MaLa: Will it support [a] beta brite sign like mamewah? If not, could it?

[Timoe]

I asked this before but felt that a dedicated thread might get more exposure.

I'm running out of junk to add to my jalopy, can I add a BetaBrite?

[loadman]

I asked this before but felt that a dedicated thread might get more exposure.

I'm running out of junk to add to my jalopy, can I add a BetaBrite?

It looks highly likely it will now that the MaLa Plugin system has been introduced. It seems fairly straight forward.

I will have a go at making a plug-in one day if nobody else puts their hand up

[youki]

According to what i understood of the beta brite  (thanks to headkaze).

I think Mala  and all other front end can support it.

In the worst case where a Front end can not run "pre-command"  , you can always use a .BAT file that
First copy the .lcd file to the com1  and then the game.

And in the very worst case where the FE could not pass only the ROM name to the .BAT file and you can not parse using BAT feature you can always write a .VBS (vbscript) script or a .JS (Java script) script that parse the fullpath , extract the Rom name , copy the ROMNAME.lcd to the com1 and then run the game.

And to run that .VBS  , you create a .BAT  with something like  :    cscript  Yourscript.vbs  %1

The scripting engine is in standard on Me, 2000 and XP.  You have to install it on 98 i think.

[swindus]

The best way to do it with MaLa would be a plugin because so you don't have to create those lcd files and you can send text to the display on more events other than a game start. But it should also work as Youki described it.

[loadman]

I asked this before but felt that a dedicated thread might get more exposure.

I'm running out of junk to add to my jalopy, can I add a BetaBrite?

Who volunteers to beta test such a thing before a commitment to create a plug-in is made?

[loadman]

(BUMP)

Who volunteers to beta test such a thing before a commitment to create a plug-in is made?

 
Anyone??

[Q*bert]

Who volunteers to beta test such a thing before a commitment to create a plug-in is made?

 

Anyone??

I've just decided to give Mala a serious try and I really do want BetaBrite support.

I would be happy to beta test for you.  Just let me know!

[loadman]

Who volunteers to beta test such a thing before a commitment to create a plug-in is made?

 

Anyone??

I've just decided to give Mala a serious try and I really do want BetaBrite support.
I would be happy to beta test for you.  Just let me know!

Great. 

Use the commands headkaze  suggested for  Displaying .LCD files (using  Silvers   Prog)


Work will begin on a Plug-in for MaLa.

My Ideas for it being:
* It will support Betabrite/Serial LCD's
* It will look for a .LCD file and if not found will use data MaLa draws from controls.ini and mame.xml
. 
Thanks to Silver & Headkaze for their tips on developing this.

:-)

[headkaze]

Who volunteers to beta test such a thing before a commitment to create a plug-in is made?

 

Anyone??

I've just decided to give Mala a serious try and I really do want BetaBrite support.
I would be happy to beta test for you.  Just let me know!

Great.  I'll whip up a basic procedure to start with, to use the commands headkaze  suggested for  Displaying .LCD files (using  Silvers   Prog)


Then work will begin on a Plug-in for MaLa.

My Ideas for it being:
* It will support Betabrite/Serial LCD's
* It will look for a .LCD file and if not found will use data MaLa draws from controls.ini and mame.xml
. 
Thanks to Silver & Headkaze for their tips on developing this.

:-)

I would avoid using the lcd file method, although using Silvers program would save a lot of work. The reason is you don't really want file access going on while scrolling through a list if that's what your aiming for.

Also, are you sure you have to read mame.xml? Wouldn't you be able to get the ROM parent sent from Mala to the plugin? All you should have to do is read controls.ini and store it in memory for fast access. If Mala can send the parent of the ROM you can do a quick search for it in controls.ini stored in memory. I think the main problem we will be facing is testing on hardware we don't own.

[Circo]

You don't need to load the lcd file until you actually start the game.

The best way to use the .lcd files would be:

Load one for Mala start
Load One each time you change emulator
load when starting game
load one on Mala exit

Or at least options for these

Great work loadman, I am excited woohoo!!!

Oh and I will be a beta tester no problem.

[loadman]

I would avoid using the lcd file method, although using Silvers program would save a lot of work. The reason is you don't really want file access going on while scrolling through a list if that's what your aiming for.

The .LCD files would not be used for scrolling through the list.

Really I am only catering for .lcd files for people who have already set up .LCD files (with mamewah) or like that method using silvers software better

Also, are you sure you have to read mame.xml? Wouldn't you be able to get the ROM parent sent from Mala to the plugin? All you should have to do is read controls.ini and store it in memory for fast access. If Mala can send the parent of the ROM you can do a quick search for it in controls.ini stored in memory.

MaLa does this and provides info to the Plug-in anyway so....... too easy. The plugin does not access the xml directly. Have a look at the attached code taken from the MaLa Plugin SDK and you will see what I mean

I think the main problem we will be facing is testing on hardware we don't own.

Your right. I ordered a serial backpack so I could test but right now I just have the output of my PC going to another PC with a serial sniffer.

I am very Happy with MaLa hardware (led and LCD) so I don't want to buy more stuff. This is just for others who want to use mala and already have  serial stuff really. 

You don't need to load the lcd file until you actually start the game.

The best way to use the .lcd files would be:

Load one for Mala start
Load One each time you change emulator
load when starting game
load one on Mala exit

I agree that would be the minimum the plugin would do...
But then.... if the LCD file is not there it will then use data via Mala (see attached code). Mala hardware does this and its very fast.

It will also use data via mala for scrolling through the lists, as headkaze  pointed out loading .LCD files that fast just aint going to happen.

[loadman]

BetaBrite now supported 

Thread has moved:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=60732.0