RGBcommander 0.4 released for Windows, Linux and rPI2/3

[ZoOl007]

Hi,

I am pleased to release RGBcommander 0.4 for Windows, Linux and rPI2/3.
The only cross platform arcade led and joystick solution in the world  - yes indeed...
with the addition of Windows as a platform - it is the truth, so I can say that 
The program evolved significantly, got a lot better and gained many features.
No need to go hunting for files as everything is included.
RGBcommander should provide a smooth experience for anyone willing to invest the time to read the site and the documentation in its configuration file.
Care was taken to provide extensive and clear instructions so please use them.

RGBcommander's main features :
Works with Ultimarc PacLed64, UltimateIO, ServoStik, UltraStik 360 and GroovyGameGear LED-Wiz
Rom specific colours, animations and joystick switching on all platforms, in all situations
Startup animation flashing on Ultimarc led boards
Is highly compatible due to being frontend agnostic
Customisable and fully RetroPie integrated ( rPI2/3 )
Supports MAME blinking leds ( emulator and rom specific )

I feel reasonably confident about the overall design and quality.
The beta tag has been kept because of the limited configurations it has been tested on.
Time and broader adaptation will tell...
I plan on fixing issues should they appear ( within reason that is - it is a hobby project )
You use this program at your own risk. Pay attention to the License and Warning please.

There are two download links on the site http://users.telenet.be/rgbcommander/
If you are on windows download the Windows installer.
rPI2/3 and 64bit linux users grab the Linux installer.

It took a lot of effort to create RGBcommander but I enjoyed it ( most of the time  )and I hope it'll make your build look stunning.

***Windows download removed***

The win64 download was taken down because, looking objectively at it, I am concerned that it might be too disruptive for the windows retro gaming eco system. It is a small pond after all and I don't intend to ruin it. I am going to continue developing it in parallel with the *nix version for my own for the time being. If you are one of the few people that downloaded the windows version - that's fine - feel free to use it if you like, just don't distribute it please. It may ar may not return - that'll depend on how things evolve. Thank you for your comprehension and cooperation.

Cheers

[mahuti]

I can testify this works well on the Raspberry Pi. Ultrastik auto switching and Ledwiz works great.

I've been helping test for quite a while. Very excited that this is now finally released!

[davidlinch]

Hi,

First, Thanks for all your work 

I've tried RGB Commander 0.4.0 beta 1 on a Windows (8.1) Cabinet, but after reads the web site and the whole instructions in the rgbcmdd.xml file  I'm still getting a error  when I tried to "set,animation,test":
17/03/17 19:48:27 [ERROR] [connect] cannot open device PACLED64_1

The pacled 64 is working fine when I do some test with ledblinky.

Please find attached the whole log (don't know if it necessary)

[mahuti]

Was the PacLed plugged in before starting RGBCommander?

[ZoOl007]

It works on W7 and 10 64bit - that is to say - it does on my machines - vm's and normal ones out of the box. I got 0 responses on my call for windows beta testers and I don't have access to a windows 8.1 windows machine.
So yes - this could possibly happen - if you feel like it and have some spare time contact me by mail please. Otherwise we'll pollute this site with a very lengthy post - ask mahuti   
I'm fairly sure that it is something minor.
Do you have a w7 or 10 just to cross check?
I'll try to get a hold of a 8.1 somehow.

it'll work...

[davidlinch]

@ZoOl007, Ok I will contact you by mail.

@mahuti, Yes Pacled was plugged before starting RGBCommander

[davidlinch]

Ok Solved ... after a reboot  (do not start ledblinky) everything is working fine.

I can switch on/off any leds an play leds animation on the 3 boards I have in my Arcade Cabinet (2xPacled64 and 1xledwiz).

Thx ZoOl007 for your works

[fablog]

Thanks ZoOi007, I didn't tried yet but a new app for this community is always great. Could you make a demonstation video and publish it on YouTube?

[Locke141]

Thanks ZoOi007, I didn't tried yet but a new app for this community is always great. Could you make a demonstation video and publish it on YouTube?

+1

I'm thinking about boing making my build in the early stages of planing a R-pi build. This would be a fun add-on.

