Scripting help for replacing retroarch.cfg

FlashPC

Hi guys,

I have been working on different configs for overlays and shaders within retropie and created the following files

retroarch_shader.cfg
retroarch_overlay.cfg
retroarch_standard.cfg

And I've been trying to write a very simple script which will copy one of these files over the top of the retroarch.cfg file which can be run from inside emulationstation / attract mode to avoid having to use a keyboard and the command line

So once the script is run, it will replace the retroarch.cfg within the /opt/retropie/configs/{console in question} with one of the other files.

I'm a total noob when it comes to linux, and working from other scripts I have found, I cannot seem to get it running. The code I have been using is as follows

cp /opt/retropie/configs/3do/retroarch_shader.cfg /opt/retropie/configs/3do/retroarch.cfg

and using a new line for each console.

This creates either a retroarch.cfg? file (with an question mark at the end) but doesn't overwrite the original cfg file, but if I type the code above within the command line terminal it does what I want it to do.

Please Help
Paul

TMNTturtlguy

@flashpc I probably have a script that I can modify to do what you want. I first have a few questions for you:

(not really a question) Your command appears to be a simple copy command. You are copying a file name retroarch_shader.cfg from /opt/retropie/configs/3do/ and you are just copying it to the same folder location. The cp command is copy, not an overwrite command.
I assume your intention is to overwrite the retroarch.cfg file? You want to be able to overwrite the file to run 1 of 3 different configurations, correct.
Are you doing this for only 3DO? OR for all systems?

FlashPC

Thanks for the reply,

That's right, my intention is overwrite the retroarch.cfg within the same folder with either of the 3 files.
And I'm intending to do this for all the systems that I've been working on (25 so far)

TMNTturtlguy

@flashpc WOW - I have a script that will do what you want, but it would be a massive undertaking to write it for every system. If you want I can create a script for just one of your systems and then you can modify the script to add each of the other systems you want.

FlashPC

@tmntturtlguy that would be great, cheers

TMNTturtlguy

@flashpc here are the instructions - they are also in the script file.

This script lets you switch retroarch config files. v1
TMNTturtlguy - Sept 05 2017

place script in /home/pi/RetroPie/retropiemenu/
In order to run the script you must create the following folders:
/opt/retropie/configs/all/emulationstation/retroarch_swap
Then within that folder create a folder for each system:
3do
Then within that folder create the following 3 folders:
overlay
shader
standard

full example path for 3DO = /opt/retropie/configs/all/emulationstation/retroarch_swap/3do/overlay

Within each folder you have created place a retroarch.cfg file. The file needs to be named the same in each folder. Place your current retroarch_shader.cfg in the shader folder. Name the fild retroarch.cfg.
Restart EmulationStation and the script is located in the retropie menu

Take a look a the script and see if you can figure out how to add more systems. i currently have 3DO per your example and NES included. You need to create 3 lines for each system. For example, you need to copy lines A, B, C for both while true; do and case

you then need to create 3 functions for each system. Simply copy them and change out the system names, ie, just copy the first 3 functions, change all 3do to psx for playstation.

here is a download link for the script. mega download link

Let me know if you have any questions.

FlashPC

@tmntturtlguy cheers buddy, its a bit late now, but I will have a go in the morning, thanks for this, it is very in depth, and I would have never have come up with anything like this.

Thank you very much

TMNTturtlguy

@flashpc You bet.

I have another idea, a cleaner script, but it would change all the systems to the same setup. Meaning you could run the script and it would change all systems to standard, or all systems to overlay. Would you prefer all systems to change at once? or would you like individual control like i have it set up now?

Thanks

cyperghost

@flashpc @TMNTturtlguy
I would rather use the User Menu and create three independent bash files.
The system name can be extracted by sytem call $1

So the script are easily placed here as the wiki explains...

and would look like

shaders on.sh

#!/bin/bash
# Replace retroarch configs in general
cp -f "/opt/retropie/configs/$1/retroarch_shader.cfg" "/opt/retropie/configs/$1/retroarch.cfg"
# Create file for detecting changes to shader
touch "/opt/retropie/configs/$1/shaderchange.tmp"

in runcommand-onstart.sh you write

# Checks for `shaderchange.tmp` and reverts changes back if file is located
if [[ -f "/opt/retropie/configs/$1/shaderchange.tmp" ]]; then
    cp -f "/opt/retropie/configs/$1/retroarch_standard.cfg" "/opt/retropie/configs/$1/retroarch.cfg"
    rm "/opt/retropie/configs/$1/shaderchange.tmp"
fi

The advantage is... you've a general method that only depends on system description of $1 command....
Maybe @meleu gots a much better idea ;)

FlashPC

@cyperghost can this script also change the overlay image in the retroarch/overlays folder?

cyperghost

@flashpc It depends just on the cp command
cp -f "/opt/retropie/configs/$1/retroarch_overlay.cfg" "/opt/retropie/configs/$1/retroarch.cfg"

will show your overlay.

