Startcom MALA plugin - add support for "other emulators"

[csa3d]

Loadman,

I was wondering if you would be able to look into that startcom plugin you created for DaOldMan way back when, and see if you can add support for "other emulators".   Here's my dilema:

I have MALA set to rotate the layout with screen orientation.  StartCom plugin rotates the screen to the correct orientation based on printer port inputs.  This means going from Joust to Frogger turns both the screen and MALA 90.  When I exit, my MALA menu is now vertical.

Now, let's say I jump emulation menus to choose Atari emulator, which never goes vertical.  When I start the game, StartCom doesn't seem to kick in and rotate the screen from 90 back to 0.  Therefore my Atari game starts turned 90 degrees wrongly.

As a workaround, I tried setting the pre-command of that atari emulator to rotate the screen back to 0 using MRotate command line.  The problem is now when I exit the Atari Game, that my MALA menu is still in vertical mode while my monitor is rotated horizontal.

This is the last of my rotation monitor bugs, and would love to have a solution if you have some time to look into it with me.

Thanks!
-csa

[Richie Rich]

csa3d

Sorry to cut in on you post to Loadman, but I in the same dilemma as you.

My only solution on my rotating monitor cab has been to conveniently have the monitor in the correct position before going to another emulator. But it sure would nice to have startcom support other emulators but I don't know if this can be done because startcom is only working off of events in MAME.

Can Mala even take a plugin in other emulators to have an event activate a plugin to have the Mala menu orientate correctly?

Good idea on the pre-command line. How did you do the pre-command line?

Hope Loadman knows a workaround for this.

[csa3d]

csa3d

Sorry to cut in on you post to Loadman, but I in the same dilemma as you.

My only solution on my rotating monitor cab has been to conveniently have the monitor in the correct position before going to another emulator. But it sure would nice to have startcom support other emulators but I don't know if this can be done because startcom is only working off of events in MAME.

Can Mala even take a plugin in other emulators to have an event activate a plugin to have the Mala menu orientate correctly?

Good idea on the pre-command line. How did you do the pre-command line?

Hope Loadman knows a workaround for this.

I'd say that there is probably a way for StartCom to default to horizontal if it does NOT detect Mame as the emulator.  That way at least an event gets triggered which hopefully allows a rotate horizontal command to be sent.

So yeah, my only workaround I can think of, is to not allow MALA to "rotate the layout with the emulator" which means your will always have a horizontal layout.  When you launch a game, StartCom (for Mame only) will still rotate the game correctly vertical.  Then upon exit, you'd need a Post command to always rotate the monitor back to horizontal.  This would ensure that your menu orientation never gets screwed up at the annoyance of having to let the monitor do 4 rotations when switching between two vertical games. 

Inside the other emulators tab, there's a tab where you can enter pre and post commands.  Right click in one of those areas and choose the Add... option, then type in the command line argument to trigger MRotate.exe (c:\Mrotate.exe 0  or C:\Mrotate.exe 90)

Hopefully either loadman or DaOlMan can share whatever sourcecode is necessary to resolve this issue.  Maybe if you offer to donate some cash to Loadman he'd do it   I've put in my 12 pack worth of beer donation.. maybe it's time to donate a bottle of Crown instead

-csa

[loadman]

Hi,

Fixing the plug-in seems like the logical solution to me. It would be easy.

EG "If not mame then rotate to horizontal"

I don't have the source code, I think the da old man does. If I recall I gave him a few tips when he was making it. ?

[loadman]

DaOldMan just reminded me that I wrote StartCom.

It launches and external application with arguments.

In this case 'mrotate'.

I found the source and will check and report back

[loadman]

OK.

I hacked together a beta version of StartCom 1.1

It does these new things:

* If startcom.ini is missing it will create it with defaults

* It will default to Horizontal Command sent if either:
   1) Emu is not MAME
   2) No Orientation info is avaliable
 
www.malafe.net/files/download/StartComBeta.zip

Let me know if this works ok and I will make a new version with the annoying message on Startup 

[DaOld Man]

I tested your new startcom on Gens.
it does send the "rotate to horizontal" command to mrotate2, but it does not turn the Mala screen horizontal when yo exit gens.
It could well be something Im not doing right..

