MaLa FE. Under new management.

[loadman]

Good luck LoadMan! 

Just started and already a tons of requests! 

Welcome to the wonder world of FE Coder!

Front End User are like women... they always want more!   

 

[Ummon]

Front End User are like women... they always want more!   

Just depends on what they want more of.

Can I do some feature requests please? ;-)

Well, in the gamelists, an 'available' list I think would be much better than the 'all' games list. I mean, who cares how many mame has. I want to know how many I have.

[loadman]

Well, in the gamelists, an 'available' list I think would be much better than the 'all' games list. I mean, who cares how many mame has. I want to know how many I have.

You effectively can do that already. Just hit the options button on the mame config tab.

See Pic

[Ummon]

Ah, thank you.

[TheShanMan]

loadman, from a plugin developer's perspective (not that I've done extensive plugin work or anything), I think the biggest limitation in the plugin interface right now is no means of providing a configuration UI. I would like to see a function added to the plugin interface which, when implemented, would cause a "configure" button to appear on the plugin page when that plugin is selected. It would pass the parent window's HWND (probably MaLa's options window) so the plugin's configuration dialog could be properly parented.

What do you think?

[loadman]

loadman, from a plugin developer's perspective (not that I've done extensive plugin work or anything), I think the biggest limitation in the plugin interface right now is no means of providing a configuration UI. I would like to see a function added to the plugin interface which, when implemented, would cause a "configure" button to appear on the plugin page when that plugin is selected. It would pass the parent window's HWND (probably MaLa's options window) so the plugin's configuration dialog could be properly parented.

What do you think?

I have done this already. It will be in the next release.  :-)

Using this method keeps your Plug-in folder tidy too not having to have a seperate exe to just do configuration for each plug-in.

[TheShanMan]

I have done this already. It will be in the next release.  :-)

Great!

Using this method keeps your Plug-in folder tidy too not having to have a seperate exe to just do configuration for each plug-in.

Exactly!

[fatfingers]

sweet, good luck, can't wait till the bugs are worked out.  Any chance of making a plugin for the u360 so you can use any controller to scroll through the games?

Wow, I actually work for a week and all of this happens?   

Congrats loadman, and sorry for my delay!

I'm not quite sure what you mean here....I scroll through my gamelists with my U360s.

[lettuce]

quick question, i have just updated my MAME set from .117 to .125, the roms are all still in the same folder, do i have to do anything with Mala, to get any new roms displayed??

[fatfingers]

I'm preetty sure you would have to refresh the roms list.

[squirrellydw]

sweet, good luck, can't wait till the bugs are worked out.  Any chance of making a plugin for the u360 so you can use any controller to scroll through the games?

Wow, I actually work for a week and all of this happens?  

Congrats loadman, and sorry for my delay!

I'm not quite sure what you mean here....I scroll through my gamelists with my U360s.

Well I use to be able to use two of them but then I upgraded mala and now I can only use one.  I would like to be able to use any 4 that I have or better yet choose what ones I could use.

[fatfingers]

sweet, good luck, can't wait till the bugs are worked out.  Any chance of making a plugin for the u360 so you can use any controller to scroll through the games?

Wow, I actually work for a week and all of this happens?   

Congrats loadman, and sorry for my delay!

I'm not quite sure what you mean here....I scroll through my gamelists with my U360s.

Well I use to be able to use two of them but then I upgraded mala and now I can only use one.  I would like to be able to use any 4 that I have or better yet choose what ones I could use.

Perhaps you should start a new thread on this so we don't completely derail this one?

[squirrellydw]

done, thanks

[jasonbar]

Swindus, thanks for creating a great FE.

Loadman, thanks for adopting it--I know it's in good hands--you've already helped me out tons w/ my MaLa & MAME setup.

As a self-professed software/config flunky, I was able to get a pretty slick FE using MaLa, so if I can make something that looks that sweet, that's an endorsement that MaLa's a great product!  :]

-Jason

[lettuce]

I'm preetty sure you would have to refresh the roms list.

Is that done within the actaul F.E or in the option menu, i cant remember

[SGT]

I'm preetty sure you would have to refresh the roms list.

Is that done within the actaul F.E or in the option menu, i cant remember

Right Click and choose "Refresh Main Game List"

[loadman]

The new website is now on-line.

MaLaFE.net

Many thanks to Space Fractal for all his hard work setting up the php scripts to make the website management easier    This allows me more time to concentrate on MaLa code improvements.

