Author Topic: Mala LEDWizard v1.0 Released (Read 13271 times)

edge · « **on:** October 21, 2006, 08:44:17 pm »

LEDWizard Overview:
LEDWizard allows you to create LEDWiz CFG files. These CFG files can be used with Mala for full LEDWiz RGB support. Combined with the power of the Mala LEDWiz Plugin and Controls.Dat, you can:

Light up your controls in any RGB color by using the LEDWiz intensity levels
Light up your controls as you scroll through game lists in Mala
Light up your game specific controls when you launch a game in MAME
Set default lighting schemes for other emulators as well
Much more to come... Including attract mode, cfg batch generation, 640x480 support, etc.

Release Information:

Version 1 of the LEDWizard is now available. It requires .NET to run at this time - I am working to change this.
Download it here: http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/plugins.html.

Thanks to swindus and loadman for their help.

I would love to hear your feedback and suggestions.
Edge

P.S. I started this new thread since the first announcement got a bit sidetracked.

loadman · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2006, 10:03:19 pm »

LOADMAN's MaLa tip of the day:

If you want the Leds on your LedWiz (and/or other Plug-in) to update 'on the fly' while your scroll down through your game list then ensure in gui-options-exceptions that the Gamestart event checkbox is ticked. (Note: This may slow down list scrolling on older PC's)

Do not mistake this for the LCD & LED Checkbox as this is for MaLa Hardware not a un-modded LedWiz

edge · « **Reply #2 on:** October 22, 2006, 09:47:01 pm »

After all this programming over the past few weeks, I finally got a chance to actually use the Mala LEDWiz plugin in my cab.

Click here for a video of my cab (and RGB buttons) in action.

And - hey - no wisecracks about my scrawny arms. That's my 5 year old navigating the controls.

Lilwolf · « **Reply #3 on:** October 24, 2006, 05:51:09 pm »

VERY COOL!

These are really making me want to get rid of my hot swap control panel just to add the lights! VERY VERY COOL!

btw, would there be any way on a cocktail table to seperate the horizontal / vertical games player 1/2? I'm considering building a 3 sided cocktail table (might stick with two... up in the air right now). But I was wondering, if I did have a 3 sided (vertical 1player on left... vertical 2player on right... and horizontal 1 & 2 on the bottom). Could I seperate it that way, any way??

loadman · « **Reply #4 on:** October 24, 2006, 07:10:52 pm »

Quote from: Lilwolf on October 24, 2006, 05:51:09 pm

VERY COOL!

These are really making me want to get rid of my hot swap control panel just to add the lights! VERY VERY COOL!

btw, would there be any way on a cocktail table to separate the horizontal / vertical games player 1/2? I'm considering building a 3 sided cocktail table (might stick with two... up in the air right now). But I was wondering, if I did have a 3 sided (vertical 1player on left... vertical 2player on right... and horizontal 1 & 2 on the bottom). Could I separate it that way, any way??

At the risk of having this thread get sidetracked

The answer is yes. I have a cocktail table too. You can use MaLa's ' Controller detection feature. It will rotate to the side the joystick is moved and load a gamelist applicable to that side if you want.

http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/controllerdetection.html

You can make the gamelists using filters or manually.
Note: For detection to work you need to have the joysticks on separate keys, so for a 3 sided table you probably need a I-PAC4 .

Start a new thread please if you have another Mala question.

What about about Edge's LedWizard App eh .. Nice?

RandyT · « **Reply #5 on:** October 24, 2006, 08:05:48 pm »

Quote from: loadman on October 24, 2006, 07:10:52 pm

What about about Edge's LedWizard App eh .. Nice?

Very nice indeed. I just wanted to give a public "thanks" to you guys working on adding the LED-Wiz support.

The result will be lots of happy users and cool panels. That's what it's all about.

Good job and thanks again.

RandyT

edge · « **Reply #6 on:** October 26, 2006, 05:20:05 pm »

Thanks, Randy, for the recognition and support! The LEDWiz rocks.

