Looking for Beta testers 1.62g (Finished)

[pubjoe]

1) Have you tried : http://www.waste.org/~winkles/ROMLister/

Cheers.  Looks to be just what I wanted.

Thanks for the reply.

[Sprawler]

I'm trying to setup a tree menu, but when I open Mala tree editor I'm getting "Error loading emulator file!" and in the emulator lists
 it will only show Mame, jukebox and the first emulator in other emulators and then blank spots for the rest of the other emulators.
The emulators all work nicely in Mala, and will show up when I don't use the tree menu.

PS. I am using a different computer running windows 7, which Mala 1.62g works fine on, so this shouldn't have anything to do with my other problem.

[loadman]

I'm trying to setup a tree menu, but when I open Mala tree editor I'm getting "Error loading emulator file!" and in the emulator lists
 it will only show Mame, jukebox and the first emulator in other emulators and then blank spots for the rest of the other emulators.
The emulators all work nicely in Mala, and will show up when I don't use the tree menu.

PS. I am using a different computer running windows 7, which Mala 1.62g works fine on, so this shouldn't have anything to do with my other problem.

Yeah... I probably need to recompile MaLa Tree after the changes made  ;-)    I forgot about that.  MaLa, MaLaLayout and MaLaTree share a couple of files.

[loadman]

I'm trying to setup a tree menu, but when I open Mala tree editor I'm getting "Error loading emulator file!" and in the emulator lists
 it will only show Mame, jukebox and the first emulator in other emulators and then blank spots for the rest of the other emulators.
The emulators all work nicely in Mala, and will show up when I don't use the tree menu.

PS. I am using a different computer running windows 7, which Mala 1.62g works fine on, so this shouldn't have anything to do with my other problem.

Yeah... I probably need to recompile MaLa Tree after the changes made  ;-)    I forgot about that.  MaLa, MaLaLayout and MaLaTree share a couple of files.

I had a play, test again when I post a new MaLa beta....

[OnezerO]

2 issues.

1. I have been using individual LED files to light up the game buttons and now with this new beta no buttons are being lit up.

2. For some reason when I make a change under options menu and then click "OK" Mala will crash. The log provides the following abbreviated message, "List index out of bounds (-1)".  I have seen some similar posts on this problem but no solutions.

I am running Mame v0.124a.  Please let me know if you need any additional information.  Thanks.

[loadman]

2 issues.
1. I have been using individual LED files to light up the game buttons and now with this new beta no buttons are being lit up.

Do let me know what LED hardware you are using.

MaLa Hardware, PacDrive, LedWiz via PlugIn? Any other Details? MaLa has a few options/ ways of using LED's so I need to know what part of it might be busted. Thanks

2. For some reason when I make a change under options menu and then click "OK" Mala will crash. The log provides the following abbreviated message, "List index out of bounds (-1)".  I have seen some similar posts on this problem but no solutions.

The '-1' means no details exists in the mala config files where it expects them to be.. which is bad obviously

The reason is some of the files are not compatible between the old version and the new so you may need to start from scratch in some areas (especially 'other Emu's' aka in the file mala.mle)  The worst example I found is if you go back to an old version ofter using the new one and back again. It alters the file in such a way where you need to delete mala.mle to let mala recreate it again (when also means setting up all the non mame emu's again)

I recommend using the MaLa beta in a separate folder so not to break your MaLa working version

In any case I am working on ways on making the transition easier without crashes. I have made good progress already.

The beta linked here is a bit dated now. A new beta will be posted soonish 1.63, just gotta finish the audio Engine swap, right now it is at 60% complete .  And maybe one day a release  

[Milner08]

Out of interest will a new Mala Tree be provided with this beta? The one from the stable release dosn't work with the current beta, and is the only reason im not currently using the Beta (I feel like im missing out )

TM

[loadman]

Out of interest will a new Mala Tree be provided with this beta? The one from the stable release dosn't work with the current beta, and is the only reason im not currently using the Beta (I feel like im missing out )

TM

Yes.   

[drventure]

Any chance of the MLT file becoming XML/non-binary?

[OnezerO]

Do let me know what LED hardware you are using.

MaLa Hardware, PacDrive, LedWiz via PlugIn? Any other Details? MaLa has a few options/ ways of using LED's so I need to know what part of it might be busted. Thanks

I am using the Mala Hardware.  You had actually helped me out several times before getting Mala to work with the individual LED files.  Thank you for the detailed response to the "Option" problem I was having with the beta version.  Thanks for all of the work you have put into and continue to put into the Mala project.

[OnezerO]

2. For some reason when I make a change under options menu and then click "OK" Mala will crash. The log provides the following abbreviated message, "List index out of bounds (-1)".  I have seen some similar posts on this problem but no solutions.

