Software Support > controls.dat
ControlsDat 1.2.1 BETA Released!
u_rebelscum:
--- Quote from: headkaze on September 09, 2008, 06:06:55 pm ---The delete button only deletes the ControlsDat entry for the game.
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That's what I was afraid of. I guess it's needed; glad to see there's a confirm window.
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--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 09, 2008, 02:05:52 pm ---Second screen shot, bottom three buttons: verify, verify + next, and unverify? Or finished, finished + next, and cancel? (Seems like latter, but looks like former.)
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Sorry if that seems a bit confusing there, the bottom three buttons have nothing to do with verify, they just mean finished, and finished + next and cancel. There is a checkbox that is used for setting them verified or not and I just so happen to be using a "tick" icon for both of these things...
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D'oh, missed seeing the verified check box. It's that the icons are the same as those used on the game list page for verified and not verified was what confused me. Thanks for clearing that up.
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--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 09, 2008, 02:05:52 pm ---Second shot: Buttons vs Labels boxes?
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If you take a look at an entry in ControlsDat some buttons are separated and put under the different controls they are for. Take a look at the following entry. Notice that the buttons are separated off into two parts and then the labels for all the buttons are described in the labels section. So the buttons group in the editor can be used to define which controls are using which buttons. I'm not sure if anyone uses the buttons under each control, I know I don't use them in CPWizard or my LEDWiz plugin for GameEx. I don't really see them being much use in software but it is probably a good way to know which buttons relate to what control.
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Ah, a list of not normal-on-the-control-panel buttons. It seems weird for "normal" games with only CP buttons: the Buttons box is blank for these games even though they have buttons. Hmm... to me, it would make more sense to call that box "special buttons" (or something like that so it's known they're non-normal buttons), and the "name" column to be called "button". But that's just me.
The following might sound like a complaint list; it's not. More like a wish list. ;D
Played around with it a little more. Pretty cool. I like the copy/paste function, but when I pasted, the info didn't show on the game info window. But after I clicked the finished button, the info was added, and when I reopened that game, the info was there. If this is the normal action, that would add a couple steps if I wanted to paste & edit. Already much easier than otherwise, though.
I like how when I add a control, it's added to the Labels with a default Value. Could the same be done for the buttons? Automatically put the total buttons, using the number of buttons from listxml?
Another cool thing would be to auto-populate the Controls with the controls from listxml. Even if not auto-populated, I'd think the Constant should be filled first, limited to what listxml has (+ misc + other + ?), and then par down the Name depending on what the Constant is? IMO, this order works better when starting from mame's data, but might not if starting from the real control panel, and some people might like one way more than the other. Hmm, maybe stay as is is better for others. Could both ways be done?
As hinted above, the Controls Name + listxml seems to limit what Constant can be assigned to that Name, which simplifies things a lot. However, when I selected "Up/Down Shifter", I could only select buttons, and not the V 2-way. So if this feature is kept, could you add 2-way as a valid up/down shifter?
Not sure how important this is, but I don't see a way to handle if the players have different controls or labels. I mean adding; ControlsDat seems to handle displaying these games okay (cybots, firetrk). Control.dat assumes the players are the same; but if they aren't, then each player is listed in the xml separately. These games aren't that common, and since it displays okay... ehh.
This one is a weird one for me. Sometimes ControlsDat shows on the alt-tab list, but sometimes not. Make flipping to and from pic or pdf sometimes easy, sometimes "alt-tab... alt-tab-tab-tab... where is... $@%#&... mouse to winows bar click ControlsDat." Not sure if it's my computer, ControlsDat, or what.
Again, thanks for the app, headkaze.
headkaze:
--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 10, 2008, 02:00:18 pm ---D'oh, missed seeing the verified check box. It's that the icons are the same as those used on the game list page for verified and not verified was what confused me. Thanks for clearing that up.
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I've changed the 3 buttons to use labels instead of icons.
--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 10, 2008, 02:00:18 pm ---Ah, a list of not normal-on-the-control-panel buttons. It seems weird for "normal" games with only CP buttons: the Buttons box is blank for these games even though they have buttons. Hmm... to me, it would make more sense to call that box "special buttons" (or something like that so it's known they're non-normal buttons), and the "name" column to be called "button". But that's just me.
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Okay I change to be "Special Buttons" and the name column is called "Button" now.
