LR-FBNeo Diagnostic Input (dip switches) not working

Aterlom

Hi.

Pi Model: 3B+
RetroPie Version Used: 4.8.9
Built From: retropie-buster-4.8-rpi2_3_zero2w.img.gz
USB Devices connected: I-PAC2
Controller used: I-PAC2 1.53 Mode 1 (KB)
Emulator: lr-fbneo

I have made a new installation of Retropie. Using mame2003-plus I can enter to the MAME menu by Start + Left but in fbneo I am not able to access the diagnostic service or dipswitches. I have tried with Cadillacs&Dinosaurs (dino) and D&D Tower of Doom (ddtod). Two roms that I know for sure have dip switches.

I have tried all the options offered by the diagnostic input in the core options menu. I have modified the line of the retroarch-core-options.cfg Diagnostic Input = “shift” in case the combination HK + Y would work. I have read a lot of documentation and I have spent many hours of many days trying to fix this but I think it is time to ask for help.

Thank you very much.

barbudreadmon

@Aterlom said in LR-FBNeo Diagnostic Input (dip switches) not working:

I have modified the line of the retroarch-core-options.cfg Diagnostic Input = “shift” in case the combination HK + Y would work.

Core options are lists of available choices, you can't just throw random stuff at them and expect they will work. Neither "shift" nor "hk+y" are available choices.

@Aterlom said in LR-FBNeo Diagnostic Input (dip switches) not working:

I have tried all the options offered by the diagnostic input in the core options menu.

Assuming you really did that at some point instead of trying to force random stuff by editing files, and pressed the correct inputs matching your choice, i'm not 100% sure what's your problem here. I know not using a dedicated button for retroarch's hotkey button (the one you use to open retroarch's menu) can cause various problems if the core is using holding mecanisms with the same button (let's say you are using start as your retroarch hotkey, using "hold start" as your diagnostic input might not work because retroarch won't even send the start input to the core if it is held), maybe that's what you are doing. The only other logical conclusion would be that your "keyboard" device can't hold keys for the 60+ frames required and/or is affected by some kind of ghosting.

@Aterlom said in LR-FBNeo Diagnostic Input (dip switches) not working:

I have read a lot of documentation

The only documentation you are supposed to read is a 1-liner though : https://docs.libretro.com/library/fbneo/#dipswitches

Aterlom

@barbudreadmon said in LR-FBNeo Diagnostic Input (dip switches) not working:

I think retroarch's hotkey button (the one you use to open retroarch's menu) can interfere with other holding key mecanisms.

The only other logical conclusion would be that your "keyboard" device can't hold keys for the 60+ frames required and/or is affected by some kind of ghosting.

I thank you for your answer that has led me to have new points of view and to find a solution.

Effectively, after your message I checked with a keytest program that the P1 Start button is the only one that is not able to keep pressed (what a coincidence). On the other hand, you are right that the hotkey interferes. I hadn't read that anywhere and I don't understand why if by default it´s suggested that select / hotkey be the same button then they give you those shortcuts with the select button that won't work because of the conflict with the hotkey.

Solution, use the select button that I use with the P2 as select of the P1 to access the dip switches.

When I have time I will check the physical connection of the P1 Start to see what is wrong or change it.

BTW, if this is the only documentation I am supposed to read (https://docs.libretro.com/library/fbneo/#dipswitches), where does it say that there is a conflict between the hotkey and the select button? Perhaps it would be convenient to add this information...

Thank you for your job, patience and time.

barbudreadmon

@Aterlom said in LR-FBNeo Diagnostic Input (dip switches) not working:

I don't understand why if by default it´s suggested that select / hotkey be the same button

Having a dedicated hotkey button is the recommendation as far as the libretro project is concerned, and it will configure this automatically with most controllers sold commercially. Using an already-in-use button is only a workaround for the few users who actually can't afford this. Retropie might be doing other recommendation though, i don't know.

@Aterlom said in LR-FBNeo Diagnostic Input (dip switches) not working:

Perhaps it would be convenient to add this information...

Well, that's not exactly a frequently asked question tbh, i think you are the first person bringing this up since i started working on this core over a decade ago, but i have seen similar issues where the user couldn't add credits in certain games (the coin input in arcade cabinets is kind of a hold mecanism). Also, this is more of a retroarch behavior than a core problem. Adding something about this in the doc might be a good idea though, thanks for the suggestion.