Updated EmulationStation for Windows

isblagi

Hi,
First things first, thanks to jdrassa for the ES windows updated version. I've been using it for some years and I think is the best frontend for keeping all your games in the same place.

But I got to the point I had to switch to another frontend since I could'nt make it with ES and Cemu (WiiU emulator). I managed to run Cemu games (not directly but through an .exe file which includes configuration per game, something Cemu doesn't support yet) but the problem is that ES stays on top of the clipboard/screen while Cemu runs on the back. No problem if you have keyboard and mouse at hand but very annoying if you have it set for big screen and gamepad, like me. Don't know if that's because Cemu takes its time to load and in the meantime ES jumps back to the front. Rest of emulators and .exe files work fine, just Cemu give me this issue.

Tried this solution (https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/11016/emulation-station-launch-windows-game-additional-exe), thanks herb_fargus. Works fine if I run any .bat, .exe or .lnk from windows but still get the same problem when calling it through ES.

If you could give a solution or could make ES to stay on the back while running the emulators/games I'm sure I'll be coming back. Meanwhile I'll guess I'll have to do it with another frontend.

Thanks again for all your work.

beastmode

I've had trouble loading Slang shader presets under the new OpenGL driver (glcore) for RetroArch when starting the game directly from the latest EmulationStation Continuous build for windows. The presets seems to be completely ignored once the game is loaded and have to be manually applied each time.

The shader presets saved per system/content directory open just fine when started directly from RetroArch.

This issue does not affect any of the other RetroArch video drivers.

ruckage

@beastmode
That wouldn't be an EmulationStation issue. EmulationStation is just a frontend.

beastmode

@ruckage That's what I thought. It worked about a week ago before the latest EmulationStation update. This only happens when the games are launched from EmulationStation. Launchbox works fine and the standalone RetroArch. It's weird.

ruckage

@beastmode
That's strange. Do you have an older version of ES you can try to confirm it's only occurring with the latest version? If you're not having problems I wouldn't even upgrade to the latest version unless it's for specific functionality or testing purposes.

beastmode

@ruckage I'll check.

A Former User

Are EmulationStation and Launchbox both pointing to the same instance of RetroArch?

beastmode

@LiveFastCyYoung Same exact instance and path. Yep.

sikboy

Hello, does anybody managed to get Redream working? No matter what i do, It launches the emulator GUI but not the game. This is my es_systems:

<system>
<name>Dreamcast</name>
<fullname>Sega Dreamcast</fullname>
<path>~\.emulationstation\roms\dreamcast</path>
<extension>.cdi .gdi .CDI .GDI</extension>
<command>%HOME%\.emulationstation\systems\redream\redream.exe -fullscreen "ROM_RAW"</command>
<platform>dreamcast</platform>
<theme>dreamcast</theme>
</system>

Any help is appreciated.

jero

@sikboy
I have problems with other emulators that were not retroarch. To me with your figuration gave me problems, until I gave the complete address. that is to say:

<path> ~ \ .emulationstation \ roms \ dreamcast </ path>
<command>%HOME%.emulationstation\systems\redream\redream.exe -fullscreen "ROM_RAW"</command>
This would do it like this:

example
for me that's the address
<path> I: \ emulationstation \ .emulationstation \ .emulationstation \ roms \ dreamcast </ path>

example
for me that's the address
<command> I: \ emulationstation \ .emulationstation \ systems \ redream \ redream.exe -fullscreen "ROM_RAW" </ command>

let's definitely change

~ y% HOME% by your address

I hope it serves me it served me

jero

I would also like to be in the background, but it will not be possible unless someone who knows programming makes this a version 100x 100 for windows, that is to say that it has its own settings to work in windows, since I understand that this is, well I hope not to say it bad hahaha. It is a compilation of what is done in retropie for windows, so the changes that are made for retropie, are not going to notice in this version of windows since linux and windows are not different. Debemops thank you that at least we have. Although why not dream of a project just for windows.

sikboy

@jero The thing is that i Want to keep it portable, as the emulator itself is also "portable" but well thanks anyway, ill keep it in mind for next time.