[loadman]

I tested your new startcom on Gens.
it does send the "rotate to horizontal" command to mrotate2, but it does not turn the Mala screen horizontal when yo exit gens.
It could well be something Im not doing right..

I did not know it was supposed to.

I am working blind here. 

Perhaps csa3d and yourself can discuss exactly what you want it to do and I will modify the code. Thanks

[DaOld Man]

Well, I think the problem csa is having (correct me if Im wrong Chris), is that when the screen is vertical from playing a mame game, and you select another emulator that only has horizontal games, the monitor rotates to horizontal, but when you exit the horizontal only game, the mala screen is still vertical, even though the monitor is now horizontal.

In other words, when you send the rotate to 0 command to mrotate2 because the game is not a mame game, you also need to switch mala orientation to horizontal.

Can you send me the source code to your new startcom? I worked for about 2 hours last night downloading the turbo delphi and all the support files it needs, just got it licensed so Im ready to take a crack at it, if you want.
Ive been looking through the source code for the first startcom, and it may take me a while, Im not used to C++.

[loadman]

Well, I think the problem csa is having (correct me if Im wrong Chris), is that when the screen is vertical from playing a mame game, and you select another emulator that only has horizontal games, the monitor rotates to horizontal, but when you exit the horizontal only game, the mala screen is still vertical, even though the monitor is now horizontal.

In other words, when you send the rotate to 0 command to mrotate2 because the game is not a mame game, you also need to switch mala orientation to horizontal.

Can you send me the source code to your new startcom? I worked for about 2 hours last night downloading the turbo delphi and all the support files it needs, just got it licensed so Im ready to take a crack at it, if you want.
Ive been looking through the source code for the first startcom, and it may take me a while, Im not used to C++.

In the last version the monitor never rotated to horizontal for other emu's. That is what I fixed.

OK I just added a line to rotate MaLa as well when the game starts.

If this does not work you might move/copy that section of code to the 'MaLaGameQuit' section

Here is the Code:

Code: [Select]

library StartCom;

// This a .dll that needs to be renamed to .mplugin after
// it is compiled and built


uses
  SysUtils, Dialogs, ShellApi, Windows, Messages, Forms, inifiles,
  eventdata in 'eventdata.pas',
  ExtLaunch in 'ExtLaunch.pas';

 
const
MALAMSG_ROTATE0= WM_USER + 93;

var
GameOri, CurrentEmu :string;
LaunchMethod: Integer =1;
Prog: String = 'c:\mrotate.exe';
Ininame: String = 'plugins\StartCom.ini';

{*******************************************************************************
*
*******************************************************************************}
procedure MaLaStart(); cdecl;
var
 IniFile : TIniFile;
begin
// Load Data from Ini File
if FileExists(extractfilepath(application.exename)+IniName) then
begin
  IniFile := TIniFile.Create(extractfilepath(application.exename)+IniName);
  Prog := IniFile.ReadString('LaunchProg','Path','c:\mrotate.exe');
  LaunchMethod := IniFile.ReadInteger('LaunchMethod','MethodNumber',2);
  IniFile.Free;
end
else
  begin
    ShowMessage((extractfilepath(application.exename)+IniName)+' not found! Defaults will be used');
    // Write default Data for Ini File
      IniFile := TIniFile.Create(extractfilepath(application.exename)+IniName);
      IniFile.WriteString('LaunchProg','Path','c:\mrotate.exe');
      IniFile.WriteInteger('LaunchMethod','MethodNumber',2);
      IniFile.Free;
  end;
  ShowMessage('Loading StartCom Beta 1.1');
 end;
{*******************************************************************************
*
*******************************************************************************}
procedure MaLaGameSelected(g: TPEventGame); cdecl;
begin
  GameOri := g.VideoOrientation;
end;

