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Author Topic: Mala + DEMUL = HELL?  (Read 6897 times)

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djsniperwolf

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Mala + DEMUL = HELL?
« on: February 08, 2012, 10:34:30 pm »
Sooo.  Mala is great.. Almost completely configured.  Makaron works great with some select games but needed to have Code veronica running right.

Installed Demul...

How do i get mala to open Demul in fulscreen after the rom loads, or during?  All day spent on this from scripts to other crap to no avail.. :banghead: 

BadMouth

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Re: Mala + DEMUL = HELL?
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2012, 12:37:31 pm »
The way I usually handle front-end unfriendly emulators is to create an autohotkey script to launch each game, then point MALA to a shortcut (.lk) to the script like it's a PC game.

Here's how my shoddy amateur scripts work: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=108239.0

Might be useful information here too: http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/forum/showpost.php?p=86093&postcount=104

djsniperwolf

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Re: Mala + DEMUL = HELL?
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2012, 12:43:14 pm »
Thanks for response.

Ok, So i have attempted a Auto hotkey and my outcomes were mixed.

1.  Would load Demul but would then produce the rom select screen, after which you select the rom, it would actually load into fullscreen.

2.  When I attempted to have it load the rom within the script or from mala it would load the game but not in full screen.

So I am assuming that each game would need it's own batch file? (After reading again, that is the case.)

What I am also wanting to do is when the player selects the game, the script will copy the control mappings from a folder and overwrite the current control mapping for each individual game. (Gun Survivor, DOA, ETC)  all have very different mappings and I can see this system being effective.

Sorry for the ramble but any input on my full screen dilemma?
« Last Edit: February 13, 2012, 12:58:42 pm by djsniperwolf »

djsniperwolf

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Re: Mala + DEMUL = HELL?
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2012, 02:57:52 pm »
Ok So if I create a script for each rom it works out great.  The Hyperspin Script does not even compile for me unfortunately.  So... Props to you for a great functioning Full-screen script.  :applaud:

What would I have to add to have it copy the map of each game i.e. crzytaxi.ini file from a folder and rename it PadDemul.ini in the root Demul folder to automatically set the controls as the game is selected.

That would take care of my final issue of having to remap after each game is selected which is still not as bad as having to full-screen everytime!
« Last Edit: February 13, 2012, 02:59:37 pm by djsniperwolf »

BadMouth

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Re: Mala + DEMUL = HELL?
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2012, 03:23:25 pm »
What would I have to add to have it copy the map of each game i.e. crzytaxi.ini file from a folder and rename it PadDemul.ini in the root Demul folder to automatically set the controls as the game is selected.

That would take care of my final issue of having to remap after each game is selected which is still not as bad as having to full-screen everytime!

Not sure I follow.  That one might be beyond my abilities.
Is it that you want different mappings for different games, or is Demul not saving your control mappings?

If it's just not saving your control mappings, try mapping them in Demul outside of the front end and close Demul properly.
My script (and probably hyperspin) basically kills the process like pressing ALT+F4.
I remember this causing issues with settings not being saved in an emulator, but don't remember which one.
I've set up so many, I don't remember how I got half of them working.  :dizzy:

BadMouth

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Re: Mala + DEMUL = HELL?
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2012, 03:29:05 pm »
If it's just that you want to have a different control scheme for each game....
 
The way I handled a similar issue with Makaron was by making a separate Makaron folder for each type of setup.
I have 4 Makaron folders.  (In that case, the service menu settings have to be different for 2Player horizontal, 2P vert, 1P horizontal, 1P Vert)

djsniperwolf

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Re: Mala + DEMUL = HELL?
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2012, 03:37:36 pm »
Well it is something I can do via a dos batch file.  But the whole FE-->DOS BATCH-->AHK Script-->Emu is a bit much  :laugh2:

It is very simple in theory.

