Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: 8way on May 30, 2008, 10:47:42 am

Title: Lookin for a program that will....
Post by: 8way on May 30, 2008, 10:47:42 am
I'm looking for a program that i can autorun at windows start, that will give me an option between different programs to start via keypress. Example: button 1= application A, button 2= application B. Basically a menu that work with key strokes insted of a mouse. Any ideas?
Title: Re: Lookin for a program that will....
Post by: youki on May 30, 2008, 11:22:44 am
Why don't you use a Front end?

They are for most of them working using key strokes.

How many programs do you plan to affect to keys?

If you don't find tool to do that (i think it exists anyway) You could do that with a batch or vbscript.

Title: Re: Lookin for a program that will....
Post by: 8way on May 30, 2008, 11:38:30 am
well what im trying to do is, have the option of selecting between 2 different frontends to launch.
Title: Re: Lookin for a program that will....
Post by: massive88 on May 30, 2008, 11:40:33 am
Set up a third front end  =D
Title: Re: Lookin for a program that will....
Post by: 8way on May 30, 2008, 11:48:42 am
Set up a third front end  =D

 ;D I actually i tried that with Mala, but apparently Mala does not like to launch Mala, it was causing it to randomly crash :banghead:
Title: Re: Lookin for a program that will....
Post by: massive88 on May 30, 2008, 11:56:52 am
Yeah unless you did it with "exit and run app" options, you probably want to use a different exe to avoid any goofyness like that.  Find the lightest weight front end you can, since you dont need bells and whistles, and dont want extra overhead.

I could think of how to do this with Mamewah but it would require two keystrokes... unless theres a command line way to terminate processes.
Title: Re: Lookin for a program that will....
Post by: Neverending Project on May 30, 2008, 12:08:45 pm
Here is a "windows-ish" workaround if you want... I am not sure it is what you are looking for, but I think it might work.

Create a Shortcut for each of the front ends you want to launch. It doesn't matter where you put the shortcuts. Then in the properties for the shortcut, click in the "Shortcut Key" field and type a key to launch it. It will actually become Ctrl + Alt + your key. So if you hit your player 1 start button, it would be registered as Ctrl + Alt + 1. Not that you can't use keys like Player 1 button 1, since by default this is Ctrl.

Not set up your keyboard encoder to be programed at startup with these keys. For example, if you were using player 1 button 1 and button 2, you could have a batch file program your I-Pac to set button 1 to a macro of Ctrl + Alt + 1, and button 2 to a macro of Ctrl + Alt + 2.

Finally, make a desktop picture with the options you want. So when you launch windows, you will see your desktop which will show a picture, maybe with your first option on the left with Button 1 under it, and the second option on the right with Button 2 under it.

The only other piece should be to set the front ends to program the I-Pac at launch to your default settings, and at exit to your desktop settings.

I know it is a bit far fetched, but it might do just what you want without needing to install any other software.
Title: Re: Lookin for a program that will....
Post by: youki on May 30, 2008, 03:29:50 pm
AtomicFE can run AtomicFe  for sure.
 and i think Mala too and other Front Ends too i guess.

But if you use mala, why you don't start on mala where said you configure you main stuff and you add an option (just a list entry) to run the other FE when you wish ?