new scriptmodules (lr-vice-xvic, gsplus, proper lr-mess integration!)

jamrom2

@Folly Hiya Folly.

I've been working with a new build as I prepare to finish out the Pi3 and move on to a Pi4. So I was able to start everything from a fresh build using the new 4.8 RetroPie version.

I pulled down the last script you posted and worked with it from a clean start.

I found 1 issue with the CoCo 3 OS/9 option. It doesn't load into the options list. You can select it to build from the list, but it doesn't do anything and it does not add to the option list.

Other than that, there are now an insane amount of options with/without extra ram, machine, basic... cass, disk... etc.. etc. Wow!

Best,

JamR

Folly

@jamrom2

Cool, a PI4 !!!!!

Did you use the add-ext-repos.sh (raw link) in above script ?

With that you get more than just mame/lr-mess.
And you can use it for updating the scripts.
And everything is installed separately in :
/home/pi/RetroPie-Setup/ext

I probably want to use it as a standard for installing add-mamedev-systems.sh in the future.

I will look at that coco OS/9 line.

Btw. Does classich work ?
(I had no trouble but @DTEAM did)

And have a look at this :https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/32377/memotech-512-and-apogee-bk-01

Simrose

@Folly
I run the code and it didn't return any errors but also nothing new shown.

I would love to get Atari Jaguar working with any version of mess. I've tried virtualjaguar and it has to much audio issues.

I've read lots of posts on how to do it but can't get it running. Is there an easy method for just getting jaguar working.

I'll keep trying and reading more.

Thanks Sim

Folly

@Simrose

It doesn't look easy the first time.
But in time you will see that it's quite easy, just by doing it more often.

If you have installed a system and it doesn't work then always check the/dev/shm/runcommand.log .
In there you probably find the problem, for example :

bios file not found
game file not found
etc

For jaguar the bios file has to be called : jaguar.zip (or .7z), and placed in the BIOS/mame directory.
You can search for the file, with duckduckgo/google, in mame-0.231-merged.

For the mame jaguar software you have to find the file jaguar.zip and extract it in roms/atarijaguar .
You can search for the file, with duckduckgo/google, in mame-sl.

You can then load breakout.zip, for example, with the -cartloaders or in this case also the basename loaders.

jamrom2

@Folly I haven't tried that yet. So far it seems like everything works with the script you last posted, and I've managed to narrow my emulators.cfg down to only a few choices for each emulator. Basically, I'm sticking with what works well, and streamlining it.

Once I get the Pi4, and start that build, I'll let you know. This Pi3 build will cover 3 machines I have, so it's going to be a "light" version that only has emulators that work well on a Pi3.

the link you posted to the add-ext repos.sh doesn't work. I have to look into that for the next build.

Folly

@CARRisma

I have some update information about the elkulator module-script.
Due to your interest I tested it on the new debian 11/Bullseye OS.
I detected that elkulator would not compile on the new OS.

So recently I did an update so the elkulator script will compile again on Debian 11/Bullseye.
You can read more about it here :
https://stardot.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?p=353265
It should be backwards compatible with Debian 10/Buster too, now.

I also added better support for electron in our project over here :
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/29682/development-of-module-script-generator-for-lr-mess-and-mame-standalone
Loading electron with mame and lr-mess.
Some background information can be found here :https://forums.bannister.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=120623#Post120623
I added lines for electron in the section "systems with extra hardware".
If you feel like it then you can try it out and let me know what your experience will be, just to improve or add some useful things, when possible.

CARRisma

@Folly Please excuse me, some of this I struggle to understand - the last time I did any programming was with BASIC on the C64 and OPL on a Psion Organiser.

If I understand correctly, your setup script "elkulator.sh" still works perfectly. However, Elkulator itself has a problem with the new platforms?

By looking at your elkulator.sh, I get the impression it downloads files from the original Elkulator (from years back) then also downloads files from your GitHub which modifies / fixes things?

I have made a backup of your elkulator.sh file but I assume I don't need to replace it because that's unchanged.

Folly

@CARRisma said in new scriptmodules (lr-vice-xvic, gsplus, proper lr-mess integration!):

@Folly Please excuse me, some of this I struggle to understand - the last time I did any programming was with BASIC on the C64 and OPL on a Psion Organiser.

