retroarch video settings not working

benjaminjay

I followed this guide but it doesn't work for me. My GBA games are still stretched.
https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Smaller-RetroArch-Screen

is there another config file that is overriding this one?
/opt/retropie/configs/gba/retroarch.cfg

Pi Model or other hardware: 3B
Power Supply used: 2.5A
RetroPie Version Used: when I run retropie_setup.sh it says 4.4.14
Built From: (Pre made SD Image on RetroPie website)
USB Devices connected: NA
Controller used: RetroFlag Controller
Error messages received: NA
Guide used: https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Smaller-RetroArch-Screen
File: see guide
Emulator: lr-mgba

sirhenrythe5th

Please do not post a support request without first reading and following the advice in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

The way it is it is similar to the question "My car wont run - whats wrong?"

benjaminjay

@sirhenrythe5th added more info

mitu

Can you post the retroarch.cfg you modified ? What's your resolution - if it's not 1080p, those settings might have to be tweaked.

benjaminjay

@mitu I'm on a typical 1080 computer monitor. Here is the config file.

# 19 = Config, 20 = 1:1 PAR, 21 = Core Provided, 22 = Custom Viewport
aspect_ratio_index = "22"

# these two define the pixel size of the emulated screen
# keep this in the same ratio as the original console
custom_viewport_width = "720"
custom_viewport_height = "480"

# the following two decide how far from the left and top we offset the above
# use your resolution, minus the screen size, divided by two
# these settings for 1080p screen (1920x1080)
# (1920-720)/2 = 600
custom_viewport_x = "600"
# (1080-480)/2 = 300
custom_viewport_y = "300"

input_remapping_directory = "/opt/retropie/configs/gba/"

#include "/opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg"

mitu

@benjaminjay Hm, looks like the index for the custom resolution has changed again.
Try with aspect_ration_index = "23" added on the 2nd line

# 19 = Config, 20 = 1:1 PAR, 21 = Core Provided, 22 = Custom Viewport
aspect_ratio_index = "23"

# these two define the pixel size of the emulated screen
# keep this in the same ratio as the original console
custom_viewport_width = "720"
custom_viewport_height = "480"

# the following two decide how far from the left and top we offset the above
# use your resolution, minus the screen size, divided by two
# these settings for 1080p screen (1920x1080)
# (1920-720)/2 = 600
custom_viewport_x = "600"
# (1080-480)/2 = 300
custom_viewport_y = "300"

input_remapping_directory = "/opt/retropie/configs/gba/"

#include "/opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg"

benjaminjay

@mitu the game is still stretched to fill the screen vertically

mitu

@benjaminjay Do you have any sort of game options saved ? I tried the conf I posted and there's no stretch, the game screen appears in the middle of the screen - as described in the doc page.
What version of RetroArch are you using ?

benjaminjay

@mitu I don't know how to check if I have game options saved. When I hotkey into Retroarch in game the window says 1.7.6

mitu

@benjaminjay normally it appears at 5he bottom of the screen, after the controller messages. Or you can try with another/new gamean see if the screen area is the same.

benjaminjay

@mitu how would I go about deleting those options manually? Is there a file I can look for?

mitu

@benjaminjay there should be an opt file named after the rom name, somewhere under /home/pi/.config/retroarch/config/.

benjaminjay

@mitu What about editing /home/pi/.config/retroarch/config/mGBA/mGBA.cfg ??
When I load up a ROM in mGBA I get a message at the bottom saying "failed saving config to /opt/retropie/configs/gba/retroarch.cfg"

mitu

@benjaminjay did you edit the .cfg file - with the resolution settings- as root ? That's probably why the file cannot be written by Retro arch,if you try to save the settings.

benjaminjay

@mitu I'm not sure... I have a very basic understanding of the permissions system but I do remember using sudo chown to be able to edit some files using WinSCP
Can I work around this by editing /home/pi/.config/retroarch/config/mGBA/mGBA.cfg ??
Or can you tell me how to properly set permissions for this stuff ?

mitu

@benjaminjay I'mon mobile now, so can't give precise instructions, but you can remove the file, then reinstall mgba and the file will be created with the right settings. After the file is created, you can add back the configuration settings I posted yesterday.

benjaminjay

@mitu ok so I installed mGBA from the retropie setup script. When I add those config settings back, the game is displayed down in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. When I try with aspect_ratio_index = "22" added on the 2nd line instead, it is back to being centered but stretched again.
Also the file /home/pi/.config/retroarch/config/mGBA/mGBA.cfg wasn't replaced when I installed the emulator again

mitu

@benjaminjay said in retroarch video settings not working:

When I add those config settings back, the game is displayed down in the bottom right hand corner of the screen

I don't get this behavior. Are you sure your display resolution is 1080p ? Use the RGUI, go into the Video settings part and check what your display settings are - including the ones you set in the .cfg file, they should be there.

Also the file /home/pi/.config/retroarch/config/mGBA/mGBA.cfg wasn't replaced when I installed the emulator again

I thought you were referring to the /opt/retropie/configs/gba/retroarch.cfg. The mCGBA.cfg must be a core override file, you can create it from the RGUI menu, by using the Ovrrides -> Save core override menu entry.

benjaminjay

@mitu so far I've changed every setting I can find to fix this but it's either fully stretched or displays in the far right bottom corner with most of the screen cut off including the retroarch menu
I gave up editing config files manually and just adjusted the screen from within retroarch gui, it ended up being an odd size resolution tho