MaLa FE V1.05 released

[loadman]

v1.05:

Improvements
• Plug-ins. Added Configure support. A configuration gui can now be launched from within MaLa (when plug-in authors choose to support that option). New Plug-in SDK is available for download,
• Added check for OS so MaLahook.dll is only loaded with 98,98SE and ME.
• Added config for 'exit conformation' to be optional.
• Add config option to not have config window centred
• MaLa: Added 'suspend' to shutdown options
• Development now done on a English IDE. This is great for a me as I don't speak German. The added advantage is exception errors will be in English too. :-)

Bugfixes
• Startup video and screensaver now works when mouse is enabled.
• MaLa won't crash if put into standby mode (in a Gamelist or screensaver)
• Gui now sets game collecting options config for  'Mame only masters' correctly.


Download MaLa here: http://malafe.net/index.php?page=download
Download the Plugin SDK here: http://malafe.net/index.php?page=plugins

Have fun and please report bugs

[system01]

Ummm, If I overwrite my 1.04 files with bass.dll and MaLa.exe will it keep all my previous settings?  Do I even need to update bass.dll?

And thank you for all your hard work on this. (Inching closer to the Donate button )

[fatfingers]

Nice job loadman!

 

[Havok]

Ummm, If I overwrite my 1.04 files with bass.dll and MaLa.exe will it keep all my previous settings?  Do I even need to update bass.dll?

And thank you for all your hard work on this. (Inching closer to the Donate button )

Come on - just send the guy some cash. I know he works hard on this software, and you are already using it.

[system01]

Ummm, If I overwrite my 1.04 files with bass.dll and MaLa.exe will it keep all my previous settings?  Do I even need to update bass.dll?

And thank you for all your hard work on this. (Inching closer to the Donate button )

Come on - just send the guy some cash. I know he works hard on this software, and you are already using it.

This was actually just a joke that was carried over from a couple days ago on a different thread.  And Im not using it yet.  Not fully anyways.  Im still toying with everything and getting things adjusted.

[SGT]

Great job loadman, and thank you! 

[loadman]

Ummm, If I overwrite my 1.04 files with bass.dll and MaLa.exe will it keep all my previous settings?  Do I even need to update bass.dll?

Yes and No (in that order)   

But never any harm in backing up

Come on - just send the guy some cash. I know he works hard on this software, and you are already using it

Havok is just messing with you

He is a bit of a Joker .

Not like me. I am a very serious man 

FYI. The Donate link is for Swindus (not me) who we should be thankful for for writing this nice FE.

I may put a Paypal link for myself as well next year to cover web costs and new/better software components for MaLa etc ...

Nice job loadman!
 

Thanks, I hope you might make use of the new 'configure' option for your plug-in.

Great job loadman, and thank you! 

And I have not forgotten about you (MaLa user support master)  .
 Your Jukebox fixes are on the list for next release. 

[TheShanMan]

Nice work, loadman! I put the new exe on my cab tonight and tried out the new standby features and love it! Now I have my exit button (esc) set to put my cab in standby (esc=exit, and exit method set to standby). Also, I noticed that when resuming from standby mala seems to be in the right state, and it restarts the vid, unlike the beta I was using.

I am thrilled!

P.S. I'll have to update my plugins to support the new configure option.

[loadman]

I am thrilled!
P.S. I'll have to update my plugins to support the new configure option.

Excellent....
The SDK does not have a very good C++ example of the configuration . Please refer to the Delphi code for the right idea. If you have time to modify the C++ to a better example please send it my way so I can add to SDK.

[arzoo]

 

I'm currently working on an LEDBlinky update (for another FE  not to be named here) - so the timing is good. I'll add the new MaLa plugin config support.

Thanks, and great work!

[loadman]

I'm currently working on an LEDBlinky update (for another FE  not to be named here) - so the timing is good. I'll add the new MaLa plugin config support.

Thanks, and great work!

