Tech question: Dual trackballs (long)

[Mamushka]

I have a cocktail MAME that I built to mainly play 80’s games. It has a 8 and 4 way joystick, 3 buttons and trackball on each side. My problem is that I can not get both trackballs to work.

About the machine: The computer is running Vista, I have both a I-PAC and a Opti-PAC, the trackballs are Happ. The MAME version is MameUI that allows multiple mice (enabled). The Opti-PAC is hooked to the computer with a serial to USB cable. No mouse is hooked to the computer, just the trackball(s).

The symptoms:  When the Opti-PAC is jumpered to P1 both trackballs control the mouse cursor or MAME game, for example: both trackballs can control the “guy” on Centipede at any time. It does not mater if you are playing a 1 or 2 player game, move either trackball at any time and you have control of the game
When the Opti-PAC is jumpered to P1+2 only the primary (player 1) trackball will work for player 1. If you are running a 2 player game you cannot move the guy with either trackball.
Checking the device manager I see that I have 2 functional HID Mouse devices when I am jumpered to P1 or P1+2

I hope I am right in thinking that I should be able to independently control player 1 with one trackball and player 2 with the other. Andy from Ultimarc is doing his best to help me right now but I figured the more people looking at this the better.

Thanks for any info,
John

[Avrus]

I believe it's the same problem I had.

Mame.ini
#
# CORE INPUT OPTIONS
#
multimouse                1

[Mamushka]

I believe it's the same problem I had.

Mame.ini
#
# CORE INPUT OPTIONS
#
multimouse                1

Thanks for the input but multimouse = 1 in my .ini file 

[Avrus]

What version of MameUI are you running?

Edit: and have you set the device configuration to be P1 trackball x / y P2 trackball x / y so it's mapped to independant devices?

[Mamushka]

What version of MameUI are you running?

Edit: and have you set the device configuration to be P1 trackball x / y P2 trackball x / y so it's mapped to independant devices?

0.126U1 July 17 2008

As far as inputs;
Player 1 shows - Track X and Y analog = mouse 1X and mouse 1Y
Player 2 shows - Track 2X and 2Y analog = mouse 2X and mouse 2Y

[u_rebelscum]

What version of MameUI are you running?

Edit: and have you set the device configuration to be P1 trackball x / y P2 trackball x / y so it's mapped to independant devices?

0.126U1 July 17 2008

As far as inputs;
Player 1 shows - Track X and Y analog = mouse 1X and mouse 1Y
Player 2 shows - Track 2X and 2Y analog = mouse 2X and mouse 2Y

Should work then...

If the second TB is mouse 2.  (try remapping the one that doesn't work with tab, input, TB2, enter, roll TB, and see if mame sees mouse2 or mouse 3 or whatever number)

If the game is correctly setup to use TB2.  Some cocktail games need certain dipswitches to be correctly set in addition to the cocktail/standup and the flip screen dipswitches, while others aren't emulated correctly; varies from game to game.

If the second mouse works (sounds like it does, though).


Hmm, could you name a game you're having problems with so I could test it on my system to see if a game specific problem?  The one game I played (cabalus) works fine for me.

[Mamushka]

What version of MameUI are you running?

Edit: and have you set the device configuration to be P1 trackball x / y P2 trackball x / y so it's mapped to independant devices?

0.126U1 July 17 2008

As far as inputs;
Player 1 shows - Track X and Y analog = mouse 1X and mouse 1Y
Player 2 shows - Track 2X and 2Y analog = mouse 2X and mouse 2Y

Should work then...

If the second TB is mouse 2.  (try remapping the one that doesn't work with tab, input, TB2, enter, roll TB, and see if mame sees mouse2 or mouse 3 or whatever number)

If the game is correctly setup to use TB2.  Some cocktail games need certain dipswitches to be correctly set in addition to the cocktail/standup and the flip screen dipswitches, while others aren't emulated correctly; varies from game to game.

If the second mouse works (sounds like it does, though).


Hmm, could you name a game you're having problems with so I could test it on my system to see if a game specific problem?  The one game I played (cabalus) works fine for me.

When I try and change the inputs by hitting enter and rolling the second mouse I get nothing, if I roll the first mouse it will display mouse 1X (or 1Y).

I have tried centipede, missile command and several other games (set to cocktail mode).

John

[Avrus]

What version of MameUI are you running?

Edit: and have you set the device configuration to be P1 trackball x / y P2 trackball x / y so it's mapped to independant devices?

0.126U1 July 17 2008

As far as inputs;
Player 1 shows - Track X and Y analog = mouse 1X and mouse 1Y
Player 2 shows - Track 2X and 2Y analog = mouse 2X and mouse 2Y

Should work then...

