Mala and snaps

[GRIMLOCKE]

Ok I have read everything I can, I have tried as hard as I can to avoid asking most likely a dumb question but I am stuck with my cabinet at this point with out some help.

I got my hands on a NEO-GEO 2in1 cabinet with no innards. With a little refurbish and some paint, I added a monitor and a computer. I hacked the keyboard and got the controls working. Yay me!

I am totally new to mame and everything of that sort, a complete newbie you might say.
It took me three days of trial and error to get my front end in a somewhat working state. I had some issues with getting mame to actually run, but with lots of reading and tons of failure I got it. thats good.

The big issue im having right now is that I really want screen shots to appear when I scroll onto a game for obvious reasons.

In mala, under the MAME config/ Pictures and Videos tab I have the snap/title set to the directory with my screenshots that I have taken from the games.  Im positive that Im missing a simple step, Ive read everything I can find but I really need some help.

I also tried applying a layout, specifically the retrogui for mala which I really like. Theres two issues, first it comes up as a small little screen in the upper left of windows instead of filling the whole window. I looked through all the configs and such and Im missing something cause I cannot figure out how to get it right.

 And second the install file included with it refers to changing the definables but When in the mala config I cannot click the browse file buttons, they are greyed out. again im sure im a retard somehow, but I and doing my best to figure this out. could someone PLEASE help me, my project is stalled till someone throws me a life line.

[loadman]

OK:

first it comes up as a small little screen in the upper left of windows instead of filling the whole window.

As you will see on the downloadpage on the website it is a 'Fixed size layout for 640x480'. IE MAde for a arcade monitor

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

The big issue im having right now is that I really want screen shots to appear when I scroll onto a game for obvious reasons.

Yeah it sounds like you are on the right track.  Try downloading another simple layouts and see if you have the same issues.

[GRIMLOCKE]

OK:

first it comes up as a small little screen in the upper left of windows instead of filling the whole window.

As you will see on the downloadpage on the website it is a 'Fixed size layout for 640x480'. IE MAde for a arcade monitor

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

The big issue im having right now is that I really want screen shots to appear when I scroll onto a game for obvious reasons.

Yeah it sounds like you are on the right track.  Try downloading another simple layouts and see if you have the same issues.

Ahhhh I see, Ok so that layout will not work, I assume that editing the layout is going to be way beyond my scope of knowledge at this point. Ill save the for the future. Ill try a new layout now, see if that works.

[GRIMLOCKE]

Ok well no love, I tried the game launcher layout (Game launcher is another front end I had tried but had the same issue trying to get the screenshots to work so I left it), I was able to get the sounds working and everything but no screen shots.

My dir structure looks like this c:\mame\snaps\[game name]\0001.png

Is the correct or am I missing something integral? im getting really frustrated cause I feel like im so close but I just keep trying the same things over and over for no effect.

EDIT: Ok it would appear I am in fact a retard, the .PNG files need to be named after the game and stored directly in the snaps folder. well thats that and it makes the experience so much more enjoyable!

[shock_]

That's it!

And there will be an option under GUI options / Display to change desktop resolution to suit the 640x480 layout.  That will open the retroGUI layout in fullscreen for you.  If you have a widescreen monitor though, it will streeeeettttchh so be aware.

[GRIMLOCKE]

That's it!

And there will be an option under GUI options / Display to change desktop resolution to suit the 640x480 layout.  That will open the retroGUI layout in fullscreen for you.  If you have a widescreen monitor though, it will streeeeettttchh so be aware.

Cool let me try that now
EDIT: oh boy, trouble, I changed the desktop res to 640X480 using mala, and I guess the monitor im using does not support that...so now I cannnot see anything gonna have to figure out how to fix that now, and when I mean I can see anything I mean windows as well

[loadman]

That's it!

And there will be an option under GUI options / Display to change desktop resolution to suit the 640x480 layout.  That will open the retroGUI layout in fullscreen for you.  If you have a widescreen monitor though, it will streeeeettttchh so be aware.

Cool let me try that now
EDIT: oh boy, trouble, I changed the desktop res to 640X480 using mala, and I guess the monitor im using does not support that...so now I cannnot see anything gonna have to figure out how to fix that now, and when I mean I can see anything I mean windows as well

reboot into windows 'SAFE' mode  and change res back

I think you need to hit the f4 or f8 key while windows is booting

[shock_]

What loadman said: hold f8 after you see the bios screen and you should be good to go.  Sorry about that! 

[GRIMLOCKE]

So I got that fixed by entering safe mode then uninstalling the video card. When windows came back up it was all good, and I just switched mala back to the game launcher layout.

I got the glass for my monitor enclosure today, I hit a slight snag, with making the bezel to hide the monitor unsightlies though. I have no idea how to cut it right. back to the reading! Im sure ill figure it out!

[loadman]

..As long as your having fun