newbie pc to arcade controls?

[chrisee]

hi guys
In the process of building a cabinent using a pc as the guts. I  just purchased
a pc to arcade controls adapter off ebay which plugs into ps/2 port or with the
converter into the usb slot. then it goes into a box with wires coming out of it
all marked with which button each wire should goto. windows sees this device ok.
but i cant use it in mame32 or get any response out of it wat so eva.
wiring buttons this way do you have to have a common wire to each button also?
i would have thought for example P1 fire 1 has two wires, if you touch these two together
it should make a circuit and operate that function that P1 fire is supposed to do.
PLZ help its driving me crazy. does mame 32 not support this type of control setup??
the adapter is capable of 26 buttons which means 52 wires coming out of it.
it came with a table on which button does wat etc?

[Blanka]

52 cables for 26 buttons is very strange. Most controllers have a common ground line that connects all buttons on one side, and 1 line to each button's second clamp. What controller is it by the way? Is it a iPac. Make a picture of the PCB en post it here. That's easier talking.