Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Front End Support => MaLa Frontend => Topic started by: mame2blame4fame on July 05, 2006, 05:47:05 pm

Title: Can MaLa change frontend controls per emulator?
Post by: mame2blame4fame on July 05, 2006, 05:47:05 pm

Hi Guys,

I'm considering switching from MameWAH to MaLa (which looks real nice), but before I can I need to sort out an issue. Is it possible in MaLa to have different frontend control configs depending on the emulator? The reason I ask is that I'd like console games to require a coin to launch, whereas MAME games should launch with the start button.

I'd appreciate any help on this, thanks.

Title: Re: Can MaLa change frontend controls per emulator?
Post by: loadman on July 05, 2006, 07:09:29 pm

Not natively as yet I don't think?

But thinking 'outside the square'

Mala is capable of sending command lines to keyboard encoders when you change emulators.  (eg for i-pac you can change config files)
So..... you could set up your coin slot to be '5' using mame and '1' using your console emu's.
Se attached pic: mala23

also if you beg to the almighty 'swindus' he may be able to implement a new feature into a future version of mala. As you can see in attached pics 20 & 21 it already supports multiple controller sets for cocktail tables.

[LATER EDIT]  I really think that that having two encoder configs is the best and easiest option. A mala software change would potential over complicate things for other users. What encoder do you use? [END OF EDIT]

Title: Re: Can MaLa change frontend controls per emulator?
Post by: mame2blame4fame on July 05, 2006, 11:32:20 pm

Thanks for the input. I noticed that there was provision for multiple controller sets but couldn't figure out how they worked or what they were for.

I'm using an IPAC VE and in the past I'd found it slow and unreliable to reprogram too often, and found it much easier to program once on bootup and leave as is. I've since upgraded computer so it may be less of an issue, so I'll investigate more.

Still, if swindus is willing to add this feature - allowing choosing of controller sets per emulator - I would be very grateful.

Title: Re: Can MaLa change frontend controls per emulator?
Post by: loadman on July 05, 2006, 11:57:30 pm

... I use a standard I-Pac.  I think the only diffrence is that the VE only stores constom configs in ram. So if you are not going to use mame default keys you need to load to custom config on power-up every time. That should not be a problem using mala anyway especially the way you want to use it.

I'ss do some testing tonight and see if I strike any issues. I will create two configs (mame and console) the only diffrence will  be switching the game start key mapping between '1' for mame and '5(coin)' for the other emus.

I'll let you know how I go

Title: Re: Can MaLa change frontend controls per emulator?
Post by: loadman on July 06, 2006, 07:26:54 am

Sorry,

Scratch my encoder idea.

Mala does not actually send the command line to the encoder until you launch a game in this list.  This makes sense as you would not want it sending command lines to your encoder if you were just scrolling through all you different emu lists. Especially if your encoder is slow to program like the KE-72  apparently is.

Anyone got another idea?

Title: Re: Can MaLa change frontend controls per emulator?
Post by: swindus on July 06, 2006, 08:05:06 am

I could add an option to MaLa, that will load a config on an emulator switch.  ;)

Title: Re: Can MaLa change frontend controls per emulator?
Post by: mame2blame4fame on July 06, 2006, 07:25:18 pm

Hi swindus. This is the one feature lacking that would make me want to switch to your frontend, no pressure of course  :)