Zinc controls

[Ninja Rygar]

I've spent way too much time on this, so I'm just about giving up, asking here is my final option so I hope somebody has something that can point me in the right direction, cuz I'm lost!

I'm using ZinC's integrated features in GameEx, which I like very much and I don't want to have to set Zinc up as a seperate emulator. Every Zinc game can use it's own controller.cfg file which allows you to customize the controls. (Otherwise there really is no universal control scheme that works in Zinc, at least one that I can see.)

ZincGUI.exe is a frontend that allows you to create these controller.cfg files, it puts them in a folder called "pcfg" and names them [Rom]cp.cfg (E.G. rvschoolcp.cfg)

My problem is I can't use these files in GameEx. Period. I can only use one controller.cfg file for every game in the Zinc list, and that makes SOME of the zinc games impossible to play. You can only specify controller.cfg file using the --use-controller-cfg-file=<value> parameter... so if I could use something like --use-controller-cfg-file=[Rom]cp.cfg or something like that... I'd be in business, but that doesn't work.

Is there ANYTHING I can do? I spent alot of time setting up each controller config hoping I could get each Zinc game to be playable in GameEx, but the way it is now, I'm using a setup thats good for only a few games, while the rest are either screwed up or do nothing.

PLEASE help me, I see alot of people asking for help about Zinc, but never about the controls, so it must be something I'M missing!

[Tom Speirs]

I think your on the right track. I think what you need to do is see exactly what is passed as [ROM] by looking at \data\runitgame.bat after launching a game then matching that to your .cfg files

[Ninja Rygar]

Thanks for the reply Tom, but I'm sorry I can't get anything like that to work. Maybe my placement of quotes is screwed up or something, or maybe it's just not allowed... I have no idea. I've tried the following...

--use-controller-cfg-file=O:\Emulators\Zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg (No quotes)

--use-controller-cfg-file=O:\Emulators\Zinc\pcfg\"[ROM]"cp.cfg (Quotes around just ROM)

--use-controller-cfg-file="O:\Emulators\Zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg" (Quotes around whole path)

None of them work.

Runitgame.bat gives me the following error each time...

ERROR: renderer config file [O:\Emulators\Zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg] not found (or something along those lines with various quoteation marks)

Interesting... the RENDERER can't be found? I'm not looking for that, I'm looking for the controller.cfg file... darn it's just one thing after another with this. The renderer is not the problem here... the command line locates renderer.cfg just fine everytime. One more thing, if I point to an actual cfg file, like defaultZN1cp.cfg... it loads the games perfectly... it's just... THAT config file only works with certain games, so that's not what I want.

There's GOTTA be a way... there's just GOTTA!

[Draco1962]

Tom - not sure if you saw that we also have a thread for some experiencing ZiNC Renderer issues currently. Not sure if they are related but occuring at roughly the same time makes me wonder if they are part of the same issue.

Can't say that I am experiencing any issues or not as I do not run ZiNC on my machine.

[Tom Speirs]

I dont think GameEx is passing the [ROM] Value. Can you confirm? If so ill get it fixed for the next release.

[Ninja Rygar]

I can confirm it is definitly not. If it could, that would solve my problem with the greatest of ease! (At least, I'm hoping it could.)

[Noddy]

This probably isnt what you're looking for but just in case, I set up zinc using the zincfe2 front end (which uses winterblasts controller plug in) it gives you some configuration options for different games (standard/tekken/soul edge), it looks like it writes the options to one cfg so not sure if it'd let you personalise that any further but gameex does recognises it.

[Ninja Rygar]

Actually Noddy, that helped quite a bit. That frontend's version of controller.cfg actually does allow more games to work. Not all of them, but a few more than what I had, thanks to it's setup! So now I have a few more games working in GameEx than I did... even though it doesn't give me complete control over the Zinc romset... it's better than what I had... so thanks!

[Noddy]

Glad it was some help I only really grabbed zinc for street fighter and tekken so I was stoked I could personalise the tekken controls. I really need to have a look at the other games zinc runs.

Do you use a playstation emulator? I was thinking about putting epsxe back on the cab but it was a pain last time not being able to set controls for individual games.

[celly]

EDIT: My ZiNc is screwed up again. I'm using ZiNcCab like Headkaze suggested and deleted all my cfg files. Back at square 1.

[Tom Speirs]

I can confirm it is definitly not. If it could, that would solve my problem with the greatest of ease! (At least, I'm hoping it could.)

Its in there for the next release which should be today.

[Ninja Rygar]

Tom it's perfect, every single game is now configurable in Zinc, even within GameEx! I'm so glad all that work paid off. Thank you so much! I can finally put Zinc behind me and move on.

[GoTheBunnies]

Thought I'd post my problem on this thread as some of my issues seem to be common to Ninja's.....

Decided to set up Zinc today - reading through the posts it seems to make sense to use the GameEx integration rather than set up a separate emulator (correct?), so I did the following in Advanced MAME settings -

Use Zinc Yes

Zinc Path C:\emulators\Zinc

Zinc Exe zinc.exe

Zinc Options --renderer=.\renderer.znc

I moved all my zinc roms (which have numbers as names) into the same folder as my Mame roms. Went back to GameEx and Updated my Games List - a new menu item called Playstation appeared, with games behind it. So far, so good.

