MaLa v1.04 released

[swindus]

MaLa v1.04
Improvements
• Added conditional command line parameter for MAME.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=70628.0

MaLa v1.03
Improvements
• Ascpect ratio of images and videos can be adjusted for both individually.
• Added a delay option for the video display in the layout.
• Added a scroll acceleration value for the mouse and the joystick. Acceleration for the keyboard, mouse and joystick can be adjusted individually now.

Bugfixes
• Scroll acceleration not working when using the MaLa 'shift' key'.


MaLa v1.02
Improvements
• Added support for the new Ultimarc PacDrive LED driver.
• New option added to remove brackets and parentheses from game names on the fly.
• MalaAttractMode: Support for Ultimarc PacDrive added.
• New game collection options dialog with more options.
• MalaGamelist: New game list properties dialog. Edit Author, Comment and write protect flag of game lists.
• New option to reorder the layout after quitting the emulator. This should fix cluttered layouts after game quit in same cases.
• Exception handling of bad video files in screensaver to avoid error messages/dialogs in screensaver.
• More tweaks for better video handling.
• New messages added to the plugin SDK:
MALAMSG_SETLED : Set state of one LED
MALAMSG_ALLLEDON : All LEDs on
MALAMSG_ALLLEDOFF : All LEDs off
MALAMSG_RESETLEDSTATE : Reset last LED state

Bugfixes
• Bugfix: All issues from RC9beta2 (focus problems, no keyboard control, ...)
• Bugfix: Cannot write the file names.tmp while refreshing a gamelist in some cases.
• Bugfix: Stucked 'Shift' key when switching the layout.
• Bugfix: When using a start video the video from the layout is running in the background.
• Bugfix: Execution of LNK files does not work.

Download MaLa here: http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/download.html

[Bloodwyn]

Awesome!

 

Bloodwyn

[squirrellydw]

woohoo, what do I need to backup??  On the website it says to do a fresh install, will I lose all my game lists and settings?

Will try this out today

[The Chugnut]

Great work Swindus! 

[swindus]

woohoo, what do I need to backup??  On the website it says to do a fresh install, will I lose all my game lists and settings?

Will try this out today

If you want to backup just copy the complete MaLa folder. A fresh install is only needed if you are using a version prior RC3. If you are using a newer version than RC3 just replace the exe files in the MaLa folder with the new ones.

[unclet]

Thanks for the release.   

Hey, shouldn't the version be 10.2 instead of 1.02?     Seems like the last version was RC9 so I thought RC10 would be next .... oh well...

[swindus]

I discarded the RC naming and will use now a simple version numbering for the releases.

[lettuce]

So whats the best way to update MaLa from an older version, as i dont want to setup MaLa all over again??

[SGT]

Look about 3 posts above

If you are using a newer version than RC3 just replace the exe files in the MaLa folder with the new ones.
 

[unclet]

Also when you click on Swindus' link provided you can read how to upgrade the software by reading the paragraph at his site.

[CM]

   My Ultimarc PacDrive LED drivers thank you 

[loadman]

Thanks for the release.   

Hey, shouldn't the version be 10.2 instead of 1.02?     Seems like the last version was RC9 so I thought RC10 would be next .... oh well...

Yeah it was confusing. 

Technically it was V1 RC9 etc

Thanks Swindus for the extra 'LED messages' added to the plugin. This solves my problem with the latest version of 'Speech' plug-in. To avoid control conflicts of LEDS with MaLa and my Plug-in trying to talk to the same controllers.   

[ARTIFACT]

you are amazing
enough said
i love this frontend
thank you

[FrizzleFried]

Questions:

Is there a way to add a 2nd delay for art components?  I need that feature in order for the menu to scroll faster as I have a TITLE SCREEN jpg appear...then 3 seconds later the PREVIEW .avi goes over the TITILE SCREEN (which means I am using the only DELAY you offer)...that means the TITLE SCREENS have to appear instantly which KILLS the scroll speed.   In MAMEWAH I can scroll SUPER fast with the trackball and VERY FAST with the joystick.   With MALA I am stuck to SLOW period.

Also,  are the bugs fixed that kept the sounds from the front end (animated previews, etc) going while MAME ran...or the bug where when you drop in to MAME nothing works until you drop out of MAME and then back in (happened every once in a while).

I REALLY want to love MALA because it is SO much easier to setup than MAMEWAH,  but the scroll issue really kills the deal for me on my two standup cabinets.

BTW: Thanks for your efforts bro.

[Kangum]

i was hoping that whole scroll issue was a setting. oh well. i am still having focus problems in this new version. if i load up future pinball and start up a table everything goes into it fine but you cant insert any coins without clicking the background first to get focus.

[CM]

Started playing with the Ultimarc PacDrive and came across this.   I am getting a repeatable crash "Unexpected Error. MaLa will terminate now. Check the file mala.exe.log for more information."   when I toggle or change any LED button definition in the Hardware LED tab and then try to click OK.  As long as I am in the options it is fine (toggle LEDs on and off working .. defining them working .. it just crashes once OK is clicked therfore I cannot save settings).

