How to enter NOT-directions in MAME game input config?

[Blanka]

For better playability of 4-way games in MAME I want to enter the joystick configs as follow:
Joystick UP- UP, NOT UP RIGHT, NOT UP LEFT
But I can't figure out the logic on how to enter a NOT-direction in the config menu. I have the idea it has something to with giving the NOT directions 2 times quickly, but somehow it does not work as expected.

What I was trying to do is hit enter in the config menu on UP, then hit the joystick UP, then UPRIGHT, UPRIGHT, then UPLEFT, UPLEFT, but somehow only one of the directions gets a NOT declaration.

So please explain what sequence of button/stick presses is needed for this.

Another question: is there an easy way to edit these config files in a text editor or so? Does not seem to be an XML file. Maybe some online-editor?

[Lilwolf]

press direction, then twice in the 'not' directions.  So up left left right right -> up not left not right

[Blanka]

It is the way I imagined, but somehow it is impossible to enter it like this with the diagonals.
Is there a way to make a 4-way map for a U360? Maybe that is a better solution.

[lamprey]

It is the way I imagined, but somehow it is impossible to enter it like this with the diagonals.
Is there a way to make a 4-way map for a U360? Maybe that is a better solution.

the U360 has software maps for several types of sticks.

https://www.ultimarc.com/ultrastik_prog.html

[welash]

I think that the issue is that you are trying to do a not of a combined direction (upleft and upright).  Shouldn't you be trying to set UP and NOT LEFT and NOT RIGHT instead to UP and NOT UPLEFT and NOT UPRIGHT?  I think that will send UP if your joystick is UP, but won't if the joystick is UPLEFT or UPRIGHT.