Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Front End Support => MaLa Frontend => Topic started by: csa3d on March 18, 2009, 12:20:30 am

Title: Ipac on the fly encoding with Mala
Post by: csa3d on March 18, 2009, 12:20:30 am
All,

I'm trying to figure out how to use the "on the fly" encoding found in the Encoder tab of the Controls section to program different key configurations for the Other Emulators the first time a game is selected.  I gather that you have to create various layouts using the WinIPAC editor, and save them out.  These get called by Mala some how.  Some questions:

1.  What do you name these ipac key layouts?  Name them after the game list.. the emulator.. what?
2.  What are the options available for use in the Command Line text box.  By default it's %config%  What does this config refer to?
3.  Has anyone got done this with the Ipac, and can they walk me through it a bit more?  Haven't found a good link about this on the wiki nor forums from quick searches.

I'd like to ultimately be able to assign a different key encoding for various emulators which seem to run in a window and dislike the default mame alt key assignments.  Rather then change all the mame defaults, it seems easier to just make each emulator happy on its own.

Thanks so much.
-csa
Title: Re: Ipac on the fly encoding with Mala
Post by: g00ber on March 18, 2009, 01:25:44 pm
This is fairly simple to do.

For each emulator you use, you create a cfg file that contains the button assignments you want.  One thing to note is that you want to avoid the alt key for any configurations, since that can cause some undesired effects (especially if you have 2 players) when pressed in combination with certain keys.

Not much else to say here.  You set the program you want to use to flash the ipac and make sure it has %config% to load the .cfg you specify under the details of each emulator set up in Mala.

If you want a seemless experience, (where no windows borders show), most emulators can start out maximized, and you can also set up a hotkey for the emulator in MALA that specifies to use an ALT-F4 when you press the ESC key (or whatever key you decide for exiting the emulator).

I've done this with NES, SNES, ATARI, GENESIS, and several others.  Mala documentation talks about this in some detail.