RetroArch: "Failed to load content"

toralux

I have a working Retropie 4.2 setup on Raspberry Pi 3 where all scraped MAME 0.78 roms starts when started from EmulationStation.

I have also scanned the directory with MAME 0.78 roms in RetroArch 1.60 into a playlist-file, but when I try to run them from the Playlist (with MAME2003 core loaded) I get this error:
RetroArch [ERROR] :: Failed to load content.

The content of MAME2003.lpl (playlist file) after scanning the rom-directory looks like:

/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/arcade/alphaxz.zip#az-12.bin
The Alphax Z (Japan)
DETECT
DETECT
D245E644|crc
MAME2003.lpl
/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/arcade/alphaxz.zip#az-11.bin
The Alphax Z (Japan)
DETECT
DETECT
D245E644|crc
MAME2003.lpl
...

(If I start the MAME 0.78 roms by navigating the filesystem and choose the ZIP-file instead of trying to run them from a playlist-file, the game starts without any "Failed to load content"-error).

Any ideas?

One more newbie-comment / -question: Why is not the core-directory of RetroArch (in the RetroPie 4.2 distribution) pre-configured to point to /opt/retropie/libretrocores where the core-files are actually installed (instead of /home/pi/.config/retroarch/cores which is empty).

dankcushions

we don't use retroarch playlists - we use emulationstation or other launchers to list and launch files. i don't personally have any experience with retroarch playlists but it may be that the default retropie configuration doesn't work properly with them.

if you really want a retroarch GUI i would suggest http://www.lakka.tv/

mediamogul

@dankcushions, @toralux

Since playlists are required to have working Netplay Rooms, I posted a work-around that would apply here as well. I've been using it for a few months now and it's worked very well.

@toralux

Why is not the core-directory of RetroArch (in the RetroPie 4.2 distribution) pre-configured to point to /opt/retropie/libretrocores where the core-files are actually installed (instead of /home/pi/.config/retroarch/cores which is empty).

Pointing to /opt/retropie/libretrocores wouldn't really work either, as that directory just contains other directories that in-turn have the libretro cores. My work-around puts a symlink of the core you're launching in a temporary location and RetroArch is then pointed to that temporary location. This allows playlists to work, but still let's RetroPie handle RetroArch the way it was designed to.