Development of module-script generator for lr-mess, lr-mame and mame standalone

DTEAM

@folly
Quick question, when we use your script for Handheld. Does it generate a rompath like / home / pi / RetroPie / roms / tigerh in mame.ini or do we have to do it manually to be able to use the basename option. This is for the help menu.

.. configs/mame/mame.ini

Folly

@dteam

Good question, actually I can't remember if the script automatically adds it.

I think it was something that still had to be looked after.
Because for other systems the basename option isn't perfect for many systems.
So I think we still have to do it manually.

When I can I will have a look.

Edit:
I deleted the tiger rompath in my mame.ini.
After installing tiger again it's not added.
So it still has to be added manually.

I think I did some tests to add the rompath into the runcommand line.
But I never added these lines because some systems needed an other solution, like the apfm1000.
It should be somewhat a universal solution but never had clever idea for that.

DTEAM

Maybe you should add a line like this in your first post.

" EXTRA OPTION: To use basename options for a specific system, you have to add the rompath in .. configs/mame/mame.ini like this:

rompath  /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/tigerh; /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/konamih

This way, if you have a ROM with the appropriate MAME naming system, you will be able to use hash files with preset from MAMEdev.org and also cheat codes.

Basename option doesn't work for some systems like apfm1000

IMPORTANT: It is not necessary to use the basename option to play games with MAME or lr-MESS. "

Folly

@dteam

Indeed, for now it's a good option to add it in the first post.

When I have some time I will try to look for a solution again.

Folly

@dteam

I think we overlooked another issue.
With the mame basename option for, for example tigerh, it adds the systemname tigerh to the runcommand which doesn't work obviously.
It looked like this (not OK) :
mame-basename = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -v -c tigerh %BASENAME%"

I have fixed this now over here. (not on github yet as I have to do more)
So systems with media get the system-name before the %BASENAME% and systems that don't have "media" the system name isn't added.

Examples for tigerh and apfm1000 as they should be (see the difference) :
tigerh:
mame-basename = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -v -c %BASENAME%"
apfm1000:
mame-basename = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -v -c apfm1000 %BASENAME%"

With the last line I tried apfm1000 again, adding the rompath to the mame.ini.
Now it works ;-)

I asked myself the question why didn't it work with the line described in post 748.
Well, I think, when we add a rompath in the runcommand line the rompaths in the mame.ini are overruled so then it uses only the rompath that is added to the runcommand line.
Adding more rompaths to a runcommand line isn't possible I think.
So for lr-mess getting a solution for the same problem will be more difficult.

So now I have to figure out how I can append the rompaths in the mame.ini automatically.

To be continued ......

DTEAM

@folly
I agree , on my side, i'm using something like that for Handheld

mame-autoframeskip = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -autoframeskip %BASENAME%"

For "real" system

mame-basename = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -v -c jaguar %BASENAME%"

I didn't mention that before. Good call!!! We already talked about that a long time ago ;-)
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/28462/tutorial-handheld-and-plug-play-systems-with-mame/22
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/29682/development-of-module-script-generator-for-lr-mess-and-mame-standalone/15?_=1638892175522

Folly

@dteam

Indeed we somewhat talked about that, seems we didn't realize back then.

Of-course, If I add a line with framekip or autoframeskip, the idea is the same.

Folly

@dteam

Seems I just found a way to add multiple rompaths to a command, by backslash escaping \;( good to know) .
Works :

/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -v -c  -rompath /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/apfm1000\;/home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame apfm1000 "spacedst"

Doesn't work :

/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -v -c  -rompath /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/apfm1000;/home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame apfm1000 "spacedst"

Doesn't work (altough /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame apfm1000 is in mame.ini) :

/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -v -c  -rompath /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/apfm1000 "spacedst"

Folly

@dteam

I did some investigation on how the rompaths are added in the module-script for mame.
It's added in a plain way, so I can't use that method, because we have to append.

I think it's simpler to just add both rompaths in the runcommand line.
Benefit will be that the mame.ini doesn't get overflowed with rompaths.
Also, when we de-install a module-script the emulator.cfg will be wiped.
But if we add rompaths to the mame.ini they aren't removed with a de-install.

I have added the rompaths to the runcommand lines.
I have removed the mame-cmd lines as the are no longer needed.
(The name isn't good either because they will not load .cmd files)
Instead I will replace them with equal basename lines.