 

[TexFlood]

I upgraded Malal with no probs by coping all the files into my Mala directory.  I overwrote my MalaKeyHook.dll file as the one in Mala 1.05 had a new date/time stamp by like a day. 

Now I'm getting the following message in Other Emu Config - Options tab:
MalaHook Dll not found or loaded!

I've tried reverting back to my old MalaKeyHook.dll and I also tried running regsvr32 on the file, but that gives me the error message:
MalaKeyHook.dll was loaded, but the DLLRegisterServer entry point was not found.

I noticed all this when Stella was not closing properly via Esc... 
How do I get Mala to see the MalaKeyHook.dll again?  I'm running XP...

loadman - Thanks for the new version of Mala.  I for one think its smart the way you've put some effort into the plug-in API!   

[loadman]

I noticed all this when Stella was not closing properly via Esc... 
How do I get Mala to see the MalaKeyHook.dll again?  I'm running XP...

Hi,

This move was deliberate as users of XP64 etc were having problemes with MaLa Hook. MaLa in 1.05 won't load MaLahook unless you are using Win 98/98SE/ME.

So can you try using the hotkeys option instead?

Give that a good go and let me know please 

If that does not work I may have to make MaLa Hook an option anyway. (I hope not)

[TexFlood]

Ok, I switched the exit to Hot Keys and Stella is closing properly again.

The new icon and splash screen are slick!

[Space Fractal]

in the news on your homepage state its a version .05?

[loadman]

in the news on your homepage state its a version .05?

I can't type......  FIXED

[lettuce]

AVG Anti-Virus is giving me a virus warning when downloading mala105.zip, 'potentially harmfull program logger.BX'

any ideas??

[loadman]

AVG Anti-Virus is giving me a virus warning when downloading mala105.zip, 'potentially harmfull program logger.BX'

any ideas??

It will be the Malahook.dll

You don't need it unless you use 98 or ME with a EMU other than mame.

Refer the info on the right pane here:
http://www.malafe.net/index.php?page=download

[FrizzleFried]

v1.05:

Improvements
• Plug-ins. Added Configure support. A configuration gui can now be launched from within MaLa (when plug-in authors choose to support that option). New Plug-in SDK is available for download,
• Added check for OS so MaLahook.dll is only loaded with 98,98SE and ME.
• Added config for 'exit conformation' to be optional.
• Add config option to not have config window centred
• MaLa: Added 'suspend' to shutdown options
• Development now done on a English IDE. This is great for a me as I don't speak German. The added advantage is exception errors will be in English too. :-)

Bugfixes
• Startup video and screensaver now works when mouse is enabled.
• MaLa won't crash if put into standby mode (in a Gamelist or screensaver)
• Gui now sets game collecting options config for  'Mame only masters' correctly.


Download MaLa here: http://malafe.net/index.php?page=download
Download the Plugin SDK here: http://malafe.net/index.php?page=plugins

Have fun and please report bugs

Does this version fix the issue where if you have videos set to hold for 3 seconds and you click in to a game within those 3 seconds half the time the video continues playing in the "background" slowing down MAME considerably (and screwing up the sounds because the sounds of the video are playing in the background)?

If I don't wait for the video to actually start running before hitting the button to load the game,  I'd say about half the time this happens and it's annoying as hell.

Second issue is that even with the correct XVID files (that I re-downloaded from Circo's FTP),  the video runs about 80% the speed of the sound.  STRANGELY enough,  if I exit and load from windows SOMETIMES it fixes the issue and the video plays normally...but only about 20% or so of the time?!?

This is a really really huge issue with me (as I stated before)... I'd really love to keep MALA but these two issues are really killing the experience... any suggestions?

[TheShanMan]

I have had the same problem with the video continuing to play after launching a game, but it doesn't happen often for me because I have videos set to start quickly, so the only time it happens is if I immediately start the game as soon as selection lands on it. I haven't noticed it with 1.05, so I'll have to try to make it happen and report back.