Looking forward to adding more bells and whistles to the Mala plugin.

loadman · « **Reply #7 on:** November 24, 2006, 10:44:07 pm »

Hi,

I had been doing some work on the updated version of the actual LedWiz Plug-in for MaLa. I few little extras I have finished that Edge is going to test and add these options his config wizard .. anyway....

Planning future development... I was intersted to know how keen users are to have an 'attract mode' to play animation sequences (random and pre-set)?

If not much (after the SerialDisplay plug-in is released) I will work on bells and whistles for that plug-in instead.. eg. Custom formatting options for Betabrite and Serial LCD's.

Thanks

headkaze · « **Reply #8 on:** November 25, 2006, 01:02:14 am »

Quote from: loadman on November 24, 2006, 10:44:07 pm

Hi,

I had been doing some work on the updated version of the actual LedWiz Plug-in for MaLa. I few little extras I have finished that Edge is going to test and add these options his config wizard .. anyway....

Planning future development... I was intersted to know how keen users are to have an 'attract mode' to play animation sequences (random and pre-set)?

If not much (after the SerialDisplay plug-in is released) I will work on bells and whistles for that plug-in instead.. eg. Custom formatting options for Betabrite and Serial LCD's.

Thanks

I would say a definate yes to attract mode animations. BTW Has the code I sent for that being helpful at all?

loadman · « **Reply #9 on:** November 25, 2006, 03:04:22 am »

Quote from: headkaze on November 25, 2006, 01:02:14 am

Quote from: loadman on November 24, 2006, 10:44:07 pm
Hi,

I had been doing some work on the updated version of the actual LedWiz Plug-in for MaLa. I few little extras I have finished that Edge is going to test and add these options his config wizard .. anyway....

Planning future development... I was intersted to know how keen users are to have an 'attract mode' to play animation sequences (random and pre-set)?

If not much (after the SerialDisplay plug-in is released) I will work on bells and whistles for that plug-in instead.. eg. Custom formatting options for Betabrite and Serial LCD's.

Thanks

I would say a definate yes to attract mode animations. BTW Has the code I sent for that being helpful at all?

Indeed thanks... :-)

I might have the animations run via files external to the Plug-in. I have not decided yet

headkaze · « **Reply #10 on:** November 25, 2006, 03:10:36 am »

Quote from: loadman on November 25, 2006, 03:04:22 am

Quote from: headkaze on November 25, 2006, 01:02:14 am
Quote from: loadman on November 24, 2006, 10:44:07 pm
Hi,

I had been doing some work on the updated version of the actual LedWiz Plug-in for MaLa. I few little extras I have finished that Edge is going to test and add these options his config wizard .. anyway....

Planning future development... I was intersted to know how keen users are to have an 'attract mode' to play animation sequences (random and pre-set)?

If not much (after the SerialDisplay plug-in is released) I will work on bells and whistles for that plug-in instead.. eg. Custom formatting options for Betabrite and Serial LCD's.

Thanks

I would say a definate yes to attract mode animations. BTW Has the code I sent for that being helpful at all?

Indeed thanks... :-)

I might have the animations run via files external to the Plug-in. I have not decided yet

Personally something realtime like that in attract mode, which is constantly running I would say go for storing in RAM. I mean even if you load the lwa files in at the start into arrays and rotate them randomly. I might eventually do something like that for the GameEx plugin, I think the 5 examples included rotated after about 2 seconds should give enough randomness. As you know I just copied those lwa files into arrays and randomly rotate them, but it could easily be modified to load them externally as files. But I think that should all be done upon initialization of the plugin.

BTW I'm thinking of adding in a "flashing the LED's to the music" type of thing for the attract mode soon. I have some code ready to do that. I'll let you know when I get it working

loadman · « **Reply #11 on:** November 25, 2006, 03:19:15 am »

Quote

I mean even if you load the lwa files in at the start into arrays and rotate them randomly.