Edit :
It's working I will put it on github soon !

https://github.com/FollyMaddy/RetroPie-Share/commit/d7fe855ca321a5a007d963a87d213f37cae1d7d6

DTEAM

@folly said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

I have added the rompaths to the runcommand lines.

This is a good idea!

Folly

@dteam

I think you know how to get rid of the old lines in the emulators.cfg.

Can you test for me if cheats are working with these lines ?
If that works then I think it's a very good improvement.

Then we can probably take it to the next step and make more retropie names adding for example :

pinball
shooter
calculator
climbing
etc

For that I want to be able to get these matching arrays in the generator-script part from the database .

At the moment I am busy with a script that will automatically build the new data-base from the new files from progettosnaps.net.
Seems I can get all data now from progettosnaps.net also the categories.
So probably no need to use adb.arcadeitalia.net.
Hopefully I can get it to work, that way it will save a lot of time each time a new mame version comes.

DTEAM

@folly

These lines work to load a game without Rompath in mame.ini but doesn't work for Cheat codes and I can't explain why.

Basename_link = /opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -v -c  -rompath /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/coleco\;/home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame coleco "spacedst"
Basename_link2 = /opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -v -c  -rompath /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/coleco\;/home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame coleco %BASENAME%"

For cheat codes we need for now (for coleco) :
in mame.ini

rompath /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/coleco

in emulator.cfg

mame-coleco-cheat= "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -c -autoframeskip coleco %BASENAME%"

Folly

@dteam

Seems we don't always are that lucky with this.

Reading your post I presume all systems aren't working with cheats, am I right ?
Or is it only coleco ?

When I can will have second look at this problem

DTEAM

@folly
I did a test with Coleco. I presume it's the same things for the others.

Folly

@dteam

The cheat issue should be fixed now.
It should also work with the new basename options too. (I tested myself)

There was a mismatch between where the cheats were downloaded and the cheatpath in mame.ini.

Can you test it again.
Before testing, you have to download the cheats again in the script.

https://github.com/FollyMaddy/RetroPie-Share/commit/5e094182dc9b6d5e7c537175bd7a18ccc0687aa0

DTEAM

@folly

For help menu. where you want my text?
English is not my mother tongue, so feel free to modify if you see mistakes.

BTW, seach tool in your script works very well!

DTEAM

@folly said in Development of module-script generator for lr-mess and mame standalone:

Can you test it again.
Before testing, you have to download the cheats again in the script.
https://github.com/FollyMaddy/RetroPie-Share/commit/5e094182dc9b6d5e7c537175bd7a18ccc0687aa0

You have hit the bullseye !!! It works

Folly

@dteam

Indeed, at last a good solution for the mame basename part, nice, isn't it ;-)
Though we have to take into account that the roms have to be in the root directory structure of : /roms/<system>/<basename_rom_file> .
The solution will not work with this directory structure :/roms/<system>/<subdirectory>/<basename_rom_file>.
(perhaps I can find a solution for this in the future, but honestly I have no clue now)

Making a solution for lr-mess basename still has to be done, but that's for the future..... (no clue either)

The help can be attached to almost every line that can be executed.
This is the comma separate line of selecting the submenu of the handhelds (help part is bold :
",Handheld / plug&play and downloads > Submenu,,subgui_add-mamedev-systems_forum,,,,,dialog_message "install handheld / plug&play and the required downloads","

So we can add more in above line.

We can also add help text to, for example :
",Konami Handheld,,run_generator_script kbilly,,,,,dialog_message "HELP","

The dialog_message part is executed when we press the help_button.

Folly

@dteam

I changed post 1 adding the improvements.

I looks like I found why the cheats were in a different path, it's because of lr-mess :
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/29682/development-of-module-script-generator-for-lr-mess-and-mame-standalone/22

Basically I have to change the script again so the cheats are downloaded in 2 different paths, one for mame and one for lr-mess :

/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/mame/cheat/cheat.7z (mame)
/home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame/cheat/cheat.7z (lr-mess)

https://github.com/FollyMaddy/RetroPie-Share/commit/dbcf27261621484b4d5e5e077b1f1eb665805973

DTEAM

@folly
Is there a way to skip a line in your script (like press enter in Word) for a help message. I would like to do a multi line message and i'm not able to do that.