Nulldc configuration and Mala

[slsimon]

Hello to everyone.  Just wanted to see if anyone is verse in configuring Nulldc within Mala?  I am messing with NullDC and have my DC CDI files working but have a couple of issues that need addressed. 

1.  The first issue is that I can't seem to get nulldc to run in full screen.
     Figured this one out,
     Fullscreen.Enabled=1 in the config file

2.  OK, so I have a list of DC games in a mala gamelist.  When I go to select a game and attempt to run the game from the mala gamelist selection, I have to manually select the game in nulldc as well.  When I select the game in Mala, I would like for the game to autostart in fullscreen without any user prompts.  I am thinking the mala command line config will need to be configured as well. 

3.  How can I get the mouse to hide when starting a DC game within nulldc?

4.  Can someone post what the mala command line execution should be.  I have the          following:  nulldc_100b1_6.exe -config ImageReader:defaultImage="[rompath]/[romfile]" but still does not load straight into the game as I was hoping from question 2.  When I then press esc to exit the game to jump back to mala list, audio of game is still playing in background (nulldc_100b1_6.exe) process is still running.  Thanks,

Please see below attached files.  Any update will be awesome.  Thanks for all the help..

[SGT]

Fullscreen is set in the options for whichever graphics plugin you choose. EDIT: I SEE YOU MANUALLY CHANGED IT IN THE CONFIG FILE WHICH IS FINE.  The other two things you need to address to resolve your other issues are the nulldc.cfg file and the Mala commandline for nulldc:

Below is the contents of the Mala command line for Nulldc. 

Code: [Select]

-config ImageReader:defaultImage="%path%\%rom%.%ext%"
Below is the first two paragraphs of nulldc.cfg.  Especially important are the parameters. defaultimage, LoadDefaultImage, Emulator.Autostart

Code: [Select]

;; nullDC config file;;
[ImageReader]
defaultImage=defualt.cdi
PatchRegion=0
LoadDefaultImage=1

[nullDC]
Dynarec.Enabled=1
Dynarec.DoConstantPropagation=1
Dynarec.UnderclockFpu=0
Dreamcast.Cable=3
Dreamcast.RTC=1828920366
Emulator.AutoStart=1

I notice in the pic you posted, you have something about -daemon in the command line?

[SGT]

Also regarding nulldc still running in the background, I use the Mala exit hook with ESC for this emulator.

Regarding hiding the mouse cursor...I don't know.

[slsimon]

Yeah, I tried using the default presets for chankast.  That is where the -daemon switch came into play.  Figured that would not work.  So I started playing around with the settings.  Anyway, when I modify the config file line:  loaddefaultimage to 1 from the config below I get the following error message and the game will not start.  

[ImageReader]
PatchRegion=0
LoadDefaultImage=0
DefaultImage=default.cdi

I to have the exit hook for ESC set.  Still the nulldc process continues to run in the background and have to ctrl-alt-delete to stop the audio from playing.  Video does exit correctly though.  Thanks,

[SGT]

Yes, you'll get that message if the command line is not set to what I posted above.  Your example above is not correct.

Code: [Select]

-config ImageReader:defaultImage="%path%\%rom%.%ext%"
Once you get everything set correctly, nulldc will not remain in the background.  You'll probably have to initially end the nulldc processes with the task manager until you get the commandline correct.

[slsimon]

Err, this is really upsetting.  Below are the changes I made.

[ImageReader]
PatchRegion=0
LoadDefaultImage=1
DefaultImage=default.cdi

Also, command line in Mala.  Should the nulldc executable be infront of the following code and or left as is?

-config ImageReader:defaultImage="%path%\%rom%.%ext%"

I am thinking leave the command line code as is since I browsed to the nulldc executable in the mala basics tab. 

After making the change in the above settings in the config file, I get that stupid default error message.  As soon as I change the 1 back to 0, I can select my game and play.  So something is still fooo bar in the config file somewhere. 

SGT, what version of nulldc are you running?  I have version 1.0.0b1.6  Makes me wonder if something is messed with the version I am using... 

[SGT]

I checked the version, its the same as yours.  I would set the window state to normal instead of hidden (if you haven't already) and check the black command window (after the error)  to see if you can get a more concise error.   That cryptic error that you are seeing will come up anytime the defaultimage is set to a cdrom image and path that is not valid.


Is it possible in your command line there is something that is scrolled out of sight that shouldn't be there?  You're not missing a " or a % or anything.  Not trying to doubt you, but its easy to just leave one thing out that screws up the whole works.