I don't have the full error handy right now, but it is something like: "Error: Object Class: (something) , Object Function: TPop___(?), Exception Class: EStringListError, Exception Message: Der Index der Liste überschreitet das Maximum (-1)".   It will be another day before I can get back to it and get the full description, but hopefully this points to something.

[loadman]

Started playing with the Ultimarc PacDrive and came across this.   I am getting a repeatable crash "Unexpected Error. MaLa will terminate now. Check the file mala.exe.log for more information."   when I toggle or change any LED button definition in the Hardware LED tab and then try to click OK.  As long as I am in the options it is fine (toggle LEDs on and off working .. defining them working .. it just crashes once OK is clicked therfore I cannot save settings).

I don't have the full error handy right now, but it is something like: "Error: Object Class: (something) , Object Function: TPop___(?), Exception Class: EStringListError, Exception Message: Der Index der Liste überschreitet das Maximum (-1)".   It will be another day before I can get back to it and get the full description, but hopefully this points to something.

I have a PacDrive too.  I have not tried on the latest version (only the beta) so I will check when I get home

[swindus]

Is there a way to add a 2nd delay for art components?  I need that feature in order for the menu to scroll faster as I have a TITLE SCREEN jpg appear...then 3 seconds later the PREVIEW .avi goes over the TITILE SCREEN (which means I am using the only DELAY you offer)...that means the TITLE SCREENS have to appear instantly which KILLS the scroll speed.   In MAMEWAH I can scroll SUPER fast with the trackball and VERY FAST with the joystick.   With MALA I am stuck to SLOW period.

MaLa can scroll very fast through the game list. Your slow scrolling speed is the result of an unusual usage of the display delay value. In other words, it is not meant for delaying one art object in the way you are using it.

But I'm consider to add a second delay for the video object.

Also,  are the bugs fixed that kept the sounds from the front end (animated previews, etc) going while MAME ran...or the bug where when you drop in to MAME nothing works until you drop out of MAME and then back in (happened every once in a while).

These bugs should be fixed.

[swindus]

i was hoping that whole scroll issue was a setting. oh well. i am still having focus problems in this new version. if i load up future pinball and start up a table everything goes into it fine but you cant insert any coins without clicking the background first to get focus.

Right, the scroll issue is a setting.

If I understand you correctly you are talking about focus problems of Future Pinball. This is out of my focus and should be addressed to the FP developer.

[swindus]

Started playing with the Ultimarc PacDrive and came across this.   I am getting a repeatable crash "Unexpected Error. MaLa will terminate now. Check the file mala.exe.log for more information."   when I toggle or change any LED button definition in the Hardware LED tab and then try to click OK.  As long as I am in the options it is fine (toggle LEDs on and off working .. defining them working .. it just crashes once OK is clicked therfore I cannot save settings).

I don't have the full error handy right now, but it is something like: "Error: Object Class: (something) , Object Function: TPop___(?), Exception Class: EStringListError, Exception Message: Der Index der Liste überschreitet das Maximum (-1)".   It will be another day before I can get back to it and get the full description, but hopefully this points to something.

Checked the PacDrive this morning on 3 different computers without problems or crashes. Your error description is not complete but I assume that it is not a PacDrive error.

Is it a fresh MaLa installation you are using?
Can you check it with a fresh installation?

[loadman]

Started playing with the Ultimarc PacDrive and came across this.   I am getting a repeatable crash "Unexpected Error. MaLa will terminate now. Check the file mala.exe.log for more information."   when I toggle or change any LED button definition in the Hardware LED tab and then try to click OK.  As long as I am in the options it is fine (toggle LEDs on and off working .. defining them working .. it just crashes once OK is clicked therfore I cannot save settings).

I don't have the full error handy right now, but it is something like: "Error: Object Class: (something) , Object Function: TPop___(?), Exception Class: EStringListError, Exception Message: Der Index der Liste überschreitet das Maximum (-1)".   It will be another day before I can get back to it and get the full description, but hopefully this points to something.

I could not re-create the error here
I think the files that get saved when you click OK in the hardware tab in mala.ini and mala.mlc, have a look at them to make sure one of them is not read only or something.

In any case as Swindus said do a fresh install in another directory and see what happens

[swindus]

Is there a way to add a 2nd delay for art components?  I need that feature in order for the menu to scroll faster as I have a TITLE SCREEN jpg appear...then 3 seconds later the PREVIEW .avi goes over the TITILE SCREEN (which means I am using the only DELAY you offer)...that means the TITLE SCREENS have to appear instantly which KILLS the scroll speed.   In MAMEWAH I can scroll SUPER fast with the trackball and VERY FAST with the joystick.   With MALA I am stuck to SLOW period.

I added a display delay for the video object. This enables you to put the video over an image in the layout and displaying it with a delay without using the scroll delay for this.

Additional I added a scroll acceleration value for the mouse and the joystick. This means you can now set the acceleration for the keyboard, mouse and joystick independent from each other.

