you compile the script? Or do you have AHK installed and set to run the script? Cuz you have MAME_Loader.ahk for the exe.

[Visitor Q]

Ahhh well that explains it.

Is this correct?

Did you compile the script? Or do you have AHK installed and set to run the script? Cuz you have MAME_Loader.ahk for the exe.

That must be it, I am not sure how to compile it.

I am thinking at this point it would just be better to make Zinc setup as a seperate emualtor, turn of Zinc support. If it don't run in Mame, try the Zinc Emulator.

[fRequEnCy]

That must be it, I am not sure how to compile it.

I am thinking at this point it would just be better to make Zinc setup as a seperate emualtor, turn of Zinc support. If it don't run in Mame, try the Zinc Emulator.

Just download AHK and compile it or I'm sure one of our AHK scriptors can compile it for you. It's a simple thing to do.

[Visitor Q]

Just download AHK and compile it or I'm sure one of our AHK scriptors can compile it for you. It's a simple thing to do.

http://www.autohotkey.com/download/

???

Download the installer?

Install AutoHotkey

[Brian Hoffman]

http://www.autohotkey.com/download/

???

Download the installer?

Install AutoHotkey

Compile what?

[Visitor Q]

Compile what?

I guess this script so I can get Mr. Driller hi score support...

; This script will take command line arguments (the rom name, -rompath, etc) and check

; to see if it needs to be run in a special version of MAME based on the rom. If so, it will

; launch the rom in that version and wait for MAME to exit. At that point, it

; will kill the script.

;

;This version of the script assumes that the first 3 arguments are:

; 1) Rom name

; 2) "-rompath"

; 3) path to roms

;

; All other arguments beyond these 3 are simply passed on to the version of MAME it

; chooses to run.

#NoTrayIcon

#SingleInstance ignore

;MAME

MAME_Path := "C:\Emulation\Emulators\Mame"

MAME_Exe := "mame.exe"

rem ;MAME Analog+

rem MAME_Analog_Path := "C:\Emu\MAME-rotary\"

rem MAME_Analog_Exe := "mameanalogXP.exe"

rem ;MAME v0.104u6 for gun games

rem MAME_Guns_Path := "C:\Emu\MAME-guns\"

rem MAME_Guns_Exe := "mame.exe"

;ZiNc 1.1

Zinc_Path := "C:\Emulation\Emulators\ZiNc"

Zinc_Exe := "zinc.exe"

Loop, %0% ; For each parameter:

{

if A_Index = 1

{

RomName := %A_Index%

}

else if A_Index > 3

{

param := %A_Index%

Arguments = %Arguments% %param%

}

}

; Run in MAME Analog+?

Loop, read, Rotary.txt

{

If RomName = %A_LoopReadLine%

{

;msgbox SetWorkingDir, %MAME_Analog_Path%

;msgbox Run %MAME_Analog_Path%%MAME_Analog_Exe% %RomName% %Arguments%,,,MAME_PID

SetWorkingDir, %MAME_Analog_Path%

Run %MAME_Analog_Path%%MAME_Analog_Exe% %RomName% %Arguments%,,,MAME_PID

WinWait, ahk_pid %MAME_PID%

Sleep, 100

Send, {SPACE}

WinWaitClose ;Wait until MAME is exited

ExitApp

}

}

; Run in MAME Guns version?

Loop, read, GunGames.txt

{

If RomName = %A_LoopReadLine%

{

;msgbox SetWorkingDir, %MAME_Guns_Path%

;msgbox Run %MAME_Guns_Path%%MAME_Guns_Exe% %RomName% %Arguments%,,,MAME_PID

SetWorkingDir, %MAME_Guns_Path%

Run %MAME_Guns_Path%%MAME_Guns_Exe% %RomName% %Arguments%,,,MAME_PID

WinWait, ahk_pid %MAME_PID%

WinWaitClose, ahk_pid %MAME_PID% ;Wait until MAME is exited

ExitApp

}

}

; Run in Zinc

; example:

; zinc.exe 1 --use-config-file=zinc.cfg --use-controller-cfg-file=c:\emu\zinc\ctrlr\starglad.ini

Zinc_Options = --use-config-file=zinc.cfg --use-controller-cfg-file=.\ctrlr\%RomName%.ini

Loop, read, zinc.txt

{

IfEqual, A_LoopReadLine, %RomName%

{

RomNum := A_Index

;msgbox SetWorkingDir, %Zinc_Path%

;msgbox Run %Zinc_Path%%Zinc_Exe% %RomNum% %Zinc_Options%,,,Zinc_PID

Run %Zinc_Path%%Zinc_Exe% %RomNum% %Zinc_Options%,,,Zinc_PID

WinWait, ahk_pid %Zinc_PID%

WinWaitClose, ahk_pid %Zinc_PID% ;Wait until Zinc is exited

ExitApp

}

}

; Run in standard MAME

;msgbox SetWorkingDir, %MAME_Path%

;msgbox Run %MAME_Path%%MAME_Exe% %RomName% %Arguments%,,,MAME_PID

SetWorkingDir, %MAME_Path%

Run %MAME_Path%%MAME_Exe% %RomName% %Arguments%,,,MAME_PID

WinWait, ahk_pid %MAME_PID%

WinWaitClose ;Wait until MAME is exited

#IfWinNotActive ahk_class MAME

{

WinActivate, MAME

}

#IfWinNotActive ahk_class Zinc

{

WinActivate, Zinc

}

[Brian Hoffman]

No promises... here ya go

EDIT:

I gave it a run.. You need to remove the REM lines.

Also you need to edit the paths before you run it. So what I uploaded will not work for you.

Just download AHK and run the installer. After that edit the AHK file using PSPAD or notepad and then right click on the file and choose Compile.

No big deal.

[Visitor Q]

I guess I will just leave the rem paths blank then, I don't use them as far as I know.

[Visitor Q]

I was able to compile the script and run it via Game Ex but it does not work, I am still missing something. The Mame games are now back but none of them load.

I did remove the rem remarks but left the lines as they where.

[bkenobi]

Basically, all you have to do is edit the paths in the MAME_Loader.ahk file to whatever is appropriate on your setup. Then, compile the script to MAME_Loader.exe. Finally, point AdvanceMAME to that location in GameEx. I keep the loader in my MAME directory, but I suppose it could be kept elsewhere. Also, make sure you have your txt files for the emulators you have set up in the same directory as the script or it will crash.

I suggest you test the script prior to running it in GameEx. Open a command prompt and navigate to your mame directory. Type in something like "MAME_Loader.exe sf2". Standard MAME should launch with Street Fighter 2. Then type something like "MAME_Loader.exe mrdrillr" and Mr Driller should load in Zinc. Now, if you remove mrdrillr from the zinc.txt file, it should load in standard MAME again.

Also, if you don't want to use AnalogMAME+ or any of the other setups I have in there, you can either comment out that code, delete the lines of code that don't apply, or delete the contents of the "rotary.txt" file.

Hope that helps!

[Visitor Q]

Sorry to be a cop out but I just took out Zinc support and made Zinc a emulator. I mean I don't want to drag this out as all I am looking for is hi score support for Driller and now I have that so I am happy. =]

Thanks for all your help.

[bkenobi]

That works too. Have fun!

[Visitor Q]

Thanks Again.