Using Gamepad to exit out of emulators

[Spyhunter]

Hi guys,

I would like to use my controller to exit out of some games just wondered if there was a way to do this using

VICE (C64)

WinUAE (Amiga)

Gens (Sega)

Project64 (N64)

Zinc (PSX)

I have them all set to currently use ESC key to exit but I want to use #9 button on my controller. I am using the XBox Controller - now totally wireless - it's great!

[offreenday]

same probleme with other gamepad.

[headkaze]

Download AutoHotkey and you can map joystick buttons to a key on the keyboard (in this case Escape). You can then compile the script to an .exe and run it at the start of GameEx.

For info on how to remap your joystick to a key stroke, read http://autohotkey.com/docs/misc/RemapJoystick.htm

[offreenday]

Download AutoHotkey and you can map joystick buttons to a key on the keyboard (in this case Escape). You can then compile the script to an .exe and run it at the start of GameEx.

For info on how to remap your joystick to a key stroke, read http://autohotkey.com/docs/misc/RemapJoystick.htm

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

thanx headkaze!

[xpoisonfreex]

Kudos for the Autohotkey suggestion, GameEX rules the school, It's been forever since I've felt compelled to pay for software (most stuff sucks these days) but this is awesome.

The Autokey method to exit EMUs is awesome, it also works with PC games setup under gameEX (My install of Mugen for example)

for the lazy, here is my script (I have it so when you press in on the right analog stick it exits back to the gameEX menu) just change the joy# to whatever button you want to use.

copy only what is between the ---------------

--------------------

Joy10::send {Esc} ; Escape command for Emulators under GameEX

#SingleInstance force

--------------------

make sure to creat the script, convert it to an EXE, then configure GameEX to launch it at startup by running the Advanced Config tool, click tweaks/performance, then put the EXE in the "Launch at startup Don't Wait" box

it works superbly!

[ShAddiX]

Or just use an advanced config file.

Go to \GameEx\CONFIG\EMULATORS , copy one, and edit it.

[GAMEPADEXIT]

#MAP Gamepad controls to exit and make controls exit process

	MapGamePadExit=true

#Flag the controls that exit a game by placing True next to each control. To not use the control as part of the combination use a 0

	Left=
	Down=
	Right=
	Up=
	Button1=
	Button2=
	Button3=
	Button4=
	Button5=
	Button6=
	Button7=
	Button8=
	Button9=True
	Button10=

Set Button9 to true, set this advance config file for the emulator in the GameEx config and that's it.

Should work.

[bkenobi]

I haven't checked yet, but this works with MAME too, right?

[bkenobi]

I was just looking at this again and I see that the default for all games is buttons 4, 5, and 6 + left-up. I need to customize this to suit my cabinet, which doesn't have buttons 5 or 6 or a joystick. I know how to do that for emulators, but how does that get modified for MAME? Can I just create a file and call it MAME? I didn't see it in the Advanced Configuration Wizard, so I'm at a loss.

The only alternative I can see at the moment is writing an AHK script (like HK suggested), but I would have to make one for each emulator that had a different exit key (or use alt-f4 I suppose). Or perhaps just use a little more complicated logic I guess and check to see which emulator is running. Maybe I just need one when I launch MAME...

[Stu1983]

You should give Xpadder a try with it you can it set so you need two gamepad buttons pressed to activate the ESC key which means you don't need to loose a gamepad button

So for me I have it set so I need to hold Select + L2 on my playstation pad to exit an emulator.

Here's how, assign the 'Select' button as normal (for me thats MAME insert coin) then click the 'Set Selector ON' tab and set it to 'Selects Set 2 while held'

Now close the button config window and click '2' at the bottom right of the Xpader main screen, now your on set 2. Edit the L2 assignment and click 'Special' then 'Pause 1.00s' then click the blank box to add another command beside the '1.00' the click 'Esc' then 'Special' again and finally 'Cycle Stop'

So now while your playing pressing select works as normal but if you hold it and L2 for 1 second it will exit the emu... having the 1 sec delay stops accidental presses smile.gif

I'm not sure if the Cycle Stop bit is required or not I just added it and it works so I left it in

Stu

[Brian Hoffman]

I was just looking at this again and I see that the default for all games is buttons 4, 5, and 6 + left-up. I need to customize this to suit my cabinet, which doesn't have buttons 5 or 6 or a joystick. I know how to do that for emulators, but how does that get modified for MAME? Can I just create a file and call it MAME? I didn't see it in the Advanced Configuration Wizard, so I'm at a loss.

The only alternative I can see at the moment is writing an AHK script (like HK suggested), but I would have to make one for each emulator that had a different exit key (or use alt-f4 I suppose). Or perhaps just use a little more complicated logic I guess and check to see which emulator is running. Maybe I just need one when I launch MAME...

