Lr-Atari800 800/5200 Cannot Save 800XL or 5200 Console In Config Files

Boochk

Greetings,

I have a preconfigured Retropie system that is missing the Atari 800 console. After much reading, I discovered that the console is there and if I just add roms to the default folder, it will show up, and it does. The problem is some games will not run and require more ram to work. I launch a game, hit F1 to access the menu. I enter the console configuration and change the emulated console to 800XL 64K. The games will now work. The problem I have run into is I am unable to make the 800XL console the default. I have followed the wiki on 800/5200 and edited the atari800.cfg with no luck. I edited the /opt/retropie/config/atari5200/core config file with no luck. There is no core config file in atari800 folder. Each time I launch either 800 or 5200 console, it always defaults to 400/800 48K for the emulator. I have spent many hours trying to resolve this with no luck. I have read as many posts as I can find on this subject with no answer other than people using systems other than lr-atari800.

If someone has a solution to this problem I would greatly appreciate some guidance. It is odd, some settings in the config files work but others don't. I am using a 3B+ and I have retropie 4.4 if I remember correctly.

Thanks!

mitu

@Boochk We don't offer support for 3rd party images - please use the image from retropie.org.uk/download when asking for support.

Boochk

I'm confused, The preconfigured console in the link you provided is not supported? I configured the Atari800 and added my Roms. I had both these consoles years ago and just wanted to relive some memories. Further reading suggests:
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adriansos666 ‎21‎ ‎Apr‎ ‎2018‎ ‎12‎:‎21 

Try quitting Retroarch after you change to Atari 800XL (don't go back to emulated system, just quit RetroArch and it will exit to ES, then start game again and it should work). I believe RA saves configs on exit.
If this doesn't work then change to 800XL (or better set it to 130XE as it has 128kB of RAM) and select save core override in RA.

Is this the answer I am looking for?

Thanks!

mitu

@Boochk said in Lr-Atari800 800/5200 Cannot Save 800XL or 5200 Console In Config Files:

I'm confused, The preconfigured console in the link you provided is not supported? I configured the Atari800 and added my Roms.

Usually when people say 'preconfigured' it means they got a RetroPie image already configured with ROMs and other configuration. That's what a 3rd image looks like. If you got it directly from the RetroPie site, then it's a standard image.

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adriansos666 ‎21‎ ‎Apr‎ ‎2018‎ ‎12‎:‎21 
Try quitting Retroarch after you change to Atari 800XL (don't go back to emulated system, just quit RetroArch and it will exit to ES, then start game again and it should work). I believe RA saves configs on exit.
If this doesn't work then change to 800XL (or better set it to 130XE as it has 128kB of RAM) and select save core override in RA.
Is this the answer I am looking for?

If you're using the lr-atari emulator, then yes, I think this is one of the Core Options (https://docs.libretro.com/library/atari800/#core-options) so it should be saved automatically after you change it in-game. To access the core options, just press Select + X after you started the game (using lr-atari800) and you'll be in the RetroArch menu (RGUI). From there you can access the core options and change it to an Atari 800 system.

EDIT: you'll also need to BIOS file copied to the bios folder - https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Atari-800-and-5200/#bios.

Boochk

@mitu,

In reading the links, I think I did perform those tasks. I will perform the steps again in the link you provided and post the results here. I did download the Bios files as part of adding the Atari console but omitted this in my original post.

I copied the text in the GitHub wiki on the atari800.cfg thinking mine was corrupt. This did not help either and that file made the screen opaque. Neither file seemed to fix the issue. In fact the console ignores the entries MACHINE_TYPE=Atari XL/XE
RAM_SIZE=64. it always defaults to 400/800 48K. That is when I started reviewing the config files in the /opt directories. I did edit those files using a text editor in my Debian console and moved them to the micro SD card for Retropie.

When I went into the RGUI and selected Atari800 rather than the lr-atari800 the 800 emulator shows up correctly as an 800XL 64K and appears to work but I lost the ability to play the games with the USB PS2 controller which does work in lr-atari800. If this is the solution, then I will have to figure out how to get the default controller mapping to work.

Thank you for your help!

mitu

@Boochk said in Lr-Atari800 800/5200 Cannot Save 800XL or 5200 Console In Config Files:

I copied the text in the GitHub wiki on the atari800.cfg thinking mine was corrupt.

I don't think this is used by lr-atari800, it's used by the standalone emulator (atari800).

When I went into the RGUI and selected Atari800 rather than the lr-atari800 the 800 emulator shows up correctly as an 800XL 64K and appears to work but I lost the ability to play the games with the USB PS2 controller which does work in lr-atari800.

Hm, do you have any other controllers (or keyboard maybe ?) connected ? You can check in the Input configuration (still in RGUI) what's the controller order and if your controller is detected.

Boochk

@mitu,

I won't be home until later today but will follow up then. Yes, I have a keyboard attached to the RP3. I was able to exit the game console with it but did not try to play anything in the Atari800 emulator. I just assumed the lr-atari800 was the correct emulator to use since it is the default. I have read in posts that some people have moved to something called Cat800 (I Think) but don't know if that should be used either. I am trying to setup my emulator to be an 800XL with 64K. The games I wish to play will work with this version. I do not need 128K or more since I have no plans to play any of the newer game that were supported with the newer consoles or games.

Thank you again for your help!

Boochk

PROBLEM RESOLVED!!!

I have struggled for a week on this problem and I am glad to report I finally fixed my problem.

After launching the game in Atari 800 Emulation (Lr-atari800) I pushed Select and X. I am in the Retroarch screen. Next I selected Options. Inside this new window I can select which console I wish to use, in my case 800XL (64K). Then I hit the back (B) button and selected save core overrides. Now each time I launch a game, it starts with the 800XL as the default console. I repeated this step for the 5200 console and it launches correctly to! I don't know why I had a hard time finding this menu but now that I have, can move on to why I started this project.

Thank you Mitu for your help! By the way, somehow I was launching a different menu that changes where you change the emulator lr-atari800 and atari800 and looking there for the settings.

Boochk

mitu

@Boochk said in Lr-Atari800 800/5200 Cannot Save 800XL or 5200 Console In Config Files:

Thank you Mitu for your help! By the way, somehow I was launching a different menu that changes where you change the emulator lr-atari800 and atari800 and looking there for the settings.

That's the Runcommand launch menu, allowing you to switch between emulators (where there is more than 1 for a system/console).

Glad you got it fixed, have fun with your RetroPie project !