--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 10, 2008, 02:00:18 pm ---The following might sound like a complaint list; it's not. More like a wish list. ;D
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No problem ;)
--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 10, 2008, 02:00:18 pm ---Played around with it a little more. Pretty cool. I like the copy/paste function, but when I pasted, the info didn't show on the game info window. But after I clicked the finished button, the info was added, and when I reopened that game, the info was there. If this is the normal action, that would add a couple steps if I wanted to paste & edit. Already much easier than otherwise, though.
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Yes I noticed some issues with copy/paste, I hope to have fixed them in 1.1.
--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 10, 2008, 02:00:18 pm ---I like how when I add a control, it's added to the Labels with a default Value. Could the same be done for the buttons? Automatically put the total buttons, using the number of buttons from listxml?
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Added this in 1.1 :) I also set Cocktail and Alternating default values if I find dip switches for these.
--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 10, 2008, 02:00:18 pm ---Another cool thing would be to auto-populate the Controls with the controls from listxml. Even if not auto-populated, I'd think the Constant should be filled first, limited to what listxml has (+ misc + other + ?), and then par down the Name depending on what the Constant is? IMO, this order works better when starting from mame's data, but might not if starting from the real control panel, and some people might like one way more than the other. Hmm, maybe stay as is is better for others. Could both ways be done?
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Unfortunately I can't do this because Mame only has constants such as "joy8way" but I have no way of knowing what type of joystick it is. This is about the only value I can't really guess IMHO from what is presented in Mame.
--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 10, 2008, 02:00:18 pm ---As hinted above, the Controls Name + listxml seems to limit what Constant can be assigned to that Name, which simplifies things a lot. However, when I selected "Up/Down Shifter", I could only select buttons, and not the V 2-way. So if this feature is kept, could you add 2-way as a valid up/down shifter?
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You can easily open up "FEDEV_descriptions_to_controls.txt" and add that in there. I don't want to mess with the lists created by SirPoonga, if there should be a change to that file then we need it to be changed in the official ControlsDat and then I will update my files in the program. But for now if you need it just edit that file.
--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 10, 2008, 02:00:18 pm ---Not sure how important this is, but I don't see a way to handle if the players have different controls or labels. I mean adding; ControlsDat seems to handle displaying these games okay (cybots, firetrk). Control.dat assumes the players are the same; but if they aren't, then each player is listed in the xml separately. These games aren't that common, and since it displays okay... ehh.
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Yes this one thing I didn't bother adding support for yet but I will eventually. Luckily only a handful of games are like this.
--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 10, 2008, 02:00:18 pm ---This one is a weird one for me. Sometimes ControlsDat shows on the alt-tab list, but sometimes not. Make flipping to and from pic or pdf sometimes easy, sometimes "alt-tab... alt-tab-tab-tab... where is... $@%#&... mouse to winows bar click ControlsDat." Not sure if it's my computer, ControlsDat, or what.
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I have no idea why it would do that ???
Thanks for the feedback and download version 1.1 and post back if you find any more issues :)
u_rebelscum:
Thanks for the fixes & changes. :applaud: Rather that quoting each part and mostly saying "Awesome" a bunch of time, I'll just touch these:
--- Quote from: headkaze on September 10, 2008, 09:50:20 pm ---
--- Quote from: u_rebelscum on September 10, 2008, 02:00:18 pm ---Another cool thing would be to auto-populate the Controls with the controls from listxml. Even if not auto-populated, I'd think the Constant should be filled first, limited to what listxml has (+ misc + other + ?), and then par down the Name depending on what the Constant is?...
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Unfortunately I can't do this because Mame only has constants such as "joy8way" but I have no way of knowing what type of joystick it is. This is about the only value I can't really guess IMHO from what is presented in Mame.
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So due to the xml structure, it's not possible to start with the "internal" constant, and then assign the the containing control part. Shucks, I was hoping.
Would it still be possible to limit the control list to all the possible stuff based on what mame has? IOW, include the two (or soon three) pedal (analog) controls if and only if mame includes pedal in listxml?
--- Quote ---You can easily open up "FEDEV_descriptions_to_controls.txt" and add that in there...
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Cool, you're using those files, rather than hardcoded. Wasn't sure if that was documentation or used data.
--- Quote ---Thanks for the feedback and download version 1.1 and post back if you find any more issues :)
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No problem. Will try 1.1.
loadman:
:notworthy:
headkaze:
ControlsDat Version 1.2 Released
- Added CatVer display in the main game list
- MameDiff support (not entirely sure if I've covered all the options needed for this)
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