Is it possible to run OpenBOR as a system?

JimmyFromTheBay

I've just spent a very bewildering day reading a series of threads like this one:

https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/13784/openbor-finally-working-fine-on-retropie-with-es

...and come away none the wiser about whether OpenBOR can currently be run as a system (ie appearing in EmulationStation in its own right, not in Ports, with a list of games that can be run directly from PAK files, not through a menu and needing to be unpacked first) or not.

I've installed Retropie-Extra which claims to offer "the latest version" of OpenBOR - and specifically says it's one that runs it as a system - but when you install it it's the same old one as before. I added it in ES_SYSTEMS.CFG and got a list of games, but when you actually run on you just get the OpenBOR menu interface as always, except it's squished into a little box in the bottom left of the screen.

I also tried this thread, which is just gibberish:

https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/19326/openbor-6xxx-openbeta-testphase

6. Start RetroPie-Install
7. Go to EXTRA section

Start WHAT and go to WHAT now?

There's a THIRD contradictory set of instructions here:

https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/18565/tutorial-openbor-the-complete-guide

I can't tell if any of these sets of instructions still work or if Retropie has obsoleted them or what. Is there a definitive answer to this that an idiot can follow without having a brain seizure, or should I just stick with the clunky and fiddly way of running it through Ports?

JimmyFromTheBay

@jimmyfromthebay So I guess I'm on my own with this one...?

ChaosEffect

@jimmyfromthebay I don't have experience with OpenBOR and can't help you with that specifically, but here are some instructions on how to add a new system to EmulationStation:

https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Add-a-New-System-in-EmulationStation/

Hopefully, this points you in the right direction!

JimmyFromTheBay

@chaoseffect Haha, thanks, but no, that isn't at all helpful. I have 126 systems running here and I'm very experienced at adding new ones, but this particular one has me foxed.

G30FF

@jimmyfromthebay I have OpenBOR as a system on my Pi. Here's how I do it.

Add the OpenBOR system to es_systems.cfg:

<system>
    <name>openbor</name>
    <fullname>OpenBOR</fullname>
    <path>/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/openbor</path>
    <extension>.sh .SH</extension>
    <command>bash %ROM%</command>
    <platform>openbor</platform>
    <theme>openbor</theme>
  </system>

Create the openbor folder in your roms folder
Inside this new folder, create another folder called openbor, and place your .pak files in it.
For each game you want to run, create a .sh file in the rom folder with the name of the game you want to run. For example, my file Avengers - United Battle Force.sh file looks like this:

"/opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh" 0 _PORT_ "openbor" "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/openbor/openbor/Avengers - United Battle Force.pak"

Restart ES, and your .sh files will show up as games in your gamelist. Just select one to auto start OpenBOR with the selected mod running.

sleve_mcdichael

@g30ff said in Is it possible to run OpenBOR as a system?:

"/opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh" 0 _PORT_ "openbor" "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/openbor/openbor/Avengers - United Battle Force.pak"

If that works, why not just put it as the <command> in the system config instead of running a bash script that does the same thing?

<extension>.pak .PAK</extension>
<command>"/opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh" 0 _PORT_ "openbor" "%ROM%"</command>

...and then it will read the .pak files directly for the menu? Does that not work like I think it does, for some reason?

G30FF

@sleve_mcdichael You could try it and see. That's just how I was able to get it all to work. I did it with .sh scripts originally because I had them set up to work in the Ports folder as individual games, and when I made my OpenBOR system, it was as a copy of the Ports system. I will try it myself.

EDIT: Yeah, your suggestion worked.

JimmyFromTheBay

I'm completely stumped here. I've tried putting this in es_systems.cfg:

  <system>
    <name>openbor</name>
    <fullname>OpenBOR</fullname>
    <path>/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/openbor</path>
    <extension>.pak .PAK .sh .SH</extension>
    <command>bash %ROM%</command>
    <platform>openbor</platform>
    <theme>openbor</theme>
  </system>

And I've tried this version:

  <system>
    <name>openbor</name>
    <fullname>OpenBOR</fullname>
    <path>/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/openbor</path>
    <extension>.pak .PAK .sh .SH</extension>
    <command>"/opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh" 0 _PORT_ "openbor" "%ROM%"</command>
    <platform>openbor</platform>
    <theme>openbor</theme>
  </system>

In the Openbor ROMs folder I have:

Beats of Rage - Rhythm of Destruction.pak
Beats of Rage - Rhythm of Destruction.sh
Streets Of Rage IV.pak

The .SH file contains this:

"/opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh" 0 _PORT_ "openbor" "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/openbor/Beats of Rage - Rhythm of Destruction.pak"

But no matter which of those things I run, what actually boots up is the Openbor menu, which lists the four games that are in /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/ports/openbor (in unpacked form).

It makes no difference if I put the PAK files in

/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/openbor
or
/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/openbor/openbor.

If I delete the folder of unpacked games in Ports , it tells me there are no mods available.

Where am I going wrong?

G30FF

@jimmyfromthebay You might have installed the wrong OpenBOR version, or one that does not support running games from the CLI.

https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/19326/openbor-6xxx-openbeta-testphase/385

Use this as a reference to add the scriptmodule for OpenBOR 6xxx, and then install it from RetroPie's extras menu. Try uninstalling whichever version of OpenBOR you have installed first.

JimmyFromTheBay

@g30ff said in Is it possible to run OpenBOR as a system?:

@jimmyfromthebay You might have installed the wrong OpenBOR version, or one that does not support running games from the CLI.

https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/19326/openbor-6xxx-openbeta-testphase/385

Use this as a reference to add the scriptmodule for OpenBOR 6xxx, and then install it from RetroPie's extras menu.

What extras menu?

G30FF

@jimmyfromthebay Sorry. Experimental packages.