The Layout/ Plug-in and Cabinet sections has a upload links. So click and uplink away please everyone     and then we will put it on the site quickly. 

I know there are many layouts and plug-ins that are not posted on the site yet. If possible it would be ideal if the author actually did the uploading 

Once again I want to thank all for your support not only to me but the support given to other MaLa users queries posted here in this forum. The less time I have to spend time answering users questions the more time I can spend improving the MaLa code, so thank you. 

Have fun   

[headkaze]

Are you gonna setup an English forum for MaLa?

[loadman]

Are you gonna setup an English forum for MaLa?

I would like to at some point. At the moment the Webhost wants more $$$ for mySQL so that a forum would work.  I am on a basic hosting plan at the moment.

So the answer is yes..  Just not straight away 

[Space Fractal]

Mightbeen a request for a MALA support forum until then or a least a subforum for Software?

[saint]

Are you gonna setup an English forum for MaLa?

I would like to at some point. At the moment the Webhost wants more $$$ for mySQL so that a forum would work.  I am on a basic hosting plan at the moment.

So the answer is yes..  Just not straight away 

If you would like a dedicated MaLa forum here just ask

[Space Fractal]

I just found a very good forum that dosent require MySql at all! So it's not a issue.

You can't just use SMF, since it use MySql, but myUPB can do very near the same, just without database.

So let me or Saint known, what you do want. You can also get a forum on your domain, even without mysql.

[loadman]

If you would like a dedicated MaLa forum here just ask

Kind offer.    I will think about that, however I would not want to annoy any other FE authors thinking you were favouring MaLa or something. Maybe I'm being silly

I just found a very good forum that doesn't require MySql at all! So it's not a issue.
You can't just use SMF, since it use MySql, but myUPB can do very near the same, just without database.
So let me or Saint known, what you do want. You can also get a forum on your domain, even without mysql.

Thanks, I will think about those options.
I may leave it for now as I need to spend more time getting to know the MaLa code to make a new release. But I think MaLa having it's own English Forum sounds good in theory.

[lettuce]

Having a slight problem with the current version, im using movie snaps instead of screen snaps. And whenever i stop on a game in the list, i cannot move on to another game down the list until the video has started to play. Is there a way around this when using movies instead of screen snaps?, i have tried the delay option within the Mala options but doesnt seem to effect the slight pause i get

[TheShanMan]

Loadman, can we please get "definables" for other emulators? I want to show 4 images (marquee, snap, control panel, and cabinet) which apparently can't be done for "other emulators", only for mame.

[loadman]

Having a slight problem with the current version, im using movie snaps instead of screen snaps. And whenever i stop on a game in the list, i cannot move on to another game down the list until the video has started to play. Is there a way around this when using movies instead of screen snaps?, i have tried the delay option within the Mala options but doesn't seem to effect the slight pause i get

Hmm I will look into that

Loadman, can we please get "definables" for other emulators? I want to show 4 images (marquee, snap, control panel, and cabinet) which apparently can't be done for "other emulators", only for mame.

Sounds straight forward. I assume it was never implemented as there was not much space left on the config tab 

[lettuce]

How do u set up Mala so when you select a game it first displays a snap shot then a few seconds later starts to play a movie clip of the game?

[TheShanMan]

Your layout just needs to have the video area directly on top of the snap area, then define both in the options dialog and set video to have a delay before showing.

[lettuce]

Ok cheers, ill give it a go

[OnezerO]

Loadman, you have been a tremendous help to me and everyone.  Thank you for taking on the responsibility of managing the future of MaLa development.

Now my request...

With your help I started using the MaLa override LED files to light up some of the controls for my ROMS with my MaLa hardware. Everything is working fine except that when I run a game MaLa ignores the override LED files when keeping the controls lit during game play.  I know I can turn the buttons off during game play but I was hoping that I could keep them on.  I do realize that there are not many MaLa hardware users out there, but if the effort to get this corrected is a minimal one I would really appreciate it.

Thanks and good luck.

[loadman]

Loadman, you have been a tremendous help to me and everyone.  Thank you for taking on the responsibility of managing the future of MaLa development.

Now my request...

With your help I started using the MaLa override LED files to light up some of the controls for my ROMS with my MaLa hardware. Everything is working fine except that when I run a game MaLa ignores the override LED files when keeping the controls lit during game play.  I know I can turn the buttons off during game play but I was hoping that I could keep them on.  I do realize that there are not many MaLa hardware users out there, but if the effort to get this corrected is a minimal one I would really appreciate it.

