USB joystick commands to hotkeys?

[yalborap]

So, for various reasons, I'm setting up my MaLa rig with USB joysticks, instead of running through a keyboard encoder. I've managed to get MOST of my settings working right...Except for a few. Namely, stuff like Exit commands in emulators. Now, if I was running through a keyboard encoder, I'd just use some hotkeys through MaLa. Problem solved, right?

Issue is, I'm not. I'm using USB gamepads.

Hence, I come to you guys. What are my options for sending 'exit' commands to my emulators? The tricky part is, I don't really have room for dedicated exit buttons, so I want/need to use key-combos. Does this mean I'm out of luck, or can it be made to work?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can offer.

[csa3d]

if you are a bit code-savy, then google for AutoHotkey.  I've achieved shifted button combos in the past, but it took a bunch of reading and experimenting with examples from the forums.  Hope that helps.

-csa

[yalborap]

Hmm...I dug up an old app I'd forgotten about for just such an occasion, JoyToKey, and while it works fine with most emulators, MAME hates it.

Further examination has showed that MAME is apparently on a 'rawinput' or somesuch system now, at a lower level than my app can replicate keypresses.

Which brings us to option B. Is there any file or any option within MAME somewhere where I can set an 'exit' command to my gamepad?