MAMEWAH Bug list.. POST HERE.

[JoeB]

Moderators.. please make this thread sticky..

I think it's only fair to have all the bug reports in one place.  Makes it easier for everyone, especially the author.

In my opinion, Mamewah is the best windows based front-end for a true arcade machine, and getting the bugs out of it will make it only better.

Please post all your bug reports here.  Include version number, and how to reproduce it.

[JoeB]

MAMEWAH 0.96

MAMEWAH looses focus very easily.

What happens is MAMEWAH sometimes looses focus, and I have no way to bring it to the forground (this is especially true if I have a keyboard plugged into the J-PAC when windows XP boots).

The only fix is to restart mamewah, exit it.. the 1st MAMEWAH suddently has focus again, but running at 640x480 rather than 368x240, I select exit, and restart MAMEWAH again..

BANG: MAMEWAH.CFG is corrupt.  Only a few of the top lines are there.

POSSIBLE FIX: let MAMEWAH parse a command line parameter where it does not touch any config files (useful if running for CD or DVD?)

[JoeB]

MAMEWAH 0.96:

Every time I try to switch emulators in MAMEWAH, it crashes on me with the following error:


Run-time error '384':

A form can't be moved or sized
while minimized or maximized.


I'm using custom layout files with backgrounds set.  If I try to use the layout files that came with MAMEWAH, no problem.

I have just manged to narrow it down to something in the layout file that Mamewah doesn't like.. (even the older version).  The wierd thing though, if I tell MAMEWAH to use a specific default (current) emulator, it loads it fine!

If I use MAMEWAH to switch to another, it crashes.. if I manually switch it in the MAMEWAH.CFG file, it loads it fine.

further more, the layout editor created this file.

[JoeB]

MAMEWAH 0.96:

MAMEWAH writes out to emulator config files every time it switches to another causing data loss.

E.G:

Select Emulator #3 as the current one.  Use another PC to connect to your arcade machine via windows filesharing for maintenance.  Modify the settings inside EMU3.CFG remotly and save it.

MAMEWAH doesn't pickup nor use these settings.  You have to be in another emulator in order to modify the config file.

PROBABLE FIX: Allow command prompt command line disable of config rewrite.

[Minwah]

MAMEWAH 0.96

MAMEWAH looses focus very easily.

What happens is MAMEWAH sometimes looses focus, and I have no way to bring it to the forground (this is especially true if I have a keyboard plugged into the J-PAC when windows XP boots).

The only fix is to restart mamewah, exit it.. the 1st MAMEWAH suddently has focus again, but running at 640x480 rather than 368x240, I select exit, and restart MAMEWAH again..

BANG: MAMEWAH.CFG is corrupt.  Only a few of the top lines are there.

POSSIBLE FIX: let MAMEWAH parse a command line parameter where it does not touch any config files (useful if running for CD or DVD?)

I never seem to have this problem.  Is it set as your shell?

[Minwah]

MAMEWAH 0.96:

Every time I try to switch emulators in MAMEWAH, it crashes on me with the following error:


Run-time error '384':

A form can't be moved or sized
while minimized or maximized.


I'm using custom layout files with backgrounds set.  If I try to use the layout files that came with MAMEWAH, no problem.

I have just manged to narrow it down to something in the layout file that Mamewah doesn't like.. (even the older version).  The wierd thing though, if I tell MAMEWAH to use a specific default (current) emulator, it loads it fine!

If I use MAMEWAH to switch to another, it crashes.. if I manually switch it in the MAMEWAH.CFG file, it loads it fine.

further more, the layout editor created this file.

Could you email me the layouts you are using?  I just tried a few of Cave's multi emulator layouts and they seemed to work OK for me...

[Minwah]

MAMEWAH 0.96:

MAMEWAH writes out to emulator config files every time it switches to another causing data loss.

E.G:

Select Emulator #3 as the current one.  Use another PC to connect to your arcade machine via windows filesharing for maintenance.  Modify the settings inside EMU3.CFG remotly and save it.

MAMEWAH doesn't pickup nor use these settings.  You have to be in another emulator in order to modify the config file.

