Sidewinder hack button questions

[DeafBug]

I decided to go the easy way out and get the Sidewinder.  I just got it in the mail yesterday from outpost.com for $10.   I played a number of games with it.  Surely the gamepad sucks, too hard to move around.  Never mind that.   It is the buttons that I have questions on.

I am running MAME32 on WindowsXP.  I can't even install the program on the CD cuz it does some check.  So am not sure of what's on the CD other than drivers for 95.

Is there somewhere that you can configure the buttons?  That is my big question.  I am glad that I waited before ordering parts from Happs controls.   I found four websites that shows you the instructions on the Sidewinder hack.  All of them are different.  One has six buttons and two joysticks plus player one and player two.  Another has ten buttons and one joystick.  Another has eight buttons and one joystick and player one and player two.  

If I can't configure the buttons then what is the recommended number of buttons to use for most games.  I am assuming that MAME32 can determine that there are 8 buttons on the gamepad and use them when needed for whatever game I am playing.  I just have a hard time seeing why there is a player one and player two buttons when I can't figure out how to use them on the gamepad.  

I am still going to order the IPac unit for me.  But I still want a small joystick for the wife so that she can play on her computer.  What the Sidewinder has is good enough for her.

[Billabong]

I went with 6 buttons, because I play Street Fighter (et al) from time to time.
And, mine has a second stick for Robotron, Smash TV, Crazy Climber, and other two-stick/no buttons games.

On my CP, the Player I and Player II connect to the Sidewinder's left & right trigger. I added a Credit button on the side which is linked to the Sidewinder Start button.

Click here to see my CP:
http://www.eischools.org/userstuff

The second stick, though, is just tied into 4 push-buttons on my control panel. Since there is no game, that I know of, that needs two sticks and six buttons.

As far as configuring the buttons, you do that within MAME. Load up a game, then hit the TAB key. It should bring up a menu. Go to 'Input (General)'. There you can define what buttons or joystick directions do what (this is how you get the Player I & Player II buttons to do things). The General section will define it for all games, no need to configure each one. However, some games with special controls (Like Smash TV), you will need to go to the 'Input (this game)' section to fix it up.
It almost doesn't matter where you hook you buttons and joytstick switches up to, because MAME lets you define the inputs. HOWEVER, if you want to use it with non-MAME games, you should make sure everything jives (UP on the stick is UP on the Sidewinder).

You don't need anything on the CD, Windows should recognize it automagically.

Also, in MAME32, don't forget to go to Options-->Default Options, then Controllers and check off Joystick.

Good luck!
Billabong

[DeafBug]

Thanks, I ll look into it when I get home from work.  I never knew about the TAB thing in the game.   I'll order my parts this weekend.