Install tips & avoiding escape/crashes/errors w/shift function of Ipac

[kaptainsteve]

There are some software conflicts/bugs/quirks with I-pac (at least the old version) and frontends that cause constant crashes (due to escape mapping/conflicts/bugs) and some other things I've often wrestled with when installing and using Maximus Arcade and Ultimarc's I-Pac.   Here are some tips that may save you lots of aggravation;

Maximus Arcade install notes;


Make sure;

a. To avoid "media path" config. error for mame add the .7z file extension in the Maximus Arcade rom setting for mame.  (go to;Preferences/configuration/mame(dropdown menu)/Scan/media extensions.)

b. To avoid escape/crashes/errors with the shift function of Ultimarc's Ipac you must reassign escape to P2 button (Preferences/Controller/quit executable to "2") and use an 3 second delay to avoid accidental escapes. (go to; Preferences/controller/delay - make 3 seconds for 'quit excecutable).

c. To avoid escape/crashes/errors with N64 emulator Prodject64 disengage the escape key in the N64 emulator.

   Go to; options/setting/keyboard shortcuts/file menu/exit and Game Playing Fullscreen in the CPU state pulldown menu.
 
d. Go to; Preferences/options/mame/check "mame rom description" and increase "delay while generating mame xml" to "444" or something very high so Max. Arc. doesn't time out while generating long mame lists.

Source=http://swamp-ass.forumotion.net/t2314-maximus-arcade-install-tips-mame-emulation-frontend-maximus_arcade-arcade#2714

[matt4949]

Have not had any problems using MaLa 174 ?

[kaptainsteve]

Thanks for the reply.  I love Mala.  But, there is a problem/conflict I have w/the (old version) Ultimarc I-Pac and Mala together (maybe any w/frontend which really makes it a window-ish problem) because Mala doesn't have a way to delay the 'esc' button.   With Mala I need to set the shift of P1 & P2 for an 'esc' function but these two pressed together constantly causes a software/crash thing.   Using I-Pac I need a put a delay time in order to assign one key to escape.  The reason is that I don't have enough buttons on the control to assign 'esc' to one dedicated button.   The way around this is to assign just P2 as the escape button but put a 3 second delay on it so you must hold P2 down for 3 seconds before the escape function kicks in and this way I can use P2 for it's normal function as well (without the delay) as #2.   I suppose I could do this w/Mala but it doesn't have the delay capability at least as far as I know.   So, I had to resort to using Maximus Arcade and had to work around a lot of little difficulties getting it to run, hence the tips...

[kaptainsteve]

Ya, I'm still having exiting issues.  Still, after assigning one key for esc and Delusional's Number lock disabler http://files.arcadecontrols.com/details.php?image_id=3630 it still doesn't want to exit games very regularly?

I really don't get it?

[matt4949]

I hate it when I can't figure something out or make it work the way I want it too.  Hang in there Bro.

[kaptainsteve]

I think that part of the problem has been the 'priority' setting in Maximus.  I moved it to high and since haven't experienced the problem as much as I used to , but still do experience it fairly regularly.  I also tried lowering the Mame priority setting... but still get the problem intermittantly.   So maybe it is/was a focus problem with Maximus running in the background not getting enough priority?   Too bad no one seems to really have tackled this issue yet...  or have they???

[tdarcade]

Not trying to hijack this thread but I can't use Maximus at all with the JPAC. I remapped everything per the video tutorial but it made no difference. When the JPAC is plugged and I load Maximus it just hangs. When the JPAC is not plugged in and I run Maximus it runs fine. The JPAC works fine with Daphne (the emulator I am currently using). Any thoughts? Thanks.

[kaptainsteve]

Ever get the feeling that maybe the Ultimarc stuff and Maximus Arcade just don't play well together?
I did.
In fact my Ipacs didn't play well with Maximus or Mala, just too buggy.

Ditch the Ipacs/Jpacs, and that will solve your problem.
I did.

I just bought the cheapo Chinese encoder off ebay for 20bux.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=113432.0

It got rid of all the escape, focus and error issues that I found common with both my early version Ipacs.  They were virtually unusable.   I've used them for years, but the problems just sort of crept into the Ipacs as they aged or if that has to do with newer Mames or Windows updates or whatever?  To be honest I don't care, I'm not the manufacture,  it was just wasting all my time trying to fix it.

Also, not sure if the new USB Ipacs have solved or circumvented these issues and would love to hear from those who know or have them installed in their cabinets now with Max or Mala and a current version of Mame.  It might be that the USB hookup bypasses these issue?

Steve