How to configure an Atari 2600 Button for noth A and B actions at the same time ?

[eran_p]

Hi,

Basically , The Atari 2600 Joystick has only one button.

The button usually is mapped as an "B" action in the Retropie.

I would to choose a rom from the listed roms, and launch it using the Atari joystick button . That means that the joystick button should activate an "A" functionality for running a rom , and the "B" function for a regular fire button in the Atari games

How can I set the Retropie for this request ? means that the button is mapped the A and B as well

thanks
Eran

[mitu]

You can't map the same button to 2 different actions - it's either A or B for a button. If you want to operate EmulationStation just with a single button, you can modify the es_input.cfg file (it's in \\retropie\configs\all\emulationstation) and add the button scancode to A and discard the B button action. You can set up EmulationStation to boot straight into one system (Atari 2600) and then just navigate the list with the joystick, pressing the button to start a game.
You'll probably need a keyboard though just for the initial setup, you'll probably want to adjust some emulator settings and that's not going to work with just one button.

[eran_p]

Thank you.
I have already set the Retropie to boot direct to the list of Atari roms
I found the this setting file : "es_input.cfg"

However, I did understand your suggestion :
If I change the button to "A", Then the button get a "skill" to run a rom from the list , but since the Atari need a "B" functionality to "fire" in a game the joystick would lose the "skill" of the fire (B)

Can you elaborate your suggestion how can I set a button for choosing a rom in the list and also function as a fire ?

Eran

[mitu]

@eran_p said in How to configure an Atari 2600 Button for noth A and B actions at the same time ?:

Can you elaborate your suggestion how can I set a button for choosing a rom in the list and also function as a fire ?

The front-end functionality is separated from the emulator mappings - you mention you have 1 button only, so you can't use 2 buttons in the emulator if you need them. What emulator are you using for Atari games ?

[eran_p]

Hi,
I am using : lr-stella

Good progress :
I updated the joystick in the "es_input.cfg" :

<input name "a" type="button" id="1" value="1">
<input name "b" type="button" id="1" value="1">

I don't know if it a bug or not , but now the button has both A and B functionality.
I need more time to test it and to see if it is permanent behavior :)

Eran

[mitu]

@eran_p said in How to configure an Atari 2600 Button for noth A and B actions at the same time ?:

I don't know if it a bug or not , but now the button has both A and B functionality.

Since you mapped the same buttons to both actions, yes, it would have the same functionality, though I can't see how you could launch a game since B would exit the current gamelist, while you'd need A to launch the game ?

[eran_p]

I have wondered the same thing. But actually it works.

[mitu]

That's a fortunate coincidence :).