{*******************************************************************************
*
*******************************************************************************}

procedure MaLaEmulatorSelected(e: TPEventEmulator); cdecl;
var
 IniFile : TIniFile;
 MameName : string;
begin
// Load Data from Ini File
if FileExists(extractfilepath(application.exename)+IniName) then
  begin
    IniFile := TIniFile.Create(extractfilepath(application.exename)+'mala.ini');
    MameName := IniFile.ReadString('Mame','Title','Mame');
    IniFile.Free;
  end;

if MameName = e.Name then
  CurrentEmu := 'Mame'
  else
  CurrentEmu := 'NotMame';

end;

{*******************************************************************************
*
*******************************************************************************}

procedure MaLaGameStart(); cdecl;
begin

  if GameOri = 'vertical' then
  Begin
  If LaunchMethod = 1 then
    ExtLaunch.Execute(prog,'90');   // Launches but does not wait or report errors
  If LaunchMethod = 2 then
    ExtLaunch.ExecuteAndWait(prog,'90');   // Checks, Launches and waits
  end;

  if (GameOri = 'horizontal') or (GameOri = '')  or (CurrentEmu <> 'Mame') then
  Begin
  // Send message to MaLa to Rotate to Horizontal
   PostMessage(FindWindow(nil,'MaLa'), MALAMSG_ROTATE0, 0, 0);
//  Send Command to prog
  If LaunchMethod = 1 then
    ExtLaunch.Execute(prog,'0');   // Launches but does not wait or report errors
  If LaunchMethod = 2 then
    ExtLaunch.ExecuteAndWait(prog,'0');   // Checks, Launches and waits
  end;

end;

{*******************************************************************************
*
*******************************************************************************}
procedure MaLaGameQuit(); cdecl;
begin
     // Do Nothing
end;
{*******************************************************************************
*
*******************************************************************************}
function PluginName(): PChar; cdecl;
begin
     result := PChar('StartCom Version 1.2 BETA');
end;

{*******************************************************************************
*
*******************************************************************************}
function PluginCopyright(): PChar; cdecl;
begin
     result := PChar('2009 by Loadman & DaOld Man');
end;

exports
  MaLaStart,
  MaLaGameSelected,
  MaLaEmulatorSelected,
  MaLaGameStart,
  MaLaGameQuit,
  PluginName,
  PluginCopyright;

{$R *.RES}

begin
end.

[DaOld Man]

I have a new found respect for you Loadman!
I cannot get this plugin to work.

From what I can tell, this line is not working (it doesnt rotate mala to horizontal)

PostMessage(FindWindow(nil,'MaLa'), MALAMSG_ROTATE0, 0, 0);

I tried placing it at several different places in the code, but it doesnt seem to be doing anything.

[csa3d]

I tried downloading the SDK from MalaFE.net, but looks like the link to the plugin download is incorrect, and currently points to a local dev branch:

Code: [Select]

file:///Users/sloader/Desktop/files/download/MaLaPluginSDKv1.62.zip
I also checked the wiki and didn't see any trace of the MALAMSG_ROTATE0 message event.  Maybe these are posted in the release notes or something..

DaOldMan:
Maybe it's possible the command below wasn't missing a comma after ROTATE and before the first zero..

Code: [Select]

PostMessage(FindWindow(nil,'MaLa'), MALAMSG_ROTATE, 0, 0, 0);
or perhaps the command arguments need to be encapsulated in ' marks such as:

Code: [Select]

PostMessage(FindWindow(nil,'MaLa'), 'MALAMSG_ROTATE0', '0', '0');
Mabye it's a combo of both of the above.  At any rate, I'm gonna go test the plugin on my system here in a bit. 

-csa

[csa3d]

Well, I think the problem csa is having (correct me if Im wrong Chris), is that when the screen is vertical from playing a mame game, and you select another emulator that only has horizontal games, the monitor rotates to horizontal, but when you exit the horizontal only game, the mala screen is still vertical, even though the monitor is now horizontal.

