Development of module-script generator for lr-mess, lr-mame and mame standalone

jamrom2

@folly there might be a simpler way around this using the es_systems.cfg file.

If the BIOS gets read as a .zip or .7z file, then just omit that extention from the list of displayed files... and have the rom files listed as .bin files. MESS/MAME and other emulators don't care if files are zipped or not because ES unpacks them in zipped form anyway prior to feeding them to the selected emulator.

I know GameEx (if you are familar with that Arcade/MAME front end) does it that way and it works. All of the BIOS files have to be listed with the game roms but do not show in the game lists.

It's worth a try. I want to get this system up and running on my set today, so I can certainly help.

Are the roms and bios listed in a particular MAME rom dump? I would imagine it's like .236 or so.

jamrom2

@folly I don't know if this is possible, but it would be great to do this as a .sh file much like how DosBox used to be done...

Or even how it's done now where it has a config file that you point to the game rom with the "autoexec" list giving the proper commands to DosBox instead of having to manual type.

Folly

@jamrom2 said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

@folly there might be a simpler way around this using the es_systems.cfg file.

If the BIOS gets read as a .zip or .7z file, then just omit that extention from the list of displayed files... and have the rom files listed as .bin files. MESS/MAME and other emulators don't care if files are zipped or not because ES unpacks them in zipped form anyway prior to feeding them to the selected emulator.

I know GameEx (if you are familar with that Arcade/MAME front end) does it that way and it works. All of the BIOS files have to be listed with the game roms but do not show in the game lists.

It's worth a try. I want to get this system up and running on my set today, so I can certainly help.

Are the roms and bios listed in a particular MAME rom dump? I would imagine it's like .236 or so.

I think you referring to the mame-cmd test I was telling you about.(Perhaps it's better to quote my post ;-) )
Yes, that is a way to go.

Personally, I would rather have a solution so es_systems.cfg doesn't have to be edited.

I had another idea but I don't know if it works so I have to test it.
Perhaps we can link both, BIOS and GAME-rom directory, in a new directory and add use that new directory as rompath and perhaps using wildcards to find these linked directories.

Folly

@jamrom2 said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

@folly I don't know if this is possible, but it would be great to do this as a .sh file much like how DosBox used to be done...

Or even how it's done now where it has a config file that you point to the game rom with the "autoexec" list giving the proper commands to DosBox instead of having to manual type.

You mean loading the cassette files in apfimag_cass without typing in the commands.
Yes, that is an option but this could be quite difficult to implement.

There are multiple ways of doing that.
It's possible to add it in mame and lr-mess command-line.
Or add it perhaps in the run_mess script.
Or using the xdotools, one way or another.

Trouble with apfimag_cass is that, i think, pressing play, can't be automated.

jamrom2

@folly that could work as well. It's just a matter of hiding the file extensions from ES so it doesn't see them.

Folly

@dteam said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

@folly said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

Btw. did you test all those games ?
I have trouble with finding the right keys on how to play them.
The one you posted worked though, just shooting with "enter".

I can only run "Rocket Patrol". For the controller, it works for me with controller # 2 (left controller) and an analog stick. I have some trouble to shoot with the fire button.

I can't get the cartridges to work ... any idea?

You are able to boot them but you struggle too with the keys or joystick buttons ?

spacedst.zip doesn't load for me though.
All the others work.

I will have a look at it too.
I have played some with some strange keys.
I will let you know.

jamrom2

@folly That would be fine as well... limiting the amount of input helps users that want the experience, but can't remember what to type, or even worse is that they have never seen the system, so don't know what to do.

I personally add in the commands to my game description in gamelist so that I see it when I want to play the game. I did this with the Dragon 32 system and it works good for me.

But again.. you and I are above the average user, so we kinda know our way around the file system. Having a user just type in "PLAY" is a lot simpler for them.

Folly

@jamrom2

Yes I agree.

We can do some tests with some commands manually before adding it to the script, agreed ?
The we can see if we can come up with a nice solution.

This link is in my first post :
https://forums.launchbox-app.com/topic/54987-autoboot-command-script-for-mame-swl-computer-systems/

For some systems we can try it.