PROBABLE FIX: Allow command prompt command line disable of config rewrite.

I don't really consider this a bug...I did not intend for the CFG files to be altered while MAMEWAH is running.  The reason this happens is that the EMU?.CFG stuff is held in memory, and then written to file whenever you switch emulator, or change some options.  You are changing the file which is going to be written over anyway.

If you must alter things why MW is running, why not just select a different emulator while you make the changes?

BTW Thanks for making this thread, I probably should have done so myself  

[papaschtroumpf]

MinWah, I have more details about the "access denied" crash I was getting. It seems that when I crash the first time there is a new file called VERIFY in my mamewah directory, and mamewah won't start again (run time error 70, access denied) until I delete that file.

I emailed you the details.

Does this help?

I suppose I could run a batch file before mamewah to delte the file if it exists but that seems kludgy and we still don't know wht caused it to crash in the first place.

[JoeB]

MAMEWAH 0.96

MAMEWAH looses focus very easily.

What happens is MAMEWAH sometimes looses focus, and I have no way to bring it to the forground (this is especially true if I have a keyboard plugged into the J-PAC when windows XP boots).

The only fix is to restart mamewah, exit it.. the 1st MAMEWAH suddently has focus again, but running at 640x480 rather than 368x240, I select exit, and restart MAMEWAH again..

BANG: MAMEWAH.CFG is corrupt.  Only a few of the top lines are there.

POSSIBLE FIX: let MAMEWAH parse a command line parameter where it does not touch any config files (useful if running for CD or DVD?)

I never seem to have this problem.  Is it set as your shell?

No its not.  It's set to autostart in Windows XP star folder.  The administrator ID is set to autologin, and MAMEWAH auto starts.

When the keyboard is not plugged in, all is well, when the keyboard is plugged into port 2 of the J-PAC, the start menu is on the bottom (in really huge size, because the screen is at 368x240) and I have no clue how to switch focus (alt-tab doesn't do it).

The only fix I found was to start a 2nd instance of MAMEWAH, exit, 1st instance regainst focus (but now showing at 640x480 desktop resolution), exit, and restart MAMEWAH..

[JoeB]

MAMEWAH 0.96:

Every time I try to switch emulators in MAMEWAH, it crashes on me with the following error:


Run-time error '384':

A form can't be moved or sized
while minimized or maximized.


I'm using custom layout files with backgrounds set.  If I try to use the layout files that came with MAMEWAH, no problem.

I have just manged to narrow it down to something in the layout file that Mamewah doesn't like.. (even the older version).  The wierd thing though, if I tell MAMEWAH to use a specific default (current) emulator, it loads it fine!

If I use MAMEWAH to switch to another, it crashes.. if I manually switch it in the MAMEWAH.CFG file, it loads it fine.

further more, the layout editor created this file.

Could you email me the layouts you are using?  I just tried a few of Cave's multi emulator layouts and they seemed to work OK for me...

I sure will next time I'm at the machine.  Maybe you can re-create the problem.

- Take your 368x240 layout
- Create a 368x240 JPG background
- Drop it into the same directory as layout.lay
- Select the background to be this file
- Save layout as layout.lay, emu1.lay, emu2.lay, emu3.lay
- Copy your EMU1.CFG to EMU2.CFG and EMU3.CFG
- Start MAMEWAH, and try to switch layouts.

If it doesn't crash, tell the layout editor to only display Artwork image, Game List, and Year + Manufacturer.  (very easy to modify your 368x240 layout to above settings).

[Minwah]

MinWah, I have more details about the "access denied" crash I was getting. It seems that when I crash the first time there is a new file called VERIFY in my mamewah directory, and mamewah won't start again (run time error 70, access denied) until I delete that file.

I emailed you the details.

Does this help?

Great, that helps alot

Does everything work OK if you set the 'Show DOS Box' options to Yes or No?  The 'VERIFY' part should only happen with this set to 'Auto Show' - let me know what happens...

[Minwah]

No its not.  It's set to autostart in Windows XP star folder.  The administrator ID is set to autologin, and MAMEWAH auto starts.