In other words, when you send the rotate to 0 command to mrotate2 because the game is not a mame game, you also need to switch mala orientation to horizonta

You hit the nail right on the head.  I'm curious to see if the menu rotation code should happen upon game exit like suggested earlier.  I'll let you know in a bit after I test the latest version.  Thanks everyone for looking at this!   

-csa

[csa3d]

Just tried the 1.1 beta.  Appears DaOLdMan is correct in that the Mala menu fails to orient properly upon returning to Mala.  Seems like the physical monitor rotation is spot on.  Almost there!!

-csa

[loadman]

MALAMSG_ROTATE0 is relatively new.

I am not at home right now but possibly it only works with version 1.6 +

[DaOld Man]

Alright!
Its working!
I put the MALAMSG_ROTATE0 in game exit section, also it only appears to work on my version 1.62d.

I also went ahead and removed the popup box at game start.

Let me know what you think.
(Source code is available upon request.)

A big thank you to Loadman!!!

Update: Startcom Version 3.1 has been uploaded to malafe.net and should be available for download shortly.
If you cannot download it from there, PM me your email and I will send it to you.

(Download the file, unzip it and place it in the mala/plugins folder.)
Also, in mala options, make sure mala is set to rotate with mame.

[csa3d]

arg! I don't seem to be able to DL the attached .zip!  Tried IE and firefox..
-csa

[DaOld Man]

I tried uploading with IE instead of firefox, try to download again.

[loadman]

I can't get it with Safari Either...

Seems to be a bug with this forum

email it to me or upload to malafe.net and I can post it on the site if you want

[csa3d]

I tried uploading with IE instead of firefox, try to download again.

Nah, downloading is still broken.  Like loadman said, think it's a forum issue.

Tested the new plugin, works pretty good!  One more request:  Can we test a version that rotates the Mala menu only upon game EXIT and not before game LAUNCH?  If you have a full screen startup image set to display instead of the "launching" dialog box, the order of events is as follows:

1. Select game
2. Full screen startup image appears
3. StartCom rotates the Mala Menu (and makes the startup image dissappear)
4. The game starts.

I'd like to see if removing the menu rotation before game starts allows a full screen launch image to stay on top instead of disappearing.

Thanks so much!  This makes me super happy, you have no idea!
-csa

[DaOld Man]

I will see what I can do either tonight or this weekend.

[loadman]

I tried downloading the SDK from MalaFE.net, but looks like the link to the plugin download is incorrect, and currently points to a local dev branch:

Thanks, Link Fixed 

Obviously not may people have been downloading the SDK lately 

[dungbeetle46]

the link for controls.ini on malafe.net doesnt work either, anyone know where to get the latest, i need ini not xml
cheers

[DaOld Man]

Update:
I think I have the bugs ironed out on startcom V3.1
I have uploaded to malafe.net. It should be available for download soon.
If it is not available, drop me a PM with your email addie and I will send it to you.

[loadman]

Update:
I think I have the bugs ironed out on startcom V3.1
I have uploaded to malafe.net. It should be available for download soon.
If it is not available, drop me a PM with your email addie and I will send it to you.

It's now on the site

Too make it more sexy you could add 'Config' support and direct coms to the parrale port so you would not even need mrotate. 

[DaOld Man]

Thanks Loadman.

I wrote mrotate to work with different frontends, but I do like the idea of config support...

[loadman]

Thanks Loadman.

I wrote mrotate to work with different frontends, but I do like the idea of config support...

email me the modified source and I will add basic config that you can expand, better yet or have a go yourself 

Refer to the example in the SDK

http://malafe.net/files/download/MaLaPluginSDKv1.62.zip

[DaOld Man]

Email sent, and thanks..
Also, if you see any thing I did that doesnt look right, let me know.

[DaOld Man]

Just wrote a new version startcom, V4.0.
This will allow you to make a list of emulators that need to run in vertical mode to the startcom.ini file.
(Requested by Richie Rich)

I'm waiting on richie to test it for me, once it passes his tests, I will upload it to malafe.net

Loadman, the more I think about it, I think it would be a good idea to merge mrotate2's functions into startcom.  Having just the plugin would be better.
I can still keep mrotate2 available for other front ends.
Just give me some time.