[mahuti]

I just remembered I have this really crappy video that just shows it going from animation to galaga specific that I took when testing:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8kImWCAKq6_eTg4Um1vM09HOUE/view?usp=sharing

Sorry about the video quality. Only a few seconds long, no real CPO involved... just a mess on a desk. I took it for testing confirmation. When I reassemble this CPO, I'll post a different video. Won't be much more exciting than this though as it only has 2 buttons (plus player 1/2 start button)

[ZoOl007]

Hi,

I've put a video on the site. You can have a look there. At the bottom.
I also added a known issues section.

regards

[GrimIock]

Thanks so much for this update. Very excited to get those buttons lit up!

I've installed RGBcommander however I can't seem to get it talking with RetroPie. I am able to send commands with the debug tool with success.

I'm sure it's something I'm overlooking as I'm pretty new to all this stuff.

The only error that pops out at me is:
[WARNING] [startListening] selectserver: bind failed, error: 98

I've attached the log file as well

Raspberry Pi 3
RetroPie v4.2
Ultimarc UltimateIO

Thanks!

[ZoOl007]

the log states that the daemon is waiting for
22/03/17 05:09:15 [INFO] [processMonitor] awaiting FrontEnd (attract) start...
that is not the default RetroPie frontend.
so unless you are using attract (AttractMode) you should change that to 'emulationstation' as per stated in the documentation
eg
frontendbinary="emulationstation" in the option tag

[WARNING] [startListening] selectserver: bind failed, error: 98
you can ignore that - it is a warning - in the absence of an ipv6 address I log that.
It is something I'd better remove because you are not the first one that poses that question.

[GrimIock]

Excellent! Well that worked perfectly!

Very much appreciate your efforts.

[ZoOl007]

You are welcome. If it serves you well, buy me a dinner and a beer by means of the donate button please.

[mahuti]

Well I got another ledwiz. This time, instead of the full led-wiz, I got the ledwiz gp, but didn't realize I had to get a different ID'd device. GroovyGameGear's site directions say for this EXACT device, get another number if you're using two... I didn't think about the fact that the Ledwiz Gp is the same reported device as a ledwiz... so now I guess I'll just order another one with a different ID so I can use both at once (it's ok, the "wrong" one will get used elsewhere). In any case, I wired it up to test it out and it looks great for what I'm using it for.

Here's a link to the video of it (work in progress).
in the light:
in the dark:
I still need to make custom animations (and wire it up a little better inside) And I need to change up the other ledwiz in the control panel so I get my button lighting back (sigh)

[Gaucho]

thank you @ZoOl007 I've got everything set up. However I am having issues with coleco it's like the system doesn't even look at the xml file for this emulator. Do you know if you've had success with coolcv on PI3? The only other issue i've run across is I'm unable to shutdown or reboot correctly anymore it seems to hang for almost 5minutes then shutsdown or reboots. I'll post my log file when i get home and maybe something you see makes sense. thank you again.

[ZoOl007]

Hi,
on RetroPie it is no different than the other ones. You need to specify the folder name where the roms reside as the binary="RomFolder" in the respective emulator tag and it has to be tagged as a retropie="1" in that same tag.
Furhtermore you can open an ssh session to your pi and tail the log file by tail -f /usr/sbin/rgbcommander/rgbcmdd.log
As you launch games you'll be able to follow what it does. It'll depict [DEBUG] [retropiefifo] picked up command -> and then what it got.
That way you should be able to troubleshoot.
If you can't sort it out mail your config file and a representative log please

5 minute reboot delay -> yes... I've had that sporadically - it has to do with the init.d system and the way I stop the daemon... I can't pinpoint it because I can't reproduce it...
I am however porting the old init.d to systemd to make it run on GoovyArcade and I expect that that issue will go away then... no eta

regards

[Gaucho]

Thank you for getting me back so quickly. I'll work on this tonight. BTW I did find out that if when I do an ssh session that's when I'm getting the delay but if I just play and reboot or shutdown its fine. Again thank you.