Bkenobi this is what you need to do for MAME my friend. run mame hit TAB or whatever button you assigned to bring up options.

In conrols setup look for UI CANCEL and press enter. This will let you reassing the key. Use whatever button combo you want.

Now with is enabled you can use this button combo to escape mame. Gameex will regain focus.

[bkenobi]

Stu - I didn't know XPadder could do a combo like that. I looked but didn't see anything. I'll give it a try this evening. Does this allow for more than 2 buttons? I want to use 4, but I suppose 2 could work as well if I just change my concept a bit...

Brian - I hadn't considered doing that because I didn't know how many keys could be pressed simultaneously. I want to hit 4 buttons/keys at once and I thought the limit was 2 at a time. I'll also try this and use whichever gives better performance.

Thanks guys!

[Brian Hoffman]

Stu - I didn't know XPadder could do a combo like that. I looked but didn't see anything. I'll give it a try this evening. Does this allow for more than 2 buttons? I want to use 4, but I suppose 2 could work as well if I just change my concept a bit...

Brian - I hadn't considered doing that because I didn't know how many keys could be pressed simultaneously. I want to hit 4 buttons/keys at once and I thought the limit was 2 at a time. I'll also try this and use whichever gives better performance.

Thanks guys!

Yes it will allow 4. That is what I use

[bkenobi]

Ok, cool. Then I'll give that a try. Btw, if I use MAME to do this, is there a delay for exitting? I assume not since it's basically the same thing as hitting escape like normal except with more buttons. My only concern is that if I happen to hit all 4 at once, then I exit. Fortunately, that's pretty much impossible to do with my configuration (unless a button sticks )

[Stu1983]

Ok, cool. Then I'll give that a try. Btw, if I use MAME to do this, is there a delay for exitting? I assume not since it's basically the same thing as hitting escape like normal except with more buttons. My only concern is that if I happen to hit all 4 at once, then I exit. Fortunately, that's pretty much impossible to do with my configuration (unless a button sticks )

yeah you can add a delay before the escape key just click the "special" button to the bottom left of the assignment screen

Stu

[Brian Hoffman]

Ok, cool. Then I'll give that a try. Btw, if I use MAME to do this, is there a delay for exitting? I assume not since it's basically the same thing as hitting escape like normal except with more buttons. My only concern is that if I happen to hit all 4 at once, then I exit. Fortunately, that's pretty much impossible to do with my configuration (unless a button sticks )

I use MAME plus. upon hiting ESC or button combo it prompts you to exit.. (are you sure) then you press select.

also with this version it allows for the command.dat wich is awesome cause it tells you all the moves for the game like all MK fatalitys and moves etc...

I recommend you give it a try.

[bkenobi]

I had MAME plus installed at one point, but it wasn't playing nice with GameEx for whatever reason. Perhaps I didn't have plane Jane MAME installed at the time or something. But yeah, it was pretty sweat in some of the extras it has!

Stu, do you know if I can use more than two buttons in a combo? I read and reread your first post and now it finally clicked what you meant by the select menu. I may just use the 2 buttons anyway since I can have a delay so accidental presses are not likely.

Thanks again to both Brian and Stu! I think I'm just about ready to shell the machine and call it done for now!

[Stu1983]

Stu, do you know if I can use more than two buttons in a combo? I read and reread your first post and now it finally clicked what you meant by the select menu. I may just use the 2 buttons anyway since I can have a delay so accidental presses are not likely.

I haven't tried it myself but I would assume where I set the escape key to a button on the 2nd set you would instead need set that button so that it selects set 3 when held and then change to set 3 and set a button to select set 4 while held and then change to set 4 and finally set a button be escape... I'm not near my machine to try it out though

doing that though would mean that instead of just pressing all 4 buttons together at the same time you would need to hold them all in the correct order so it would be

Hold button 1

Keep button 1 held and hold button 2

Keep button 1 & 2 held and hold button 3

Keep button 1, 2 & 3 held and press button 4 to exit

I have had no problem with using just the 2 buttons and having a 1 second delay on the second... but then I've used the "select" button on the playstation pad which is a button that you never really go anywhere near anyway

I see what you mean about my first post I had made a couple of typo's I've edited it to make it a bit easier to read

Stu

[bkenobi]

So then if you have to hit the buttons in the correct order in order to make the combo work, can you set button1 as "select" for button2 "escape + pause" combo and then button2 as "select" for button1 "escape + pause" combo? Doing this would make the order you hit the buttons unimportant. I suppose button1 would be select set 2 and button2 would be select set 3 in this case?