Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: Turnarcades on November 29, 2006, 04:09:21 pm

Title: Easy switching between MAMEWAH and WinCab
Post by: Turnarcades on November 29, 2006, 04:09:21 pm
I use MAMEWAH and WinCab Jukebox in my arcade cabinet. It boots to MAMEWAH and because of MAMEWAH's 'run app on exit' command, exiting MAMEWAH launches WinCab. Is there a way I could get it to work the other way too? i.e. Exit WinCab and have it auto-launch MAMEWAH again

Any solution is worth a try, rather than calling up explorer and pissing about launching it that way.
Title: Re: Easy switching between MAMEWAH and WinCab
Post by: TalkingOctopus on December 02, 2006, 05:32:18 pm
Here is a simple solution that I think will work.  Instead of having mamewah launch Wincab on exit, have it launch a command instead:

c:\wincab\wincab.exe
c:\mamewah\mamewah.exe

Create a a text file and put those 2 lines in (of course using the paths on your machine).   Name the text file whatever.cmd.  Have mamewah execute the cmd instead of the wincab executable.
Title: Re: Easy switching between MAMEWAH and WinCab
Post by: Turnarcades on December 04, 2006, 05:35:19 pm
Mmmmm, nice idea but won't that create a conflict? If it launches both at once, which will get priority? If both open in full windows, rather than one be minimised, then the background music of my MAMEWAH menu will play out when I'm trying to run Wincab surely? Even if it does work, won't it slow up older machines too much?
Title: Re: Easy switching between MAMEWAH and WinCab
Post by: screaming on December 04, 2006, 06:50:06 pm
no, the batch file will execute each one sequentially, one AFTER the other (not all commands at the same time). When wincab closes, then mamewah will open.  It's a brilliant idea, actually :)
Title: Re: Easy switching between MAMEWAH and WinCab
Post by: Minwah on December 07, 2006, 04:33:41 am
no, the batch file will execute each one sequentially, one AFTER the other (not all commands at the same time). When wincab closes, then mamewah will open.  It's a brilliant idea, actually :)

I think you would have to do something like this:

start /wait c:\wincab\wincab.exe
c:\mamewah\mamewah.exe

Otherwise Mamewah will be run immediately after WinCab, without waiting for WinCab to terminate.
Title: Re: Easy switching between MAMEWAH and WinCab
Post by: Havok on December 07, 2006, 02:28:48 pm
Does Mamewah have the ability to run a custom application and wait for completion? I know in Atomic, you can define a custom key, and associate an application to run with it. Can you do something similar in Mamewah? That way, you would be in Mamewah, hit the custom key which runs WinCab, and when you exit it brings you back to Mamewah?
Title: Re: Easy switching between MAMEWAH and WinCab
Post by: FrizzleFried on December 07, 2006, 03:11:26 pm
Yes...you can launch applications from MAMEWAH.  At least with 1.62B12 you can.

It will create an additional setting on the OPTIONS screen...i believe it comes up as APPLICATIONS or something...I am not 100% sure...but I do remember seeing it once when I installed someone elses .ini file trying to get this thing configured.

Is WinCab decent for running music with an arcade monitor?
Title: Re: Easy switching between MAMEWAH and WinCab
Post by: TalkingOctopus on December 07, 2006, 10:24:49 pm
no, the batch file will execute each one sequentially, one AFTER the other (not all commands at the same time). When wincab closes, then mamewah will open.  It's a brilliant idea, actually :)

I think you would have to do something like this:

start /wait c:\wincab\wincab.exe
c:\mamewah\mamewah.exe

Otherwise Mamewah will be run immediately after WinCab, without waiting for WinCab to terminate.

Nope.  It's not needed.  Try my way.  It works!
Title: Re: Easy switching between MAMEWAH and WinCab
Post by: Turnarcades on December 10, 2006, 09:29:20 am
Thanks for the ideas fellas.

When I return home this week I will give all of these a try, to see what works best. I knew there would be an easier way, and I knew I'd find it here!
Title: Re: Easy switching between MAMEWAH and WinCab
Post by: Chris on December 11, 2006, 12:33:17 pm
Yes...you can launch applications from MAMEWAH.  At least with 1.62B12 you can.

It will create an additional setting on the OPTIONS screen...i believe it comes up as APPLICATIONS or something...I am not 100% sure...but I do remember seeing it once when I installed someone elses .ini file trying to get this thing configured.

Is WinCab decent for running music with an arcade monitor?

I like to think so, but I'm biased.  :)  You need to use one of the low-resolution skins included in the package for best results.  Although all skins scale to all resolutions, the fonts on the default skin are likely to be pretty unreadable on an arcade monitor.  If you don't like the results, drop me a note and I'll help you adjust a skin to taste.
Title: Re: Easy switching between MAMEWAH and WinCab
Post by: Turnarcades on December 12, 2006, 06:23:38 am
Well I don't know about running on an arcade monitor, but I think it's a great jukebox, which responds well, loads fast and is easily customisable.

I run mine on one cabinet which has a TV, and it's fine, with some modification. I use a slightly different layout, without the need for credits or 'selection buttons', instead just using the joystick to navigate to the track I want.