So you create three bash files for user menu... I'm pretty sure it will work for all systems as $1 uses system names!

cp overlays
cp shaders
cp standard (here comment out the touch command!)

The nice thing is, that with runcommand-onstart.sh every call will be checked if there was a system change and then the standard file will be changed back (if you don't want then just create the three bash files for User Menu and you are ready ;)

FlashPC

cheers guys, I'll have a play around tomorrow and see which option works best for the system I'm putting together.

Thanks again

meleu

@cyperghost said in Scripting help for replacing retroarch.cfg:

Maybe @meleu gots a much better idea ;)

Hello fellows. I'm little confused about the desired results here.

@FlashPC can you expand what are the results you expect?

EDIT: I've got the file copying/overwriting part, I'm just curious about what do you have in those files and if you want those configs only for some ROMs, etc.

FlashPC

@meleu the results I am trying to get is a script that will overwrite the retroarch.cfg file and a PNG file from either attract mode or emulation station without the need of a keyboard.

I have 3 copies of the retroarch.cfg file, one with the details for using custom overlays with additional crt shaders, one with just the crt shaders, and one with neither.

If you want to see the config files they are here

The outcome is to change the settings for the whole system, not just one game.

The person that I am making this build for can then choose whether they want;

All games for that system playable with a basic overlay with crt shaders.
All games for that system playable with a realistic overlay with crt shaders.
All games for that system playable with no overlay with crt shaders.
All games for that system playable with no overlay and no shaders.

Once they have made their decision, the games for that system will follow those rules until they decide to change it, even if they reboot the system.

Hopefully that makes sense

Paul

meleu

@flashpc I think I've got what you want. I would use a different approach if I wanted those results. I would try to create new entries in the /opt/retropie/configs/SYSTEM/emulators.cfg, each new entry loading a different retroarch.cfg.

Here is an example of how my emulators.cfg for NES looks like:

lr-fceumm = "/opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/bin/retroarch -L /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-fceumm/fceumm_libretro.so --config /opt/retropie/configs/nes/retroarch.cfg %ROM%"
default = "lr-fceumm"

I would add these lines:

lr-fceumm-shader = "/opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/bin/retroarch -L /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-fceumm/fceumm_libretro.so --config /opt/retropie/configs/nes/retroarch_shader.cfg %ROM%"
lr-fceumm-overlay = "/opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/bin/retroarch -L /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-fceumm/fceumm_libretro.so --config /opt/retropie/configs/nes/retroarch_overlay.cfg %ROM%"

And then your friend could change the behaviour in runcommand menu, changing the "emulator".

FlashPC

@meleu I like the idea, apart from the fact that they could potentially change aspects of the emulators, plus I can only seem to access the runcommand menu via a keyboard, and I am trying to change these with a controller only.

@tmntturtlguy I ran the script and it is nice, but is there anyway control could be made with the controller. just like the way retropie_setup.sh does?

TMNTturtlguy

@flashpc it should work with your controller. Did you follow the instructions and place the script in retropie menu folder? If run from the retropie menu it will run with a properly configured controller that is recognized as the first player.

FlashPC

@TMNTturtlguy yeah you are right, it just works in emulationstation, I've manage to get it working within attract mode using joymap, like the old days and KODI.

I really like the script, is there a way in which the first menu has you select the console and then a second menu will ask you to select a config

I've changed the code slightly to match my setup, there is a lot of text, and it does work, I was just thinking once the system has been selected in the first menu can that variable be used to populate the file addresses in the second menu

For example if you select Playstation in the first menu then it knows to look in the 'psx' folder

Here is what I have so far

meleu

@flashpc said in Scripting help for replacing retroarch.cfg:

@meleu I like the idea, apart from the fact that they could potentially change aspects of the emulators,

Not sure what you mean here.

I can only seem to access the runcommand menu via a keyboard, and I am trying to change these with a controller only.

Every connected controller can invoke runcommand menu. After choosing a game to play press the button you set for A several times until runcommand menu appears.

FlashPC

@meleu from the runcommand you can select emulators for the complete system, as well as per game. If this is done and the game is not compatible with the new emulator then it wont load, (arcade for example) so I would like to avoid that as I will not be able to help once he takes the box away with him.

and I don't know about accessing the menu from a controller, I tap the 'X' on my controller which is set to A in emulationstation and it just loads the games, but pressing 'ENTER' on the keyboard works every time.