The '-1' means no details exists in the mala config files where it expects them to be.. which is bad obviously

The reason is some of the files are not compatible between the old version and the new so you may need to start from scratch in some areas (especially 'other Emu's' aka in the file mala.mle)  The worst example I found is if you go back to an old version ofter using the new one and back again. It alters the file in such a way where you need to delete mala.mle to let mala recreate it again (when also means setting up all the non mame emu's again)

I recommend using the MaLa beta in a separate folder so not to break your MaLa working version

In any case I am working on ways on making the transition easier without crashes. I have made good progress already.

The beta linked here is a bit dated now. A new beta will be posted soon 1.63 (before new year I hope), just gotta finish the audio Engine swap, right now it is at 40% complete .  And maybe one day a release  

I deleted the mala.mle file but I am still getting an error message when I click "OK" from the "'option" menu.  Mala does recreate the "mala.mle" file. Any help on resolving this would be greatly appreciated as I want to start testing video files but I am not able to save my configuration files thru Mala.  The exact message I am getting in the log file is as follows:

2009/12/29  00:01:28.40   Error: Object Class: TPopupList, Object Function: InitAudio, Exception Class: EStringListError, Exception Message: List index out of bounds (-1)

Thank you.

[loadman]

2. For some reason when I make a change under options menu and then click "OK" Mala will crash. The log provides the following abbreviated message, "List index out of bounds (-1)".  I have seen some similar posts on this problem but no solutions.

The '-1' means no details exists in the mala config files where it expects them to be.. which is bad obviously

The reason is some of the files are not compatible between the old version and the new so you may need to start from scratch in some areas (especially 'other Emu's' aka in the file mala.mle)  The worst example I found is if you go back to an old version ofter using the new one and back again. It alters the file in such a way where you need to delete mala.mle to let mala recreate it again (when also means setting up all the non mame emu's again)

I recommend using the MaLa beta in a separate folder so not to break your MaLa working version

In any case I am working on ways on making the transition easier without crashes. I have made good progress already.

The beta linked here is a bit dated now. A new beta will be posted soon 1.63 (before new year I hope), just gotta finish the audio Engine swap, right now it is at 40% complete .  And maybe one day a release  

I deleted the mala.mle file but I am still getting an error message when I click "OK" from the "'option" menu.  Mala does recreate the "mala.mle" file. Any help on resolving this would be greatly appreciated as I want to start testing video files but I am not able to save my configuration files thru Mala.  The exact message I am getting in the log file is as follows:

2009/12/29  00:01:28.40   Error: Object Class: TPopupList, Object Function: InitAudio, Exception Class: EStringListError, Exception Message: List index out of bounds (-1)

Thank you.

Leave it for now, and try the next beta (when it is done)

Do let me know what LED hardware you are using.

MaLa Hardware, PacDrive, LedWiz via PlugIn? Any other Details? MaLa has a few options/ ways of using LED's so I need to know what part of it might be busted. Thanks

I am using the Mala Hardware.  You had actually helped me out several times before getting Mala to work with the individual LED files.  Thank you for the detailed response to the "Option" problem I was having with the beta version.  Thanks for all of the work you have put into and continue to put into the Mala project.

Oh yes I remember now.   I will look at it. No doubt something simple

Any chance of the MLT file becoming XML/non-binary?

Possibly. Can I ask why?  Swindus set some of these files to binary for a reason. But for the life of me I can't remember why?

[drventure]

Possibly. Can I ask why?

Nothing in particular, though I was thinking of a plugin tree editor. I guess the main reason though is just to avoid proprietary file types. XML should be good enough for any of the kind of stuff going on in there. And with it open like that, it would just encourage more stuff I can't even think of right off.

I'm not saying the extension has to change(or that it has to be xml for that matter). Like the MLL file, it's just an INI file with a different name. Heck, the tree could even go in an INI file like that, though xml might be better for a tree layout....)

[loadman]

Possibly. Can I ask why?

Nothing in particular, though I was thinking of a plugin tree editor. I guess the main reason though is just to avoid proprietary file types. XML should be good enough for any of the kind of stuff going on in there. And with it open like that, it would just encourage more stuff I can't even think of right off.

I'm not saying the extension has to change(or that it has to be xml for that matter). Like the MLL file, it's just an INI file with a different name. Heck, the tree could even go in an INI file like that, though xml might be better for a tree layout....)

hmmm I will PM you on this. I have an idea 

[Sprawler]

The problem I had earlier with the bass.dll and such was because I was running a chopped down version of xp, totally forgot I was lol. Reinstalled xp full version and all is well.

edited : after testing, what i said about mala tree wasnt true  

[loadman]

The problem I had earlier with the bass.dll and such was because I was running a chopped down version of xp, totally forgot I was lol. Reinstalled xp full version and all is well.

edited : after testing, what i said about mala tree wasnt true  

It was probably more likely that it works as you did a fresh MaLa install.

for at least the "blank spots for the rest of the other emulators" anyway. I got that when I ran an older version of mala.

