Dragon King - additional info

[Scoobie]

Let me start by saying, I read and re-read the docs. 

I've been able to get the main list to show up in the FE.  I'm now trying to add lists by controller type and a favorites list.

Some questions I have are:
1. Where would I see the "4-way joystick" list I created?
2. What key is the "tagger key" to be able to add/remove games from a Favorites list (once I figure it out)? - And, where/how can I change this key press?  This is something I know I'm overlooking, but still can't locate it. 
3. How do I get my attract videos to appear?  I didn't see this option in the docs.
4. Can a trackball/mouse be used to scroll through the game lists?  If so, how can I set this up?

I read and followed the docs for these items...I just don't see them.

Here's what my dirs.ini looks like (just the string portion):

[startvd]
[path]
logo=Mame.png
caption=Mame
useclones=0
searchstrings:5=MAME
filters:6=*mature*;9=*Working No*;6=BIOS
[/path]
[/path]
logo=Mame.png
caption=4-way Joystick
useclones=0
searchstrings:11=4-way joystick
filters:6=*mature*;9=*Working No*;6=BIOS
[/path]
[/path]
logo=Mame.png
caption=Favorites
useclones=0
searchstrings:Favorites
filters:
[/path]
[/startvd]

Please help me with any changes I should make to my dirs.ini, and with my questions above.

Thanks in advance!

[Howard_Casto]

I don't intend to be mean, but if you read the docs then you didn't read them very well. 

1. There's no such thing as "4-way joystick" as an entry in mame's listinfo.  Did you even open the masterlist.lst to figure out what you were trying to search for?  Also even if there were, as there is more info contained in the controls field than just the control type, that exact string match (which is how you have it typed) would never be found.  *joy4way*  is what you want. 


2.  Try going into the  config menu, going to input options, then keyboard. 

3.  It is indeed in the docs.  It's turned on by default but wheather or not the skin displays it is up to the skin author.  In the case of the default skin, it's on by default.  Make sure the game also has a valid snapshot  and that your videos are put in the "vids" folder in the same root folder as the snapshot (as in c:\mame\snap\ and c:\mame\vids\  or whatever)

4.  Read the frontend.ini  and the docs.  Again, this can be setup in the config menu under input options, mouse. 

[Scoobie]

Thanks for not being mean    Don't worry I'm thick, I can take it...   BTW, the docs are not as self explanatory as you think.  For those of us that haven't had your FE setup and haven't used it before, some things seem a bit trickier.  Each FE handles inputs a little differently.  So, I really appreciate the help you provide to get us going!

So far, I've been able to get #3 checked off my list.  I just needed to rename the folder they are in.

2. When I go into the config menu and select keyboard, there are things like:
Joystick ID, Tolerance, Usb Fix, X-, X+, Y-, X+, etc.  What are these for exactly?

I don't think I'm adding games to a Favorites list correctly.  (This could very well be that my dirs.ini is not setup correctly).  Please see below.  I seem to always have my master list available, just not the *joy4way* and Favorites I setup.

When I press the "tagger" key, it removes the highlighted game from my master list.

When I press the "next list" key, it brings me back to the front of my master list.

From my frontend.ini: - What do these mean, and what should I change?

[Keys]
UiUp=38
uiDown=40
uiNext50=39
uiPrev50=37
uiConfig=9
uiNextPath=88
uiPreviousPath=90
uiSelect=49
uiExit=27
uiSearch=32
uiInfo=86
uiShift=67
UiPrevPath=90
UiFav=54
UiPrint=53
SuiScreenSav=00
SuiVolUp=00
SuiVolDown=00
SuiPrevLet=65
SuiNextLet=83
SuiPrevSong=00
SuiNextSong=00
SuiRandSel=00
SuiForceExit=00
SuiMute=50
UiLaunch=80

[Mouse]

ScrollAxis=1

MouseMultiplier=0.4

MouseButton0=49
MouseButton1=9
MouseButton2=27
MouseButton3=90
MouseButton4=88
MouseButton5=-1
MouseButton6=
MouseButton7=