I basically went through each game, mapped out the controls to the exact comfort on my cab,  I took the PadDemul.ini config from the Demul folder that was output after each games configuration was saved,  renamed the PadDemul.ini file to the name of the game I was mapping and popped it in a folder named controls.  (I am a 8 Year IT Administrator/CIO) so dos batches and files replacement is my specialty lol.

What I want to do is when a player selects a Naomi game such as Dead or alive and the last game played was crazy taxi.  The batch will basically erase PadDemul.ini replace it with the DeadorAlive.ini file that was mapped out and boot up demul all right after this happens.  The control layout will reflect the Dead or alive configuration.

If I am overcomplicating this please let me know as I tend to overanalyze things.  You should see my cab...  Taito X2 and my IP/FTP Jukebox works flawlessly!  Yet this Naomi emu has been beating me up.  I loved the DC arcades as they were a rare treat to play when you came accross one.  So this is just fantastic to see working even at 80%
I am suprised.

djsniperwolf

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Re: Mala + DEMUL = HELL?
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2012, 03:46:57 pm »
If it's just that you want to have a different control scheme for each game....
 
The way I handled a similar issue with Makaron was by making a separate Makaron folder for each type of setup.
I have 4 Makaron folders.  (In that case, the service menu settings have to be different for 2Player horizontal, 2P vert, 1P horizontal, 1P Vert)

Oops,  Just saw this.  Luckilly with makaron I haven't had a control scheme issue so I only use makaron to boot a few games (WWF, Spawn, Pstone, GGram) Which all have reliatively the same controls, Digital VS Analog.  Again I am trying to get off makaron as I have to configre the darn graphics to prevent things from having missing vertexes and graphics every boot-up.  Less Compatability, no analog.. etc. etc.

But I think you totally see what I am getting at   :lol  With Demul I have analog making quite a few other awesome titles playable.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2012, 03:50:25 pm by djsniperwolf »

BadMouth

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Re: Mala + DEMUL = HELL?
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2012, 04:39:04 pm »
It wouldn't be too messy to have the ahk script launch the batch file, pause, then launch the emulator.
It's probably either that or having a bunch of separate Demul folders.

Wade007

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Re: Mala + DEMUL = HELL?
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2012, 08:50:54 pm »
Wow...I've read and re-read this post and those linking from it for hours. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how to get this Demul stuff to work in my MALA cabinet.

What does this batch file look like that will switch out the PadDemul.ini controls? How does that work exactly? Can you post an example of one?
Its mentioned above but I'm not an expert with batch files.

Aren't there only 6 or 7 different controls settings for Naomi and Atomiswave games that could be switched? IE: lightgun_PadDemul.ini, Standard_PadDemul.ini, sfstyle_PadDemul.ini, etc?
http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/forum/showthread.php?4988-Naomi-Performance-Benchmark-Testing!&p=86093#post86093

How to switch between each type of control before the emulator is launched?

Does the batch file come first or the AHK file? Does MALA link to a Batch file that then launches the AHK file or vice versa.

Does the AHK file (or compiled .exe) indeed run the batch file (to load custom controls.ini), pause and then launch the emulator full screen?
Do you have an example of this type of script??? Please?

I got the the AHK file working to launch the game full screen both as a script (.ahk file) and as a converted Executable file but MALA will only launch the executable file. However, Mala doesn't switch focus to the game. The Demul game (ie: Crazy Taxi) runs in the background and I can't see it running until I quit MALA outright.

Can you give more detail here involving this solution? My goal is to run all working Atomiswave and Naomi games on my MALA supported cabinet.

Thanks so much!!  :applaud:
My Super Arcade cabinet project:
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Super Arcade Cabinet Progress thread (Now Complete):
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Re: Mala + DEMUL = HELL?
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2012, 09:23:01 pm »
OK... I got Demul to work perfectly on Mala, goes full screen, load custom controls for each game automatically AND has a custom 2 button/keystroke escape function to jump back to MALA seamlessly. Basically, it now works like MAME does. It's a bit of a compilation between Auto Hot Key, a Batch file and Mala.

