RetroPie forum home
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Home
    • Docs
    • Register
    • Login

    Two Thoughts: Auto-boot RetroPie into a Game / into a Slideshow

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Ideas and Development
    suggestionsideasimprovementsretropie
    27 Posts 5 Posters 7.3k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • B
      BJRetro @OneSwitch
      last edited by BJRetro

      @OneSwitch
      boot directly to rom:

      (1) Go to terminal (F4 on keyboard)
      (2) Type sudo nano /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh

      (this is to edit the autostart file)

      (3) now add the command to indicate the rom to start on:

      /opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0_SYS_ arcade ~/RetroPie/roms/arcade/tmnt.zip --no-splash && emulationstation

      You replace tmnt.zip with whatever your arcade rom is. Note where SYS appears in italics it is actually an underscore on either side of SYS but that’s just the way the forum displays this code.

      (4) exit using the command at the bottom of the screen and save on exit when prompted

      Delete boot text and emulation station loading screen, raspberries

      (1) when back in terminal type sudo nano /boot/cmdline.txt

      (2) make sure on the line of text that appears that you change anything that you see about console=tty1 to console=tty3 or add that whole phrase if nothing is pre-existing there and then also add logo.nologo to the line that you see, keep it all in one line

      (3) exit (CTRL+X) and save when prompted

      (Note the —no splash in the autostart.sh file above is what removed the emulationstation splash screen)

      (4) Now back in terminal type sudo nano /boot/config.txt
      Scroll to bottom of file add the following line:
      disable_splash=1

      If you want to also add a custom splash screen there’s are separate instructions for that - I think it may even be on the retropie menu .

      mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • mituM
        mitu Global Moderator @BJRetro
        last edited by mitu

        @BJRetro said in Two Thoughts: Auto-boot RetroPie into a Game / into a Slideshow:

        /opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0_SYS_ arcade ~/RetroPie/roms/arcade/tmnt.zip --no-splash && emulationstation

        I think this should be

        /opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0_SYS_ arcade ~/RetroPie/roms/arcade/tmnt.zip
        
        emulationstation --no-splash
        

        if you want to remove the ES splashscreen.

        B OneSwitchO 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 2
        • B
          BJRetro @mitu
          last edited by

          @mitu thanks!

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • OneSwitchO
            OneSwitch
            last edited by

            Thanks, I'll try this ASAP and will let you know how I get on with 4.4. Much appreciate your time to share this.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • OneSwitchO
              OneSwitch @mitu
              last edited by

              @mitu No luck so far. I tried.

              (1) Go to terminal (F4 on keyboard)
              (2) Type sudo nano /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh
              (3) Edited as follows...

              emulationstation #auto
              /opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0_SYS_ mame-libretro ~/RetroPie/roms/mame-libretro/gorf.zip
              

              (4) CTRL+X and save, then run by typing emulationstation.

              But no luck. Tried restarting. No luck. I wonder if the path is wrong. Any ideas appreciated.

              mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • mituM
                mitu Global Moderator @OneSwitch
                last edited by

                @OneSwitch The order of the commands is backwards - you're first starting ES and then your ROM - it should be the other way around, like in the command I posted.
                Furthermore, running emulationstation (by typing the command) will simply do that - run Emulationstation. The script you edited is only run on boot, after start-up.

                OneSwitchO 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • OneSwitchO
                  OneSwitch @mitu
                  last edited by

                  @mitu Thanks for this clarification. I tried moving gorf.zip + configs into the Arcade folder (works fine there manually) so I could more closely mimic what you suggested. Still not working for me. Don't know if it makes any difference but my system starts up within "Collections". A possible pathway issue? Also, is it right that there are spaces in the /opt/retropie/supplementary.... line?

                  mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • mituM
                    mitu Global Moderator @OneSwitch
                    last edited by mitu

                    @OneSwitch There might be a typo in my 1st command. Instead of

                    /opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0_SYS_ arcade ~/RetroPie/roms/arcade/tmnt.zip
                    

                    it should be

                    /opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0 _SYS_ arcade ~/RetroPie/roms/arcade/gorf.zip
                    

                    Other ES settings shouldn't affect this command, since it's run outside of Emulationstation.

