MaLa Orientation question

[Virtualmatt]

Maybe I'm missing some obvious option, but how do I set MaLa to automatically launch all "Portrait" games sideways, and all "Landscape" games normally?  I'm building a 3 sided cocktail cabinet and can't quite figure it out.

Thanks!

[loadman]

Someone may have a better Idea but it seems to me you have two options.

1) Set MaLa to cocktail mode so that when it detects the controls are touched it will rotate the game list and change the game list to games appropriate to those controlls. To achieve these you will have to create these game list in advance using the filtering tools. Mala can then be set to tell mame to launch with the same orientation that the list is (at the time point you launch the game).  If you created the game list correctly all will be sweeeeet!

2) If you just want one game list with games of both orientations then ....you may have to make a mame.ini file for each game you want to rotate.

As I say, someone may have a better solution,  if not I would be happy to expand on either point

[swindus]

You can also check the option 'Rotate MAME with MaLa' in the options dialog:
mame config -> options -> auto rotate

That means if you change the orientation of MaLa ALL MAME games will rotate to the selected MaLa orientation.

[loadman]

You can also check the option 'Rotate MAME with MaLa' in the options dialog:
mame config -> options -> auto rotate
That means if you change the orientation of MaLa ALL MAME games will rotate to the selected MaLa orientation.

That is what I meant by... "Mala can then be set to tell mame to launch with the same orientation that the list is (at the time point you launch the game).  " but you worded it better   
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1) If 'Virtualmatt' is happy with remembering each games orientation then he could just have one list and just use the auto rotate option.

2) If he is happy with separate list then he can use 'cocktail mode' having it switch to diffrent lists on each orientation

3) If he wants just one list and for mame to run in the correct orientation depending what the game is then....  I can't see any other solution that the multiple .ini's

[Virtualmatt]

Thanks for your help.  The problem with having MaLa detect joysticks is that the joysticks on the different sides of the box will be wired into the same holes on the iPac, so Mala won't know which side the input is coming from.

What does Auto Rotate do?  Does it rotate to whatever orientation the game is made for?

[loadman]

Thanks for your help.  The problem with having MaLa detect joysticks is that the joysticks on the different sides of the box will be wired into the same holes on the iPac, so Mala won't know which side the input is coming from.[/quote] Bugger, Have you considered wiring it separately??? Mame can easily be set handle multiple keys......then you can have diffrent controller sets in Mala. (see pic attached)

What does Auto Rotate do?  Does it rotate to whatever orientation the game is made for?.

No.. it will alter mame to rotate to whatever the MaLa is oriented to...See Posts above

[Virtualmatt]

I don't know how to wire them separately, I'm using an IPAC2 and it only has the one set of places to wire in a joystick for each player.

Another dumb question then: Can the gamelist editer make lists based on orientation, or do I need to manually do that?

[loadman]

I don't know how to wire them separately, I'm using an IPAC2 and it only has the one set of places to wire in a joystick for each player.

I have a cocktail cab with two joysticks on one side and one of the other. As I have done you can allocate the spare ports on the I-Pac to another joystick or buttons.. Very easy too  :-)

Another dumb question then: Can the gamelist editor make lists based on orientation, or do I need to manually do that?

The gamelist editor can do that for you  :-)

refer here: http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/malagamelist.html

[Virtualmatt]

I don't have enough spare ports to do that

Also, wouldn't you have to reconfigure the MAME controls for ever individual game . . . ?

What I ended up doing was making the 2nd player controls scroll through horizontal games, and the first player controls scroll through vertical.  That works well enough I guess lol.

[loadman]

I don't have enough spare ports to do that

Spare PORTS on the I-Pac Not PARTS :-) (for buttons you have not used eg I only have three buttons per player and the I-Pac supports 8. That leaves many PORTS avaliable for use on another Joystick. The IPAC can be configured any way you like.

Also, wouldn't you have to reconfigure the MAME controls for ever individual game . . . ?

NO. You can do a global change easily... :-)

[Virtualmatt]

That's what I said, spare PORTS . . . ?

Anyway, I have six buttons

[loadman]

That's what I said, spare PORTS . . . ?..

Sorry Hangover      

Well you what you could do is add 3 extra buttons to your cab using the spare ports you do have.

One button on each side. When you press it mala can rotate that way displaying the appropriate game list.

In any case:

I'm Glad you are happy with two separate lists.