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    Please do not post a support request without first reading and following the advice in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

    xinit / startx results in tiny box in corner of the screen with high CPU

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    xinitstartxtinyvideocpu high
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    • R
      retropi19
      last edited by

      you need to install also matchbox to get if working full screen eg:

      xset -dpms s off s noblank
      matchbox-window-manager -use_titlebar no &
      xinit /opt/retropie/emulators/ags/bin/ags

      Rpi3B+ USB 2.0 Boot HDD Hitachi 40GB 5400rpm

      Rpi4 4GB rev1.4 USB 3.0 Boot HDD Hitachi 160GB 7200rpm

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      • V
        vincent.a.nativo
        last edited by

        Thanks for the reply @retropi19. Unfortunately this has made no difference to the outcome. I did the following steps:

        sudo apt-get install matchbox

        I then created a test script with the commands you provided and ran it (after restarting). I had exactly the same result, ie, just a tiny box in the top left hand corner and not full screen.

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        • mituM
          mitu Global Moderator @vincent.a.nativo
          last edited by

          @vincent-a-nativo X.org log file is in $HOME/.local/share/xorg/ (/home/pi/.local/share/xorg). Get the log after you run an AGS game and then try to get the log file and post its contents on pastebin.com.
          What is the resolution of your TV/monitor/display ?

          V 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • V
            vincent.a.nativo @mitu
            last edited by vincent.a.nativo

            @mitu thank you so much for your help!

            I've pasted the contents of the log on pastebin as requested:
            https://pastebin.com/GhTcJjdg

            For this test, I installed a clean image of retropie on my card from https://retropie.org.uk/download/. The only things I did after that were:

            1. Set up wifi connectivity.
            2. Enabled SSH access.
            3. Updated the retropie-setup script.
            4. Installed AGS which also installed Xorg dependencies.
            5. Copied a rom over to test with.

            The conditions of my original test were that I had updated all packages (both OS and otherwise) as well as set up a WIFI dongle and install steamlink and steam controller driver. I know none of those things should really make a difference but just wanted to be clear on the condition of both tests which had the same result.

            I've also included a photo of how it looks on my monitor when I attempt it. The little purple box in the top right corner is basically the entire screen! If that image link doesn't work this is the URL: https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArEBR8bIbg32gaZaepD5Mnjwck48rA

            I also tested on my TV and got the same result. In both cases, the native resolution is 1920 X 1200.

            The only thing I haven't tried is to go back to an older image I was using prior 4.4 (ie, 3.x) which from memory was working but I don't want to say I'm 100% certain on that until I try it again! Let me know if you think that would be helpful.

            I would be grateful for any guidance you can provide!

            mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • mituM
              mitu Global Moderator @vincent.a.nativo
              last edited by

              @vincent-a-nativo I'll see if I can reproduce the problem. The log file doesn't show the display resolution, maybe the auto-detection doesn't work. You're using the HDMI port for the output, right ?
              Can you also post the /boot/config.txt file contents ?

              I'll see if I can reproduce the error.

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              • V
                vincent.a.nativo @mitu
                last edited by

                @mitu correct, HDMI.

                config.txt here: https://pastebin.com/BRvHhPJB

                As mentioned I did try playing with a few of the settings in here based on recommendations in various posts / forums I found but nothing seemed to have an effect.

                Thanks.

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                • V
                  vincent.a.nativo @mitu
                  last edited by

                  @mitu I have managed to get it working.

                  So at a certain point retropie images stopped including a desktop / window manager to save on space. So I installed it by running the retropie setup script and selecting:

                  Configuration / Tools -> Raspbian tools -> Install pixel desktop environment

                  But that wasn't all. While that corrected the size of the screen, it performed very poorly, too slow to be usable. It seems that AGS is now defaulting to using the OpenGL driver when a graphics driver is not specified on the command line. Again, retropie doesn't come with the OpenGL driver enabled. Given that it is experimental and I have had graphical issues using it recently, I opted against enabling it and instead selected the software graphics driver instead. So my emulators.cfg file for AGS now looks like this:

                  ags = "sudo xinit /opt/retropie/emulators/ags/bin/ags --fullscreen --gfxdriver software --gfxfilter hqx 1 %ROM%"
                  default = "ags"

                  And it is now functional when run from Emulation Station.

                  Thanks for your time! It may be worth including this information in a guide somewhere for AGS on retropie, how would I go about doing that?

                  mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • mituM
                    mitu Global Moderator @vincent.a.nativo
                    last edited by

                    @vincent-a-nativo Thank you for coming back with a solution.
                    You can add your notes in the Wiki - https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Adventure-Game-Studio - if you have a github.com account.
                    Note that:

                    • RetroPie has the desktop as an optional install, it doesn't come by default with it installed. The RetroPie image is based on the Raspbian Lite version image, which doesn't include the Desktop.
                    • Enabling the experimental OpenGL driver will cause incompatibilities with the installed emulators/programs, which use the legacy RPI VideoCore driver, that's why is not enabled on the current release.

                    I might also add a note to modify the scriptmodule based on your setting, but I'll have to test it first.

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                    • V
                      vincent.a.nativo @mitu
                      last edited by

                      @mitu I have updated the wiki. Please feel free to edit as you see fit.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • retropieuser555R
                        retropieuser555
                        last edited by retropieuser555

                        I seem to be also having this issue as well although for me the game is either centered and I can't seem to increase the size of the window. Or the window is centered and a part is cut off from view.

                        Example

                        If I load up pixel and boot the game from there they all work fine they go straight into fullscreen mode. So it seems there's a step I'm missing somewhere when in emulationstation

                        Pi 5 4GB

                        Retroflag GPI with raspberry pi zero 2 w/ wifi

                        Retroachievements:- lovelessrapture

                        BuZzB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • BuZzB
                          BuZz administrators @retropieuser555
                          last edited by

                          @retropieuser555 please open a new topic and provide details of set up.

                          Please do not post a support request without first reading and following the advice in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

                          To help us help you - please make sure you read the sticky topics before posting - https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

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