f.caruso

@jero Hi, I recently have decided to build my own version of ES for Windows (not an easy thing...) . I did a lot of changes, added new options (ex:don't show desktop when running games), made a better "grid view", added localization (french is ok). I also have custom launchers (ex:to enable per game setting for pcsx2), I have a "joy to key" feature in my portable launcher ( see es_padtokey.cfg ) which enable to close games with Guide+Start or map joysticks to keyboard for Visual Pinball, etc... You can try it and download a version there : http://fabrice.caruso.free.fr/EmulationStationMod.7z. I didn't publish changed sources for now, If someone is interested, please contact me...

mitu

@f-caruso said in Updated EmulationStation for Windows:

I didn't publish changed sources for now, If someone is interested, please contact me...

According to the original license (GPL), you need to also publish the sources.

f.caruso

@mitu said in Updated EmulationStation for Windows:

According to the original license (GPL), you need to also publish the sources.

For now, this version was just for me...

I actually have no git, so you'll find sources on my website there : http://fabrice.caruso.free.fr/sources.7z

I'll try to find time to create an account and share it on gitlab, as soon as I can.

mitu

@f-caruso You don't have to add it on github - you can just include it in your binary distribution (as a src sub-folder). Thanks for providing your current sources.

jero

@f-caruso yeeeah I'm going to see if this is good for me, great job

jero

@f-caruso I just used his method to see how he acts, and to say that this is great, stutters a bit, but it is the best thing I have seen so far. Also I see that I also delete something from the menu that did not work in windows, I speak about restarting the program. in your case it ends with quit this, I liked it. It is possible that jrassa or someone else could add this to ES on the github where it is updated is for windows it would be great for all.

<system>
<name>mame</name>
<fullname>Mame</fullname>
<path>~..\roms\mame</path>
<extension>.zip .ZIP</extension>
<command>%HOME%\RetroArch\retroarch.exe -L %HOME%\RetroArch\cores%CORE%_libretro.dll %ROM%</command>
<platform>mame</platform>
<theme>mame</theme>
<emulators>
<emulator name="mame">
<cores>
<core>mame2003_plus</core>
<core>mame2003</core>
<core>mame2010</core>
<core>mame2014</core>
</cores>
</emulator>
<emulator name="fbalpha">
<cores>
<core>fbalpha2012</core>
<core>fbalpha2012_neogeo</core>
</cores>
</emulator>
</emulators>
</system>

@f-caruso Can you please explain to me how it works and what it is for (it is possible to put several emulators in the same place or are different folders) I have not missed trying to understand it hehehehehe

f.caruso

@mitu @jdrassa I took time to create an account on github to share my source. I created a fork of jdrassa's version and commit my changes in my fork.
https://github.com/fabricecaruso/EmulationStation
Here's the list of my changes :

Support for Multiple Emulators/Cores in es_systems.cfg, and setting Emulator/Core per game.
Better Grid view (animations, layout, selection...)
Created a 'GridEx' mode, which inherits from grid, in order to create a 'preview bar' including a game screenshot.
Changed 'Automatic' view mode. Switchs to grid if "thumbnails" exist in gamelist. Switchs to gridex if "thumbnails" and "image" exist in gamelist.
Don't show Directories that contains only one Game : just Show the game.
Don't show Games what are marked Hidden in gamelist.
Cleaned menus + changed menu item order (by interest). Simplified "Quit" menu item ( no more popup )
Case insensitive file extensions.
Skip parsing 'downloaded_images' and 'media' folders ( loading time boost )
Localisation (French actually supported)
Corrected favorites ( and custom lists ) management.
Don't load all fields in Medadata Editor ( too tricky to use on windows, better use an external tool ).
Windows is now "Windowed No border" by default. On Windows, Exclusive fullscreen can be annoying...
Theming : Ability to force default view ( attribute defaultView )
Windows : Stop using _wsystem for launching games. Run games with ShellExecuteEx instead ( avoids command window )
Add an option to leave ES open with a black screen" Chargement en cours..." when launching games ( avoids showing windows desktop )

jero

@f-caruso I can only say thank you,

Another thing, in what way can I help translate into Spanish

I just saw that with notepad I can see the language file, so if I do translation and change the name of the file to it, could it work? I can easily have problems with the letter ñ