If the second TB is mouse 2.  (try remapping the one that doesn't work with tab, input, TB2, enter, roll TB, and see if mame sees mouse2 or mouse 3 or whatever number)

If the game is correctly setup to use TB2.  Some cocktail games need certain dipswitches to be correctly set in addition to the cocktail/standup and the flip screen dipswitches, while others aren't emulated correctly; varies from game to game.

If the second mouse works (sounds like it does, though).


Hmm, could you name a game you're having problems with so I could test it on my system to see if a game specific problem?  The one game I played (cabalus) works fine for me.

When I try and change the inputs by hitting enter and rolling the second mouse I get nothing, if I roll the first mouse it will display mouse 1X (or 1Y).

I have tried centipede, missile command and several other games (set to cocktail mode).

John

That is a pretty clear indicator that your second mouse input is not functioning.  My suggestion would be:
Eliminate the combinations of Multimouse 1 / 0 and the dip switches using the above test, since it will give you a realtime input result for the second mouse.

Also, has this ever worked for you -- or is this the first time you're trying it?  I might also suspect that the dongle / adapter might not be working properly.

I would also try removing both mouse devices in Windows and letting them redetect if the above troubleshooting yields no results.

[Mamushka]

What version of MameUI are you running?

Edit: and have you set the device configuration to be P1 trackball x / y P2 trackball x / y so it's mapped to independant devices?

0.126U1 July 17 2008

As far as inputs;
Player 1 shows - Track X and Y analog = mouse 1X and mouse 1Y
Player 2 shows - Track 2X and 2Y analog = mouse 2X and mouse 2Y

Should work then...

If the second TB is mouse 2.  (try remapping the one that doesn't work with tab, input, TB2, enter, roll TB, and see if mame sees mouse2 or mouse 3 or whatever number)

If the game is correctly setup to use TB2.  Some cocktail games need certain dipswitches to be correctly set in addition to the cocktail/standup and the flip screen dipswitches, while others aren't emulated correctly; varies from game to game.

If the second mouse works (sounds like it does, though).


Hmm, could you name a game you're having problems with so I could test it on my system to see if a game specific problem?  The one game I played (cabalus) works fine for me.

When I try and change the inputs by hitting enter and rolling the second mouse I get nothing, if I roll the first mouse it will display mouse 1X (or 1Y).

I have tried centipede, missile command and several other games (set to cocktail mode).

John

That is a pretty clear indicator that your second mouse input is not functioning.  My suggestion would be:
Eliminate the combinations of Multimouse 1 / 0 and the dip switches using the above test, since it will give you a realtime input result for the second mouse.

Also, has this ever worked for you -- or is this the first time you're trying it?  I might also suspect that the dongle / adapter might not be working properly.

I would also try removing both mouse devices in Windows and letting them redetect if the above troubleshooting yields no results.

I uninstalled both mice, restarted and plugged the Opti-PAC USB back in. Nothing changed except now in MAME the primary trackball reads as 2X and 2Y () so I had to reprogram my games. Other than that it is the same, second trackball does nothing when Opti-PAC is jumpered to P1+2.

As far as your other suggestions, I will try changing the "1" to "0" and programing the second trackball. And no, I have never been able to get this to work (have only been trying for a few weeks). If nothing works I will load MAME on my laptop and see how the trackballs work there.

John

[u_rebelscum]

...
Also, has this ever worked for you -- or is this the first time you're trying it?  ...

Avrus, both work if the optipac dipswitch is set to one player.  (See OP's first post.)

So it's not the TB to optipac, or optipac or PC connections.

Something else is up.

Mamushka, with the optipac in p1/p2 mode, and -multimouse enabled (set to 1), and -verbose enabled, does mouse show adding both mice?  (The lines will start: "Input: Adding Mouse #x...")

[Avrus]

...
Also, has this ever worked for you -- or is this the first time you're trying it?  ...

Avrus, both work if the optipac dipswitch is set to one player.  (See OP's first post.)

So it's not the TB to optipac, or optipac or PC connections.

Something else is up.

Mamushka, with the optipac in p1/p2 mode, and -multimouse enabled (set to 1), and -verbose enabled, does mouse show adding both mice?  (The lines will start: "Input: Adding Mouse #x...")

Well in this case "work" is a bit subjective.  Both providing input as Axis 1 is not the same as both providing independent input.  That's why I was asking him to check the jumpers. 

[Avrus]

Any luck?

[Mamushka]

...
Also, has this ever worked for you -- or is this the first time you're trying it?  ...

Avrus, both work if the optipac dipswitch is set to one player.  (See OP's first post.)

So it's not the TB to optipac, or optipac or PC connections.

Something else is up.

Mamushka, with the optipac in p1/p2 mode, and -multimouse enabled (set to 1), and -verbose enabled, does mouse show adding both mice?  (The lines will start: "Input: Adding Mouse #x...")

