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Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: Howard_Casto on February 11, 2003, 12:09:20 am

Title: EmuSaver released!
Post by: Howard_Casto on February 11, 2003, 12:09:20 am
After some comments about screensaver mode in advance mame I decided to make an external one that will do the same thing but with any version of mame.... it will work with any command line app for that matter.

So Please check out the EmuSaver, the windows screensaver that lets you run games. Btw it will also work with lazarus, and instructions to do so are included.

www.oscarcontrols.com/lazarus/ (http://www.oscarcontrols.com/lazarus/)
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: Luxury on February 11, 2003, 01:36:38 am
Wow!  ask for it and BLAMMO!  just a few days later and there it is!  i havent tried it yet but still....

Great work Howard!  very impressive.   ;)
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: )p( on February 11, 2003, 01:48:08 am
I also made a beta available of fe3darcade/emulaxian that has the random launching a game after x seconds enabled again to use with the wrapper that comes with the screensaver. (or advance mame with the idelexit option)  This way you can cylce between the fe and games.

If you want to cylce only between games and not go back to the fe just use the screensaver...

http://www.messageboard.nl/forums/echo/2243/viewtopic.php?t=48

peter
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: Howard_Casto on February 11, 2003, 02:40:46 am
yes for you fe developers out there you simply pass a "-wait xsecconds" comand to make it wait before exit and a "-reset" command to allow you to play the games and still exit after x seconds

Details about this are available upon request.
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: SirPoonga on February 11, 2003, 03:33:34 am
yes for you fe developers out there you simply pass a "-wait xsecconds" comand to make it wait before exit and a "-reset" command to allow you to play the games and still exit after x seconds

Details about this are available upon request.



to FE devs out there, I challenge you to give a good reason to use these:)  Not saying it is bad, I have yet thought of a reason to use it like that.
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: )p( on February 11, 2003, 03:44:48 am
yes for you fe developers out there you simply pass a "-wait xsecconds" comand to make it wait before exit and a "-reset" command to allow you to play the games and still exit after x seconds

Details about this are available upon request.



to FE devs out there, I challenge you to give a good reason to use these:)  Not saying it is bad, I have yet thought of a reason to use it like that.


I have my cab next to my work desk. I put the fe in cycle mode as described above. (5 minutes fe then 5 minutes random game) And when I see a glimpse of a game I want to play in my right eye...I just walk to it and play...

I have had my cab setup like this this for years and still love it...it is just feels great having my fav's games running in the background  8)

peter
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: SirPoonga on February 11, 2003, 04:17:25 am
I have my cab next to my work desk. I put the fe in cycle mode as described above. (5 minutes fe then 5 minutes random game) And when I see a glimpse of a game I want to play in my right eye...I just walk to it and play...

I have had my cab setup like this this for years and still love it...it is just feels great having my fav's games running in the background  8)

peter

Yeah, that's how a FE user would use it.  I was wondering of an FE dev will use the commandline options.  I ask because for the majority of the time, you just set this as your screensaver.  Config the screensaver in desktop properties.  tada:)

I'm just curious how an FE developer would use it then with those commandline options.
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: SirPoonga on February 11, 2003, 04:28:34 am
Suggestion Hc.  What really annoys me is doing nosound.  It is nice during "screensaver" mode it has no sound, but when I want to play it still has no sound.

So here's my suggestion.  Have a "mute when not playing" option.  When checked the screensaver will start muted (windows mute, not mame nosound).  Then if a key is press or the screensaver is exited unmute windows.  Then if going back into repeat mode mute again.
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: )p( on February 11, 2003, 05:07:05 am
I have my cab next to my work desk. I put the fe in cycle mode as described above. (5 minutes fe then 5 minutes random game) And when I see a glimpse of a game I want to play in my right eye...I just walk to it and play...

I have had my cab setup like this this for years and still love it...it is just feels great having my fav's games running in the background  8)

peter



Yeah, that's how a FE user would use it.  I was wondering of an FE dev will use the commandline options.  I ask because for the majority of the time, you just set this as your screensaver.  Config the screensaver in desktop properties.  tada:)

I'm just curious how an FE developer would use it then with those commandline options.