[loadman]

Does this version fix the issue where if you have videos set to hold for 3 seconds and you click in to a game within those 3 seconds half the time the video continues playing in the "background" slowing down MAME considerably (and screwing up the sounds because the sounds of the video are playing in the background)?
If I don't wait for the video to actually start running before hitting the button to load the game,  I'd say about half the time this happens and it's annoying as hell.

Thanks for the feedback 

No fix in this version but it is a known issue and is on the list to be fixed  ;

Second issue is that even with the correct XVID files (that I re-downloaded from Circo's FTP),  the video runs about 80% the speed of the sound.  STRANGELY enough,  if I exit and load from windows SOMETIMES it fixes the issue and the video plays normally...but only about 20% or so of the time?!?

This is a really really huge issue with me (as I stated before)... I'd really love to keep MALA but these two issues are really killing the experience... any suggestions?

Man if you can't make it work with MaLa maybe you should consider another FE 

The only things I can offer is:

1) Others have got the vids working in MaLa. The solution is usually making sure you have the right codec and the right video versions. Others have transcoded, check with a search of the forum and the best of luck.

2) I have limited time to find an alternate video processing engine for mala so I asked in a post for an alternate. So far no suggestion's

The Issue:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=82577.msg878004#msg878004

Stand Alone Player:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=83861.msg876678#msg876678

Even so I hope all will be much better in future versions 

I haven't noticed it with 1.05, so I'll have to try to make it happen and report back.

Dude, Don't waste your time as I have not changed the code in that area...just yet

[Twin-X]

Loadman first thank you for this version.

It runs great.

Now the second part

If i do anything with the mame config settings in mala the mame.ini gets updated. Wich is good offcourse.

However i use headkaze ipac2 config file for my key mapping.
Mala resets this setting if i put it in my ini file. (#ctrlr <null>)

Could you fix this in the upcomming release or is there another way to use this?

[loadman]

Could you fix this in the upcomming release or is there another way to use this?

You could edit mame.ini manually?

[TheShanMan]

I second loadman's suggestion, or as an alternative try using mameui to edit your settings, and see if it is preserved. Personally, I never use mala to edit mame.ini. I use mameui. While it's nice that mala supports doing this, I simply don't have 100% confidence in it simply because it doesn't track with mame changes (as mameui does), and probably doesn't cover all the settings that mameui does anyway. That's no criticism of mala of course - virtually any app other than mame/mameui would suffer from the same potential issues.

[loadman]

I second loadman's suggestion, or as an alternative try using mameui to edit your settings, and see if it is preserved. Personally, I never use mala to edit mame.ini. I use mameui. While it's nice that mala supports doing this, I simply don't have 100% confidence in it simply because it doesn't track with mame changes (as mameui does), and probably doesn't cover all the settings that mameui does anyway. That's no criticism of mala of course - virtually any app other than mame/mameui would suffer from the same potential issues.

I agree.  I may even put a note/prompt in the MaLa config to advise of this. It seems a much better way to do it.

[Twin-X]

Ok i will use mameui then.

[loadman]

Does this version fix the issue where if you have videos set to hold for 3 seconds and you click in to a game within those 3 seconds half the time the video continues playing in the "background" slowing down MAME considerably (and screwing up the sounds because the sounds of the video are playing in the background)?

If I don't wait for the video to actually start running before hitting the button to load the game,  I'd say about half the time this happens and it's annoying as hell.

Hey, I tried squashing this bug today but I can't recreate it.

I set video delay on layout to 3 secs and launch games with no problem. I believe you when you say it happens, I just need to know the exact circumstances so I can attack the right bit in the code (there is a lot of it).

So any details you could give would be great...  EG I was only testing using mame. Does it happen in Mame or other emu's or all of them.?

Thanks 

[FrizzleFried]

I only have MAME running on the cab...so it's happening in MAME.  Basically,  as soon as I switch to a different game I hit select to load the game...it load the game then about the time the video should appear I can hear it start to run in the background while the game itself is loading/running in the foreground.