OK you officially lost me  What is "-verbose enabled"? Please note, I am a Mechanical Engineer so I don't understand much beyond "righty tighty, loosey lefty" 

John

[Mamushka]

Any luck?

Not yet, still talking to Andy from Ultimark. Apparently it "should" be working. I'm sure I'll get it eventually, I'm just wondering how stupid I'll look when I figure out what I have been doing wrong

John

[u_rebelscum]

Mamushka, with the optipac in p1/p2 mode, and -multimouse enabled (set to 1), and -verbose enabled, does mouse show adding both mice?  (The lines will start: "Input: Adding Mouse #x...")

OK you officially lost me  What is "-verbose enabled"? Please note, I am a Mechanical Engineer so I don't understand much beyond "righty tighty, loosey lefty" 

Ah, forgot you're using mameUI which doesn't have that option in the UI.  The -verbose option is a common option for commandline apps to "print out lots of info to the commandline,", but mameUI doesn't output to commandline, either.  Makes it a little harder to see what mame/mameUI is seeing.

You could either download the commandline mame, or run mameUI from the commandline.

To run mameUI from commandline (note I don't have Vista):
-Open the mameUI folder in windows explorer.
-Highlight what in the address box, and copy (ctrl-C) it.
-Open a command prompt (I think start -> all programs -> accessories -> command prompt, but I don't have Vista yet, or read this maybe if you can't get to the command prompt)
-Type "cd " (including the space), right click the mouse in the command prompt windows, click paste.  The address you copied earlier should appear. 
-Press enter.  You should be in the mameUI folder.
-Type "mameui32 -verbose marble > verbose.txt"  (marble can be any TB game you have.)
-Start game, and exit (esc key).
-Open the resulting file verbose.txt (IOW double click the file that just appeared in the windows explorer.) 
-Look for the lines I mentioned in earlier post.

And since downloading normal mame will probably take about the same steps + the setup, I suggest trying the above first.  I know the above works for

[kayoteq]

I'm having a similar problem with Mame OS X, except in my case it won't recognize the mouse, only the laptop's trackpad.  which is no way to play any game. Every trick I can think of and it just sits there and fails to recognize any inputs; joysticks, external mouse, anything but an external standard USB  keyboard. This does not bode well for my custom controllers, which work fine in the older MacMame, which apparently was coded before the multiple mouse inputs feature was integrated into MAME. I'm trying to get the devs to puzzle this one out, I'll share what I find.

[u_rebelscum]

I'm having a similar problem with Mame OS X, except in my case it won't recognize the mouse, only the laptop's trackpad.  which is no way to play any game. Every trick I can think of and it just sits there and fails to recognize any inputs; joysticks, external mouse, anything but an external standard USB  keyboard. This does not bode well for my custom controllers, which work fine in the older MacMame, which apparently was coded before the multiple mouse inputs feature was integrated into MAME. I'm trying to get the devs to puzzle this one out, I'll share what I find.

I'd don't have Mame OS X, but if this was plain mame, I'd say disable the -multimouse option.  However, this is a OS specific feature (as how it's done, and if it can be, differs from OS to OS), so ...

Let us know how things turn out.

Edit: According to the FAQ, Mame OS X sould handle multiple mice, but I don't have a mac to test.

[TPB]

Guys, let me pass on a "Thank You" to urebel.

It's not the thread topic, so I'll just say a quick Thanks, and leave it at that.  I don't think urebel would want a dedicated thread to be created, just for the purposes of conveying thanks, so a solitary post within this thread will suffice.

Why are thanks in order ? ... for his work as a Mame Dev., and contributing to the evolution of our favourite piece of software.

No doubt many of the forum veterans already know (that urebel's a Mame Dev), but I wasn't aware until I saw this :

Updated to build with the latest DirectX SDK, which doesn't support
Direct 3D 8 & Direct Input 7. By default, the makefile is set up to
compile the old way, but you can set DIRECT3D=9 and DIRECTINPUT=8 in
windows.mak or on the command-line to build with a more modern SDK.

[smf, RansAckeR, uRebelScum]

http://mamedev.org/updates/whatsnew_0126u3.txt

[u_rebelscum]

Guys, let me pass on a "Thank You" to urebel....

You're welcome, but I'm just a contributor to Mame.  Take for example the contribution you quoted; I just suggested changing two words RansAckeR posted for review/use for slightly broader support of different input controllers.   A MameDev that does not make.

There's many more contributors than MameDevs, as we contributors only mess with the code a little.  The real thanks belongs to the real devs, but I'm glad to help in the ways I can.

[web.geek]

Was this ever resolved? I am gearing up for a dual trackball system, and I want to stay abreast of all troubleshooting in that area. Thanks!