How to add emulators via USB.

[commodore_nerd]

Hello,

I am interested in adding extra emulators to my RPI 3 B via USB. I am running RetroPie V4.4. I would like to emulate the Commodore V364 Prototype which the VICE emulator does not emulate the V364. I found a emulator known as YAPE. Does anyone know how to add emulators via USB?
Cheers

[mitu]

@commodore_nerd There is no official method to do any installation from USB, but if you have some experience with Linux, you could copy the emulator's source/binaries and then configure it for Runcommand or Emulationstation to run your ROM.

[tpo1990]

Adding other emulators not found in RetroPie setup, would require you to do some scripting. The easiest way is like @mitu say get hold of a linux binary for the said emulator that can run in Raspbian, otherwise you will need to compile the binary from source of the emulator by your self.

If it can be compiled from source and work on our Raspberry Pi, someone with coding skills could create a working scriptmodule so that the emulator can be installed into ports or as a separete system into RetroPie.

[commodore_nerd]

@mitu
Hi,
Thank you for the reply, I have been adding the Commodore V364 system into the es_systems.cfg document and using the "sudo apt-get install" command. I have not been able to get anything. How would you be able to copy the emulators source/binaries for Runcommand or/and EmulationStation?
By the way, I'm new to Linux so I have little clue on what to do.
Cheers

[commodore_nerd]

@tpo1990
Hi,
Thank you for the reply, I am new to Linux so I have no clue on what to do.
How would it be possible to do your solution?
Cheers

[mitu]

@commodore_nerd

I have been adding the Commodore V364 system into the es_systems.cfg document and using the "sudo apt-get install" command[..]

If you're not connected to the internet, the apt-get cannot download the necessary dependencies/packages needed, so yes - it would fail.

By the way, I'm new to Linux so I have little clue on what to do.

Then someone with Linux knowledge must test and provide the instructions. By YAPE - I assume you mean this emulator ?

[commodore_nerd]

@mitu
Hello!
I am connected to the internet and I installed SDL2 because on the Yape website it says something about SDL. Also, yes that is the emulator I am trying to install. After getting SDL2 I got further with "sudo apt-get install Yape" it says cannot locate package.
Cheers

[mitu]

@commodore_nerd That's because the package is not available in the Raspbian repository of packages - you need to compile it separately.

Here's a short list of commands that will compile the emulator. They need to be executed from the terminal/command line (I recommend using [SSH] to do it from your PC remotely).

1. get the sources for the emulator

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/calmopyrin/yapesdl

2. compile the emulator

cd yapesdl && make

If you don't get any errors after the 2nd command, you'll have a binary file - the emulator, yapesdl - in the current folder.

Next, you'll need to copy the modify the system you added in Emulationstation and add this emulator as an alternative emulator. You'll need to add 2 lineS in the /opt/retropie/configs/<system>/emulators.cfg (replace <system> with the new system's name), which should contain:

yape  = "/home/pi/yapesdl/yapesdl %ROM%"
default = "yape"

When you launch a ROM in the new system you added, the Runcommand should find your emulator and launch the ROM with it.

[tpo1990]

@commodore_nerd Well if no linux binary exist then you will need to download the source files from the emulator, compile and make the binary. But first you need to make sure that you have installed all the library packages that the emulator is depending on.

Think of it as needing specific dll files for as specific program/software in Windows to be able to run/execute. (for example directx)

For the Raspberry Pi it will typical be the SDL version of them emulator that you want.

As @mitu described it, is one of the following ways to accomplish it.