The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Software Support => Automated Projects => Topic started by: DaOld Man on December 07, 2018, 10:23:53 am
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This thread will contain programs I have developed to help us in automating our cabinets.
I will update the links in my spare time.
Startcom is a mala plugin used to get original screen orientation from Mala and issue commands to rotate monitor.
Use startcom_config to set up your startcom plugin for Mala.
Place startcom_config in the same folder as startcom (Usually Mala\plugins).
This package contains this readme file, startcom.mplugin, startcom_config.exe, and comdlg32.ocx
Place the startcom.mplugin and startcom_config.exe files in your Mala\plugins folder.
The included comdlg32.ocx file needs to be placed in the windows\system32 folder. It may also need to be registered with regsrv.
To register it, click start/run then type in "regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\comdlg32.ocx " (without the quote marks.)
This should register it.
The file startcom_config.exe needs this ocx file to run properly. I would try to run it first, you may already have it on your computer.
Joychoose is another program I developed to run as a Mala Plugin. It is used to get what type joystick was used for the game (2, 4, or 8 way), and issue commands to switch the joystick to that mode. (Joystick requires hardware modifications.)
JoyChoose is a plugin designed to work with Mala to automatically switch your joystick between 8, 4, and 2 way.
You must add the proper hardware to your joystick to actually switch it. JoyChoose tells your hardware which joystick position to switch to, based on what the selected game used.
If you would like to learn how to do this, this link will get you started:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=104762.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=104762.0)
Joychoose was winner of the 2011 BYOAC User Choice Award.
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Mrotate2.
Used to control a DC motor drive to turn your monitor.
EDIT: Just thought I would add that this version of Mrotate requires windows 98 or greater, 32 bit.
Also the PC has to have a parallel printer port to use an input and output interface to the DC drive. (25 pin plug that is for the printer. Most newer PCs do not have the printer port.)
I was working on a version that would use a pic chip and communicate through the USB, but due to lack of interest, I never finished it.
If there is enough interest i can probably revive that project, since its cold outside and Im bored right now anyway. :lol
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Just wanted to mention that the file repository is back up, and it has all the versions of MRotate, except the DOS version, and I dont think anyone will need that one.
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Bless you for posting these here.
I did a clean windows 10 install and apparently the backup image I had was from before I installed 4/8 way switching.
I started to panic when I went to the Mala website and was greeted by a "new site coming soon" message.
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Bless you for posting these here.
I did a clean windows 10 install and apparently the backup image I had was from before I installed 4/8 way switching.
I started to panic when I went to the Mala website and was greeted by a "new site coming soon" message.
thanks for the kind words. It was the least i could do for you guys.
Joychoose was having trouble reading new mame xml files, due to a change "they" made. (new xml files were worded differently from old version. If I remember correctly.)
I was working on a way around it but everyone seemed to have lost interest so I dropped it.
Let me know if you have trouble with this version, I will see if I can jump back in and make a fix.
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I'm still using MAME v.146 so no issues there. Thanks Da Old Man.
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Malaori, starts mala based on which position your rotating monitor is in.
Needs printer port, H and V switches (indicates if monitor is horz or vert.)
Switches connect to printer port.
Also needs inpout32.dll to read printer port.
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MRotate4.
This version uses the 9 pin com port on the computer to communicate with the motor drive.
This is still in beta mode, but feel free to test it. And if you see any problems please let me know.
The comport is limited to how many outputs and inputs it can do, so this Mrotate does not have the features that previous versions had, such as degauss.
The advantage to this one is it gives you an option over the printer port. Plus inpout.dll printer port interface app is not needed.
Also MRotate4 seems to be working fine with 32 or 64 bit.
The attached file is compressed. it should unzip to mrotate4.exe
Updated 06/29/2020: I disabled the PWM speed control on this version 1.0.9
Why? To get a smooth PWM output, you have to us an ocx called RSTimer. It is a free download. You have to install it and register with Windows.
So to keep from having to do that, I just disabled the PWM. if you really want to use PWM (pulse width modulation, output to drive pulses on/off), let me know and I can re-enable it, but you will have to install RStimer.ocx (which I can give you also.)
Updated 06/30/2020: Fixed bug where one output would blink on Mrotate4 startup. V 1.0.11
Updated 06/30/2020: Cleaned up test panel code. V 1.0.12
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Hello DaOld Man - just curious if you ever updated joychoose to use the newer mame format. I just updated my cabinet with new hardware and a newer version of mame and it looks like that's the issue I'm running into with my servostiks not working. Thanks!
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Hello DaOld Man - just curious if you ever updated joychoose to use the newer mame format. I just updated my cabinet with new hardware and a newer version of mame and it looks like that's the issue I'm running into with my servostiks not working. Thanks!
Hi jc.. no I never did update it.
Can you go back to mame V .146, badmouth said he is using that and it works for him.
Can you send me your mame.xml file? You may have to zipp it before you can mail it.
I will take a look and see what i need to change on Joychoose to make it work with the newer mame versions.
email: kenrager@hotmail.com
Thanks!
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Hello DaOld Man - just curious if you ever updated joychoose to use the newer mame format. I just updated my cabinet with new hardware and a newer version of mame and it looks like that's the issue I'm running into with my servostiks not working. Thanks!
Hi JC.. was wondering if you ever sent that xml file? I didnt get it if you did. But could have got lost in the mail.
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Hey JC, dont know what happened to you.
I was playing around with another program I wrote about same time as JoyChoose.
Its called ControlChoose.
It builds a list of controls which you can edit with notepad or whatever.
You can change the 4 way and 8 way joystick ID's to match what your mame.xml lists.
Let me know if you are interested in trying it.
Side note: It can do what startcom does also.
If anyone else is interested I will post a (hopefully) short tutorial on how to use it.
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Here is ControlChoose.
A mala plugin that chooses your control based on game designation.
(4 way 8 way joysticks, and a lot more.)
Download the controlchoose.zip, unzip it to controlchoose.mplugin, place in mala/plugins folder.
Run mala, options event plugins, click on controlchoose and click configure to set it up.
There is also a readme.doc file.