MALA Development

[Blueic5]

Im pretty new to this game but have installed mala as my FE of choice for now at least, anyway the latest beta seems to be from 2013 and im just wondering if its still worked on as it seems to be a top front end?

[BadMouth]

Not really.  Loadman added 7zip support in the last update, but it was a minor change and the first time in years anything had been done with it.

Development is generally considered dead.  The original author and loadman say that making it open source is not possible because of things I don't understand because I'm not a programmer.  Something about the tools used to create it IIRC.

[Malenko]

that and there isnt much left to do with it.

[Vigo]

It needs updates. New revisions of Mame cannot be used in MaLa and it crashes anytime you try to configure a new version of Mame. I think it has to do with the HLSL stuff added in Mame threw off the configuration.

I haven't been able to get 7z roms working either, and I installed the updated exe. Not sure why that is.

Would absolutely love is someone recreated MaLa on a standard programming language. It is my fav frontend, but the bugs and limitations that are not fully swept away bother me. Focus issues still crop up, animations are still very limited, music is still wonky, I still never found any rhyme or reason to the rom highlighted when it boots up, minimizing dos boxes doesn't always work, things like "image only" categories take painful workarounds. 

I still love how it is an excellent quick setup frontend that is not a resource hog and some of even the most simple customizations in MaLa are not available in other frontends, I hate to see it fall out of support, but it isn't gonna be usable without at least some basic updates.

[BadMouth]

What changes are you trying to make to MAME and where are you making them?

I haven't been able to get 7z roms working either, and I installed the updated exe. Not sure why that is.

The only thing updating for 7zip involved was making Mala look for the .7z extension in addition to .zip
Do they not show up when refreshing the gamelist?

[Vigo]

Well, I decided to update my romset and mame to 0.155, and was hit with this issue:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,140437.0.html

There is a workaround to configure mame with MaLa, by configuring an older version of Mame first, then doing the rest via text editor, but it looks like something needs to be fixed in MaLa to accept mame for version .154 and newer.

With 7z, yeah, it was not locating the files when generating a gamelist. Converted my romset back to zip and it worked just fine.

[BadMouth]

ah, hadn't tried a version quite that new with Mala.  (I do keep a newer version of mameui on my laptop to see if it's worth updating the cab)
Must have been some options added to the ini file. 
I didn't even realize Mala was using mame.ini for anything.

I tested out the 7z thing when Loadman first released it.
It worked fine for me, but I only tested it refresh main gamelist.

[empardopo]

Very bad news if Mala is death! :-(

[Blueic5]

Mame .156 64bit working for me with mala as in it loads games OK not really tried much else as I've no control panel yet.   I did have to rename mame64 to mame.Exe to create the initial configuration though.

[Vigo]

I'll give 0.156 a go and see if it crashes for me. I have 32 bit, but I can try it on my 64 as well.

[Vigo]

I Tried 0.156 on MaLa on a 32 and 64 bit system. Both Crash when trying to configure. Renamed to mame.exe as well. The work around works fine by configuring with old version of mame, and editing the .ini file directly and games will run. Just don't hit the configure button.

[apfelanni]

tried mala 1.82 with mame 32 0.152 .. no probs at all .. will test mame 0.156 tomorrow , coz i have to setup a new emulation computer for a friend . transfering 500 gb will take some time.

[Slippyblade]

This may sound ignorant, sorry.  I'm confused on where a failure could happen.  I mean there's no real interaction between Mala and MAME.  Doesn't Mala simply output a command line that calls MAME?  Shouldn't you be able to simply pipe Mala's output to a text file and see what the problem is?

[chopperthedog]

MALA acts as a gui to edit the mame config, but it hasn't been updated to accept the newer (since .128 I think) changes in the mame config.


good day.

[empardopo]

Not really.  Loadman added 7zip support in the last update, but it was a minor change and the first time in years anything had been done with it.

Development is generally considered dead.  The original author and loadman say that making it open source is not possible because of things I don't understand because I'm not a programmer.  Something about the tools used to create it IIRC.

No need to do open source, but someone could follow the project ...

[BobA]

Using Mala 1.74 with Mame 1.49 and it works just fine.