[slsimon]

I do not have the command line in the background running.  More than likely because the game is not getting far enough to initialize the game play state.  I am going to continue to make changes for awhile and then bed time for me.  I will check back tomorrow and keep you posted.  Thanks for the help. 

[slsimon]

I had to manually run the nulldc executable to be able to get the dos background script.  Here is the error message from that screen. 

[SGT]

If you just ran it manually, its going to try load defualt.cdi which does not exist.  Therefore you got the message in the black screen saying it couldn't load defualt.cdi.   You really need to examine the black screen when running from Mala.  Have you tried to set the Window State to NORMAL under the Mala Execution tab for this emulator?   When I do it, I can then see a black screen where you will get an exact error message.  You may have to first bring up the task manager and end any occurrences of nulldc.exe that show up under the PROCESSES (not applications) tab.

If we can just get to that error message on the black cmd window, I think it will become very obvious what the problem is.

[slsimon]

Voila.  Mala is now functioning correctly with the Nulldc emulator.  Looks like I just had to sleep on it over night and come in with a fresh look.  I noticed that when nulldc was running the the processes tab, another executable was running called nulldc_loader.  Hmm, did some searching and looks like this loader was modified to add functionality to the nulldc emulator.  I must have obtained a package with this loader already configured.  So I removed the whole nulldc directory.  Downloaded a single install of nulldc.  Configured the config file for appropriate switches.  Configured Mala command line per SGT's suggestions.  As SGT said, the emulator works flawlessly.  Thanks SGT for your excellent help.  Thanks,

[SGT]

Good job.  

EDIT:

Did you find a fix for hiding the cursor while in nulldc?

[slsimon]

I have not found a fix for that yet.  I am wondering though if part of the loader that was running with the nulldc executable was to fix?  I am happy to just be able to get nulldc working with the dreamcast games. 

Now, onto other emulators.  Here are the emulators that I am planning on configuring.  By chance can you provide the mala command line execution tag for each emulator and or those that you have installed?  Obviously, the game needs to start in full screen without any user intervention after the game is selected in mala. 

mame (command line working)

daphne (I am thinking uncleT has an explaination for batch files here), so no command line will be needed.  Not sure on this one...  Unless there is a simple way to do this within mala setup and command line execution. 

futurepinball  (need mala command line)

nes (need mala command line)

snes (need mala command line)

n64 (need mala command line)

sega genesis (need mala command line)

sega cd (need mala command line)

sega dreamcast (need mala command line)

All these emulators are using the emulaters from uncleT's guide except for sega dreamcast which we just configured with nulldc instead.  The only emulators that I have yet to configure and test before I dive into the mala config is sega cd, and sega genesis.  Once I get ready for the mala configs, the command line will be needed.  Again, thanks for the awesome help.  Thanks,

 

[puerrican85]

The problem with the pointer is the emulator itself. Pretty much all games and emulators are coded to manually hide the mouse pointer, however nulldc does not as of yet.
I remember reading on the ngemu boards where the authors release and discuss nulldc saying it will be implemented in a future build. So dont think its your setup in nulldc or mala

[unclet]

By chance can you provide the mala command line execution tag for each emulator

I thought my guide provides the "Command line" information which I used to configure the emulators already.

Also, I believe the "-daemon" switch might be related to load Dreamcast games from a CD image, instead of from a real CD.  The CD image must first be loaded so your computer thinks it has a CD Rom drive with the CD in it.  This is all done with the "Daemon-Tools" application which you can download free.  So, for Dreamcast games, someone could first load the CD image using Daemon-Tools, then start up the Chankast emulator (for example) with command line parameters indicating the drive the "CD" is virutally located in.  Anyway, thought I would explain it to you .... although I think you already got it working.

[SGT]

Nulldc loads images directly without the need for Daemon-Tools.

[unclet]

Nice .... I really need to put that on my to-do list ..... just working on so much stuff right now ..... I will get to it one day just dont know when   

[jrmitch]

The problem with the pointer is the emulator itself. Pretty much all games and emulators are coded to manually hide the mouse pointer, however nulldc does not as of yet.
I remember reading on the ngemu boards where the authors release and discuss nulldc saying it will be implemented in a future build. So dont think its your setup in nulldc or mala

You can use NoMousy to get around this problem for now.  It's a console application that will allow you to hide and unhide the mouse cursor using mala's pre / post commands.

You can get it here:

http://www.apps4apps.filetap.com/nomousy.html