Here's how its done kids:

AUTOHOTKEY
First of all you need the Auto Hot Key program in order to get Demul to run full screen after launch and to set up the exit/quit commands. Auto Hot Key is found here: http://www.autohotkey.com/

An example of the Auto Hot Key script I used for each game is the following (for Crazy Taxi/Naomi). DON'T include text in parathesis:

Run, C:\Arcade\Demul\AHK scripts\GetDrivingCtrls.bat   (batch file to switch controls automatically runs first)
Run, C:\Arcade\Demul\Demul.exe -run=naomi -rom=crzytaxi (the 'run' options are naomi, atomiswave or dreamcast)
sleep, 4000
Send, {ALTDOWN}{ENTER}{ALTUP} (this is to force Demul to run full-screen through Windows by pressing ALT & ENTER together)
~2 & ~4:: (These are my two chosen exit keys; 2 & 4 together. Choose your own if you want.)
Process, Close, demul.exe
ExitAPP
return

The Auto Hot Key script launches the Batch file which switches the controls, then launches the emulator with command line info, waits for a bit (4000 milliseconds) and then presses ALT & ENTER together for you so Demul goes full screen. Meanwhile it waits patiently for you to finish your game. When it receives the keystokes 2 & 4 together it quits Demul and kicks you right back to the Mala interface.

BATCH FILE
Now you need to create a batch file to switch out the controls on the fly. Demul games (Naomi & Atomiswave games in my case) really only use 6 or 7 different control schemes. One for driving games, one for fighting games, one for standard, etc. Some use digital, some analog, etc, etc. Figure this out on your own or see these posts for more explanation and the listings for each game:
http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/forum/showthread.php?9734-Demul-Paddemul-ini-recommendation&p=88692#post88692
http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/forum/showthread.php?4988-Naomi-Performance-Benchmark-Testing!&p=86093#post86093

So, after loading say...Crazy Taxi through Demul (Not Mala) set your controls how you want them. Exit Demul. Now save the PadDemul.ini file that was just created and copy and paste it to another folder. In my case I copied them into a new folder in the root directory of Demul called "Controls". Now rename that file "driving_paddemul.ini". Repeat this for each type of game. IE: Dolphin Blue to create "standard_paddemul.ini" etc. You want to create the 6 or 7 standard sets of controls that all the games commonly use.

The batch file code to automatically switch the controls for each game (since Demul won't do this for you) is the following:

@echo off
Copy /Y "C\Arcade\Demul\Controls\driving_paddemul.ini" "C:\Arcade\Demul\PadDemul.ini"

Keep the quotes shown in the actual coding.

The /Y means overwrite the destination file without prompting you with the "Are you sure" dialog box.
The two paths are in double quotes since they have spaces in the directory names. If you didn't have any spaces you could leave out the double quotes.
The first path in the source file and location
The second path is the destination location and new file name. It copies over the PadDemul.ini file Demul uses each time a game is loaded.

Save this as "GetDrivingCtrls.bat" and place into the same folder as the AHK scripts.

MALA
In Mala, "Other Emu Config" tab, Demul; Basics tab, set your executable to "explorer.exe" and your ROM path to where you keep your AHK scripts for each game. This fixed a focus issue I had. The clue was in the second post here:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=68772.msg701550#msg701550

Rom extensions is "ahk".

Under the "Execution" tab of the same area set your command line to "%path%\%rom%.%exe%" (include quotes).

OK...So this is how it worked for me. I'm only emulating the arcade games. No console/dreamcast games.
If anyone has a more efficient way to do this, please post. I'd be thrilled to read other options.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2012, 10:41:00 am by Wade007 »
My Super Arcade cabinet project:
Software blog article: http://bit.ly/1cWnoIC

Hardware blog article: http://bit.ly/1dWxjvP

YouTube video: http://bit.ly/1N818Xm

Super Arcade Cabinet Progress thread (Now Complete):
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,123292.0.html

Frontend Video Intro: http://bit.ly/1P9HPDN