                    B 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • B
                      BJRetro @mitu
                      last edited by

                      Also what emulator are you running gorf with? I swear I read a thread recently and there were some kinds of issues with that game or someone was saying there were issues with that game running with standard emulators. I use Lr-mame2003 for tmnt. If it doesn’t work for you after what mitu just said maybe try with a different rom first that you run using standard lr-mame2003 so you can at least test whether it is the command or the rom/emulator combo.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • OneSwitchO
                        OneSwitch
                        last edited by

                        I tried a few times, using gorf with libretro mame 2003, and 2010 (2003 is the really sluggish one for Gorf).... No luck, nothing auto boots. I also find that if I edit that file too many times, I'm getting a "Error reading lock file /opt/ ... (not sure of the end as on the vertical CRT I'm getting the leftmost and rightmost sides chopped off in the terminal editing part).

                        Thanks for trying to help me. It would be brilliant to get this sussed for 4.4 or newer.

                        mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • mituM
                          mitu Global Moderator @OneSwitch
                          last edited by

                          @OneSwitch In order for the 'auto-boot' to work, you first have to make the game work normally - from ES, using the Runcommand menu to choose the right emulator for the ROM. After that, using the Runcommand from the auto-start script will run the game normally - using the chosen emulator. If this part is not working, then the 'auto-boot' will not work.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • OneSwitchO
                            OneSwitch
                            last edited by

                            @mitu said in Two Thoughts: Auto-boot RetroPie into a Game / into a Slideshow:

                            you first have to make the game work normally - from ES, using the Runcommand menu to choose the right emulator for the ROM. After that, using the Runcommand from the auto-start script will run the game normally - using the chosen emulator. If this part is not working, then the 'auto-boot' will not work.

                            Not quite sure what you mean. The test gorf.zip rom works in Emulation Station/RetroPIe when I select it manually as I would any other game with a joypad. Works in Mame 2003 and 2010 libretro.

                            Do you mean starting the game after pressing F4?

                            mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • mituM
                              mitu Global Moderator @OneSwitch
                              last edited by

                              @OneSwitch said in Two Thoughts: Auto-boot RetroPie into a Game / into a Slideshow:

                              Not quite sure what you mean. The test gorf.zip rom works in Emulation Station/RetroPIe when I select it manually as I would any other game with a joypad. Works in Mame 2003 and 2010 libretro.

                              I mean if the game doesn't run normally, it would also not run during 'auto-boot' - this is what @BJRetro was referring also (I think).

                              Do you mean starting the game after pressing F4?

                              That's something you can try with the runcommand command from the autostart.sh file, to verify that it works.

                              B 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • B
                                BJRetro @mitu
                                last edited by BJRetro

                                @mitu @OneSwitch yes, mitu was right about what I meant. In any event OneSwitch here is an alternative see if it works for you since you are running gorf with Lr-mame and the rom is in the arcade folder and it works from emulation station. Content of the autostart.sh:

                                (All one line, no line breaks): /opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0 SYS mame-libretro ~/RetroPie/roms/arcade/gorf.zip && emulationstation —no-splash #auto

                                Before no splash that big dash is two hyphens. Make sure you accurately capture where there are spaces. The SYS in italics just has two underscores before and after it with no spaces as in @mitu’s example.

                                If this does not work for you I am at a loss as it is the exact contents of my autostart file. I just pulled it up.

                                cyperghostC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • cyperghostC
                                  cyperghost @BJRetro
                                  last edited by cyperghost

                                  @BJRetro

                                  (All one line, no line breaks): /opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0 SYS mame-libretro ~/RetroPie/roms/arcade/gorf.zip && emulationstation —no-splash #auto

                                  Before no splash that big dash is two hyphens. Make sure you accurately capture where there are spaces. The SYS in italics just has two underscores before and after it with no spaces as in @mitu’s example.