[loadman]

Loadman, the more I think about it, I think it would be a good idea to merge mrotate2's functions into startcom.  Having just the plugin would be better.
I can still keep mrotate2 available for other front ends.
Just give me some time.

Cool,

Have fun!   

[Richie Rich]

Hi DAOld Man, I just sent you a PM.

This looks awsome!!!

[csa3d]

A couple of issues with 4.0 beta:

1.  I've gotten an "Exception EInOutError in module MonOri.mplugin at 0005B276" while boot to and staying in side the Mame emulator, triggered when flipping back and forth between frogger and joust.  I cannot seem to pinpoint what causes this to happen.  Is this another "focus stealing" issue?

EDIT:  This issue seems to only occur w/ .ini setting of "Method = 1", and a non-issue for Method = 2.

2.  Setting "Malarotate=2", being vertical in mame menu, swapping over to Atari "Stella" emulator, and selecting a game:

        a. launch img shows, rotates
        b. menu overtakes fullscreen image
        c. menu rotates
        d. game never appears to launch......
        e. alt-f4 out of Mala
        f. notice stella emulator behind it

        (this does not seem to happen for NES "Nestopia" emulator)

3. EDIT: (clarity)  Setting the Malarotate=1 appears to perform the following ordered events:
        a.  Choose game
        b. show launch game full screen image (you have to enable this opion, its off by default)
        c.  launch image is rotated to new orientation (you can see it flip.. ugly)
        d. game list appears, hides launch image (not ideal)
        e. game list takes proper orientation (would like operation to be transparent to user)
        f.  game starts

        Malarotate=2 has the same "disappearing launch image" syndrome.

Other foods for thought:
- Would having the windows taskbar "autohide" contribute to any of the above problems?
- Would having the windows taskbar "always on top" vs "not always on top" contribute to the above problems?


-csa

[DaOld Man]

Is the monitor actually turning? or are you testing on your desktop PC?
Make sure the path to mrotate2 is correct in startcom.ini.

Do you have Mala V1.62 or greater? (I only have v1.62D, havent downloaded the latest yet, but I do plan to.)

try auto hiding the taskbar, it sure wouldnt hurt to try.

Startcom works great on my desktop PC. But when I moved it to my arcade PC I had to delete mala.ini and reset up mala before I could get mala to start. I tried removing startcom and got the same thing, so I think I screwed up my mala.ini playing around with the tree function a while back. Dont really think it was startcom related.
I do notice that on my arcade PC, when I rotate to vertical, quit the game, the screen is still horizontal, blanks out, then turns vertical. It doesnt do this when I switch from vert to horz. Quit horz game, when mala comes back it is horz, no visible flipping.
So I am aware of a small bug there, and that may be what you are seeing with your screen image. Although the kicker for me is that it works great on my desktop, which has an LCD monitor, the arcade has a CRT, but I wouldnt think that would matter.
Oh well, back to the drawing board.

[DaOld Man]

Ok I just did a little testing and I get the EInOut error if I am using a launch image.
It does fine with the launch image not selected.

Any ideas Loadman?

I also tweaked on my bug of screen being horizontal for a few seconds after quitting a vertical game. The screen is vertical when I quit the vertical game now, but the mala screen is about half the size. You can see windows desktop all around it, the mala screen is in upper left corner of the desktop.

 

[loadman]

Ok I just did a little testing and I get the EInOut error if I am using a launch image.
It does fine with the launch image not selected.
Any ideas Loadman?

I don't get this error?  When did the errors start.?  Try reversing some of your changes to work out what the trigger is for them?

Sorry, What do you mean 'launch image'?  What is an 'image' (in this context)

Loadman, the more I think about it, I think it would be a good idea to merge mrotate2's functions into startcom.  Having just the plugin would be better.
I can still keep mrotate2 available for other front ends.
Just give me some time.

As you later PM'd me for some help.....

Anyway, I have just emailed you back an example of using config on the version of startcom you sent me.

