Zinc Setup!!!

[kewlkat007]

Well I knew this was coming..been reading the Zinc boards and nothing really solid on getting this to work...

I'm just trying to get it to work through GameEX. But the games never start.

I'm using the Mame Roms(Though I do have separate Roms).

I figured from what I've read..setting through GameEX would be easy. Sheesh I'm not even at controls yet.

I think I've downloaded everything an dhave it in the Zinc Emu folder.

[fRequEnCy]

  On 8/3/2010 at 5:15 AM, kewlkat007 said:

Well I knew this was coming..been reading the Zinc boards and nothing really solid on getting this to work...

I'm just trying to get it to work through GameEX. But the games never start.

I'm using the Mame Roms(Though I do have separate Roms).

I figured from what I've read..setting through GameEX would be easy. Sheesh I'm not even at controls yet.

I think I've downloaded everything an dhave it in the Zinc Emu folder.

How is it that you have it setup. Are you using GameEx's integration or you using as a standalone emulator?

[kewlkat007]

I have a Zinc folder with the Zinc.exe and the renders...I'm setting it up through GameEX(NO Seperate EMU). Though I'm willing to set it up the easiest possible way, for it to function and be tested with an Arcade stick before porting it to a mame PC that I'm building

  On 8/3/2010 at 5:17 AM, fRequEnCy said:

How is it that you have it setup. Are you using GameEx's integration or you using as a standalone emulator?

[fRequEnCy]

  On 8/3/2010 at 7:13 PM, kewlkat007 said:

I have a Zinc folder with the Zinc.exe and the renders...I'm setting it up through GameEX(NO Seperate EMU). Though I'm willing to set it up the easiest possible way, for it to function and be tested with an Arcade stick before porting it to a mame PC that I'm building

The easiest would be to use the GameEx integration. As far as it not working, what I would suggest is for you to run a game and then exit GameEx. Then use the Run Last Game feature in your GameEx\Utilities folder found on your start menu. That will run the console and hopefully give us some useful information. Then please post the contents of that file. Instructions of how to do so can be found here by our Mod Tempest. It's our first step.

[kewlkat007]

Ok I right-clicked the "runlastgame" and here is what I got:

Begin

"@ECHO OFF

C:

CD "C:\Emulation\Emulators\zinc11-win32"

zinc.exe 29 --roms-directory="C:\Emulation\Emulators\MameUI64\roms" --renderer=.\renderer.znc

"

End

Thanks

  On 8/3/2010 at 9:54 PM, fRequEnCy said:

The easiest would be to use the GameEx integration. As far as it not working, what I would suggest is for you to run a game and then exit GameEx. Then use the Run Last Game feature in your GameEx\Utilities folder found on your start menu. That will run the console and hopefully give us some useful information. Then please post the contents of that file. Instructions of how to do so can be found here by our Mod Tempest. It's our first step.

[fRequEnCy]

  On 8/4/2010 at 12:52 AM, kewlkat007 said:

Ok I right-clicked the "runlastgame" and here is what I got:

Begin

"@ECHO OFF

C:

CD "C:\Emulation\Emulators\zinc11-win32"

zinc.exe 29 --roms-directory="C:\Emulation\Emulators\MameUI64\roms" --renderer=.\renderer.znc

"

End

Thanks

Now continuing with those directions, please add the pause line to end of the file as mentioned so that you can see the error that the window is giving. Then come back and post those contents here.

[kewlkat007]

Ooops it says,

ZiNc 1.1 ©1997-2005 Drunken Muppets (www.emuhype.com)

Opening game: Brave Blade (JP) [brvblade, BIOS tps]

ERROR: cannot open renderer plugin

Press any key to continue . . .

I did download the plug-ins but wasn't sure which one to use...am I suppose to delete the default and use one of the 2 I downloaded?

wind3d

winogl

Would this be correct? Not sure what plug-in.

  On 8/4/2010 at 1:29 AM, fRequEnCy said:

Now continuing with those directions, please add the pause line to end of the file as mentioned so that you can see the error that the window is giving. Then come back and post those contents here.

[fRequEnCy]

  On 8/4/2010 at 1:46 AM, kewlkat007 said:

Ooops it says,

ZiNc 1.1 ©1997-2005 Drunken Muppets (www.emuhype.com)

Opening game: Brave Blade (JP) [brvblade, BIOS tps]

ERROR: cannot open renderer plugin

Press any key to continue . . .

I did download the plug-ins but wasn't sure which one to use...am I suppose to delete the default and use one of the 2 I downloaded?

wind3d

winogl

Would this be correct? Not sure what plug-in.

Choose one. You can test them if you want. You can either change the name in the command line for ZiNc or you can rename the one of your choice to renderer.znc. Then just run the runitgame.bat file again. All this is always easiest to run from command-line as this is how GameEx makes things run. I always test there first.

[kewlkat007]

I tried the "wind3d" renderer and the game did start.

