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Front End Support => MaLa Frontend => Topic started by: Angry_Radish on October 15, 2006, 09:53:17 pm

Title: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: Angry_Radish on October 15, 2006, 09:53:17 pm

I've been searching around here and in the official MALA support forums (mostly german), and can't seem to find a direct answer.
I just finished hooking up a pair of 49ways with gpwiz49's, and have set49mode configured and working fine from a command prompt.
I created the batch file to work using the first arg passed to it (romname), but MALA seems to only want exe's.
How are you other mala users using 49ways doing your switching?


Thanks in advance, this board is an amazing resource!

Title: Re: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: swindus on October 16, 2006, 07:02:53 am

Where exactly do you want to launch the bat file?
On the encoder programming tab? If so switch the file mask to All files (*.*) and you will find your bat files in the open dialog.

Title: Re: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: Angry_Radish on October 16, 2006, 08:55:43 am

I'll give that a shot when I get home from work, hadn't thought of using that tab, I was trying to use the box where you choose the mame execuatable, that way it would pas the romname to the batch file when it's launched, so I can switch the DRS modes for the 49ways..
I can't be the only one using 49ways in mala, can I? C'mon lurkers, I know someone is doing this  ;D

Title: Re: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: loadman on October 16, 2006, 09:34:07 am

Quote

I can't be the only one using 49ways in mala, can I? C'mon lurkers, I know someone is doing this 

I know other users are using the 'encoder' option for launching game specific game files for other devices

Give it a go as SWINDUS discribed

Title: Re: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: Angry_Radish on October 16, 2006, 10:07:56 am

Will do, thanks for the help guys!

Title: Re: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: Angry_Radish on October 17, 2006, 09:21:22 am

Well, I coun't get it work using that tab, it did nothing after adding my batch file, and changing the passed variable to %rom%.

I WAS able to get it to work by using the control panel viewer area, steering it directly to the set49mode.exe, and passing it %rom%
Worked perfectly!

The only issue I have now is that I need to figure out where I can run that exe again at game EXIT to change the mapping back to 8way...

Title: Re: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: fatfingers on October 17, 2006, 09:53:21 am

Quote from: Angry_Radish on October 17, 2006, 09:21:22 am

The only issue I have now is that I need to figure out where I can run that exe again at game EXIT to change the mapping back to 8way...

Me too!  Me too!  Me too!  Except I have Ultrastiks.

Title: Re: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: Angry_Radish on October 17, 2006, 10:04:33 am

One other minor thing (ok, maybe not THAT minor) I have issues with, is that I can't seem to get the 49ways to navigate the roms in mala. They work fine ingame, but I can't seem to get mala to see them.
I check the checkbox under contollers to enable joysticks, but after I exit the config and go back in, it's unchecked again, no clue why.. Windows sees them, mame sees them, but not MALA, strange..

Title: Re: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: swindus on October 17, 2006, 10:43:23 am

Maybe you should use the set49mode.exe on the encoder tab too. There is also a place for a 'default' file which is loaded after quitting a game on that tab.

Then use game based encoder files in the mame config. This will result in the commandline set49mode.exe romname.ext. There is no need to use batch files at all.

What MaLa version do you use? There is a bug in RC7 concerning the joysticks.

How looks the command line of set49mode.exe and the Ultrastik programming utility?
Is the parameter a file which is loaded?

Title: Re: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: Angry_Radish on October 17, 2006, 11:19:53 am

I'll try that when I get home, and check the version too, I think I AM running RC7, so maybe an update will shake things loose.

The command line for set49mode is just "set49mode.exe romname"
It's set up to steer to controls.dat, as well as an xml, so all you need to type is "set49mode.exe pacman", and it will switch to 4way, etc..
Thanks for the help!

Quote from: swindus on October 17, 2006, 10:43:23 am

Maybe you should use the set49mode.exe on the encoder tab too. There is also a place for a 'default' file which is loaded after quitting a game on that tab.

Then use game based encoder files in the mame config. This will result in the commandline set49mode.exe romname.ext. There is no need to use batch files at all.

What MaLa version do you use? There is a bug in RC7 concerning the joysticks.

How looks the command line of set49mode.exe and the Ultrastik programming utility?
Is the parameter a file which is loaded?

Title: Re: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: swindus on October 17, 2006, 11:22:55 am

Thanks for the information.
At the moment the one and only parameter for the encoder utility is %config%. I will add more parameter placeholder to the encoder command line like %rom% for example. The new MaLa version will be ready this week.

Title: Re: Batch files in MALA?
Post by: Angry_Radish on October 18, 2006, 08:54:38 am

Well, adding the rc7a update fixed the joystick problem, and made more work for me :)
I was in such  hurry to try out my spiffy new 49ways, I left all my buttons hooked up to the ipac, evidently once you switch to the joystick mode in mala, it ignores the keyboard setup from the ipac, and is looking for the joystick buttons to be mapped.. Oh well, they needed to be wired up  sooner or later  ;D

The only issue I have now is finding a way to run a file or pass an arg at game exit so I can switch back to 8way mode, and from what I gather, the next version of mala should help me out with this, right? (adding more options that %config% in the encoder setup)

Thanks for the suggestion on the update, happy to be playing again!