Ultimarc Ultimate IO shift keys not working

[clarky000]

N00b here so please bear with me...

Issue: I can't get the shift keys working in any game. Example; If I hold down P1 start and push the P1 joystick down nothing happens.
If I plug in a keyboard and hold down '1' and press the 'p' key the game pauses.
If I plug in a keyboard and hold down '1' and press the down arrow the game doesn't pause - but the game responds to the down press.

Im expecting the default behaviour shown here: https://www.ultimarc.com/control-interfaces/i-pacs/i-pac-ultimate-i-o/

Setup:
Retropie on Rpie 4
Mame emulator
Ulitmarc Ipac ultimate IO with buttons wired to the board rather than the joystick
Ultimarc U360 joysticks plugged directly into the pie via USB
I haven't tried changing the mapping of any keys on the Ipac - Im just using the defaults it was shipped with.

When I plug the Ipac into my PC running windows and open WINIPAC software I can see that the 1 key is my shift key. If I open a shell session I can see 1 appears after I press and release my P1 Start button and from what I have read this indicates its in shift mode.

What am I doing wrong here? All of my standard buttons are working as expected on various emulators but I can't get shift keys without a keyboard. Please help!

[PL1]

When I plug the Ipac into my PC running windows and open WINIPAC software I can see that the 1 key is my shift key. If I open a shell session I can see 1 appears after I press and release my P1 Start button and from what I have read this indicates its in shift mode.

Almost right.  When you hold down P1 Start, the IPac is in shift mode.
- if you trigger an IPac input that has a shifted function before you release P1 Start, the IPac will send that input's shifted function keystroke.  For example if you press and hold P1 Start then press P1B1, the shifted function keystroke for Coin A (5) is triggered.
- If you release P1 Start without triggering an IPac input that has a shifted function, the IPac goes out of shift mode and sends the regular keystroke for the 1START input. (1)

Issue: I can't get the shift keys working in any game. Example; If I hold down P1 start and push the P1 joystick down nothing happens.
If I plug in a keyboard and hold down '1' and press the 'p' key the game pauses.
If I plug in a keyboard and hold down '1' and press the down arrow the game doesn't pause - but the game responds to the down press.

Shifted functions are generated by the IPac firmware when the right combination of IPac inputs are grounded.

The keyboard and the U360 are connected to USB -- not the IPac inputs -- so pressing keyboard keys or moving the U360 can't trigger shifted functions on the IPac.

In order to trigger the Pause shifted function of the IPac (keystroke "P"), apply ground to input "1START" on the IPac (press and hold the Start 1 button) then apply ground to input "1DOWN" on the IPac.

Since your U360 doesn't connect to the IPac 1UP, 1DOWN, 1LEFT, and 1RIGHT inputs, here are several approaches you can use to generate those shifted function keystrokes:

1. Dedicated admin buttons connected to the unused 1UP, 1DOWN, 1LEFT, and 1RIGHT inputs.
- Reprogram these currently unused IPac joystick inputs to send the desired keystrokes.

2. Shifted functions from player buttons.
- By default, the P1B1 shifted function is Coin A. (5)  Program the desired keystrokes as shifted functions of the other player buttons.  For example, you could program the P1B2 shifted function as Pause. (P)

There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches.  Which approach is better?  That depends on your personal preferences.
https://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/FAQ#Number_of_admin_buttons


Scott

[clarky000]

Thanks for the detailed explanation - really appreciate it! Will do some research and work out which option is easiest to achive!