Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Front End Support => MaLa Frontend => Topic started by: mike boss on July 03, 2012, 11:12:48 am

Title: What are MaLa Pre/Post command used for ? + Batch file question
Post by: mike boss on July 03, 2012, 11:12:48 am

Doing some work on my newest MaLa controlled project.
Want to make sure everything is running @ %100.
I have some (perhaps novice) MaLa questions.

What are batch files used for in MaLa ? (I'm not really sure what batch files are)

What are some uses of the pre/post command options ?
What would you do with the pre/post option ?

Thanks all

Title: Re: What are MaLa Pre/Post command used for ? + Batch file question
Post by: mike boss on July 03, 2012, 11:23:54 am

Another MaLa question while I'm at it..........

I've enabled the MaLa screensaver, and I thinK I've set it up correctly.
I've pointed MaLa to my videos folder and told MaLa to look in subfolders as I've divided my videos by console.
My MaLa layout is set to also play vidoes, which I notice just cycle if I stay on the game.
Will MaLa enter screensaver mode even though the video for the hi-lited game cycles ?


I've never used the feature, but I'm hoping it will start displaying random videos stretched to fill the screen.
Sort of like an attract mode.

Title: Re: What are MaLa Pre/Post command used for ? + Batch file question
Post by: Wade007 on July 06, 2012, 07:02:02 pm

mike boss,
I don't have the answers to all your questions, but I think I can tell you what batch files are perhaps.

A batch file is essentially a very small program that will execute simple computer/command line style commands. Google it for a better description. Most often used for repetitive commands used often for on many many files. Works well on many many "rom" files sometimes.

Batch files are not required with Mala but sometimes it's easier to set up certain things within an emulator or launch and emulator outright when using a batch file.

For example, I use a batch file to launch each of my Daphne (laserdisc emulator) games. Why? Because it really hard to launch and pass the correct info to Daphne to launch a game using a command line structure out of Mala. So I point Mala to a batch file for each game and the batch file launches Daphne with the correct info for each game.

I've used batch files to auto copy and paste files for other emulators. Demul for example cannot be configured to switch bioses or control configurations for each game and have those settings be saved. Since it cannot be saved for each game, I do some quick copy and pasting of .ini files when launching each game from Mala using a batch files.

Each emulator is different. Batch files can help fill in the gaps where Mala or the emulator itself aren't helping.

I hope this helps.

Title: Re: What are MaLa Pre/Post command used for ? + Batch file question
Post by: mike boss on July 06, 2012, 07:23:26 pm

AWESOME ! Thank you.
I'm working on my most anticipated project, Mario MAME.
It's going to be MAME + console emulation.
I want this PC to be kick ass, so I'm trying to learn.
I'm sure I'll be here asking for help or copies of files.

Thanks all