When the keyboard is not plugged in, all is well, when the keyboard is plugged into port 2 of the J-PAC, the start menu is on the bottom (in really huge size, because the screen is at 368x240) and I have no clue how to switch focus (alt-tab doesn't do it).

The only fix I found was to start a 2nd instance of MAMEWAH, exit, 1st instance regainst focus (but now showing at 640x480 desktop resolution), exit, and restart MAMEWAH..

OK, can I ask that you wait until the next release to try this again...I have altered some code which *may* fix/improve this, but since I do not have the problem myself it is difficult to say for sure...

[Minwah]

I sure will next time I'm at the machine.  Maybe you can re-create the problem.

- Take your 368x240 layout
- Create a 368x240 JPG background
- Drop it into the same directory as layout.lay
- Select the background to be this file
- Save layout as layout.lay, emu1.lay, emu2.lay, emu3.lay
- Copy your EMU1.CFG to EMU2.CFG and EMU3.CFG
- Start MAMEWAH, and try to switch layouts.

If it doesn't crash, tell the layout editor to only display Artwork image, Game List, and Year + Manufacturer.  (very easy to modify your 368x240 layout to above settings).

JoeB:  I just gave this a go with my WIP version, and it seemed OK.  This may be due to something I have changed (possibly related to the other problem you are having).

I cannot run at 368x240 since I don't have an arcade monitor setup atm, so hold fire with your layouts.

Again could you wait for the next version to see if it's OK - I have a couple of things to do but it should be ready by the end of the week...

[papaschtroumpf]

I changed the DOS box setting to YES/1 as you suggested and started a game: it caused a run-time error 75 File/Path error.
I rebooted the machine, deleted the VERIFY file, started mameah, attempted to start a game and got the same error.

Both times mamewah did generate a verify file in the FILES folder.

Here's the contents of the verify file. Note that I was able to play the game before, so I'm not sure what the "NOT FOUND" messages are all about:

GetModuleHandleA succeed

LoadLibrary returns baaa0000
viewpoin: sp-s.sp1      131072 bytes NOT FOUND
   CRC(c7f2fa45) SHA1(09576ff20b4d6b365e78e6a5698ea450262697cd)
viewpoin: usa_2slt.bin  131072 bytes NOT FOUND
   CRC(e72943de) SHA1(5c6bba07d2ec8ac95776aa3511109f5e1e2e92eb)
viewpoin: sp-e.sp1      131072 bytes NOT FOUND
   CRC(2723a5b5) SHA1(5dbff7531cf04886cde3ef022fb5ca687573dcb8)
viewpoin: asia-s3.rom   131072 bytes NOT FOUND
   CRC(91b64be3) SHA1(720a3e20d26818632aedf2c2fd16c54f213543e1)
viewpoin: vs-bios.rom   131072 bytes NOT FOUND
   CRC(f0e8f27d) SHA1(ecf01eda815909f1facec62abf3594eaa8d11075)
viewpoin: sp-j2.rom     131072 bytes NOT FOUND
   CRC(acede59c) SHA1(b6f97acd282fd7e94d9426078a90f059b5e9dd91)
romset viewpoin is bad
1 romsets found, 0 were OK.

I haven't tried setting the DOS box to NO yet. I'll try ot tomorrow. I did try settiing it to know without deleting the verify file (since I would have had to reboot) and I got run-time error 70 access denied, so it looks like something is still trying to touch the file.

Hope this helps. let me know what else I can do to help.

[Minwah]

I remember this problem from when I started writing the FE...I can't remember the specifics but it's something like when you output something to a file (eg mame -whatever > filename) for the first time, it adds the 'GetModuleHandleA succeed' etc. stuff to the top of the file.  Also, as you have found, the file seems to remain open, with access denied.

I am not surprised this problem has popped up again, but I have been doing some testing on a '98 machine and I can't get the problem to occurr  

I'll have to do some guess-work in trying to fix it, you'll have to let me know if it doesn't work next release...

Edit: don't bother trying it with Show DOS Box set to No - it will not make any difference.  I have now altered this so next release it should at least work when set to Yes or No, if my 'guess-work' doesn't succeed

[papaschtroumpf]

Great, let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
Any ETA on the next realease?

