@spanishsnowman 1.5.0 is the retroarch version and was released in 2017. I wouldn't waste my time troubleshooting that.

This is the results of vcgencmd get_config int. enable_dpi_lcd and display_default_lcd are set to 1. arm_freq=1500 audio_pwm_mode=514 config_hdmi_boost=5 core_freq=500 core_freq_min=200 disable_audio_dither=1 disable_commandline_tags=2 disable_l2cache=1 display_default_lcd=1 display_hdmi_rotate=-1 display_lcd_rotate=-1 dpi_group=2 dpi_mode=87 enable_dpi_lcd=1 enable_gic=1 force_eeprom_read=1 force_pwm_open=1 framebuffer_ignore_alpha=1 framebuffer_swap=1 gpu_freq=500 gpu_freq_min=250 init_uart_clock=0x2dc6c00 mask_gpu_interrupt0=1024 mask_gpu_interrupt1=0x10000 max_framebuffers=2 over_voltage_avs=-23750 overscan_scale=1 pause_burst_frames=1 program_serial_random=1 total_mem=4096 hdmi_force_cec_address:0=65535 hdmi_force_cec_address:1=65535 hdmi_ignore_edid_audio:0=1 hdmi_pixel_freq_limit:0=0x11e1a300 hdmi_pixel_freq_limit:1=0x11e1a300

Open the options on the Retroarch menu and there's an option whose label I forget that will "map directions to digital" instead of analog. It's set to analog by default. I had to do it a few days ago. See if it works.

Just for another subjective opinion, I'm content with MAME 2003-Plus (in arcade) and FB Neo (in fba) next to each other and see no need to change that after moving to a Pi 4. For more recent MAME versions, I have my bigger computers. But I didn't feel the need for that for over two years now.

@skrilmps said in can't access MAME 2003+ (libretro) in-game menu: cy no problems at all always use then menu to set options code can change any time.

@Simrose in retroarch, go to: quick menu -> controls -> port 1 controls -> analog to digital type -> left analog Then you can map digital and analog in the mame menu as you wish.

You my friend are a genius! I set controls on player 1 to "Select" = "Start" and "Start" = Nothing and player 2 "Select" = Nothing and "Start" = "Start". Works like a champ! I wish it was a little more intuitive, but it seems to work great. Thanks again for all your help!

for mame2003-plus on digital only turn analog off you only turn this on for analog controllers if your using them. ie snes and joysticks use dpads (digital hat). analog off( this is the default mode) you should do the following in settings enable legacy mapping ( this is important when it needed for analog or games using analog controls even on a dpad) in analog mode : directons are on axis 0 an axis 1 (lstick) in analog mode off (dpad is used)

@grant2258 You're right. My mistake was that I used mame2003 instead of mame2003-plus. That was the reason the xml wasn't generated in ../arcade/mame2003_plus where I looked first. To access the MAME tab menu, I ran a game that I thought was using mame2003-plus, but either I changed its runcommand setting back to mame2003 in the past or an update did it. Thanks.

I know this topic is old, but I was having a problem with building this as well recently. Basically the same error. Resolution was to disconnect all controllers (I had 5 plus keyboard plugged in.) Confirmed this as the solution in my case, and adding it here in case others experience it.