Could be as simple as adding something like this -autoboot_delay 4 -autoboot_command cload\n

Edit :
emulating key presses seems not implemented so when I press Return first it will type CLOAD. The /n option doesn't work for this system.

It seems the best way of making everything work is to make a mame autoboot.lua script that is loaded on boot. That whay we also should be able to press the tape on play automatically.
(well we have to dig deeper to understand that)

DTEAM

@folly said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

You are able to boot them but you struggle too with the keys or joystick buttons ?

They don't start either. Which line do you use when you select your emulator line from the blue menu? I am always on "Rocket Patrol" no matter what the game is.

Folly

@dteam said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

@folly said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

You are able to boot them but you struggle too with the keys or joystick buttons ?

They don't start either. Which line do you use when you select your emulator line from the blue menu? I am always on "Rocket Patrol" no matter what the game is.

We talk about apfm1000, right.
I use this :
default = "mame-system-apfm1000-cart"

DTEAM

@folly said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

We talk about apfm1000, right.

Yes, I'll do more test today

Folly

@dteam

Do you want my sha1sums ?

DTEAM

@folly
Yes please (sorry double messages)

DTEAM

@folly
Yes, please. I don't know what's wrong for that emulator.

Folly

@dteam

pi@raspberrypi:~/RetroPie/roms/apfm1000 $ sha1sum *
9579e760c4532295a07b0ef0f849bbcddddc39c2  backgamm.zip
6fae423ac7af3bd59d2897ecbb9508c6737e41ee  baseball.zip
865317d042f5848f33dd57b7de2d2326cf625565  blckjack.zip
859ff072135fe9e5bc325cf3c5a2b39e75d7c774  bowling.zip
a7615a2eada80cdfc1446a14b06bebc39cafaf29  boxing.zip
4119cb1589d68efd560936080f12475b57337b33  brickdwn.zip
c72e7ffafb3818a2dd6b46d4f95ea7c5b497f64b  casino.zip
0a025850f57cba6ef2df9af6512d169233795a81  catena.zip
7aee1189144e53393ddb4e4bc6ea73cb95c941af  catenaa.zip
497387a7410e86e7cf6711a37192ff2d24e4e53e  hangman.zip
7e1ec8f8e1ff78e6ee730ae9f27e05eebea34979  pinball.zip
da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709  rocketp.zip
c1dd72fb8853c08ffacea77226c656439c0c5674  spacedst.zip
b6f287ee37e6016d9910afcf664476e14023423b  ufo.zip

jamrom2

@folly said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

9579e760c4532295a07b0ef0f849bbcddddc39c2 backgamm.zip

I'm up and running with just the pack-in game Rocket Patrol. I did like you did, just made a dummy .zip file. All good.

Just can't seem to locate the rest of them. .236?

Folly

@jamrom2

Something to read :
https://docs.mamedev.org/techspecs/luaengine.html

Here is the reference manual of lua 5.3 :
http://www.lua.org/manual/5.3/

Folly

@jamrom2 said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

@folly said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

9579e760c4532295a07b0ef0f849bbcddddc39c2 backgamm.zip

I'm up and running with just the pack-in game Rocket Patrol. I did like you did, just made a dummy .zip file. All good.

Just can't seem to locate the rest of them. .236?

I think they are in ~~mame_sl~~, if you understand what I mean.

Fix, get the apfimag_cass.zip, it's in : mame-sl

DTEAM

@folly

I found this today
MESS and MAME: The Guide

Folly

@dteam

I have spacedst.zip running with the new test method.
In the hash table it describes that this cart has extra ram on board.
Using the new test method it runs the file using the softlist and adds the ram extension automatically.
Bios file apfm1000.zip has to be added in /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/apfm1000 for now.
I hope we can come up with a nice fix for this problem.

It runs by using this line in /opt/retropie/configs/apfm1000/emulators.cfg :
mame-driver-rompath-basename = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame apfm1000 -rompath /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/apfm1000 -v -c %BASENAME%"

Keyboard keys to play :
LEFT RIGHT KPAD_ENTER