[Minwah]

Great, let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
Any ETA on the next realease?

I was hoping this week but it's looking like maybe next week atm

[kujina]

Hi Minwah

This is an update concerning that problem I was talking about when running mamewah as a shell.

Hopefully this will clear things up, after some testing it appears that mamewah (0.96) only has a problem running as a shell if you do not disable the welcome screen in xp.

[Minwah]

Hi Minwah

This is an update concerning that problem I was talking about when running mamewah as a shell.

Hopefully this will clear things up, after some testing it appears that mamewah (0.96) only has a problem running as a shell if you do not disable the welcome screen in xp.

Great, thanks for letting me know.  I still don't really understand why it has a problem at all, one of those things I suppose...

So do you have your PC auto-logging in?

[kujina]

Yeah I had it automaticlly logging in. I also manually logged in too after being automaticlly looged out when testing remote desktop.

[Minwah]

Yeah I had it automaticlly logging in. I also manually logged in too after being automaticlly looged out when testing remote desktop.

Well I have now removed the auto-deletion of old .CFG files, in case this is the cause of the problem you are having.  I don't think it should be, but I don't recall changing anything else relating to the .CFG files.

Let me know how it goes, hopefully I may have a new version ready tonight  

[Fuzzguitar]

Has anyone else had this happen in version 0962?

I can't load mame roms from a folder other than the standard directory of C:\mame\roms\. It's like there's something wrong with the path (but there can't be because the rom list generates no worries) and I don't think I'm doing anything different than what worked in the last version.

The only reason I wanted to do this is beacuse I don't yet have a cabinet-only PC and I still use mame32 in the meantime while sitting at my desk, so I'd like to be able to have them both reading roms from the same location.

I just extracted the new version over the previous installtion which was 100% and it's never worked, I've tried deleting cfg's etc but no go.

Maybe I'm just tired and inexperienced but it sure feels like a bug atm.

[JoeB]

One thing I noticed about MAMEWAH (didn't get a chance to try the newest version yet) is that when you install a new version over an older, the first time it runs, it deletes the config files and creates new ones.

MAME does not follow the mame.ini file for ROM locations, MAMEWAH overwrites this with information you give it under the C:\PROGRA~1\MAMEWAH\FILES\EMU1.CFG file.

Read the supplied documentation, or look at the links on MAMEWAH's web site for details on how to configure it.

[Minwah]

Has anyone else had this happen in version 0962?

I can't load mame roms from a folder other than the standard directory of C:\mame\roms\. It's like there's something wrong with the path (but there can't be because the rom list generates no worries) and I don't think I'm doing anything different than what worked in the last version.

The only reason I wanted to do this is beacuse I don't yet have a cabinet-only PC and I still use mame32 in the meantime while sitting at my desk, so I'd like to be able to have them both reading roms from the same location.

I just extracted the new version over the previous installtion which was 100% and it's never worked, I've tried deleting cfg's etc but no go.

Maybe I'm just tired and inexperienced but it sure feels like a bug atm.

MAMEWAH only requires the ROM Location for list generation (unless the emulator requires 'Send ROM Path').  It sounds like your list is generating OK...

I think you need to setup your ROM path within your MAME.INI file, so that MAME itself knows where your roms are.  By default, MAME will only look in \MAME\ROMS, which is why yours works if you use this folder.

JoeB:  Note that I took out the auto-deletion of .CFG files this version, to try and prevent the 'chopped' CFG files that a few people were having.  I can't see why this would be the problem, but I thought I'd try it...

[creatine28]

Minwah,  is there anyway to adjust the delay time for the MP3 background sounds file to start?

My sounds file plays, but for some reason it take a few minutes to start working?

Thanks,

Steve

[Minwah]

Minwah,  is there anyway to adjust the delay time for the MP3 background sounds file to start?

My sounds file plays, but for some reason it take a few minutes to start working?

Um, no.  The MP3 should start as soon as your intro sound has finished (if you have one).  If you do have an intro sound, try disabling it and let me know if the MP3 plays straight away...