Lightgun=1

ShowCursor=0

[Joystick]

Xaxis+=40
Xaxis-=38

Yaxis+=37
Yaxis-=39

Zaxis+=-1
Zaxis-=-1

RXaxis+=-1
RXaxis-=-1

RYaxis+=-1
RYaxis-=-1

RZaxis+=-1
RZaxis-=-1

Slider+=-1
Slider-=13

b0=49
b1=-1
b2=-1
b3=-1
--BINGO! Either that, or I was attempting to say "before" but it was too many letters to type--=-1
b5=-1
b6=-1
b7=-1
b8=-1
b9=-1
b10=-1
b11=-1
b12=-1
b13=-1
b14=-1
b15=-1
b16=

Tolerance=1

JoystickId=0

USBAdaptorFix=1

4. When I go into the config menu and click "mouse", nothing happens.  This is also the case when I click "joystick" in the config menu.  The only option that opens when clicked is "keyboard", and as I mentioned above, still confuses me a bit.

Does my dirs.ini look right?  I don't think it's generating the 2 lists I created.

My Dirs.ini:

[startvd]
[path]
logo=Mame.png
caption=Mame
useclones=0
searchstrings:5=MAME
filters:6=*mature*;9=*Working No*;6=BIOS
[/path]
[/path]
logo=Mame.png
caption=4-way Joystick
useclones=0
searchstrings:11=*joy4way*
filters:6=*mature*;9=*Working No*;6=BIOS
[/path]
[/path]
logo=Mame.png
caption=Favorites
useclones=0
searchstrings:Favorites
filters:
[/path]
[/startvd]

5. (a new question): My attact videos now overlap the default dragon background, where as when they were just displaying snaps, were neatly hidden (the corners) behind it.  Is there a way to change this back?

HC,
I realize you have been doing this for a long time and are sick of these setup questions.  Just know that I do appreciate it!!

[Howard_Casto]

To fix the videos turn off alternate video rendering method....  That's well documented in the frontend.ini itself.  Also it's covered in the dk faq, which you should have read before even downloading this program. 



You can't click on anything in the config menu, you have to use the keyboard.  Those mouse clicks are left over from the now ancient lazarus and aren't binded to the proper functions.  It's on my list of things to fix.

You are really confused as to how the list system works. The masterlist is a virtual list that you'll never ever see.  It lists all possible games you could have based on the emulators and dats you've provided.  You are just seeing your mame list. 

You can't add favorites while in the favorites list.  You go to any of the other lists and press the tagger key ONCE.  Pressing it again (or pressing it while in the favorites list) will remove the game. 

Your lists are totally screwed up in syntax. 

check it out, you have

[startvd]
[path]
[/path]
[/path]
[/path]
[/startvd]

it should be

[startvd]
[path]
[/path]
[path]
[/path]
[/startvd]

slashes end a field, they don't start it.  It's just like basic html

Until you fix your lists and regenerate your only gonna have your mame list, which is the only one written properly. 

Don't edit inputs directly in the config, it's too confusing.  I know what I'm doing and even I don't do it.  As I said, just use keys to navigate the menus rather than your mouse or analog joystick. 

[Scoobie]

Thanks for the help...I've never written html, so I didn't quite get the slashes in the beginning/ending of fields.

You're right about the video rendering method.  For the record, I think it's easy to miss items in the fontend.ini...even AFTER reading this, the faq and the other docs.  I just seemed to miss some key items.   

I'm now able to generate a favorites list and a *joy4way* list.  I'll be tweaking it a bit...and having some fun with it as well.   

Thanks, HC!

[Howard_Casto]

Glad you got it working. 

Regarding the "hard to miss stuff" though. 

Mind you I think it's perfectly understandable that a person would miss a flag or two, but considering this particular function is mentioned in the faq twice and is described in the frontend.ini I find it unlikely that you read everything carefully several times (like I always suggest). 

The best I can do is write the stuff down, I can't help it if you guys skip over it. 

[Scoobie]