Yeah thats kinda what I meant.. Not on the fly

Quote

BTW I'm thinking of adding in a "flashing the LED's to the music" type of thing for the attract mode soon. I have some code ready to do that. I'll let you know when I get it working

Drool

headkaze · « **Reply #12 on:** November 25, 2006, 03:43:57 am »

Quote from: loadman on November 25, 2006, 03:19:15 am

Quote
I mean even if you load the lwa files in at the start into arrays and rotate them randomly.
Yeah thats kinda what I meant.. Not on the fly

Quote
BTW I'm thinking of adding in a "flashing the LED's to the music" type of thing for the attract mode soon. I have some code ready to do that. I'll let you know when I get it working

Droll

Good news is it's currently in a dll, so you could easily add it to your Mala plugin

One thing I'm thinking of adding before I release though is selecting Wave Mix Out as recording source. It's the only way to have LEDWiz dancing to music without having the user set it manually in the volume control. But looking at the code necessary to do that, I may not bother. I'll send you an e-mail soon about it

headkaze · « **Reply #13 on:** November 25, 2006, 04:10:33 am »

I just sent you the source for it to your e-mail loadman

The example is in C#, but you should be able to figure out how to get it working in Delphi.

Let me know if you can get the LEDWiz going with music!

Oh yeah don't forget to set your record input to Wave Mix Out

edge · « **Reply #14 on:** November 25, 2006, 08:53:48 am »

Loadman,
I am baaaaaack! No more training for me.

Now if I can only remember where I put all my code. hehe.

Q*bert · « **Reply #15 on:** November 25, 2006, 10:35:52 am »

Quote from: loadman on November 24, 2006, 10:44:07 pm

If not much (after the SerialDisplay plug-in is released) I will work on bells and whistles for that plug-in instead.. eg. Custom formatting options for Betabrite and Serial LCD's.

loadman,

How about linking the two plugins together to coordinate the display of the buttons on the BetaBrite/LCDs with the illumination (such as flashing) of the associated buttons?

loadman · « **Reply #16 on:** November 25, 2006, 05:24:42 pm »

Quote

Posted by: edge Posted on: Today at 08:53:48
Insert Quote
Loadman,
I am baaaaaack! No more training for me.

Top Stuff,

Quote

How about linking the two plugins together to coordinate the display of the buttons on the BetaBrite/LCDs with the illumination (such as flashing) of the associated buttons?

Hmmm Will release seperate ones first but on the surface that seems easy enough to do.

I wonder if that would make any increase/decrease to operating speed?

PS thats for your help too Q*bert. I have to credit a few nice people so I will do that upon release of Plug-ins I guess

loadman · « **Reply #17 on:** December 10, 2006, 09:00:57 pm »

FYI.

Attract mode is in the works.

Edge and I are on the case

Circo · « **Reply #18 on:** December 10, 2006, 09:23:05 pm »

Is there a way to use a standard lighting configuation for different emulators? IE: consoles have a standard button layout so all you would need is to set a standard lighting setup for each one.

loadman · « **Reply #19 on:** December 10, 2006, 09:36:33 pm »

Quote from: Circo on December 10, 2006, 09:23:05 pm

Is there a way to use a standard lighting configuation for different emulators? IE: consoles have a standard button layout so all you would need is to set a standard lighting setup for each one.

not yet but Good Idea.

[EDIT] I was wrong 'you can do it' see below

edge · « **Reply #20 on:** December 11, 2006, 10:18:36 am »

Quote from: Circo on December 10, 2006, 09:23:05 pm

Is there a way to use a standard lighting configuation for different emulators? IE: consoles have a standard button layout so all you would need is to set a standard lighting setup for each one.

Looking at the PDF help file (Page 5 of 6) for the Mala plugin, it says:

Quote from: Mala LEDWiz Plugin Help File

The plugin looks first for a game config file when selecting a game. If no config for this game is
found the plugin looks for a emulator config file for the current emulator. If no config for the selected
emulator is found, MaLa will use the default lightning for this game.

I am thinking you could just create a CFG file and name it the same as your emulator (ie, Atari2600.cfg). Maybe using the same name as you have in your mala.ini or mala tree? Not sure what emu name it is looking for.