If I understand correctly, your setup script "elkulator.sh" still works perfectly. However, Elkulator itself has a problem with the new platforms?

Yes, indeed.

By looking at your elkulator.sh, I get the impression it downloads files from the original Elkulator (from years back) then also downloads files from your GitHub which modifies / fixes things?

Just like any other emulator, bios files are needed, otherwise the emulator will not run.
They aren't in the source, if you know what I mean.

Elkulator hasn't been maintained for a very long time and it's probably the same code as the original Ekulator source.
The source that existed was pushed to github by the stardot team to preserve it and optionally people can contribute to it.

I made a fork from this source code to improve the working of Elkulator in RetroPie and therefor added :

the esc key for quitting the emulator
fullscreen setting on start
additional flag "-fcommon" so it will compile on Debian 11

You have to know that RetroPie is just a Debian 10-lite/Buster-lite Operating System with the RetroPie bash-scripts on top of it.
( lite => without Desktop environment )
In the near future RetroPie will move towards using Debian 11-lite/Bullseye-lite as base Operating system.
That is why updating was required.

I have made a backup of your elkulator.sh file but I assume I don't need to replace it because that's unchanged.

I made the change in the configure.ac of the elkulator source code.
The module-script was unchanged.
Though, recently , I just changed automake -a into automake -a -i in my module-script.
This way Elkulator will also be correctly compiled on X86/X86_64 When using RetroPie on a regular computer.

Summarized :
Basically what this means is that when RetroPie is updated with the new Operating System the Elkulator script can still be used without issues.
At least I hope so.

Hope you understand it better now.

Btw.
This is how the autoboot function works :
The module-script creates a script that will be executed when you select a game in Emulationstation.
This script will then detect what sort of file it is depending on the extension.
Accordingly, this script will patch the elkulator config on the fly and will create a command for booting the game together with a command that will produce the correct autoboot sequence for loading the game automatically.
Just by creating key presses by software instead.

CARRisma

Wonderful, thank you very much.

CARRisma

@Folly I installed Retropie 4.8 and can confirm that I successfully installed Elkulator using your updated files. However, after installing it, it did not work straight away so I did update from source (Elkulator) and that fixed it.

Folly

@CARRisma

Useful information for everyone.
Thanks for letting me/us know ;-)

MrNoHolster

@Folly Hi I've followed your instructions and installed the add-mamedev-systems script so I now have Electron visible in EmulationStation, however when I launch a game I'm getting a grey screen with a missing required files error... any idea what I'm doing wrong? It looks like Elkulator isn't listed on your script files anymore? I'm sure I have the BIOS files but would love your help! Thanks G

Folly

@MrNoHolster

Elkulator is not part of the add-mamedev script.
It's a separate module-script.

Follow this to add Elkulator :
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/25576/new-scriptmodules-lr-vice-xvic-gsplus-proper-lr-mess-integration/521

Edit:
~~So add it with these commands~~ don't use this anymore ! :

cd  RetroPie-Setup/scriptmodules/supplemantary
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/FollyMaddy/RetroPie-Share/main/00-scriptmodules-00/supplementary/add-ext-repos.sh

Then start Retropie-Setup and goto config/tools and find add-ext-repos.
Select the repo you want and it will download the files ,you don't have, in the RetroPie-Setup/ext directory.
Elkulator should now be listed in the experimental packages.

A smart move is to move all my module-script that you have already in your normal directory structure (generated and non-generated) to the ext directory stucture.
So the 3rd party module-scripts are separated from the normal/original module-scripts. This way you will also prevent duplicate errors.
So in :
RetroPie-Setup/ext/RetroPie-Share/scriptmodules
Instead of :
RetroPie-Setup/scriptmodules

2Play

@Folly Just wanted to say hi old friend!
and to all here.
I had a break due to a new family member and working on other boards such as Asus Tinker & RockPro64

I v updated some of my projects and time allows will continue on the main pi4 project that has many goodies including the elkulator tx to your work!

Folly

@2Play

That is great.
Welcome back.