[UFO]

... Focus issues still crop up ...

+1

... I still never found any rhyme or reason to the rom highlighted when it boots up ...

Sure there is an option for this somewhere...

[BadMouth]

... I still never found any rhyme or reason to the rom highlighted when it boots up ...

Sure there is an option for this somewhere...

The currently highlighted game is written to the ini file when Mala exits.
If Mala is killed instead of exited properly, the ini file will still list whatever game was highlighted the last time it was shut down properly.

Maybe windows shutdown is cutting Mala off sometimes before it gets a chance to write to the ini?

[Vigo]

... I still never found any rhyme or reason to the rom highlighted when it boots up ...

Sure there is an option for this somewhere...

The currently highlighted game is written to the ini file when Mala exits.
If Mala is killed instead of exited properly, the ini file will still list whatever game was highlighted the last time it was shut down properly.

Maybe windows shutdown is cutting Mala off sometimes before it gets a chance to write to the ini?

That is a pretty sound theory. The best I notice is sometimes it sticks with the last game played, other times it it the last game played a couple sessions ago. This makes sense. 

[Garetmax]

I really wish Loadman would make a few of the critical updates mentioned in this thread about compatibility problems with new versions of Mame.  I'm starting a new cab and have looked at other FE's and they just don't have what I want but I'd like to use a FE that is still actively worked on.

I sent a PM to Loadman but haven't heard anything.  If he can't or doesn't want to work on it anymore, I'm hoping he can pass the reigns to someone else.  I'll bet there are plenty of great programmers that would love to step up.  Didn't he get it from Swindus that way?

[empardopo]

I sent a PM to Loadman but haven't heard anything.  If he can't or doesn't want to work on it anymore, I'm hoping he can pass the reigns to someone else.  I'll bet there are plenty of great programmers that would love to step up.  Didn't he get it from Swindus that way?

Any news?

[Garetmax]

No news so I made a switch to the GameEx frontend.  I definitely did not want to make a change and learn a new FE but I'm so glad I did.

Here's my opinions:
- Although I really liked Mala and have used it for the last 4-5 years GameEx has a ton more options and support.  They have Steam support, flash game stuff, remote stuff, htpc stuff, and there is a new Evolution version coming soon that is supposed to be even better.  Honestly I don't even need a new version because GameEx has everything I need, like, and more.  I like fiddling with setups so I'll definitely switch to the new version when it comes.
- The Mala community forum is pretty good but I really like the GameEx community more as they have high score competitions and tracking, they had a theme completion, and just more of a community.
- The only thing I didn't like at first was the GameEx theme editing.  There is a steep learning curve with it unlike Mala.  I decided to use one from someone else and I really like it.  On the plus side of the GameEx themes, I think they are actually better with more functions than Mala such as last game played, most games played, and other functions.  Hopefully, their Evolution version will have less of a learning curve.
- I always seemed to have issues with Mala's exiting and pre and post commands not working properly and had to use ahk's and bats to get them to work.  GameEx is easier for those issues.
- I'd say that GameEx is probably easier to setup but Mala wasn't too hard either.  GameEx can do anything Mala can do and so much more too.

There's more pluses for GameEx, but that's not to say Mala isn't good, but since Mala isn't being supported anymore and there are problems with it that aren't fixed, I made the change to GameEx and am 100% glad I did. GameEx is just an incredible frontend with loads of options and support.

[empardopo]

No news so I made a switch to the GameEx frontend.  I definitely did not want to make a change and learn a new FE but I'm so glad I did.

Here's my opinions:
- Although I really liked Mala and have used it for the last 4-5 years GameEx has a ton more options and support.  They have Steam support, flash game stuff, remote stuff, htpc stuff, and there is a new Evolution version coming soon that is supposed to be even better.  Honestly I don't even need a new version because GameEx has everything I need, like, and more.  I like fiddling with setups so I'll definitely switch to the new version when it comes.
- The Mala community forum is pretty good but I really like the GameEx community more as they have high score competitions and tracking, they had a theme completion, and just more of a community.
- The only thing I didn't like at first was the GameEx theme editing.  There is a steep learning curve with it unlike Mala.  I decided to use one from someone else and I really like it.  On the plus side of the GameEx themes, I think they are actually better with more functions than Mala such as last game played, most games played, and other functions.  Hopefully, their Evolution version will have less of a learning curve.
- I always seemed to have issues with Mala's exiting and pre and post commands not working properly and had to use ahk's and bats to get them to work.  GameEx is easier for those issues.
- I'd say that GameEx is probably easier to setup but Mala wasn't too hard either.  GameEx can do anything Mala can do and so much more too.

