The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Front End Support => MaLa Frontend => Topic started by: DaredevilDave on September 04, 2016, 11:08:47 pm

Title: My MaLa "All Games List" Disappeared
Post by: DaredevilDave on September 04, 2016, 11:08:47 pm
I tried to fix this for three days before posting this. I see all the stickies above but I can't figure this out.

I've been using MaLa no prob for a few months. A few days ago I noticed a game wasn't showing up in the All Games List for MAME (in MaLa). I think it was Raiden DX. I couldn't find it anyways. Hmm is this a clue? Wondering now...It IS in the MAME list, in MAME itself.

So I refreshed the main game list in MaLa, and all the titles in the All Games List disappeared.

Back story:

I have tried 3 different MAME versions with no issues, and have now settled on one (Mame64 / 173). MaLa points to the correct folders for that version. I still have the other versions of MAME installed.

My Favorites list is still intact in MaLa.

I've tried the following:

- Refresh Main Game List

MaLa tells me "no controls.ini set". I've never had one as far as I know.

I hit "okay" then after a few minutes:

"No games were added. Ensure XML file is > .84"
I'm using MaMe 173 so I assume that's what it refers to. From my research this seems to be true.
--------------------------
Next, I open the MaLa options and click "Create XML File". All check boxes are unchecked in Collection Options.

When that's finished, I close the options window and MaLa tells me I have "no games in the main list. Refresh?"

I click yes, and the process repeats ("no controls.ini found", etc.)

I'm guessing somewhere along the line that MaLa got mixed up with my switching of MAME versions. But I don't know how. I've quadruple checked all my paths. My "fav" games all play fine from MaLa.

I understand that MaLa looks at the XML file to create the game list. Again, MAME itself shows all the games. I tried opening the XML file in a few programs but it's too big apparently, which is odd to me.

I can't add any new games to my favorites without the main list, otherwise I wouldn't care I guess.

I'm afraid to try anything else because I don't want to lose any settings or screw anything up further.

Does anyone have any suggestions? It has to be simple but I'm just not experienced enough to find the problem.

 :)
Title: Re: My MaLa "All Games List" Disappeared
Post by: Malenko on September 04, 2016, 11:37:20 pm
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,145865.msg1579687.html (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,145865.msg1579687.html)   :nlp
Title: Re: My MaLa "All Games List" Disappeared
Post by: DaredevilDave on September 04, 2016, 11:59:38 pm
Thanks for that!

Unfortunately I can't open the XML file on either of my PCs - Notepad just hangs and on one of them I get an out of memory error.

BUT, I read in that thread that XML files generated by older MAMEs are okay, so I copied the one from my Mame 149 version and it worked!

I don't know if that will be a problem, and I'm making a backup of it too in case I screw it up, but for now I'm cool. Thanks for the lightning fast response!

 :cheers:

Not sure what "nlp" means.

PS: I added my workaround to the other thread.
Title: Re: My MaLa "All Games List" Disappeared
Post by: Malenko on September 05, 2016, 08:56:10 am
Download notepad++

:nlp just means the link is safe for work
Title: Re: My MaLa "All Games List" Disappeared
Post by: DaredevilDave on September 05, 2016, 07:07:57 pm
I actually did get the new XML to open after some waiting, but dang it pretty much took over my computer so had to cancel the task haha. Couldn't even scroll. Thanks for the tip, I forgot all about Notepad++, or the many other options I already have. Some programmer I am (mediocre at best)!  :P