ZiNc 1.1 ©1997-2005 Drunken Muppets (www.emuhype.com)

Opening game: Brave Blade (JP) [brvblade, BIOS tps]

DynaChicken Compiler initialising

Memory Access Caching version

CPU identification: Intel unknown model

Optimizing for: Pentium Pro class

rom files loaded ok

JAMMA keyboard driver 1.0 initialized

closing window...

Finished execution... work hard and do your best, it will make it easier on the

rest of us

Press any key to continue . . .

Now how do you personally run Zinc? Separate or through GameEX? Recommendations on Renderers and such? What do you do for controls are they default to MAME type joystick controls? How do you run Full Screen?

Right now I'm working on adding the Emus and matching the Snaps to the roms and such..configuring the inputs will be last. I have

an Arcade stick I'm gonna test soon.

  On 8/4/2010 at 3:03 AM, fRequEnCy said:

Choose one. You can test them if you want. You can either change the name in the command line for ZiNc or you can rename the one of your choice to renderer.znc. Then just run the runitgame.bat file again. All this is always easiest to run from command-line as this is how GameEx makes things run. I always test there first.

[Tempest]

If your going to set Zinc up as an emulator, read this other Zinc topic by Frequency.

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?showtopic=8178&st=0&p=60046&hl=zinc&fromsearch=1entry60046

[kewlkat007]

I've been on that thread...but I was curious to what's best? I heard it runs better through MAME? Is this true?

How will configure my Arcade joystick? if I go with the setup I have now(THROUGH GameEX)

  On 8/4/2010 at 11:27 AM, Tempest said:

If your going to set Zinc up as an emulator, read this other Zinc topic by Frequency.

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?showtopic=8178&st=0&p=60046&hl=zinc&fromsearch=1entry60046

[bkenobi]

There are 3, if not more, ways to configure ZiNc compatible games to play through GameEx.

1. Use the built-in ZiNc support that GameEx has available.
2. Set up ZiNc as its own emulator and run it as it's own emulator.
3. Set up ZiNc as its own emulator and set it up to override the MAME games list.
4. Not really an option for most due to system requirements: Run the 73(?) ZiNc games through MAME directly. This will take a MASSIVE system, but it is possible today.
5. Possibly not an option: Set up the ZiNc compatible games to run through a PSX emulator. I don't know if all games will work this way, but I believe some will. This should be the fastest emulated solution, but I have no experience with doing this.

My personal preference (and what I have done) is to use option 3. This requires you to get ZiNc running all games correctly outside of GameEx. Then, constructing a mameemumap.ini file that maps ZiNc rom numbers to MAME rom names. Set up ZiNc to run correctly in GameEx as its own emulator. Finally, add these games to the mameemumap.ini file to run under the emulator (the number you enter depends on what emulator number you have ZiNc set up under). There is a guide for this somewhere on the forums. I think the easiest way to find it is searching for: "mameemumap.ini".

[Tempest]

There is a GUI for setting up Mame mapping. Start Menu > GameEx > Configuration > Mame Emu Maps

It has special features just for zinc, and you should be able to set it up with just a few clicks.

[bkenobi]

Huh, I didn't realize the MAME mapping tool had Zinc built in at this point. If true, that's DEFINITELY the way to go IMO.

[kewlkat007]

bkenobi - You mean setting up a "Custom Front-end Start page list? Like I explained above"..I will look into that after I get things to actually work.

(New Question 1)...Seems like setting up Emulators(Not MAME) and having the right games show up is a headache.

I have all the right Roms for CPS1/2/3/Neo-Geo/.....etc

Originally, I setup Final Burn Alpha for my CPS/Neo-Geo roms and used the built-in "GameEX FB Alpha MAP file" but it had SEGA games showing up.(Huh)

That's why I wanted to split up CPS roms and Neo-Geo..hence the custom Start Page List Question. Then I was like that's OK I'll merge CPS1/2/Neo-Geo

together so went with WinKawaks since it seemed a little cleaner and the built-in "Winkawaks map file" had the Roms I actually wanted to View/list.

Is there any ROM programs out there where I can specify the games I would like to see/play INCLUDE/EXCLUDE-->(Parents/USA/WORLD,JAPAN) on my EMU start pages and then create my own MAP file with clean Rom names?

I can't imagine doing all these games 1 by 1(well that's not going to happen)...lol

Example:

1.Open Program

2.Choose Emulator/Dat File(Updated) - With [Rom.zip] - [Name of Game]

3.Highlight the ones I would like or use Check boxes, whichever

4.Create Mapfile based on these 2 columns [Rom.zip] - [Name of Game] OR export to .Txt

There has to be something...

(New Question 2) - While I did go ahead and setup WinKawaks, why does no buttons work when I start a game from GameEX, I did setup my buttons for player 1(testing). Only Escape back to GameEX menu works.

  On 8/5/2010 at 3:30 PM, bkenobi said:

Huh, I didn't realize the MAME mapping tool had Zinc built in at this point. If true, that's DEFINITELY the way to go IMO.

