Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Front End Support => MaLa Frontend => Topic started by: dgame on July 25, 2008, 01:57:05 pm

Title: MaLa Gamelist List in Layout?
Post by: dgame on July 25, 2008, 01:57:05 pm

Is it possible to setup a layout for MaLa that shows the names of the lists before and after like the main gamelist does?

The idea is to let users see a horizontal list of gamelists with the current list highlighted, just like the titles in the game list box.

All Games – All Games Playable – Atari Games

There is the ~l_name variable, but no previous or next list name variable.

Thanks!

Title: Re: MaLa Gamelist List in Layout?
Post by: loadman on July 25, 2008, 07:50:44 pm

Are you talking about Using MaLa tree?  ???

Sorry I'm not getting it. :dunno

Title: Re: MaLa Gamelist List in Layout?
Post by: shock_ on July 26, 2008, 06:12:32 pm

I think I understand the question. dgame wants to know if there is a pattern that can be loaded into a layout's text fields which == the string corresponding to the next or previous gamelist.

I don't believe there is.  The closest thing is in definables, but this matches against aspects of the current ROM, not the current list.

In Mala » Options » MAME config » Pictures and Videos, you can set what MaLa looks up what image to display in the layout's "definables" regions.  The default is "ROM", meaning that MaLa looks in the specified folder and displays a picture with a filename matching name of the ROM currently highlighted in the gamelist.  I use this to pick up the screen orientation and controls, eg. "vertical" and "8 way joystick" in my layout shown below.

This can be changed to "ROM +1" or "ROM +2", which might be handy if you wanted to show the snaps of the games above and below the current one, perhaps in some sort of 'snaps in scrolling window' device or something.  Was playing around with a layout that employed this a while back.

Title: Re: MaLa Gamelist List in Layout?
Post by: loadman on July 26, 2008, 08:38:31 pm

Ahh  :D

List +1 and List -1

What do you display if there are only two lists or no list?

Title: Re: MaLa Gamelist List in Layout?
Post by: csa3d on July 26, 2008, 08:42:02 pm

I too would love to have built-in layout attributes to display next/previous gamelist defined under the current emulator, as well as the ability to show next/previous emulators.  This would help in making navigation instructions for custom layouts, which in turn would make a home visitors experience a tad easier.

-csa

Title: Re: MaLa Gamelist List in Layout?
Post by: csa3d on July 26, 2008, 08:45:05 pm

Quote from: loadman on July 26, 2008, 08:38:31 pm

Ahh  :D

List +1 and List -1

What do you display if there are only two lists or no list?

would there be any way to cycle the lists to wrap back around?  Otherwise I'd just say leave it blank.

Title: Re: MaLa Gamelist List in Layout?
Post by: loadman on July 26, 2008, 08:48:02 pm

Quote from: csa3d on July 26, 2008, 08:45:05 pm

Quote from: loadman on July 26, 2008, 08:38:31 pm

Ahh  :D

List +1 and List -1

What do you display if there are only two lists or no list?

would there be any way to cycle the lists to wrap back around?  Otherwise I'd just say leave it blank.

Hmm But what about users who don't use the 'wrap' lists option.

It will need some smatz in the code... I will ponder