If is useful, tell me (JoyClose.exe)

[zobook]

Imagine you have you cabinet/CP running and you use a GamePad hack (as i plan to do) and everithings runs fine...wait a minute, not EVERYTHING. Those console emulators you use dont let you configure a shortcut to close the application (as MAME does). You need a program that do that for you.

Using a Delphi class to manage external windows made by Mike Heydon on April 2004 i develop this small application. You pass two parameters to the program.

The first one is the file to execute
The second one is the document to load.

Example Of use

Code: [Select]

"D:\JoyClose\JoyClose.exe" "D:\VirtuaNES\VirtuaNES.exe" "D:\NES\Toki (U).zip"
This will execute the "VirtuaNes" emulator with the game "Toki (U)"

Then, when you press simultaneously the buttons 1 and 4 on the GamePad
the emulator (and the JoyClose itself) will terminate gracefully.

If you close the executed program, the JoyClose will terminate also.
If you close JoyClose, the executed program will terminate also.

Eventually i will add the posibility of configure the buttons you must press in order to quit the program. For now is hard coded in the application for testing purposes.

Currently JoyClose handle the first two parameters only. Any other parameters you
pass will be ignored.

Right now the program uses the obscene amount of 4 Mb of RAM (mainly because of the Delphi VCL). I'm not worried about that but im looking how can i lower the memory usage anyways. I could get rid of the Forms unit but the TDXInput from DelphiX apparently needs a TForm as a parent 
If someone with Delphi/DelphiX experience is reading this can give me a clue then i can make the application completely "formless" (im using Delphi 7 Personal)

I like to have feedback

I know there are others program out there that can do this, i'm just a fan of "home-made" sofware. I'm programing this for using on my "GamePad controlled" Front-End (now renamed) Chipi-Chipi, you can check it out here...

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=74073.0

Thanks

[gonzo90017]

It looks like a pretty good program.
Have you seen closemul http://lustar.free.fr/clusters/closemul/ 
It bascially does the same thing but also alot more. You can define what keys to use to exit
(keyboard only). But if you use a programs like xpadder or joytokey you can use it with a gamepad.

You place the program and the program's ini file in the same folder as the emulator, then you modify
the ini file and tell it what program to launch
Program=Handy.exe
Then you point your frontend to closemul. With mamewah you use it like this:
C:\juegos\lynx\closemul.exe "[rompath]\[name].[romext]"{dosbox}{safelaunch}
When you want to exit you just press the button(s) you defined to exit. It could be one or two buttons.

[zobook]

i have (but dont have use yet) closemul. I download xpadder also.

I remember using joy2key for a dos emulator with my usb gamepad. a friend of mine used it to control a frontend that i did and was keyboard-only.

But i want a little program to simply close a program with a gamepad, that and no more. And if i can make it miself the better, just for programming-fun   

It looks like a pretty good program.

R'yu talking about the JoyClose or the Front-End?

[gonzo90017]

I haven't tried the frontend. I will have a look at it when I have a chance.

[Necro]

It seems the Closemul.zip on that page is corrupt.  Anyway someone could send me a copy?

[gonzo90017]

Closemul.zip

[zobook]

Have you seen closemul
It bascially does the same thing but also alot more. You can define what keys to use to exit
(keyboard only). But if you use a programs like xpadder or joytokey you can use it with a gamepad.

So, instead my own, i can use a program that closes my emulator with a keyboard combination generated by other program that transform gamepad button press onto keyboard key press?

   

My solution just looks better and better to me

[gonzo90017]

That's only true if you're using a gamepad like I am. If you're using a keyboard or keyboard encoder there's no need for an additional program like xpadder or joytokey.

[Tiger-Heli]

It seems the Closemul.zip on that page is corrupt.  Anyway someone could send me a copy?

Closemul.zip on that page is fine, but you need WinRar to open it (perhaps it is a mis-named .rar file?)

[zobook]

That's only true if you're using a gamepad like I am

Well, that's the case, i will make my CP hacking a gamepad. So, my program is about closing emulators with gamepad buttons.

[gonzo90017]

Cool. Keep us posted.

[Necro]

It seems the Closemul.zip on that page is corrupt.  Anyway someone could send me a copy?

Closemul.zip on that page is fine, but you need WinRar to open it (perhaps it is a mis-named .rar file?)

Hrm, tried that also...still corrupt. Even tried a diff. pc.  Very weird.  Thanks for the download link Gonzo, it's much appreciated.

And zobook, I definitely see a need for your program - for when Im using a joypad for a PSX emulator, etc.  Good stuff!