What are the "standard" admin buttons used for MAME?

[TelcoLou]

Well, I'm in the process of designing the CP layout, and was wondering what the general consensus was in regards to admin. buttons.

I'll be using MAMEwah as the front-end, and to save space, will have the admin buttons on the left-hand side of the panel (where the "pinball" buttons usually go).

I know of "TAB" (to go into MAME's options screen) and "ESC" to exit the game, and figured I'd use a dedicated button for the MAMEwah options screen (not sure which keyboard button to map to this though, as I am currently using a Logitech gamepad with L2 + R2 for this function)

I'll (eventually, when the funds allow) be ordering a pre-made 2-player CP from arcadesrfun, and wanted to have a design and layout ready when the time comes 

Any and all suggestions, tips and guidelines would be most appreciated. 

[Dazz]

Honestly, I have one admin button on my cabinet and it is on the back side of my control panel for TAB.  The rest of the admin buttons I either use a hidden keyboard, or have them programmed to shifted buttons on the I-PAC. 

[Xb0x3r]

I have Exit and Pause, the rest are shifted.

Xb0x3r

[TheShanMan]

I have Exit and Pause, the rest are shifted.

Ditto, but I have 2 exit (in series) and 2 pause (in parallel) - 1 set on the left and 1 set on the right. Both exit buttons required to exit, and either pause button will pause. BTW, the series/parallel idea was the idea of someone else here in BYOAC - I don't claim credit for the idea.

[stan2323]

ESC and pause is all I seems to need when playing.  I have more that I can set up for other things but i have not needed them.  I am thinking an enter key bay be useful at times. 

[TelcoLou]

Ah, by shifted, you mean holding down one button (like the player 1 start), and another button, yes?

I was thinking of having 3 buttons dedicated for the admin buttons, so it would be easier to remember (old age is catching up to my brain). ESC, TAB and one for the MAMEwah menu. Each would be a different color; visual clues to help remember each function

[Avrus]

I have pause / game info, lists, emu, tab, reset and exit.

[Zobeid]

Ah, by shifted, you mean holding down one button (like the player 1 start), and another button, yes?

I was thinking of having 3 buttons dedicated for the admin buttons, so it would be easier to remember (old age is catching up to my brain). ESC, TAB and one for the MAMEwah menu. Each would be a different color; visual clues to help remember each function

I had a similar idea at first. . .   But having TAB on your control panel might just be asking for trouble, if anybody else plays the machine.

My idea now is to have the power button and exit-game button on the front panel under the CP, where they won't be too visible and won't get bumped accidentally, but I can still reach them easily when I want to.

PAUSE will go on the CP, alongside the P1 and P2 start buttons.  Front-end navigation will be done using the game buttons.

Coin drop will be handled through a working coin door, with tokens.

Everything else -- configuration and such -- will be handled using a wireless keyboard/trackpad device.

If you want visual clues, you might consider lighting up the buttons with LEDs.  You can light up the buttons used by each game when it launches, and also light up the front-end navigation buttons when you're in that.  Although it's not a high priority, I'm hoping to do this on my cabinet before I'm finished.

Oh, and good luck on finding that "general consensus" you were looking for.   

[CrazyKongFan]

I've posted this in other threads, but here's what I have on mine:
On the CP, I hacked a keyboard, so I have all the regular keys available, so I programmed ESC TAB and P as admin buttons. I also have one of the player buttons as Enter, and one of the joysticks uses the arrow keys. I can do most stuff in MAME32 (yes, MAME32...I think I got the last version before MAMEUI32). I have 2 coin buttons on the front of the cabinet (I just utilized a couple security bolt holes, so I didn't have to drill any extra holes), but I do have both coin switches in the door wired up. I've only got one mechanism at the moment. Hope to rectify that soon Also have Reset and Service wired in the door, although while those are admin buttons, they're not MAME admin buttons, as many real games had them. I've got them on the little bracket in the coin door where they were located on many games.

[TelcoLou]

Thanks for the replies  The actual CP will be a ways off, so it's great to get some ideas

But having TAB on your control panel might just be asking for trouble, if anybody else plays the machine.

Yes, so I thought to place the admin buttons on the underneath, left side, off the main CP. Also would give me a sense of power; "No no, only I can change the options, pause the game, exit, etc" 

I also don't want to clutter up the top of the panel with extra buttons.

[NoOne=NBA=]

My only visible admin button is Pause.
It also acts as the shift key.
If you press the button and release it, it will pause the game.
If you press it and hold it, the other buttons become shifted, and will perform Tab, Enter, etc...

[vorghagen]

Ditto, but I have 2 exit (in series) and 2 pause (in parallel) - 1 set on the left and 1 set on the right. Both exit buttons required to exit, and either pause button will pause. BTW, the series/parallel idea was the idea of someone else here in BYOAC - I don't claim credit for the idea.

Excellent idea! Just wondering exactly how this was done though. Any chance of a 30second explanation? IPAC --> button1 NO, button1 GND --> button 2 NO, button2 GND --> IPAC or something like that?

[Games001]

I have a Yellow (Pause) button and Green (Exit) button on the top middle of my CP, just at the edge of the bezel and CP contact.

The Orange (Admin/Config) button is on the lower middle, just under the 'lip' of the CP and the Box the CP is mounted onto.  It can't be hit without reaching under the CP lip to access it.

[Ginsu Victim]

xcellent idea! Just wondering exactly how this was done though. Any chance of a 30second explanation? IPAC --> button1 NO, button1 GND --> button 2 NO, button2 GND --> IPAC or something like that?

Exactly like that.

Exit button in series (two buttons pressed at the same time to cause one function):

IPAC control wire to button 1 NO, button 1 gnd wired to button 2 NO, button 2 GND to ground wire to IPAC.

[TheShanMan]

xcellent idea! Just wondering exactly how this was done though. Any chance of a 30second explanation? IPAC --> button1 NO, button1 GND --> button 2 NO, button2 GND --> IPAC or something like that?

Exactly like that.

Exit button in series (two buttons pressed at the same time to cause one function):

IPAC control wire to button 1 NO, button 1 gnd wired to button 2 NO, button 2 GND to ground wire to IPAC.

Yep. And for pause the IPAC input connects to the NO on both buttons, and both buttons have gnd wires as normal.

My only visible admin button is Pause.
It also acts as the shift key.

Ditto on the "pause as shift key".

[Minwah]

My only visible admin button is Pause.
It also acts as the shift key.

Ditto, again.

[Ginsu Victim]

C-C-C-Combo breaker!
Ditto. Pause (as shift) only.