EmulationStation mod

jdoolin

I'm updating the database schema to use all of the fields in es_systems.cfg. So including the few I've added, the systems table now has the following fields, with example data:

name (snes)
fullname (Super Nintendo Entertainment System)
path (/home/retropie/RetroPie/roms/snes
extension (.bin .sfc .fig .zip...)
command (/opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh 0 SYS snes %ROM%)
platform (snes) used for scraping
theme (snes)
developer (Nintendo)
release_date (August 23, 1991)
description (The SNES was the successor to the wildly successful SNES. Using a 16 bit blah, blah, blah)

The three fields I thought to add are in bold. If anyone has any other suggestions for the systems table or the database in general, let me know. Obviously, the leaner the database the better, but if adding features doesn't cost too much, great.

mattrixk

@jacobfk20
I'm okay with it not working for Windows, but I could do with some instructions on how to get both regular ES and your Grid View Mod working on a Linux virtual machine (I've found some instructions on how to get Linux Mint 16 running on a VM, and it looks pretty straight forward) if you have the time.

@jdoolin
Maybe a path to a system image? Either a picture of the console, or of the controller like in Carbon theme? It's not really essential as they can be added pretty easily in the theme.xml with an extra="true" tag, but I just thought I'd put it out there.

jacobfk20

@mattrixk This is from memory, so here goes nothing...
When I was taking photos for this thread initially I did it on ElementaryOS running on an old pc. I compiled on there but on linux its vary simple. On first it should create a .emulationstation directory with an es_systems.cfg in your home folder (may be hidden) it will have a example system in there (nes) and a location to put roms. put roms in that folder (will have to create those folders most likely) Once you have that it should boot like on the pi, but you'll only have NES. It won't run any roms, but you can at least test themes on there.

To compile:
Just download the zip of my Gridview fork https://github.com/jacobfk20/EmulationStation/tree/Gridview
and follow the directions for "building" in the readme below. (Linux Mint is a debian/ubuntu)

Just copy and paste the commands it says to do into terminal and it does the rest for you.

If you need more help with any of this then I will be glad to help. (except getting a emulator running)

jdoolin

Another update, this time on the XML gamelist to SQLite3 database conversion tool.

Right now it's a python program using all default libraries and takes the following steps.

1 - Opens a database at ~/.emulationstation/es.db
2a - Checks for ~/.emulationstation/es_systems.cfg and opens it if it exists if not,
2b - Checks for /etc/emulationstation/es_systems.cfg and opens it. In either case if there is a parse error the program exits gracefully
3 - Parses the es_systems.cfg file and adds all entries to the SQLite database
4 - For each system it finds it reads ~/.emulationstation/gamelists/<system name>/gamelist.xml, then adds those games to the database

I think all it needs is a little more error checking and some useful reporting, but otherwise it looks solid to me.

Now, am I correct that the gamelists could also exist in the respective rom paths as well? If so, where is that option found? I should be able to read the config and see where to look for gamelists.

And what else could I be missing?

mattrixk

Thanks @jacobfk20. I'll hopefully have a chance to get this running this weekend some time. I'll post back with results.

Rookervik

Oh I forgot to ask for something! * gets down on knees and begs* Can we have a clock? A clock would be so amazing. I dug out an old "grid dreams" mockup I did. Reminded me about wanting a clock in ES. Keep in mind, it was March when I did this mockup.

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Rookervik

And just for S&G, my take on Material, by Lilbud
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meleu

@Rookervik said in EmulationStation mod:

Oh I forgot to ask for something! * gets down on knees and begs* Can we have a clock? A clock would be so amazing. I dug out an old "grid dreams" mockup I did. Reminded me about wanting a clock in ES. Keep in mind, it was March when I did this mockup.

is it the mehstation?! I think I underrated it...

jacobfk20

@Rookervik Nice mockups :) The Pi doesn't have an RTC so the clock may just annoy people if they don't connect their pi to the internet to keep the time correct. But to be honest I was thinking not too long ago as I was looking at ES and just thinking "Man, I wish there was a clock." lol

bense2k

@jdoolin I dont know if it is a good idea to add some form of checksum for the source files to the db, so only changed files need to be parsed.

mattrixk

@jacobfk20 Sorry mate, but I need some help still.

I managed to set up an ubuntu virtual machine, and I got RetroPie set up on it by following this guide, but now I can't get your Mod to work.

I downloaded the latest version from your google drive and then went into /opt/retropie/supplementary/emulationstation. I had to change the permissions before it would let me make any changes within the folder, but I figured out how to do that with chown.
So I made a back up of the emulationstation file within /opt/retropie/supplementary/emulationstation, then I copied your file over it. Now when I try to run it I get:

/opt/retropie/supplementary/emulationstation.sh: 6: /opt/retropie/supplementary/emulationstation.sh: /opt/retropie/supplementary/emulationstation: Permission denied

Do you know what this means or how to get around it? I tried changing permissions back to root, but that didn't change anything. When I moved the backup file back into place (overwriting your file) ES started working again without a problem.

jacobfk20

@mattrixk How do you run emulationstation? What command do you type?

mattrixk

@jacobfk20 I just type emulationstation in the terminal.

That works with the default file, or double clicking it also starts ES. I also use emulationstation --windowed --resolution 1280 720 so it opens in a windowed view.

However when I try emulationstation in terminal with your file in place, I get the error listed above. If I try double clicking the file, it asks me what program I want to use to open it.

I'm a linux noob, so I'm probably missing a simple step.

jacobfk20

my Emulationstation file may not be set as an executable. Try doing from terminal:

chmod +x emulationstation

while in the same directory as my es file.

mattrixk

@jacobfk20 I did that, then ran emulationstation again and I got the following error:

/opt/retropie/supplemental/emulationstation/emulationstation: 1: /opt/retropie/supplemental/emulationstation/emulationstation: Syntax error: word unexpected (expecting ")")

jacobfk20

@mattrixk That's a new one. May need to talk over some pm.

mattrixk

@jacobfk20 Hooray, I'm good at breaking things in weird ways.

jacobfk20

How did you run chmod? If you have skype we can talk more easily on that. My name is the same there as it is on here.

mattrixk

@jacobfk20 said in EmulationStation mod:

How did you run chmod?

I just went into my ES folder /opt/retropie/supplemental/emulationstation/, typed in chmod +x emulationstation and hit enter. There was no indication that anything had happened, but also no error message to say what I did was wrong. Should I have done sudo?

I don't have skype (and I'm kinda at work at the moment, so I should really be doing that instead of this). Short of gmail or google chat, I don't really have any chat programs. I don't even use facebook, and haven't touched MIRC since I was in highschool over 15 years ago.

jacobfk20

My gmail is the same name as it is here too :)