Basically you can't go back versions....  You need to run the beta in a separate folder

Buit wait for the next beta. It handles things better.

1. I have been using individual LED files to light up the game buttons and now with this new beta no buttons are being lit up.

I found the issue.  d'oh!

When I changed the code to handle IO-Warror24 I killed support for IO-Warror40/MaLa Hardware. I can easily swap to support either but I need to write some code so it can handle both.

[OnezerO]

Thanks loadman you are the man.  I can't wait for the next beta release!!!

[drventure]

Me either.

Actually had another thing that I've noticed recently and didn't see anything searching through the forum.

When I run StepMania from Mala, it works just fine, but StepMania only runs in up to 1280x1024. Since my screen and Mala run native at 1920x1200, SM changes the screen res, then changes it back when it closes.

That all appears to work fine, but when control goes back to mala, the background is completely hosed. It's offset down and to the right by several hunded pixels.

HOWEVER, all the controls (text boxes, game list, video, etc), all render in the proper places. The end result is a pretty messed up looking screen.

If I right click and Flip orientation, then flip back, everything comes back proper, so it appears to be that Mala is drawing the background before the resolution change, or something. Not exactly sure what.

I'd be surprised if this is a new problem, just because I'm guessing lots of games switch resolutions and then switch back when they terminate, so I likely just don't have something set right.

Any ideas?

[jmr15]

Me either.

Actually had another thing that I've noticed recently and didn't see anything searching through the forum.

When I run StepMania from Mala, it works just fine, but StepMania only runs in up to 1280x1024. Since my screen and Mala run native at 1920x1200, SM changes the screen res, then changes it back when it closes.

That all appears to work fine, but when control goes back to mala, the background is completely hosed. It's offset down and to the right by several hunded pixels.

HOWEVER, all the controls (text boxes, game list, video, etc), all render in the proper places. The end result is a pretty messed up looking screen.

If I right click and Flip orientation, then flip back, everything comes back proper, so it appears to be that Mala is drawing the background before the resolution change, or something. Not exactly sure what.

I'd be surprised if this is a new problem, just because I'm guessing lots of games switch resolutions and then switch back when they terminate, so I likely just don't have something set right.

Any ideas?

1 Options/GUI/Game Start/Quit
go to
2 Reorder layout after game quit

i guess

[drventure]

You know. If it was a snake....

Thanks jmr15, that did the trick!

[jmr15]

youre welcome

i had the same problem
 
but in the spanish mala forum / http://www.retrovicio.com/foro/showthread.php?t=7200

i asked they give me the answer and they did

i think maybe this a bug?
 

[drventure]

Well, I don't have this prob with Mame, but then, I have mame set to run at the same res as Mala, whereas StepMania runs at a different resolution (as high as it'll go, but still not the native res of my monitor).

It'd be best if Mala could set that option on a "per game" or "per emulator" basis, because setting it globally like that causes the screen to flash a little coming back from games like Mame, where there really isn't a need to redraw things, but that's the way it is right now, I guess.

Hmmm, maybe a plugin for that 

[drventure]

Well, I may have spoken too fast. On my workstation, that option seems to have done the trick, but on my actual arcade cab, the screen is still messed up after it comes back from StepMania. Not sure what the difference might be but I'll poke around in some of those other options panels.

Thanks for the pointer though. I have a feeling that'll have something to do with whatever the fix might be.

[kako121]

youre welcome

i had the same problem
 
but in the spanish mala forum / http://www.retrovicio.com/foro/showthread.php?t=7200

i asked they give me the answer and they did

i think maybe this a bug?
 

jijiji

Happy new year!

Saludos

[mh12]

can't wait to check out the new audio engine! i was playing with my configuration again and put in a lot of 'jukebox' tunes. as soon as MaLa is able to play continuously and perhaps assign a key to queue songs, it'll be perfect 

[loadman]

assign a key to queue songs, it'll be perfect 

It's much more betttera, but what do you mean by the quote above?

[mh12]

assign a key to queue songs, it'll be perfect 

It's much more betttera, but what do you mean by the quote above?

for example: press start, selected song starts playing. i hope you'd be able to select something else and press another button for 'play this song next'... and keep adding songs to that (with the same button).. which may necessitate a 'skip to next song' button. a live playlist... like a jukebox

in any case, i'm using it now, and if it can play the whole list (without my input) in the next version, that's great!

