Emulationstation links

[mitu]

@bob1961 I don't see a marquee entry for the games in the gamelist.xml file - but maybe PieMarquee2 doesn't rely on it being present in the gamelist.

The EmulationStation log doesn't show any usage of the scripting API, so my guess is that the PieMarquee2 doesn't use it ? The scripting API support for calling scripts when selecting game were added in EmulationStation v2.11, while you're still running v2.10, so my guess is that the PieMarquee2 script doesn't rely on EmulationStation. I think you need to ask the PieMarquee2 author about this issue, it doesn't look like it's related to EmulationStation.

EDIT: is the marquee supposed to be displayed on the 2nd screen when you select a game or when you start it ? It's not clear now how this works and I assumed is the former.

[bob1961]

@mitu yes that's correct. second screen. N
ot able to get a hold of the author.

Original code is here
https://github.com/rinalim/PieMarquee2

in the end I'm just looking how to enable a second screen as a marquee

[mitu]

@bob1961 Maybe the author will take a look at your issue, seems it uses its own mechanism to display the marquee and not relying on either EmulationStation or the runcommand launch scripts.

[bob1961]

@mitu like i said. no response from author.
The code is on that link I sent.
Based on original here:
https://github.com/rinalim/PieMarquee2

guess I couldn't convince you to take a look? ;)
Do yo know of any other ways to get a marquee?
I tried CRT Blast but I couldn't rotate

[mitu]

@mitu like i said. no response from author.

I've looked at the repository's issues, maybe you need to wait a bit more.

guess I couldn't convince you to take a look? ;)

I did, but python is not my forte and I didn't fully understand what's the principle of operation of the script.

[dmmarti]

@bob1961
PieMarquee2 doesn’t utilize the gamelist.xml files nor the runcommand_onstart.sh/onend.sh scripts.

Instead, if you’ve installed it per his Github instructions, the python script is always running.

When you launch a game, it tries to find a same-named *.png file as your rom filename.

If not found, it next tries to find a *.png file named exactly as the system you are using (ex: nes, snes, atari2600, arcade, etc).

If still not found, it defaults and uses a global *.png file instead.

The three locations are:

rom filename png: /home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/SYSTEMNAME/romfilename.png
examples:
for galaga.zip in /roms/arcade folder - /home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/arcade/galaga.png
for mario.zip in /roms/nes folder - /home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/nes/mario.png

system filename png: /home/pi/PieMarquee2/system/SYSTEMNAME.png
examples:
for games using the nes system - /home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/system/nes.png
for games using the atari2600 system - /home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/system/atari2600.png

default png: /home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/system/maintitle.png

---

When you launch a game that ends up only having the default and/or the system png marquee, look at the /dev/shm run command log to see what the passed rom filename is.

Then make sure you have a corresponding *.png file named the exact same in the proper PieMarquee2 folder.

For example your arkanoid.zip. You didn’t specify which rom folder but here’s some examples for it.

/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/arcade/arkanoid.zip
/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/mame-libretro/arkanoid.zip

Hope that helps some.

[bob1961]

@dmmarti
all the .png files are in the correct folders and all work.
If i remove the .zip.cfg file for those games, then the game marquee will display.
It's the presence of that .zip.cfg that is messing something up.
The game plays correctly so I know it's reading the instructions in those files.
Just won't display the game marquee :(

Here is that file for Space Invaders (which has no .zip.cfg fle and displays marqee)
Parameters:
Executing: /opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/bin/retroarch -L /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-mame2003/mame2003_libretro.so --config /opt/retropie/configs/arcade/retroarch.cfg "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/arcade/invaders.zip" --appendconfig /dev/shm/retroarch.cfg

Here is that file for Arkanoid (which has a .zip.cfg fle and does not display marqee)
Parameters:
Executing: /opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/bin/retroarch -L /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-mame2003/mame2003_libretro.so --config /opt/retropie/configs/arcade/retroarch.cfg "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/arcade/arkanoid.zip" --appendconfig /dev/shm/retroarch.cfg'|'"/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/arcade/arkanoid.zip.cfg"

[bob1961]

@bob1961
here is the pieMArquee2.py file

#!/usr/bin/python3

import os
from subprocess import *
from time import *
import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET

