Is there any way to boot straight in to the detailed view for a specific emulator?

Irondad

@dantheflipman Why would you need the nes to test it out? The bit patterns for selection are easily made using any old connector, say a dsub9. Then you can test to your Hearts content, while you look for a gutted NES. I think it's a brilliant idea, and would like very much to hear if anyone is succesfull with a selection scheme like this.

dantheflipman

@Irondad said in Is there any way to boot straight in to the detailed view for a specific emulator?:

@dantheflipman Why would you need the nes to test it out? The bit patterns for selection are easily made using any old connector, say a dsub9. Then you can test to your Hearts content, while you look for a gutted NES. I think it's a brilliant idea, and would like very much to hear if anyone is succesfull with a selection scheme like this.

I Know I could probably test this out fairly quickly, the only issue for me is finding the time, and buying another soldering Iron haha..

I also found this in an old retropie thread about auto starting MAME games

Here is the code for launching to MAME emulator only:

from command line type:
sudo nano /etc/rc.local

add the following text to the bottom:
sudo /opt/retropie/emulators/mame4all-pi/mame

Save the file and reboot.
...
I looked all over for this answer and most of the things I found were out of date, so specific folders or files were not where the forums directed. I got it to work for MAME using the code above; it puts the script for launching MAME emulator from command line into the rc.local file. I dont think each emulator launches the same way, so you may want to search for the code to launch whatever emulator you choose from command line, and put that into the rc.local file.
This will bypass emulation station going straight to the emulator. If i press esc on my keyboard (or the equivalent mapped button press for controllers) I can still get back to emulation station (if I really want to). That way I can still take advantage of the awesomeness of ES and all the ROM/controller/button configurations, or F4 to access command line.
If you want to launch to a single game, I think you just have to list the ROM file aafter the emulator command:
sudo /opt/retropie/emulators/mame4all-pi/mame ROMFILENAME

OMFG!! You did it! :-) Thank you thank you thank you!
I have been wanting to do this since I first built my cab.
For others who are wanting to do this as well, I want to clarify that ROMFILENAME is just the name of the rom file without the extension. For example, this is what I have in my rc.local file:

/opt/retropie/emulators/mame4all-pi/mame pacman

So It looks like It would be easier to make a game cartridge launch to a specific game instead of into the console detail menu XD

We've gone full circle.. using a single cartridge to launch a single game.. It's madness... But it just might work

But honestly.. it would feel great to pop in my old Zelda cartridge.. maybe blow on the connectors.. just for old times sake.

senkun

Neat idea!

I'd say that your first option would be the easiest to implement. Multiple carts each with it's own dedicated single emulator setup preconfigured and easy to do with Retropie as above. And it's way cooler, because you'd have a selection of carts to plug in and out for different systems. Very tactile, I like.

Hardware side is also easier to implement, you need only a few pins out of the sdhc slot, 9 pins if I remember. So all you'd need is a couple of microsd card adapters, and get some good quality wires (thicker gauge will be good as you'd be soldering to the adapters). There's plenty of room inside the carts and the old NES, so instead of ripping off the Pi's sdcard slot to solder onto the traces, I'd just plug an adapter in there and strip the other end to wire to the NES cart slot. Same thing on for the sdcard inside the cartridge itself. I think it's brilliant in it's simplicity.

I'd worry about data transmission issues later, if you solder well, and the wires are good I doubt you'd go wrong. After all, you can locate the Pi very close to the cart slot, and the distance from a plugged in cart to the Pi can be very short.

I think you can buy adapters to strip, but the ones I'd seen are on flexcables so that's a no go. You can make your own, that way you can go with good cables.

alt text

Check this out too;
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-an-SD-Card-extension/

Good luck and keep us updated!

senkun

This one seems workable, and a lot less work;

alt text

senkun

@dantheflipman said;

But honestly.. it would feel great to pop in my old Zelda cartridge.. maybe blow on the connectors.. just for old times sake.

LOL I feel you there.

Zigurana

I just love everything about this topic!
People working together to recreate a romantic notion of times well past, applying state of the art techniques to emulate the old. It's great!

I am anxious to see where this will end.

Rookervik

Not sure if this was answered yet, but you can actually tell ES to not show fast system select (therefore going straight into the game list) and then editing your es_systems.cfg file to show NES first. If NES is your only system, then that will get ES to boot straight into detailed games list of NES.

spitoni

@Rookervik is there a change you can send me this cfg file. cant figure out how to boot straight to nes

Rookervik

@spitoni Wow, old topic. Do you have any experience with linux command line, or do you have a windows computer and can access your raspberry pi over the network?

There are quite a few ways to make changes to the config file.

johnodon

@rookervik said in Is there any way to boot straight in to the detailed view for a specific emulator?:

@spitoni Wow, old topic. Do you have any experience with linux command line, or do you have a windows computer and can access your raspberry pi over the network?

There are quite a few ways to make changes to the config file.

Sorry for dredging up an old topic again RV... :-\

But, could you provide some details? I'm very comfortable with Linux command line.

TIA!

John

mitu

@johnodon If your intention is to boot straight into a particular system when ES starts, then this is now a setting in Emulationstation, so no need to modify config files or mess with the command line. Just make sure you have the latest update in RetroPie and look in the UI Settings, under Start on System.

johnodon

@mitu

Exactly what I needed. TY mitu.

Now I just need to find a way to disable the ability to go back to the main screen. The only way I have come up with is to not map a 'back' button but don't want to have to resort to that. Any better ideas out there?

John

mitu

@johnodon What are you trying to do ?

johnodon

@mitu said in Is there any way to boot straight in to the detailed view for a specific emulator?:

@johnodon What are you trying to do ?

I basically want to have only one system (Arcade) and not be able to back out of it to the main system select screen.