[ivwshane]

So I had to reinstall my OS and mala, apparently I'm a noob because I can't get mala to run.

I get a "missing bass.dll" error. I did a quick search and it appears it's a required dll but it also seems like loadman was going to make it so that it was no longer required.

Can I get some advice please?

win7 64

[loadman]

So I had to reinstall my OS and mala, apparently I'm a noob because I can't get mala to run.

I get a "missing bass.dll" error. I did a quick search and it appears it's a required dll but it also seems like loadman was going to make it so that it was no longer required.

Can I get some advice please?

win7 64

Ohh Yeah

You can get in a package with an older version

http://www.malafe.net/files/download/MaLa105a.zip

[markronz]

I'm trying to setup a tree menu, but when I open Mala tree editor I'm getting "Error loading emulator file!" and in the emulator lists
 it will only show Mame, jukebox and the first emulator in other emulators and then blank spots for the rest of the other emulators.
The emulators all work nicely in Mala, and will show up when I don't use the tree menu.

PS. I am using a different computer running windows 7, which Mala 1.62g works fine on, so this shouldn't have anything to do with my other problem.

Yeah... I probably need to recompile MaLa Tree after the changes made  ;-)    I forgot about that.  MaLa, MaLaLayout and MaLaTree share a couple of files.

Sorry, has this been done?  If so, where can I download the new Mala Tree?   I get the same error after I add a second emulator...

Thanks!

[loadman]

I'm trying to setup a tree menu, but when I open Mala tree editor I'm getting "Error loading emulator file!" and in the emulator lists
 it will only show Mame, jukebox and the first emulator in other emulators and then blank spots for the rest of the other emulators.
The emulators all work nicely in Mala, and will show up when I don't use the tree menu.

PS. I am using a different computer running windows 7, which Mala 1.62g works fine on, so this shouldn't have anything to do with my other problem.

Yeah... I probably need to recompile MaLa Tree after the changes made  ;-)    I forgot about that.  MaLa, MaLaLayout and MaLaTree share a couple of files.

Sorry, has this been done?  If so, where can I download the new Mala Tree?   I get the same error after I add a second emulator...

Thanks!

I think So    . When the new beta comes out let me knwo if you still have issues 

[mh12]

I think So    . When the new beta comes out let me knwo if you still have issues 

can't wait
i'm going to do a few cab updates whenever the new MaLa's out.
..and at least get MaLa to stop crashing when i flip through emulators too fast. probably layout related? it didn't do that in the beginning before i started messing around a lot

[loadman]

I dare say the new beta will still have some bugs.... but the good news is with the work I have done they will be easier to find and fix.

[wolfsoft]

I am using mala 1.62g with mame 0.137.
But I got an error when reading the mame.xml for generating the mame gamelist
It aborts with:
Please wait: Collecting Games...

2010.05.06  12:24:13.95   Error: Object Class: TfrmMain, Object Function: SaveBiosList, Exception Class: EAccessViolation, Exception Message: Access violation at address 7C912C4E in module 'ntdll.dll'. Write of address 004041C9

Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance

[loadman]

I am using mala 1.62g with mame 0.137.
But I got an error when reading the mame.xml for generating the mame gamelist
It aborts with:
Please wait: Collecting Games...

2010.05.06  12:24:13.95   Error: Object Class: TfrmMain, Object Function: SaveBiosList, Exception Class: EAccessViolation, Exception Message: Access violation at address 7C912C4E in module 'ntdll.dll'. Write of address 004041C9

Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance

Does it happen with other versions of mame?

[andrewbean90]

I want / need to test the latest version 1.62g

[loadman]

There is a link for download in this thread

[andrewbean90]

found it but it didnt help my situation with the errors im getting

[loadman]

found it but it didnt help my situation with the errors im getting

Right.  

I have not released a new beta for some time.    Next one due soon 'Beta 1.69' .

 As I mentioned in another thread I have fixed a number of those related bugs.  So I will relay on your feedback and others.  

When major bugs are ironed out 1.7 will be the official release.

I don't want to make the same mistake as I did with 1.6 and release it officially without user testing.

[wolfsoft]

I will first install a new clean version and check it again
thanks in advance

I am using mala 1.62g with mame 0.137.
But I got an error when reading the mame.xml for generating the mame gamelist
It aborts with:
Please wait: Collecting Games...

2010.05.06  12:24:13.95   Error: Object Class: TfrmMain, Object Function: SaveBiosList, Exception Class: EAccessViolation, Exception Message: Access violation at address 7C912C4E in module 'ntdll.dll'. Write of address 004041C9

Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance

Does it happen with other versions of mame?