INTRO = "/home/pi/PieMarquee2/intro.mp4"
## for DPI screen
#VIEWER = "/opt/retropie/configs/all/PieMarquee2/omxiv-marquee /tmp/marquee.txt -f -b -d 4 -t 5 -T blend --duration 900 > /dev/null 2>&1 &"
## for Pi4 hdmi1
VIEWER = "/opt/retropie/configs/all/PieMarquee2/omxiv-marquee /tmp/marquee.txt -f -b -d 7 -t 5 -T blend --duration 900 > /dev/null 2>&1 &"

arcade = ['arcade', 'fba', 'mame-advmame', 'mame-libretro', 'mame-mame4all']

def run_cmd(cmd):
# runs whatever in the cmd variable
    p = Popen(cmd, shell=True, stdout=PIPE)
    output = p.communicate()[0]
    return output.decode()

def kill_proc(name):
    ps_grep = run_cmd("ps -aux | grep " + name + "| grep -v 'grep'")
    if len(ps_grep) > 1: 
        os.system("killall " + name)
        
def is_running(pname):
    ps_grep = run_cmd("ps -ef | grep " + pname + " | grep -v grep")
    if len(ps_grep) > 1:
        return True
    else:
        return False

def get_publisher(romname):
    filename = romname+".zip"
    publisher = ""
    for item in root:
        if filename in item.findtext('path'):
            publisher = item.findtext('publisher')
            break
    if publisher == "":
        return ""
    words = publisher.split()
    return words[0].lower()
    
if os.path.isfile(INTRO) == True:
    ## for DPI screen
    #run_cmd("omxplayer --display 4 " + INTRO)
    ## for Pi4 hdmi1
    run_cmd("omxplayer --display 7 " + INTRO)

doc = ET.parse("/opt/retropie/configs/all/PieMarquee2/gamelist_short.xml")
root = doc.getroot()

if os.path.isfile("/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/system/maintitle.mp4") == True:
    ## for DPI screen
    #os.system("omxplayer --loop --no-osd --display 4 /home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/system/maintitle.mp4 &")
    ## for Pi4 hdmi1
    os.system("omxplayer --loop --no-osd --display 7 /home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/system/maintitle.mp4 &")
else:
    os.system("echo '/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/system/maintitle.png' > /tmp/marquee.txt")
    os.system(VIEWER)

cur_imgname = "system/maintitle"

while True:
    sleep_interval = 1
    ingame = ""
    romname = ""
    sysname = ""
    pubpath = ""
    instpath = ""
    imgpath = ""
    ps_grep = run_cmd("ps -aux | grep emulators | grep -v 'grep'")
    if len(ps_grep) > 1: # Ingame
        ingame="*"
        words = ps_grep.split()
        if 'advmame' in ps_grep:
            sysname = "arcade"
            romname = words[-1]
        else:
            pid = words[1]
            if os.path.isfile("/proc/"+pid+"/cmdline") == False:
                continue
            path = run_cmd("strings -n 1 /proc/"+pid+"/cmdline | grep roms")
            path = path.replace('/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/','')
            if len(path.replace('"','').split("/")) < 2:
                continue
            sysname = path.replace('"','').split("/")[0]
            if sysname in arcade:
                sysname = "arcade"
            romname = path.replace('"','').split("/")[-1].rsplit('.', 1)[0]
    elif len(run_cmd("ps -aux | grep 'layer 10010' | grep -v 'grep'")) > 1 : # Video screensaver (OMXplayer)
        ps_grep = run_cmd("ps -aux | grep 'layer 10010' | grep -v 'grep'")
        if len(ps_grep) > 1 :
            words = ps_grep.split()
            pid = words[1]
        if os.path.isfile("/proc/"+pid+"/cmdline") == False:
            continue
        path = run_cmd("strings -n 1 /proc/"+pid+"/cmdline | grep mp4")
        if len(path.replace('"','').split("/")) < 2:
            continue
        sysname = path.replace('"','').split("/")[-3]
        if sysname in arcade:
            sysname = "arcade"
        romname = path.replace('"','').split("/")[-1].rsplit('.', 1)[0]
        sleep_interval = 0.5
    elif os.path.isfile("/tmp/PieMarquee.log") == True: # Extended ES
        f = open('/tmp/PieMarquee.log', 'r')
        line = f.readline()
        f.close()
        words = line.split()
        if len(words) > 1 and words[0] == "Game:": # In the gamelist-> Game: /home/pi/.../*.zip
            path = line.replace('Game: ','')
            path = path.replace('/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/','')
            sysname = path.replace('"','').split("/")[0]
            if sysname in arcade:
                sysname = "arcade"
            romname = path.replace('"','').split("/")[-1].rsplit('.', 1)[0]
            sleep_interval = 0.1 # for quick view
        elif len(words) == 1:
            sysname = "system"
            if words[0] == "SystemView":
                romname = "maintitle"
            else:
                romname = words[0]
    else:
        sysname = "system"
        romname = "maintitle"