Unfortunately, I am at work and cannot try it out.

loadman · « **Reply #21 on:** December 11, 2006, 04:42:19 pm »

Quote

Looking at the PDF help file (Page 5 of 6) for the Mala plugin, it says:

Nice Find.

. I attached a pic of it

Quote

I am thinking you could just create a CFG file and name it the same as your emulator (ie, Atari2600.cfg). Maybe using the same name as you have in your mala.ini or mala tree? Not sure what emu name it is looking for.

Unfortunately, I am at work and cannot try it out.

I interpret from this that you should label it the same name as you labled the emu in mala

[Edit] I just tested it and it works great

Just make sure you have the right path set-up for these files set up in ledwiz.cfg

eg:
1,1,1,1,0,2,1,3,50,0,1,C:\configfiles

Circo · « **Reply #22 on:** December 12, 2006, 12:42:06 am »

Great!!

Alright next question, would it be difficult to use sub-directories like the lcd plugin, that way you can do game specific configs?

Couple of issues:

#1 I have no problem getting the custom lighting to work with bat files but not lnk files.

#2 When creating a new .cfg file when I save it it always keeps the same config as the main config file.

loadman · « **Reply #23 on:** December 13, 2006, 04:44:21 pm »

Quote from: Circo on December 12, 2006, 12:42:06 am

Great!!
Alright next question, would it be difficult to use sub-directories like the lcd plugin, that way you can do game specific configs?
Couple of issues:
#1 I have no problem getting the custom lighting to work with bat files but not lnk files.
#2 When creating a new .cfg file when I save it it always keeps the same config as the main config file.

FYI 'At the moment' I hold the Code to the actual Ledwiz Plugin and Edge holds the code to the config creator (LedWizard)

The subdirectory option is easily done if edge wants to add the option to the LedWizard.

Creation of individual configs (your point #2) I believe is a 'coming soon' feature already in the pipe-line from Edge...

Quote

#1 I have no problem getting the custom lighting to work with bat files but not lnk files.

I'm a bit slow this morning

Why do you need bat files or lnks to use with this

edge · « **Reply #24 on:** December 13, 2006, 08:51:03 pm »

Sorry for being MIA for the past 2 months - real life got in the way.

I am working on the next version of the LEDWizard with many (if not all) of the suggestions in this thread. I hope to have a new version out before the holidays. Just in time to play with over vacation.

headkaze · « **Reply #25 on:** December 13, 2006, 08:58:05 pm »

I sent the source to the LEDWiz dancing to music attract mode to loadman which seems to be working pretty good (thanks again to loadman for helping test it!), so I would like to see it in the Mala LEDWiz plugin. Let me know if you guys need any help with it

Circo · « **Reply #26 on:** December 14, 2006, 12:01:14 am »

PC Games use .lnk files, for some reason they are the only extension that I have come across that will not call up the config files.

As far as the config files, there is a tab to save the main config and just a simple save tab, the only one that works is the main config, is the other save tab just not activated currently? It acts like it works and even creates a file but the file is exactly the same as the main config file.

loadman · « **Reply #27 on:** December 14, 2006, 06:45:57 pm »

Quote from: headkaze on December 13, 2006, 08:58:05 pm

I sent the source to the LEDWiz dancing to music attract mode to loadman which seems to be working pretty good (thanks again to loadman for helping test it!), so I would like to see it in the Mala LEDWiz plugin. Let me know if you guys need any help with it

Thanks... I'ts on the list

loadman · « **Reply #28 on:** December 14, 2006, 06:49:20 pm »

Quote from: Circo on December 14, 2006, 12:01:14 am

PC Games use .lnk files, for some reason they are the only extension that I have come across that will not call up the config files.

Ahhh I understand now....That 'maybe' a bug/oversight with the Plugin system.

..Yet I will do some tests to see what info is being passed to the Plug-in from MaLa when a app/game using a lnk/shortcut is used.

Quote from: Circo on December 14, 2006, 12:01:14 am

As far as the config files, there is a tab to save the main config and just a simple save tab, the only one that works is the main config, is the other save tab just not activated currently? It acts like it works and even creates a file but the file is exactly the same as the main config file.