[bkenobi]

I would personally avoid MAP files at this point. Tom and the rest of the team have spent a TON of time building a set of databases for most systems. It's a bit of a work in progress for some of the smaller and more modern systems, but it does have most of the stuff you would want. Anyway, if you use databases, you can simply turn on database names and it will clean up your ugly nointo, goodname, or tosec name into a nice descriptive human readable name. It will also include all kinds of cool info about the game that you probably want anyway.

For the games you are asking about, I think the MAME database would likely be the best to use. That database is built by GameEx whenever you update your list.

[Tempest]

  On 8/5/2010 at 3:30 PM, bkenobi said:

Huh, I didn't realize the MAME mapping tool had Zinc built in at this point. If true, that's DEFINITELY the way to go IMO.

What do you mean 'If true'?

It's built into the GUI I wrote for Mame Mapping.

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?showtopic=8412

  Quote

If you have an emulator with 'Zinc' in the title, you can put a tick in the box 'Rename for Zinc', and the Rename column will be filled in for you.

[bkenobi]

I forgot you wrote that GUI! I put my mameemumap file together before you wrote your front end, so I did everything manually. I'm not doubting you put code in to set up zinc, I'm doubting you did it correctly. Seriously though, these GUI's are really helpful when you need one!

[Tempest]

  On 8/6/2010 at 4:01 PM, bkenobi said:

I'm not doubting you put code in to set up zinc, I'm doubting you did it correctly.

LMAO

[twotone8]

i've never gotten zinc to work with windows 7 64-bit. tried everything. works fine in xp though.

[bkenobi]

If it works through XP, doesn't that mean that you can run it through the XP compatibility mode in Win7?

[twotone8]

it never has worked in xp compatibility mode.

believe me, i agonized over this for days. finally had to give up.

[fRequEnCy]

  On 8/11/2010 at 5:41 AM, twotone8 said:

it never has worked in xp compatibility mode.

believe me, i agonized over this for days. finally had to give up.

Just tested ZiNc using Windows 7 x64 and it works fine. What kind of problems exactly were you having? Any errors? It worked for me first try and didn't use any kind of compatibility mode or anything.

[kewlkat007]

Well that's the problem I have been having(hence why I was using the MAP FILES for clean name list)...the roms coming up as the [ROM].zip names instead of the Proper name of the game.

-Now how exactly do you urn on DATABASES NAMES? Is this during the Emu setup and where is this Database stored within GameEX?

-That MAME database that is updated, where is that file stored?

Question, I know for MAME games my Arcade stick should work withing GameEX, now When I use CONSOLE emulators how can I tell GAMEEX to either use Joystick or a Gamepad?

Eventually when I'm done with my MAME PC build I would like to add real USB Gamepads for certain consoles, is this supported once a game starts to use a Gamepad?

I'm going to need help with this in the future.

  On 8/5/2010 at 6:12 PM, bkenobi said:

I would personally avoid MAP files at this point. Tom and the rest of the team have spent a TON of time building a set of databases for most systems. It's a bit of a work in progress for some of the smaller and more modern systems, but it does have most of the stuff you would want. Anyway, if you use databases, you can simply turn on database names and it will clean up your ugly nointo, goodname, or tosec name into a nice descriptive human readable name. It will also include all kinds of cool info about the game that you probably want anyway.

For the games you are asking about, I think the MAME database would likely be the best to use. That database is built by GameEx whenever you update your list.

[fRequEnCy]

Answers to your questions:

  On 8/11/2010 at 3:47 PM, kewlkat007 said:

-Now how exactly do you urn on DATABASES NAMES? Is this during the Emu setup and where is this Database stored within

GameEX?

-That MAME database that is updated, where is that file stored?

Turning on Databases names can be done simply by selecting a database in the Drop down menu in Emulator Setup. These files are stored in the DATA\EMULATORS directory of your GameEx install directory.

  On 8/11/2010 at 3:47 PM, kewlkat007 said:

Question, I know for MAME games my Arcade stick should work withing GameEX, now When I use CONSOLE emulators how can I tell GAMEEX to either use Joystick or a Gamepad?

This is usually done within the emulator itself. It can be a command-line parameter or also a switch in a cfg or ini file. So that really depends.

  On 8/11/2010 at 3:47 PM, kewlkat007 said:

Eventually when I'm done with my MAME PC build I would like to add real USB Gamepads for certain consoles, is this supported once a game starts to use a Gamepad?

Yes this is supported. Again depends on the emulator. Some of them will support it and some of them won't. Those that do not support it can be done by using GameEx Advanced Config Editor and using the Joy Mapping feature found on the Joy Mapping tab. Other solutions would be to use a 3rd party program like Joy2Key, Xpadder, or Pinnacle Game Profiler (I'm sure there are others but theses are the popular ones).

Also this might be useful to you in setting up ZiNc:

ZiNc is a tricky one. I personally would setup zinc trough one of the many frontends designed specifically for it. Then use those settings for for it to run from command-line. A good example of that would be a discussion I had awhile back found here. Then you can do some of the following techniques found in this thread on how to display your rom names. It's all preference really. It depends on how you set it up.