    if os.path.isfile("/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/" + sysname  + "/" + romname + ".png") == True:
        imgname = sysname + "/" + romname
        if ingame == "*":
            publisher = get_publisher(romname)
            if os.path.isfile("/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/publisher/" + publisher + ".png") == True:
                pubpath = "/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/publisher/" + publisher + ".png"
            if os.path.isfile("/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/instruction/" + romname + ".png") == True:
                instpath = "/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/instruction/" + romname + ".png"
    elif os.path.isfile("/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/system/" + sysname + ".png") == True:
        imgname = "system/" + sysname
    else:
        imgname = "system/maintitle"

    if imgname+ingame != cur_imgname: # change marquee images
        ps_grep = run_cmd("ps -aux | grep 'maintitle.mp4' | grep -v 'grep'")
        if len(ps_grep) > 1 :
            words = ps_grep.split()
            pid = words[1]
            os.system("ps -aux | grep maintitle.mp4 | awk '{print $2}'| xargs kill -9")
        ##kill_proc("omxplayer.bin")
        if imgname == "system/maintitle" and os.path.isfile("/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/system/maintitle.mp4") == True:
            ## for DPI screen
            #os.system("omxplayer --loop --no-osd --display 4 /home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/system/maintitle.mp4 &")
            ## for Pi4 hdmi1
            kill_proc("omxiv-marquee")
            os.system("omxplayer --loop --no-osd --display 7 /home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/system/maintitle.mp4 &")
            cur_imgname = imgname+ingame
        else:
            '''
            f = open("/tmp/marquee.txt", "w")
            if pubpath != "":
                f.write(pubpath+"\n")
            f.write("/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/" + imgname + ".png")
            if instpath != "":
                f.write("\n"+instpath)
            f.close()
            '''
            if os.path.isfile("/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/custom/" + romname  + ".txt") == True and ingame == "*":
                os.system("cp /home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/custom/" + romname  + ".txt /tmp/marquee.txt")
            else:
                imgpath = "/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/" + imgname + ".png"
                if ingame == "*":
                    if pubpath != "":
                        imgpath = pubpath+"\n"+imgpath
                    if instpath != "":
                        imgpath = imgpath+"\n"+instpath
                os.system('echo "' + imgpath + '" > /tmp/marquee.txt')
            sleep(0.2) 
            if is_running("omxiv-marquee") == False: # if omxiv failed, execute again
                os.system("clear > /dev/tty1")
                os.system('echo "' + imgpath + '" > /tmp/marquee.txt')
                os.system(VIEWER)
            cur_imgname = imgname+ingame

    sleep(sleep_interval)

[dmmarti]

@bob1961 Hmm.....strange.

I wonder what the passed rom filename that the PieMarquee2 script is trying to match on then?

I have it setup on my Pi 4 also so I'll make a cfg file for arkanoid and do some testing and see if it breaks for me too.

[bob1961]

@dmmarti
yes let me know.
I use the .cfg files to switch my trackball to a spinner. only 2 lines in those files

input_player1_mouse_index = "0"
config_save_on_exit = false

[BuZz]

@bob1961 The code is not readable due to formatting. Please use markdown and three backticks ``` above and below any logs/code snippets posted directly to the forum.

i have edited your post.

[Ashpool]

@bob1961 ~~As a workaround, have you tried renaming your Marqueefiles for those games to ###.cfg.png ?

Another workaround (just from a brief scann of the script) is maybe something like:

Edit: Code removed, as it would not have worked... Same reason why my idea above wouldn't work also :/ From my understanding now/so far the author derieves the romname by striping just the rightmost extension from the filename (see below)... so, maybe name.extension.png could work for the cfg cases(?) (ie. arkanoid.zip.png (or arkanoid.7z.png)), that is assuming that the script captured arkanoid.zip.cfg as the filename.

romname = path.replace('"','').split("/")[-1].rsplit('.', 1)[0]

Without further knowledge of the script and in hopes that it may not break other things, replacing the rsplit with just a split could eventually work (before "name.ex1.ex2.ex3" would become "name.ex1.ex2", with a split instead it would become "name"... maybe to test it (before replacing all occurences of aboves .rsplit('.',1) with a .split('.')), you could add a

    romname = romname.split(".")[0]

above that line:

    if os.path.isfile("/home/pi/PieMarquee2/marquee/" + sysname  + "/" + romname + ".png") == True:

be sure to align the inserted line with the if clause (keep the intention level (4 spaces) for the code block). ... Maybe it's worth a try...
And if that is working and it is in some cases needed to keep filenames with further dots in it, the script could be modified with something like replacing the romname = path.replace*** with romname = get_romname(path) and then defining the function get_romname to strip any existing .cfg from the name before the "final" split is made...

[bob1961]

@Ashpool just to let everyone know, the author posted a revised file on that github site to fix this.
Nevertheless, appreciate everyone's attempts to help me with this. Cheers!