[Fuzzguitar]

I should of known - it's a mame issue. I tried launching games from the command line and it's not working. I'm getting a message saying:

 "error:trailing garbage: "Documents\Emulators\Arcade" on line: 7 of file: mame.ini

  ignoring line ....

-Then it has the standard files not found message like if you try to run a rom you don't have.

How should I fix this problem?

[Isometric Bacon]

The screen bug from 96 that I described here http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=12313

is still around in 962. Granted it doesn't happen nearly as much as before, but it still seems to happen.

I'm running 640 by 480 in Windows XP with the default layouts if that's any help.

Otherwise, it's been bug free for me Keep up the good work!

[papaschtroumpf]

I remember this problem from when I started writing the FE...I can't remember the specifics but it's something like when you output something to a file (eg mame -whatever > filename) for the first time, it adds the 'GetModuleHandleA succeed' etc. stuff to the top of the file.  Also, as you have found, the file seems to remain open, with access denied.

I am not surprised this problem has popped up again, but I have been doing some testing on a '98 machine and I can't get the problem to occurr  

I'll have to do some guess-work in trying to fix it, you'll have to let me know if it doesn't work next release...

Edit: don't bother trying it with Show DOS Box set to No - it will not make any difference.  I have now altered this so next release it should at least work when set to Yes or No, if my 'guess-work' doesn't succeed

Minwah, I still get this behavior in .962, although I didn't see anything in the changelog that indicated that it was fixed either, so just letting you know.

[Minwah]

I should of known - it's a mame issue. I tried launching games from the command line and it's not working. I'm getting a message saying:

 "error:trailing garbage: "Documents\Emulators\Arcade" on line: 7 of file: mame.ini

  ignoring line ....

-Then it has the standard files not found message like if you try to run a rom you don't have.

How should I fix this problem?

Try putting your path in "quotes".  If that doesn't work, find & use the 'short' path (eg C:\docume~1\emulat~1\arcade).

[Minwah]

The screen bug from 96 that I described here http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=12313

is still around in 962. Granted it doesn't happen nearly as much as before, but it still seems to happen.

I'm running 640 by 480 in Windows XP with the default layouts if that's any help.

Otherwise, it's been bug free for me Keep up the good work!

OK, are you just launching MAME?  Is there any pattern to when it happens?  It doesn't seem to do it on my system, tho I have my desktop set to 1024x768...

[Minwah]

Minwah, I still get this behavior in .962, although I didn't see anything in the changelog that indicated that it was fixed either, so just letting you know.

Try setting Show DOS Box to Yes or No.  That should now fix it.  I didn't bother with my 'guess work' yet as I wanted to get the release out to deal with some other problems.  I'll try to sort it for next release...

[JoeB]

I just tried the newest MAMEWAH on my arcade machine (version 0.962) and I'm sorry to say it's the buggiest one yet.

It's actually completly unusable!

Here's the "bad":

- Doesn't want to start. Tells me version mismatch.
- I deleted MAMEWAH.CFG and it started.
- customized MAMEWAH.CFG (told it to use the standard 640x480 layout)
- Every single time I exit the game back to MAMEWAH, MAMEWAH crashes with an error message.

I believe the error message is the same as above.

I restored 0.96 and hope whatever broke can be fixed.

[Minwah]

Sorry to hear about the problems you're having JoeB...

- Doesn't want to start. Tells me version mismatch.

I don't know how this can happen - I never put a version mismatch message in.  Also, I removed the part which deleted the 'old' CFG files which I added for v0.96.  I suspect there was actually a run-time error (type mismatch or similar?)

- I deleted MAMEWAH.CFG and it started.

OK, this makes sense due to the above

- customized MAMEWAH.CFG (told it to use the standard 640x480 layout)

OK

- Every single time I exit the game back to MAMEWAH, MAMEWAH crashes with an error message.

I believe the error message is the same as above.

Could you explain what you mean by 'same as above'?

Edit:  FYI The reason I removed the version check part, was in an effort to stop the CFG 'corruption' that some people were suffering in 0.96.  I'm not sure if it worked yet...

