Enter key swapped with Backspace

dcaputi

I'm running my arcade games in lr-mame using EmulationStation as the font-end. Call me crazy, but I use a keyboard to navigate ES. To make that possible, I had to configure the keyboard as a controller and assign A button to enter and B to backspace (is that not what I should be doing?)

Stupid thing is, when I open the OSD in mame, the Enter key works as UI Cancel and Backspace is now UI Select. Even more stupid, if I remap UI Select and Cancel in the mame OSD for input/general, then the ES navigation gets messed up!

What am I doing wrong?

Ashpool

@dcaputi Please more Info, as requested by this sticky.

But (now my 2ct. commentary first) as you are using lr-mame, hey - you just encountered one of the cores/situations where the arguments from NonMAME against retroarch are at least in so far valid, that non expert users aren't aware of the ~~culprits~~ hazzards/pitfalls they may encounter.

for mame (and lr-mame is still mame) the keyboard is the keyboard and the libretro RetroPad concept (overlayed on/utilizing the KBD) is conflicting with it! Not sure what lr-mame you are using, but within the retroarch config for it you may find an option to have it to accept retropad or keyboard only. Not sure how to explain it properly, but if you search this forum for configuring (lr-)mame in conjunction with keyboard encoders like the I-PAC (2/4), you will find your solution.

dcaputi

Pi Model or other hardware: Pi5 8Gb
Power Supply used: 27w
RetroPie Version Used v4.8
Built From: Raspberry Pi Imager
USB Devices connected: PC-105 keyboard, mouse, XBOX controller dongle
Controller used: XBOX 360
Error messages received: none
Verbose log (if relevant): n/a
Emulator: lr-mame v0.265, built from source
Attachment of config files:
How to replicate the problem: start from a clean install, run EmulationStation for the first time and configure a game controller. Launch any arcade game and open the MAME on-screen display. Verify the Enter key performs a "UI Select". Exit game and return to ES. Open "Configure Input" and continue to map the keyboard - when mapping A, hit the Enter key and B, press backspace (makes sense?)

dcaputi

That last bit about ES getting messed up is not accurate - I meant to say that the RetroArch in-game menu (hotkey+X) is now messed up (enter and cancel reversed).

I must be missing something simple - this shouldn't be that difficult! Is the answer simply that I shouldn't be using a keyboard for menu selection and cancel?

dcaputi

@Ashpool thanks for the reply! ... you've helped me rule out some things and gave me more to think about and research. I'm determined to get RetroArch working seamlessly with both a keyboard and my arcade controls (none of which resembles a gamepad go figure!)