After testing the joystick stuff at home later I will upload version 1.03.

[loadman]

Is there a way to add a 2nd delay for art components?  I need that feature in order for the menu to scroll faster as I have a TITLE SCREEN jpg appear...then 3 seconds later the PREVIEW .avi goes over the TITILE SCREEN (which means I am using the only DELAY you offer)...that means the TITLE SCREENS have to appear instantly which KILLS the scroll speed.   In MAMEWAH I can scroll SUPER fast with the trackball and VERY FAST with the joystick.   With MALA I am stuck to SLOW period.

I added a display delay for the video object. This enables you to put the video over an image in the layout and displaying it with a delay without using the scroll delay for this.

Additional I added a scroll acceleration value for the mouse and the joystick. This means you can now set the acceleration for the keyboard, mouse and joystick independent from each other.

After testing the joystick stuff at home later I will upload version 1.03.

FrizzleFried will love you for that...  He has mentioned his plight once or twice before 

And from me:
  

[8way]

Just wondering why the following options have been removed?

[swindus]

They haven't been removed, just moved into a dialog.

[8way]

  Yes thank you, i missed that one. Great job on the awesome FE by the way.

[8way]

Just wondering if you had any plans on adding side to side scrolling for the game list?

[Green Giant]

Swindus, you are the ---smurf---.

Just wondering if anyone that was having trouble with screensaver has had a chance to test out the new version?  I won't get a chance until friday when my girlfriend works late and I can all ready feel the itch to play with this new update.

[swindus]

Just wondering if you had any plans on adding side to side scrolling for the game list?

Side to side scrolling with snap or title images?

[8way]

Just wondering if you had any plans on adding side to side scrolling for the game list?

Side to side scrolling with snap or title images?

title images

[ARTIFACT]

i just wanted to say thank you for the awesome work.

[squirrellydw]

Any chance on some how being able to pick what U360 joystick you want to use to scroll through game lists?  I have four of them and I use to have two working but now only one is working.  they all work game wise but I can only use one to scroll through the game lists.

if not maybe a plugin?

[swindus]

I have two U360 sticks and can use both at the same time to scroll through the list, no need for a plugin.

MaLa can address a maximum of two joysticks only because of a limitation in the windows API.

What are your exact settings for the second joystick?
Do you use J1up and J1down in your set 2?

[swindus]

A little explanation on the joystick sets in MaLa:

For each joystick you can define 2 sticks (J1 AND J2), a POV control and 12 buttons. Maybe its a bit confusing to use J1 in the set for joystick 2 but this is the first stick on joystick 2.

A gamepad for example can have two analog sticks, a digital stick and buttons.



For a U360 joystick use always J1 in both sets.

[xmenxmen]

Wondering if it's possible to do a 1 button for thing like emulator or game list.  Currently I have to assign 2 buttons to each, one goes up and one goes down, but when it reaches the end it stops.  Would be nice if I can assigned it to one button that will go thru the list and when it gets to the end,it will just wrap. 

Maybe the option is already there, but me not seeing it.  I have seen tons of cp that have only a single emu and list buttons, so I am assuming that they just press it until the emu or list they want comes up.

Forget to mention, thanks for the great frontend!!!!

[swindus]

Indeed there is an option for this. When enabled you need only one button for the emus and one button for the game lists.

[xmenxmen]

Thanks swindus for the quick responds..  Wonder how I missed it....

[Green Giant]

Score, already on 1.03

At this rate, I will be playing with 1.04 on Thursday and 1.05 on Saturday.

[squirrellydw]

I have two U360 sticks and can use both at the same time to scroll through the list, no need for a plugin.

MaLa can address a maximum of two joysticks only because of a limitation in the windows API.

What are your exact settings for the second joystick?
Do you use J1up and J1down in your set 2?

yup, both set to J1 etc.   it was working then it stopped.

[FrizzleFried]

Is there a way to add a 2nd delay for art components?  I need that feature in order for the menu to scroll faster as I have a TITLE SCREEN jpg appear...then 3 seconds later the PREVIEW .avi goes over the TITILE SCREEN (which means I am using the only DELAY you offer)...that means the TITLE SCREENS have to appear instantly which KILLS the scroll speed.   In MAMEWAH I can scroll SUPER fast with the trackball and VERY FAST with the joystick.   With MALA I am stuck to SLOW period.

MaLa can scroll very fast through the game list. Your slow scrolling speed is the result of an unusual usage of the display delay value. In other words, it is not meant for delaying one art object in the way you are using it.

But I'm consider to add a second delay for the video object.

GREAT!  If/when you do,  please let me know!  I am surprised I am the only one that seems to put an image up immediately,  then wait a few seconds for the video to kick in over the initial image.

Also,  are the bugs fixed that kept the sounds from the front end (animated previews, etc) going while MAME ran...or the bug where when you drop in to MAME nothing works until you drop out of MAME and then back in (happened every once in a while).

These bugs should be fixed.
[/quote]

Great!   It looks like I will be updating my cocktail cabinets front end soon...