[Solved] EmulationStation - change button that launches games?

[MAnderson]

I am using Retroarch v1.6.7 with RetroPie v4.3. I've searched through all of the documentation but can't find a way to change the virtual pad button that launches games. Games launch with the P1 A button but I would like to launch games with the P1 Start button. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[mitu]

@manderson It's not RetroArch that launches the games, but EmulationStation. You could re-map your input in EmulationStation and switch the 2 buttons (Start/A), but the mapping will carry out through to the games started in RetroArch, so be aware of that.

[MAnderson]

Just following up on this.... so there is no way to customize the button that launches games in EmulationStation (for example the start button) without also changing the button configuration within the games?

[mitu]

@manderson Assuming you want the switch the buttons globally, you can go in RetroArch and re-configure your button so 'Start' and 'A' are switched, but IMHO it's not worth the hassle.
Take a look at https://retropie.org.uk/docs/RetroArch-Configuration/#core-input-remapping

[MAnderson]

I have a control panel similar to this:

So in order to have the Start button on that control panel launch games, I need to globally set that button to P1 A button? Then in order to make the games play correctly, I need to remap P1 A button and P1 Start button within each core?

[mitu]

@manderson You can try and do it only in the configuration from /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch-joypads, where ES generates the config for RA, based on your Input configuration.
Actually, you can save the file containing 'normal' mapping first (i.e. Start is Start), which should work in RA as normal. Then re-configure your input in ES, it will generate a new file in the folder mentioned, which you can then overwrite with the 'normal' mapping you created first. This way ES will have 'Start' as 'A', and RetroArch will keep the 'normal' mapping, so you don't have to reconfigure each core. If this works, then make sure you save this config just incase you need to re-configure your input in ES.

[MAnderson]

Thank you! That sent me in the right direction..... /opt/retropie/configs/all/emulationstation contains a file es_input.cfg. Just had to reverse the keyboard input IDs for Start and A button.