Gamelist switch lag (FIXED)

[system01]

Allright, Im wrapping up my first cocktail cab with MaLa.  Everythings working great, but I have a pet-peeve with the list switching.

When I switch lists all the text changes immediately, but then like a second later the images change.
Am I missing a setting?

Im using a flat layout (not tree) with only MAME using "fighting", "shooter", "puzzle", etc as lists.  No fades.  The only delay turned on is for videos, as I have the snaps show up immediately, then the video on top of those at 1500ms.  1280 x 960 jpegs.  And the lists arent very big, Id say from ~30 to ~120 games each.

This isnt really a problem for me since I know whats going on, but I had a few "beta testers" try it out and they get a little confused when they start to scroll the next list and then the screen changes soon after.  I have only the joystick controlling Mala; up/down scrolls the list and left/right switches lists (well, theres a start button too).

And since people always want to see MaLa layouts, heres 2 of 7 of my first attempt.

Thx guys.

[loadman]

Have you tried fades to cover up? 

Anyway. Nice artwork 

[system01]

Yes.  At first I had the fade on and I turned it off cos I thought that might be causing it.  What happens with fades on is:  Switch list, gamelist and text immediately switch, then it fades out and back in with new art.  Now with fades off its not as obvious.

So, is this a problem that only I am seeing?  I tried this on two machines with the same result.  Could it be a large-artwork problem?

Anyway, heres some more artwork.

Thanks, loadman

[loadman]

Hi,  I don't have time to test this anytime soon    but I encorage another user to try please 

[SGT]

So, is this a problem that only I am seeing?  I tried this on two machines with the same result. 

Yeah I have the same problem.  Its almost like the code that updates the snap after switching layouts is in the wrong place.  It occurs well after both the fade out and the fade in.  Turning fades on makes the problem even more noticeable.

[loadman]

So, is this a problem that only I am seeing?  I tried this on two machines with the same result. 

Yeah I have the same problem.  Its almost like the code that updates the snap after switching layouts is in the wrong place.  It occurs well after both the fade out and the fade in.  Turning fades on makes the problem even more noticeable.

Thanks for confirming. I will put it on my bug list.   

[system01]

Thanks, you two.  At least its not just me.  And loadman, since I decided to use this for my final build-up, I will be making a donation (bribe) as soon as everything (my cab) is finished.

Ill try and take a screenie tonight and throw it up on youtube or something...

[loadman]

And loadman, since I decided to use this for my final build-up, I will be making a donation (bribe)

WOW 

That will be a first  Break my Donation Cherry 

[system01]

Aaaaah, I know, you hear it all the time.   If you help me fix my car Ill "kick you down some".

But seriously, I really like your FE.  I tried most of them, and headkaze is second, but I really like how you can get rid of all branding.  The cab doesnt even have a name, just a generic box in the front room.

Anyways, heres a vid of the problem.  I feel its the only thing that makes it "not right".



And I know this is the wrong place for it, but cab pics attached.

Thank you again.

[loadman]

When I was reading this post I was using the browser on my iphone.

When I clicked on the u-tube link and it went full screen.

Have a look at the attached pic.  It makes my phone look like a mini cab 

[system01]

Ooooh, thats slick.  The artwork fits in quite well, I might add.

To bad its completely nonfunctional... Or is there an iMame Im unaware of?

[loadman]

So, is this a problem that only I am seeing?  I tried this on two machines with the same result. 

Yeah I have the same problem.  Its almost like the code that updates the snap after switching layouts is in the wrong place.  It occurs well after both the fade out and the fade in.  Turning fades on makes the problem even more noticeable.

Still puzzled by this.... 

[Bender]

just thought I'd add I'm having this same problem as well

is everyone running Mala 1.05?

does the same thing happen earlier versions, I don't remember having this problem before?

I just occurred to me that this seem to happen on layouts where the snaps are in the same place, like it's saving the last snap till it realizes there should be another one

*EDIT* I just checked the same setup in MALA 1.00RC9 and this phenomenon does NOT happen, very strange?!?

[Bender]

When I was reading this post I was using the browser on my iphone.

When I clicked on the u-tube link and it went full screen.

Have a look at the attached pic.  It makes my phone look like a mini cab 

Damn that makes me want Mame and Mala on my I phone

How about getting on that loadman?

[loadman]

just thought I'd add I'm having this same problem as well

is everyone running Mala 1.05?

does the same thing happen earlier versions, I don't remember having this problem before?

I just occurred to me that this seem to happen on layouts where the snaps are in the same place, like it's saving the last snap till it realizes there should be another one

*EDIT* I just checked the same setup in MALA 1.00RC9 and this phenomenon does NOT happen, very strange?!?

Thanks for the Clues.

I only have the source code from 1.04 so I don't know the history of versions prior to that.

Thanks for the info 

[csa3d]

I am going to guess it's a big artwork issue.  I have an LCD screen which natively runs at a very high resolution.  I was stretching very small screens to fit full screen in my layout.  I've found that if you are looking for interactivity with MALA, you absolutely MUST run as low of a monitor resolution as you can if you plan on stretching art.  My frontend now runs at 600x800 while MAME is running at 1920x1280 once the game kicks in.  This screen resolution thing appears to affect the fade choppiness as well.