[Gaucho]

Here is my log:

Code: [Select]

20/05/17 23:47:09 [DEBUG] [retropiefifo] picked up command -> START~coleco~Lady Bug (USA, Europe).col
20/05/17 23:47:09 [DEBUG] [retropiefifo]cmd -> START core -> coleco rom -> Lady Bug (USA, Europe)
20/05/17 23:47:09 [INFO] [retropiefifo] waiting for process retroarch to appear...

then nothing

Here is my config:

Code: [Select]

<!--coleco-->
  <emulator binary="coleco" name="coleco" active="Green" inactive="Off" retropie="1">
<rom id="default">
<control name="P1_BUTTON1" colour="White"/>
<control name="P1_BUTTON2" colour="White"/>
<control name="P1_BUTTON3" colour="White"/>
<control name="P1_BUTTON4" colour="White"/>
<control name="P1_BUTTON5" colour="White"/>
<control name="P1_BUTTON6" colour="White"/>
<control name="P1_START" colour="Green"/>
<control name="P2_BUTTON1" colour="White"/>
<control name="P2_BUTTON2" colour="White"/>
<control name="P2_BUTTON3" colour="White"/>
<control name="P2_BUTTON4" colour="White"/>
<control name="P2_BUTTON5" colour="White"/>
<control name="P2_BUTTON6" colour="White"/>
<control name="P2_START" colour="Green"/>
    </rom>
</emulator>


[Gaucho]

update: almost..
the binary should maybe be : coolcv_pi and retropie = 0?

Code: [Select]

<emulator binary="coolcv_pi" name="coleco" active="Green" inactive="Off" retropie="0">
this gets the leds to at least work but then fails any other emulator. Either way I'm happy to be making progress.

again thank you for everything you do. I donated to your project! Can't wait to see whats to come.

[ZoOl007]

20/05/17 23:47:09 [INFO] [retropiefifo] waiting for process retroarch to appear... -> then nothing

The fact that retroarch doesn't launch makes me assume it is a non core version. You can track the process name by using the procdiff call in rgbcmdcon
eg run get,procdiff
start some processes eg the coleco emu
get,procdiff again
and it'll output what is sees in + and -
you need to use that case sensitive name as per specified in the documentation - read up on core/non core in the mame section - it is at the end of the docu -

assuming procdiff tells you it is coolcv_pi it would result in something like this :
<emulator binary="coleco"    retropiebinary="coolcv_pi" name="coleco non core" active="Green" inactive="Off" retropie="1">
...
</emulator>

it is highly likely that the process name is coolcv_pi as you wrote -> this gets the leds to at least work
that's is logical as you told RGBcommander it is a normal emu by retropie="0" and you supplied a process that triggers it so...

it is also worth reading the log file when the daemon starts line by line that way you will understand how it functions.

[Gaucho]

Code: [Select]

<emulator binary="coleco"  retropiebinary="coolcv_pi" name="ColecoVision" active="Green" inactive="Off" retropie="1">

This worked! Thank you!

[Nicko]

<emulator binary="coleco"    retropiebinary="coolcv_pi" name="coleco non core" active="Green" inactive="Off" retropie="1">
...
</emulator>

Hi ZoOl007,
Just to be sure, can you confirm, please, that your program allows to configurate one button color patern for each system with PacLED64 Advanced LED Controller in Retropie?
Thanks for your answer!
Best regards!

[ZoOl007]

Just to be sure, can you confirm, please, that your program allows to configurate one button color patern for each system with PacLED64 Advanced LED Controller in Retropie?

I had to read your question a few times. If what you mean is ...if your program supports an rgb color pattern for each system when using a PacLED64...
Yes it does. Read the 'High level' section on the site. When the FrontEnd runs you have an animation or a static map, when an emu runs you have rgb buttons lit up.
Everything according to what you've configured of course.

In fact, read the whole website and the daemon's configuration file thoroughly. It should make sense. We took great care to provide detailed and correct information.
Good luck.

[sharpfork]

is there a place to download the linux version of RGBcommander?  The project site seems deam.

[PL1]

is there a place to download the linux version of RGBcommander?  The project site seems deam.

Archive copy of site:
https://web.archive.org/web/20220831205429/http://users.telenet.be/rgbcommander/

Archived direct download link for Linux version of RGBcommander:
https://web.archive.org/web/20220831224428/http://users.telenet.be/rgbcommander/downloads/RGBcommander_0405.tar.gz


Scott

[wtstreetglow]

Can anyone confirm if RGBcommander is working on Raspberry pi4 and retropie? I can't get anything going that requires hooking onto outputs of emulations station. No color changes/ setting based upon an arcade rom selected, nor a certain console selected.

If it is working for you with the setup above. Would someone be willing to give some support to help me get my blinky blinks going. I'm sad with no blinky blinks.