Have fun 

[csa3d]

Is the monitor actually turning? or are you testing on your desktop PC?

Testing directly on the arcade cab.  Monitor rotation is spot on for versions 3.0 and 4.0 (skipped 3.1 testing)

Make sure the path to mrotate2 is correct in startcom.ini.

For every new release, I have deleted the startcom.ini, made a new one by starting Mala with the new plug-in, exited, verified path to mrotate2 (i'm using your default path of c:\mrotate2.exe)

Do you have Mala V1.62 or greater? (I only have v1.62D, havent downloaded the latest yet, but I do plan to.)

I'm on 1.62G currently

try auto hiding the taskbar, it sure wouldnt hurt to try.

I've tried every combination of start bar autohide and ontop settings.  I don't think changing these settings affects things much if any.

I do notice that on my arcade PC, when I rotate to vertical, quit the game, the screen is still horizontal, blanks out, then turns vertical. It doesnt do this when I switch from vert to horz. Quit horz game, when mala comes back it is horz, no visible flipping.

Sometimes I did notice that all the switching appeared to work properly.  When I did notice things working good, it was usually the first rotate or so.  Then it would eventually kick into "messed up mode" (tm) and never show signs of working properly thereafter.  The ratio would be 95% not working, 5% working (image/menu flipping).  100% monitor rotation working.

So I am aware of a small bug there, and that may be what you are seeing with your screen image. Although the kicker for me is that it works great on my desktop, which has an LCD monitor, the arcade has a CRT, but I wouldnt think that would matter.

I can't imagine it has anything to do with the monitor.  What type of graphic's card are in your two pcs?  My arcade cab has an ATI Radeon card.  Perhaps something with the screen rotation is fighting with the built-in screen rotation functions that reside in that system tray app it runs (forget what they call that app at this time, but it gets installed with the drivers).

Oh well, back to the drawing board.

Sounds like a tag team issue.  Let me know how I can help debug!

-csa

[/quote]

[csa3d]

I also tweaked on my bug of screen being horizontal for a few seconds after quitting a vertical game. The screen is vertical when I quit the vertical game now, but the mala screen is about half the size. You can see windows desktop all around it, the mala screen is in upper left corner of the desktop.

I have this issue arrise if my windows DESKTOP (like.. vertical screen rotation, windows startbar at bottom, tall layout instead of default wide) is rotated vertical when starting Mala.  For that very reason, I have a .bat file rotate the WINDOWS desktop to horizontal before calling MALA when the cab boots.

Sound like a possibility of something you might have had going on as well?

-csa

[Richie Rich]

OK I just installed the Startcom 4.0 plugin and these are my results.

First I backed up startcom 3.0 and the ini. I then I deleted startcom 3.0 and the ini. After installing startcom 4.0 and editing the new ini I got these results.

So far the monitor rotation is spot on. but I can't get the menu to rotate vertically with the monitor "menu rotation only works when I am in the mame menu vertically and then switch to the vertical emulator, but that was the workaround I was using before.

There is one side effect of the startcom 4.0 install which is kinda weird, all my emulators now will only show "all game list" I always had them set to "most played list" but now I can't go into mala and change it because it's not there only "all games" is.

Maybe one are both of these are just settings I'm overlooking?

BTW I'm still using Mala 1.05

[Richie Rich]

One other issue is an "EInOutError" if I set any event sounds in sounds and music. Remove all the sound events in sounds and music and no more "EInOutError" Hum? is this the trigger?

Maybe I should install Mala 1.62g. Would that help?

[DaOld Man]

One other issue is an "EInOutError" if I set any event sounds in sounds and music. Remove all the sound events in sounds and music and no more "EInOutError" Hum? is this the trigger?

Maybe I should install Mala 1.62g. Would that help?

Yes, I think you should install the latest mala.
You may want to create a test folder for this.
Or at least make a backup of what you have now, I would hate for you to have to go back and reenter all the mala options and settings.

Im not seeing any of the issues you and CSA are, except when I enable the starting pictures. Then I get a Einout error: