One versatile USB Gamepad interface mapping everything

[cousinsfan]

I have had a PC-based machine for 15 years and now am simplifying to Pi3. I purchased one of these USB to 30 or so pinned connectors. There's enough connections for 2 joysticks, 4 buttons and several more buttons that I'd like to wire to my PAUSE, TAB, ESC, COIN, P1 Start, P2 Start buttons on my panel (yes, using MAME only). (had been using a keyboard hack for those keyboard buttons but it's getting old)

So...will the ES Configure UI allow me to map 2 joystick's worth of "inputs" from the usb gamepad (just one "Gamepad" detected of course) as well as all the other player buttons. THEN how can I map my pause, coin1, coin2, esc, etc buttons?

EDIT: I'm aware of joytest and have run this, so I can get these numbered inputs for reference to map...somewhere. I don't know what the predefined keyboard keys' text would be like 'input_Pause' if there even is such a thing.

For that matter, what do other people do here when using arcade control panels with gamepads?

[cousinsfan]

I'm replying to myself...I guess if I only use the left joystick to navigate the non-emulator UI (seems reasonable)...

Then in any MAME game use a keyboard and hit TAB and then press any buttons (wired to my "gamepad") I darn well please to configure them as I wish!

Is that reasonable!?!?!?

[lostless]

@cousinsfan You can do that, but retropie is designed to use controller per player. Using your setup, only mame will work, but if try to use any other emulator, it just won't work

[cousinsfan]

@lostless so you’re saying I would do better to purchase another USB game pad device for the second player in order to be more flexible for other emulators?
Got it.

Thank you.

[lostless]

@cousinsfan pretty much. You can buy arcade usb encoders which are basically a controller that you can wire up arcade controlls to. Get 2 of them and wire up each side as a separate controller.