Go in and play a game and most seem to run ok. I get an error message when I exit some of them - but I'll get to that later.

My main problem is that my input keys don't seem to be mapped correctly on all the games. Some keys work on some games - but there's not a lot of consistency and I can't really see a pattern to work out what's going on. So a couple of questions - do the keys have to mapped for each individual game? I'm using ZincFE2 - but I can't actually run any of the games directly on the emulator (ie without GameEx) because it doesn't recognise the roms names (because they're numbers).

I'm missing something obvious here? What is it? Is there a guide to setting up Zinc on GameEx (I couldn't find it....).

Thanks

[massop]

Thanks for the reply Tom, but I'm sorry I can't get anything like that to work. Maybe my placement of quotes is screwed up or something, or maybe it's just not allowed... I have no idea. I've tried the following...

--use-controller-cfg-file=O:\Emulators\Zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg (No quotes)

--use-controller-cfg-file=O:\Emulators\Zinc\pcfg\"[ROM]"cp.cfg (Quotes around just ROM)

--use-controller-cfg-file="O:\Emulators\Zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg" (Quotes around whole path)

None of them work.

Runitgame.bat gives me the following error each time...

ERROR: renderer config file [O:\Emulators\Zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg] not found (or something along those lines with various quoteation marks)

Interesting... the RENDERER can't be found? I'm not looking for that, I'm looking for the controller.cfg file... darn it's just one thing after another with this. The renderer is not the problem here... the command line locates renderer.cfg just fine everytime. One more thing, if I point to an actual cfg file, like defaultZN1cp.cfg... it loads the games perfectly... it's just... THAT config file only works with certain games, so that's not what I want.

There's GOTTA be a way... there's just GOTTA!

I am trying to impliment this.

--use-controller-cfg-file=O:\Emulators\Zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg this works in the sense that game EX is opening the correct file but I cant get this to actually use the right control.

Could you provide me with the entire command line argument you have in the "Advanced MAME settings\ Zinc Options" as I think I am missing something simple.

Mine as it stands is

--renderer=.\renderer.znc --use-controller-cfg-file=X:games\zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg

I know I am missing something but not sure what.

Thanks in advance

Regards

[fRequEnCy]

I am trying to impliment this.

--use-controller-cfg-file=O:\Emulators\Zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg this works in the sense that game EX is opening the correct file but I cant get this to actually use the right control.

Could you provide me with the entire command line argument you have in the "Advanced MAME settings\ Zinc Options" as I think I am missing something simple.

Mine as it stands is

--renderer=.\renderer.znc --use-controller-cfg-file=X:games\zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg

I know I am missing something but not sure what.

Thanks in advance

Regards

Missing a backslash after your X drive. Should be:

--renderer=.\renderer.znc --use-controller-cfg-file=X:\games\zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg

[massop]

Thanks for the quick response fRequEnCy.

I do actually have the \ in there but because the box that runs game EX is not this one I couldnt do a copy/paste.

But as far as you are concerned have I used the correct command line options? like there isnt another command I am missing am I?

Regards

[fRequEnCy]

Thanks for the quick response fRequEnCy.

I do actually have the \ in there but because the box that runs game EX is not this one I couldnt do a copy/paste.

But as far as you are concerned have I used the correct command line options? like there isnt another command I am missing am I?

Regards

Well that all depends on what you're trying to accomplish. Is this not working? Please give more info!

[massop]

Yeah sorry about that, I just assumed you was psycic and could read my mind

In Game EX I can get Zinc games to load via its intergrated setup (Advanced MAME settings rather than a sepereate emulator) but it loads the default controller settings which of course does not work on every game.

Ninjas second post here uses that command line to bring in the specific game config

--use-controller-cfg-file=O:\Emulators\Zinc\pcfg\[ROM]cp.cfg

Which does work as in game EX does load the file accoring to runitgame.bat

However even though the controller profile [ROM]cp.cfg is loaded it still does not work.

So I was wondering if I have missed something else on the Zinc side. for instance the controller.znc in the zinc root dir is not used, I have tried to in the past but it did not make any difference.

As it stands in the command line I call upon the ROM and the control ([ROM]cp.cfg) config file in the pcfg folder when loading zinc. For those of you who have this working have I called upon the correct commands?

Any help would be greatley appreciated.

Regards

[Adultery]

Have you tried setting the cfg path in zinc's config file? It's been awhile since I tried to get zinc running, so admittedly I don't even know if zinc creates a cfg or ini.

[mesk]

AH!! the infamous zinc emulator.never has there been a more user UN-friendly emulator.I swear my blood pressure spikes when setting this emu up.Frequency and I have spent more time on this emulator then any other.and it still doesnt work 100%,for some strange reason it will not give focus unless GameEX is in windowed mode while launching the game.

anyways enough of my rambling,have you tired using the zinc FE by aldo to make a cfg file?this is the only way I have gotten my controls to work correctly.I guess you could set it up as a seperate emulator and use the advanced config utility,but there must be a reason I have not done this already,just cant remember now.sorry I couldnt be of more help,but what I suggested worked for me.I do use a 360 controller though,but I did just order a tankstick w\trackball about 15 minutes ago

[Draco1962]

@Mesk - I hate you.