I'm still on 1.04 cuz I'm lazy and need to get 1.05 going

-csa

[system01]

I didnt try stretching a small image, but I put a low-res image up and turned the screen res down (I have an LCD too) and still no change, even the choppy fades.  This (my cab) is on a Asus A7V333 with an Athlon 2Ghz and I think 1 Gig of RAM and an old nVidia 4400Ti running a Samsung Syncmaster LCD.

This same thing happens at home on my "real" home PC.  Asus M32nSLI with an Athlon FX2 3200, 3 Gb RAM, and an nVidia 8800 GTS.  Still the lag and still the choppy fades.

Now, at work I have a Quadro FX 4500 video card on 2 semi-crappy LCDs, hyperthreaded dual dualcore Zenon 2.33s (8 cpus) and 3 Gb RAM (for solid modeling) and Mala runs noticeably cleaner.  Even the fades are really nice and smooth, but still the list lag.

Point is is that I really dont think its a performance/hardware issue (cept for the fades), but more of a trigger in the wrong place.

[Bender]

System01 have you tried an earlier version of Mala?

it is defiantly a software issue cause it works fine in the older version on the same machine, so it can't be the hardware



does anyone have Mala 1.02 and 1.03?
I like to find out where the change happened

[system01]

Nope.

Ive havent been serious about this until recently, so I always just overwrote it.

[loadman]

I have some older mala versions. An odd mixture.

I anyone has anymore than please send to me and I will add to the collection. It would be nice to have the other RC's and 100, 101,102 etc

099
10b2
10b4
RC1     (thanks to system01)
RC2     (thanks to Swindus)
RC3     (thanks to Swindus)
RC4     (thanks to Swindus)
RC5     (thanks to Swindus)
RC5a   (thanks to Swindus)
RC6     (thanks to Swindus)
RC7
RC7a   (thanks to Swindus)
RC8
RC9     (thanks to SGT)
RC10   (thanks to SGT)
103

http://www.malafe.net/files/download/OldMala.zip

104 - Avaliable from the download section of mala.net
105 - Current Version



ALSO

I finally got around to looking into the JukeBox issues.

I find that the switching bewteen Layouts seems to be the worst to and from the Jukebox but not such an issue if it is just normal EMU's...  Anyone else get this?

I have not tested switching between same emu diffrent gamelist with a seperate layout ...yet!

[EDIT]
OK it seem that custom gamelist switching is bad too  :-(

The only switching that seems exceptable is between emu's. That explains why had not noticed before as I never use the Juekbox or custom list layouts.

OK time to squash this bug or at least find a way to cover it up 

I will have to JukeBox fix later I guess

{LATER edit]

  I think I fixed the Gamelist switching problem when using different layouts for each list Well it works for me now anyway. Fades or no fades.

.. Now to Fix the EMU switching to and from the Juke box...... 
Loadman Away (Spoken like old school "Superman Away")

hmmm maybe I should do what my Wii tells me and take a break sometimes   

[swindus]

I anyone has anymore than please send to me and I will add to the collection. It would be nice to have the other RC's and 100, 101,102 etc

099
10b2
10b4
RC1     (thanks to system01)
RC7
RC8
RC9     (thanks to SGT)
RC10   (thanks to SGT)
103

http://www.malafe.net/files/download/OldMala.zip

104 - Avaliable from the download section of mala.net
105 - Current Version

http://www.windus.de/MaLaOld/

[Bender]

ALSO

I finally got around to looking into the JukeBox issues.

I find that the switching bewteen Layouts seems to be the worst to and from the Jukebox but not such an issue if it is just normal EMU's...  Anyone else get this?

I have not tested switching between same emu diffrent gamelist with a seperate layout ...yet!

[EDIT]
OK it seem that custom gamelist switching is bad too  :-(

The only switching that seems exceptable is between emu's. That explains why had not noticed before as I never use the Juekbox or custom list layouts.

OK time to squash this bug or at least find a way to cover it up 

I will have to JukeBox fix later I guess

{LATER edit]

  I think I fixed the Gamelist switching problem when using different layouts for each list Well it works for me now anyway. Fades or no fades.

.. Now to Fix the EMU switching to and from the Juke box...... 
Loadman Away (Spoken like old school "Superman Away")

hmmm maybe I should do what my Wii tells me and take a break sometimes   

How was this fixed?

Sorry I still don't understand how to fix this

or loadman are you fixing this in the code?

[loadman]

Sorry I still don't understand how to fix this

or loadman are you fixing this in the code?

Yes in the code for next release 

[Bender]

wooohoooo!!!!!!!!!   

I can't believe you were able to fix this so quickly

You rock!

[loadman]

wooohoooo!!!!!!!!!   

I can't believe you were able to fix this so quickly

You rock!

Well I just sent you the beta.

Assuming it is fixed it was and fairly easy change in the end. Just took a while to find and test the relevant code.

[system01]

Yes, thank you loadman!  Cant wait to get my cab fixed up!   

...moving ever so closer to that 'donate' button...

[loadman]

http://www.windus.de/MaLaOld/

Thank you MaLa Master.     

I will add these to the collection tonight.

.. Now to Fix the EMU switching to and from the Juke box......
Loadman Away (Spoken like old school "Superman Away")

This is now done!!!   

[loadman]

Has anyone that I sent the beta version too had a chance to look at it?

I am reluctant to move onto the next bug until I know that this one is squashed.

[loadman]

I think I emailed an old version   

Try this:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=85003.0