Thanks and good luck.

Sounds straight forward 

[nukedawg]

With all the great front end's available to the arcade community they have made our cabinets much more usable and alot easier to manage. I selected Mala for my front end and I have to say that I have been very happy with all the progress! Thank you Swindus! You rock! And thanks to Loadman for continuing with this awesome FE! And thanks to the plugin authors as well! Thanks Fatfingers! (only one I use for now) 

Your layout just needs to have the video area directly on top of the snap area, then define both in the options dialog and set video to have a delay before showing.

One thing I noticed in MalaLayout  was under Objects > Z-Order.  Not sure if this applies to this or not.....

But not to get off track...

...thanks again Loadman for continuing the project 

[jasonbar]

Hey Loadman-

Quick MaLa question.  Is there a way (or will there be?) to have MaLa play a sound when navigating through a game list?

That is, I'm going to be using a spinner to scroll through my game list & would like an audio feedback for each time it goes to the next item in the list.  Naturally, I'm envisioning the teeny *pik!* noise that Tempest makes when you go from one lane to the next, which is simple, non-intrusive, & helps give feedback when scrolling (plus, it's cool!).

Thanks,
-Jason

[TheShanMan]

Ooh. I like that "pik" sound idea! Do you already have a sound file for it? Would you mind posting it?

Seems to me that stuff can be configured in the options dialog but I've never done any of that so I'm not sure.

[shock_]

Quick MaLa question.  Is there a way (or will there be?) to have MaLa play a sound when navigating through a game list?

That's already in there.
Options » sounds and music tab » Enable audio » Event Sounds » Game list / menu movement

Browse to your WAV file and you're away!

[jasonbar]

Excellent!  (Thanks, my MAME PC is in limbo now & I can't power it up & use it & configure it until I finish some more wiring...)

Nooowwww, who's got WAV file of the tempst *pik!*?  Searches aren't getting me anywhere...     (then we can quit this tangent & not derail the thread any further...)

Thanks,
-Jason

[NOP]

if there's an emumovies of tempest, you could pull the audio out of the avi file and trim it down to just that sound.  I'm pretty good at audio manipulation, and I think I'd like to put this into my mala setup too!

I'd be happy to do it, but I've only just donated to emumovies and don't have the ftp access yet.  If no one else digs it up in 48 hours, I'll likely have it, or send me a link to tempest.avi from emumovies and let me snag it.

[NOP]

here ya go!

http://www.waste.org/~winkles/pik.wav (6k)

I ripped it from emumovies, then bumped the volume up about 2.5db to make it louder.  it could easily go more.

-jeff!

[loadman]

Also don't forget about the standard set found here:

http://malafe.net/files/download/soundset01.7z

Anyways probably be best of sound ideas be made in a seperate thread so this one can be just used for MaLa Management issues/queries etc..   

[NOP]

Having a slight problem with the current version, im using movie snaps instead of screen snaps. And whenever i stop on a game in the list, i cannot move on to another game down the list until the video has started to play.

I have this same problem - I just switched to using emumovies instead of snaps for my game list, and some of them tend to take a long time to get going, and you can't quickly scroll through a list.

My 2nd issue is that it seems the "controller mapping" feature, which detects which player is in control of a game list, seems to be eating the 1st keypress or joystick move after coming back from a game, even though the list doesn't need to rotate or flip.

my setup:

vertical, cocktail machine, arcade monitor
2 U360s, one on each side, attached via USB
All P1 and P2 buttons mapped separately, routed through an IPac.

The problem is, that for either player, when scrolling through the list with the joystick, the player has to press the start button TWICE to get a game to start.
Upon return from the game, you have to move the joystick twice again to start scrolling through the list again.  It's like controller mapping option is eating the first keypress or joystick move before the list responds again. I'd think it's the bit of code that decides whether or not to flip/rotate a list based on what just happened to the controls.

If I turn off controller mapping, then it works fine (1 keypress to start, 1 joystick move to scroll the list) except that I don't get the orientation to flip when P2 takes control.

Does it work like this for anyone else?

I asked this question here:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=80301.0
but didn't get any responses, so sorry to dredge it back up again.  It's by no means a show stopper, just a little on the irritating side and I think (hope) pretty easy to fix.

thanks!!