When this happens it really slows down the game running in the foreground.  It happened to me last running the game 19XX and Q-BERT.

[loadman]

Bugger.

I need more clues to solve this mystery. Can you post your mala.ini please?

[FrizzleFried]

I'll have to pull it from the cab...gimme a few.

[loadman]

I'll have to pull it from the cab...gimme a few.

Great....

Help me , help you   

[FrizzleFried]

Here you go...

...of course the .ini extension had to be changed to .txt to upload.

[loadman]

Here you go...

...of course the .ini extension had to be changed to .txt to upload.

Thanks..  I will try and re-create the problem

[loadman]

Here you go...

...of course the .ini extension had to be changed to .txt to upload.

Thanks..  I will try and recreate the problem

OK I have not recreated it 

What version are you using anyway?

In any case can you try the following test version with

options-help and credits-enbale debug log turned on.

If/When it happens again please post the last couple of pages of mala.exe.log

This version has extra logging relating to delayed video display.

Download Test Beta version here:

http://www.malafe.net/files/download/MaLa106bg.zip

I look forward to your feedback.

Thanks 

[FrizzleFried]

OK,  I installed and ran the beta exe file from my MALA directory... I moved on to Qbert and as soon as I got to it I hit start... the ROM loaded and as the game initialized I could hear the movie file playing in the background and Qbert was running slow.  I figured GREAT...first time...exited and checked and the .LOG file is now updated?!  How do I set it to save the LOG file.  All it did was change a couple .ini files it seems.


EDIT: Nevermind...I am a dumbass and should probably actually READ your posts before I go and jump in.


Sorry...after lunch I'll do the tests.

[FrizzleFried]

Alright...here it is.  Strangely,  when I first loaded the videos were running slow (as usual)...once I went in to options and enabled logging and went back they were running full speed.   I exited and the current LOG file was not updated.  I then deleted that LOG file (dated 9/12) and re-ran MALA.  Again the videos were running fine...I was able to cause the problem again first time with Qbert by immediately starting before the video ran... I then exited and then exited MALA.  Here is the resulting LOG file (that did get created that time!)

[loadman]

Alright...here it is.  Strangely,  when I first loaded the videos were running slow (as usual)...once I went in to options and enabled logging and went back they were running full speed.   I exited and the current LOG file was not updated.  I then deleted that LOG file (dated 9/12) and re-ran MALA.  Again the videos were running fine...I was able to cause the problem again first time with Qbert by immediately starting before the video ran... I then exited and then exited MALA.  Here is the resulting LOG file (that did get created that time!)

Thanks a lot 

I will get on it....

It is so weird that I never could get that to happen

[EDIT] :Later....
OK I am at work so I can't test my latest theory right now.

Did you use a mouse /spinner to scroll through the list?

[FrizzleFried]

Nope...no mouse/spinner to move...stick.

[loadman]

Nope...no mouse/spinner to move...stick.

Umm

Occording to your

It seems is cancel the original video day (as it should) then starting the game.

Bt then it starts a new delay after the game has started.  (I have not seen this myself yet)

Weird.

Thanks again for the info, I will find the cause soon I hope.

[loadman]

Does this version fix the issue where if you have videos set to hold for 3 seconds and you click in to a game within those 3 seconds half the time the video continues playing in the "background" slowing down MAME considerably (and screwing up the sounds because the sounds of the video are playing in the background)?

If I don't wait for the video to actually start running before hitting the button to load the game,  I'd say about half the time this happens and it's annoying as hell.

Hey,

I managed to find the circumstance in which it happens and recreate it   

Thanks for your help 

It does not happen if you set 'gui- options display delay - snap exception'.

I can understand why most would not have that set as it slows scrolling.


I also found another small bug. Mala usually crashes if you choose options before video delay has started 

The good news is both bugs are related.

" Time to die Video Bugs "