[fRequEnCy]

@Mesk - I hate you.

LOL. Ahhhhh! The love!

[massop]

My the lord hath mercy upon my soul.

Zinc is driving me INSANE.........

I tried using ZincFE and for some unknown reason it makes no difference what config I put in there, only the directional, coin and start buttons will work. ZincFE does update the controller.cfg file but its all in vein it seems.

I thought I would start afresh with a completley new setup following this from another post

Posted 08 February 2006 - 02:01 PM

Magic, looks like I was generating the wrong type of configs from zincfe. looks very promising.

:edit:

Turns out that Zinc 1.1 controller.znc wasn't accepting use controller.cfg cmd line option. Winterblasts does however and once z1.1's is replaced Winterblasts works a treat.

So..

Downloaded:

Zinc 1.1 command line emulator

Aldo's Frontend (ZincFE) - Ignore the Dafreaks Frontend.

Winterblast's input plugin.

All from here:

http://www.emulator-...rcade/zinc.html

extracted zinc 1.1, then ZincFE and then Winterblasts input plugin (so winterblasts controller.cfg is last cfg written out.

Ran ZincFE & pointed to the roms etc, setup display et al.

(note gamex takes care of rom locations so leave path to roms to Gamex)

Then picked up joystick and started defining the buttons for each button

for one game only just now and ran the rom to check they worked.

this will update the controller.cfg

Then in GameX used the command line:

--use-config-file="G:\HomeArcade\Zinc2\zinc.cfg" --use-renderer-cfg-file="G:\HomeArcade\Zinc2\renderer.cfg"

The zinc.cfg contains:

;Created with Aldo's ZiNc Front End 15/05/2005 14:40:59

--use-sound=yes

--sound-filter-enable=yes

--sound-filter-cutoff=44100

--sound-surround-lite-enable=yes

--sound-surround-lite-multiplier=40

--sound-stereo-exciter=yes

--use-slow-geometry=yes

--use-controller-cfg-file=G:\HomeArcade\Zinc2\controller.cfg

(NOTE: I did attempt to use controller-cfg cmd line in Gamex as awell but didn't work, suspect I had it repeating itself, try it yourself see if it needs to be in zinc.cfg or gamex commandline)

controller.cfg contains:

You shoud see a lot of ";comments" lines explaining the workings of controller.cfg a bit more but I've removed these for this posting.

[general]

;file to output controller messages and errors

output="G:\HomeArcade\Zinc2\wbout.txt"

;indicate if controller will fail or not if a config error occured

noerror=1

;the order of controls :

[all]

;F3

test=k3d

;F2

services=k3c

[player1]

;example for ZN1 player 1 with joy1

;useMM=1 ;allow player 1 to use WinMM joystick instead of DirectX

coin=j1b9

start=j1b12

right=j1right

left=j1left

down=j1down

up=j1up

btn1=j1b1

btn2=j1b2

btn3=j1b3

btn4=j1b4

btn5=j1b5

btn6=j1b6

c1=j1b7

c2=j1b8

[player2]

;example for ZN1 player 2 with joy2

coin=k03

start=k07

right=j2right

left=j2left

down=j2down

up=j2up

btn1=j2b1

btn2=j2b2

btn3=j2b3

btn4=j2b4

btn5=j2b5

btn6=j2b6

c1=j2b7

c2=j2b8

Hope this helps anyone who needs to config zinc with a joystick!

TX

Update:

Some roms don't respond to the buttons shown above (eg: Tekken).

I expect I have to include some of the additional comments from the original winterblast controller.cfg and do some testing.

Once you defined your stick & buttons in ZincFE

Also inspect the .cfg files that are generated for the game your testing

if your controller.cfg isn't changing. Generally a bit of detective work is involved but is well worth it to play SF EX 2 plus from Gamex.

edit:

but this does not even launch games, even though rom paths etc are correct, (this is outside gameex)

So I have basically gone backwards.

I went back to the old setup where I am able to at least launch games and I added

--use-controller-cfg-file=G:\HomeArcade\Zinc2\controller.cfg

to zinc.cfg but this did nothing as well.

I actualy had this sussed years ago using nologics wrapper thingy, but with his departure and my formatted HDD I am lost in the cosmos.

Mesk, could you possibly give us your zinc.cfg, controller.cfg, controller.znc and the contents of your cfg directory? maybe I can do a comparison and find the issue.

I hate zinc

Regards

[mesk]

Here you go massop,sorry for the delay.

@Draco I will be sure to post pics when it is delivered.....

zinc.zip

[fRequEnCy]

Now you even confused me as to what's going on. LOL. So much going on and so many different users using different ways of making ZiNc work. This is why I haven't attempted a tutorial cuz too much going on. We need a global way for GameEx users to get ZiNc going. Anyways........If you want I can remote in and help you. To me, it is just faster as I can do what I need instead of going back and forth in the forums. If interested in PM me and we'll try to setup a time for you.