[kujina]

Edit:  FYI The reason I removed the version check part, was in an effort to stop the CFG 'corruption' that some people were suffering in 0.96.  I'm not sure if it worked yet...

Hi Minwah

FWIW I cant comment on corruption other people were experiencing. Its still possible for the .cfg to get corrupted, by running mamewah as a shell while using the welcome screen. But like I said before, its not an issue if you simply disable the welcome screen (you wouldnt want it on a cab anyway).

 

[JoeB]

I get the following error message after MAMEWAH returns from any game:

Run-time error '384':

A form can't be moved or sized
while minimized or maximized.

And it crashes.. (I'm 99.99% sure it's the error message.. can try again later a confirm)

[JoeB]

I was wondering,

could it be that I'm having all these errors because I'm running with the ArcadeVGA and some commands are being issued that don't like it??

Better yet, have you changed anything in the way MAMEWAH runs after it returns from a game?? because what ever you did, makes it crash now.

I also have a suggestion for you..

You can assign an "exit" button in MAMEWAH.. which is great! I installed a special button in my arcade machine that I use to EXIT games, and now exit MAMEWAH.  The problem is now the "exit to windows" is missing, and the machine automatically shuts down when I either press this button, or select exit via the menus.

Is it possible to have the button shutdown (or what ever the default exit option is the user selects via mamewah.cfg) while at the same time still maintain "Exit to windows" via menus?  Or at least have "default menu exit" and "defualt button exit" ??

[vitaflo]

Hey Minwah, just took a bit of time to play w/ the new release.  Very solid.  Fixes all the bugs I told you about from .96.  There is one new(?) bug though.

I recently set up MameWah as my shell in Win2k.  That all works fine, and it starts up, however, when it does the sound in the frontend does not play.  I know its not bad audio on my part since MAME pays game sounds just fine.  This also is not due to the issue I had w/ those big MP3s from 0.96 since I'm using the smaller version.

I did make another user that just has MameWah in the startup folder instead of the shell, and this works as expected, the sound plays in the frontend fine.  So it seems to be some sorta issue w/ setting the frontend to be the Shell.  I can live w/ it the other way, but just wondering if you had any insight?

Thanks for all the hard work!

[Minwah]

I get the following error message after MAMEWAH returns from any game:

Run-time error '384':

A form can't be moved or sized
while minimized or maximized.

And it crashes.. (I'm 99.99% sure it's the error message.. can try again later a confirm)

Better yet, have you changed anything in the way MAMEWAH runs after it returns from a game?? because what ever you did, makes it crash now.

This thing is odd.  In v0.96, the problem appeared whereby MAMEWAH would not fill the screen when returning from a game - strangley, I did not alter any code that should affect that part in this version.

Anyway, I added some code back in to remedy the problem (incidentally I removed this code back in v0.953b).  This code resizes the form after playing a game to make sure it fills the screen.  So this kindof explains the error message you are now getting, although the form is (in theory at least) never minimized or maximized (I checked).  Maybe for some reason it is getting minimized on your system - I will try to remedy this somehow for next time...

[Minwah]

I was wondering,

could it be that I'm having all these errors because I'm running with the ArcadeVGA and some commands are being issued that don't like it??

I also have a suggestion for you..

You can assign an "exit" button in MAMEWAH.. which is great! I installed a special button in my arcade machine that I use to EXIT games, and now exit MAMEWAH.  The problem is now the "exit to windows" is missing, and the machine automatically shuts down when I either press this button, or select exit via the menus.

Is it possible to have the button shutdown (or what ever the default exit option is the user selects via mamewah.cfg) while at the same time still maintain "Exit to windows" via menus?  Or at least have "default menu exit" and "defualt button exit" ??

The ArcadeVGA shouldn't cause any problems, I use one myself.

So when you go into the Exit MAMEWAH menu, 'Exit to Windows' is missing?  I'll check that, it should appear there as normal...

Edit: I re-read what you said and I see what you mean now...most people didn't want to see the choice after picking 'Exit MAMEWAH', which is why it just does the default.  I may do as you suggest and have a 'Default Exit Menu Action' and 'Default Exit Button Action'