                                  That's bad! If the ROM would fail to load than emulationstation will also not start. Furthermore the command switch are two dashes....

                                  @OneSwitch
                                  This will run the emulator setted up. I don't know what's your config now! (arcade, mame, check pathes and emulator call on yourself ....) - I think @mitu suggested more correct of your current config so I took his command line.

                                  wait command could be usefull (you can try to remove it)

                                  # you suggested
                                  #/opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0 _SYS_ mame-libretro ~/RetroPie/roms/mame-libretro/gorf.zip
                                  # mitu suggested
                                  /opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0 _SYS_ arcade ~/RetroPie/roms/arcade/gorf.zip
                                  wait $!
                                  emulationstation --no-splash #auto
                                  
                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • OneSwitchO
                                    OneSwitch
                                    last edited by

                                    It works!!

                                    Thank you both so much for sticking with me. I'm not quite sure what the precise issue was but having the gorf.zip in arcade,

                                    (0) Drop gorf.zip in the arcade folder, with MAME2010 config files.
                                    (1) Go to terminal (F4 on keyboard)
                                    (2) Type sudo nano /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh
                                    (3) Edited as follows...

                                    /opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0 _SYS_ arcade ~/RetroPie/roms/arcade/gorf.zip
                                    wait $!
                                    emulationstation --no-splash #auto
                                    

                                    (4) CTRL+X > yes to save and return to save as the file name is suggests.
                                    (5) Restart the Pi.
                                    (6) Gorf auto loads.

                                    Thanks so much. I'll get this working for Space Invaders, ideally once I've found a way to flip the screen so that it works in a mirror so I can use a CRT monitor vertically. That would be so nice. Then I can flick my arcade on at the wall, and have it all auto-boot.

                                    Huge thanks again, I really appreciate it. Excellent community here.

                                    IanDaemonI 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • OneSwitchO
                                      OneSwitch
                                      last edited by

                                      Trying to do the same with advmame 0.94 (to autoboot Asteroids), but finding the game hangs at the title-screen, or I get a blank screen. I managed once to get the game working by pressing some keys on a keyboard, but mostly, it fails to start.

                                      Advmame 0.94 is the only emulator that runs Asteroids well I've found (good resolution, and no lag on the sound effects). Would love to get this working.

                                      OneSwitchO 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • OneSwitchO
                                        OneSwitch @OneSwitch
                                        last edited by

                                        @OneSwitch Think it was running in 1.4. Changed to 0.94 and it's working now. Had to use Filezilla to get into the autostart.sh file to edit it via a PC, as the system had locked up.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • IanDaemonI
                                          IanDaemon @OneSwitch
                                          last edited by IanDaemon

                                          @OneSwitch said in Two Thoughts: Auto-boot RetroPie into a Game / into a Slideshow:

                                          ...so that it works in a mirror...

                                          Did you try display_rotate in config.sys? I found this explanation on the web:

                                          "Can be used to rotate or flip the screen orientation; the default value is 0.
                                          display_rotate result
                                          0 no rotation
                                          1 rotate 90 degrees clockwise
                                          2 rotate 180 degrees clockwise
                                          3 rotate 270 degrees clockwise
                                          0x10000 horizontal flip
                                          0x20000 vertical flip
                                          Note that the 90 and 270 degree rotation options require additional memory on the GPU, so these won't work with the 16MB GPU split.
                                          You can horizontally flip the display by adding
                                          display_rotate=0x10000"

                                          I use "display_rotate=1" at home for my arcade cocktail cabinet.

                                          • 5 Favorite Arcade Games in MAME
                                          • Cocktail Cabinet Games
                                          • Check out the MAME RoW
                                          OneSwitchO 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • OneSwitchO
                                            OneSwitch @IanDaemon
                                            last edited by

                                            @IanDaemon Thanks, Ian. This doesn't work on a CRT monitor (at least not with Pi2Scart). More here:

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • First post
                                              Last post

                                            Contributions to the project are always appreciated, so if you would like to support us with a donation you can do so here.

                                            Hosting provided by Mythic-Beasts. See the Hosting Information page for more information.