Because i want to cycle between games and the fe automatically (5minutes fe, 5 minutes random game) that is not possible when using the windows screensaver... ;)

peter
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: Minwah on February 11, 2003, 05:18:38 am
I just re-wrote my screensaver code last night (which will just launch the selected / random game), so I'll try and give the cmd-launch2 a try with it later...

Thanks Howard!  :)
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: SirPoonga on February 11, 2003, 05:27:16 am
Because i want to cycle between games and the fe automatically (5minutes fe, 5 minutes random game) that is not possible when using the windows screensaver... ;)

peter

Why not?  I just installed the screensaver on my cabinet.  right now I run lazarus.  Guess what, after 15 minutes of no use the screensaver started.
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: )p( on February 11, 2003, 05:37:58 am
Because i want to cycle between games and the fe automatically (5minutes fe, 5 minutes random game) that is not possible when using the windows screensaver... ;)

peter

Why not?  I just installed the screensaver on my cabinet.  right now I run lazarus.  Guess what, after 15 minutes of no use the screensaver started.

but it will not cycle between the fe and a random game...
AGAIN  ;) 5minutes fe then 5 minutes random game then 5 minutes fe then 5 minutes random game etc...

peter
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: SirPoonga on February 11, 2003, 05:39:51 am
Because i want to cycle between games and the fe automatically (5minutes fe, 5 minutes random game) that is not possible when using the windows screensaver... ;)

peter

Why not?  I just installed the screensaver on my cabinet.  right now I run lazarus.  Guess what, after 15 minutes of no use the screensaver started.

but it will not cycle between the fe and a random game...
AGAIN  ;) 5minutes fe then 5 minutes random game then 5 minutes fe then 5 minutes random game etc...

peter



Ahhhh, I get what you are saying now, though one could just push esc to get to FE :)
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: Howard_Casto on February 11, 2003, 10:48:44 am
to FE devs out there, I challenge you to give a good reason to use these:)  Not saying it is bad, I have yet thought of a reason to use it like that.

Well how about a "preview mode" in which the fe cycles between the games on the gamelist when not in use, a video capture app that psuedo automatically captures video.  I'm not saying I would do any of that, i'm just saying the option exists.  
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: SirPoonga on February 11, 2003, 02:21:04 pm
Quote
Quote from: Howard_Casto
Well how about a "preview mode" in which the fe cycles between the games on the gamelist when not in use, [/quote
as I was saying a normal screensaver will do this anyway.  That's why I use your snapsscreensaver.

Quote
a video capture app that psuedo automatically captures video.  I'm not saying I would do any of that, i'm just saying the option exists.  

interesting idea.
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: romid on February 11, 2003, 03:17:34 pm
Thanks for this HC!  I dont have a computer setup for mame right now, but as soon as I do, I will be sure to give this a run!
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: canardo on February 11, 2003, 07:49:06 pm
thanks for the app howard

to sir ponga as my OO lecturer would say howard has "coded this function to enable the code to reused easily whilst abstracting the user from the details"

in other words thanks howard if someone finds a use for it they will appreciate it I am sure

being relatively new to the emualtion scene I have yet to develop anything in my way of contribution but if anyone can think of a small vb or java based app they wish to be developed shout I willing to have a stab in my free time
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: SirPoonga on February 11, 2003, 08:09:15 pm
to sir ponga as my OO lecturer would say howard has "coded this function to enable the code to reused easily whilst abstracting the user from the details"

in other words thanks howard if someone finds a use for it they will appreciate it I am sure

I know, I have no problem with, I'm just a hacker at heart (good hacker, not bad media hacker definition).  I've got to use everything to their fullest.  Just seeing what ideas peoples had:)
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: canardo on February 12, 2003, 07:18:37 am
I am a hacker at heart mate but slowly being swayed to developing my stuff on paper first
actually finiding the stuff takes me less time and produces better code
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: SirPoonga on February 12, 2003, 02:29:51 pm
I am a hacker at heart mate but slowly being swayed to developing my stuff on paper first
actually finiding the stuff takes me less time and produces better code

Oh, that's first rule of thumb for programming, use others stuff whenever possible.
Title: Re:EmuSaver released!
Post by: ErikRuud on February 14, 2003, 01:29:03 pm
Isn't that how Bill Gates Got Rich?  ;D