I'm sure Edge is onto fixing that

Circo · « **Reply #29 on:** December 14, 2006, 11:31:01 pm »

Thanks as always loadman!

edge · « **Reply #30 on:** December 15, 2006, 12:24:26 am »

Quote from: loadman on December 14, 2006, 06:49:20 pm

Quote from: Circo on December 14, 2006, 12:01:14 am
As far as the config files, there is a tab to save the main config and just a simple save tab, the only one that works is the main config, is the other save tab just not activated currently? It acts like it works and even creates a file but the file is exactly the same as the main config file.
I'm sure Edge is onto fixing that

As a matter of fact...

Yes - I am working on that. You will be able to save your ledwiz settings as either:
(1) Main mala default config
(2) game specific config
(3) emulator specific config

I hope to have something you can test this weekend. The app is working now in Delphi without .net. I have to add some error checking and some of loadman's new features. hehe.

loadman · « **Reply #31 on:** December 15, 2006, 06:31:49 am »

Quote

The app is working now in Delphi without .net.

Cool ....I can learn how you should code a Config app in Delphi

edge · « **Reply #32 on:** December 15, 2006, 09:21:23 am »

Quote from: loadman on December 15, 2006, 06:31:49 am

Quote
The app is working now in Delphi without .net.

Cool ....I can learn how you should code a Config app in Delphi

haha... should is a strong word. Hopefully my code won't embarass me.

edge · « **Reply #33 on:** January 01, 2007, 09:20:45 am »

With this being the new year and all, I have made my first New Year's resolution...

... to release the next version of the Mala LEDWizard this week!

Hopefully I am better at this resolution than my yearly "lose 15 pounds".

Happy New Year, all!

fatfingers · « **Reply #34 on:** January 01, 2007, 12:47:53 pm »

Quote from: edge on January 01, 2007, 09:20:45 am

Hopefully I am better at this resolution than my yearly "lose 15 pounds".

Any chance that at some time last year you were 15 pounds lighter than you are now? If so, mission accomplished!

edge · « **Reply #35 on:** January 01, 2007, 04:13:49 pm »

fatfingers,
Ingenius... ahhh... i feel much better now!

I have PMed you a link to the new beta version. If you could, would love your feedback.

Thanks!
Edge

loadman · « **Reply #36 on:** January 02, 2007, 05:11:59 am »

Quote

With this being the new year and all, I have made my first New Year's resolution...... to release the next version of the Mala LEDWizard this week!

I so know the pressure you can put on yourself

Only do it if when you are having fun I say

It's just a hobby

Quote from: Circo on December 14, 2006, 12:01:14 am

PC Games use .lnk files, for some reason they are the only extension that I have come across that will not call up the config files.

This has been fixed for the next release

Quote

Alright next question, would it be difficult to use sub-directories like the lcd plugin, that way you can do game specific configs?

If Edge is happy to add a checkbox for this option in his 'Led-Wizard' then sure No problem. The subdirectory will then need to have the same name as your emulator name.

Circo · « **Reply #37 on:** January 02, 2007, 02:44:32 pm »

This is going to be nice, sorry for being so needy and picky

Should have a nice little suprise for you guys in the next day or so though.

edge · « **Reply #38 on:** January 02, 2007, 05:14:01 pm »

Quote from: loadman on January 02, 2007, 05:11:59 am

Quote
Alright next question, would it be difficult to use sub-directories like the lcd plugin, that way you can do game specific configs?

If Edge is happy to add a checkbox for this option in his 'Led-Wizard' then sure No problem. The subdirectory will then need to have the same name as your emulator name.

Loadman,
I can add another global checkbox for: "Save Emulator CFG in directories"? That make sense? I am open to any word changes. Will you make the change in the plugin to look there as well?

Thanks.

loadman · « **Reply #39 on:** January 03, 2007, 05:11:27 am »

Quote

Will you make the change in the plugin to look there as well?

Sure


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