There's more pluses for GameEx, but that's not to say Mala isn't good, but since Mala isn't being supported anymore and there are problems with it that aren't fixed, I made the change to GameEx and am 100% glad I did. GameEx is just an incredible frontend with loads of options and support.

I'll have a look but do not know where to start ...
Btw, an example of what GameEx has more than MALA.

Thanks.

[BadMouth]

No news so I made a switch to the GameEx frontend.  I definitely did not want to make a change and learn a new FE but I'm so glad I did.

Here's my opinions:
- Although I really liked Mala and have used it for the last 4-5 years GameEx has a ton more options and support.  They have Steam support, flash game stuff, remote stuff, htpc stuff, and there is a new Evolution version coming soon that is supposed to be even better.  Honestly I don't even need a new version because GameEx has everything I need, like, and more.  I like fiddling with setups so I'll definitely switch to the new version when it comes.
- The Mala community forum is pretty good but I really like the GameEx community more as they have high score competitions and tracking, they had a theme completion, and just more of a community.
- The only thing I didn't like at first was the GameEx theme editing.  There is a steep learning curve with it unlike Mala.  I decided to use one from someone else and I really like it.  On the plus side of the GameEx themes, I think they are actually better with more functions than Mala such as last game played, most games played, and other functions.  Hopefully, their Evolution version will have less of a learning curve.
- I always seemed to have issues with Mala's exiting and pre and post commands not working properly and had to use ahk's and bats to get them to work.  GameEx is easier for those issues.
- I'd say that GameEx is probably easier to setup but Mala wasn't too hard either.  GameEx can do anything Mala can do and so much more too.

There's more pluses for GameEx, but that's not to say Mala isn't good, but since Mala isn't being supported anymore and there are problems with it that aren't fixed, I made the change to GameEx and am 100% glad I did. GameEx is just an incredible frontend with loads of options and support.

Can't blame you.  Headkaze is on board with GameEX.  That counts for a lot IMO.
The only reason I haven't given it a try is that almost every theme I've seen either looks like a media player or the default of some other front-end.
(neither of which appeals to me)

[empardopo]

I have been very happy using MALA but if it ceases to have support then is dead. It's sad!

[Celsius]

The only reason I haven't given it a try is that almost every theme I've seen either looks like a media player or the default of some other front-end.
(neither of which appeals to me)

same reason I didnīt switch yet, donīt like the media player look

[TopJimmyCooks]

I am happy with the one mala setup I did.  If I ever upgrade my rig when a better pc for the task surfaces, I would look at something else . . . . . .
..................
.............
.....

IF ANYTHING ELSE SUPPORTED AUTO ROTATION

[eds1275]

That is a pretty sound theory. The best I notice is sometimes it sticks with the last game played, other times it it the last game played a couple sessions ago. This makes sense. 

Mine seems to be stuck on a puzzle-porn game. Kind of awkward when there's children around...

[BadMouth]

That is a pretty sound theory. The best I notice is sometimes it sticks with the last game played, other times it it the last game played a couple sessions ago. This makes sense. 

Mine seems to be stuck on a puzzle-porn game. Kind of awkward when there's children around...

As mentioned earlier, it's written to the ini file when Mala exits and if Mala is not exited properly the ini will still contain the game from the last time Mala was shut down properly.

You can manually change it in the ini.  That should fix the porno prob even if Mala isn't shutting down properly.

A couple of the Taito type x games from when hacked versions first appeared would not run while Mala was running, so I had to make an autohotkey script to kill mala, then launch the game.  It then writes the taito type x game to the ini as the last highlighted game before relaunching Mala so the gamelist opens in the right place.