Multiple MAME versions - a somewhat easy way

[Gray_Area]

As follows:

1. Within my Mala folder, I have another folder called 2P. This has its own Mala installation, with a special game list for two players (though it can be any variation you desire).

2. I rename the mala.exe to 2P.exe (it could be anything of course).

3. I create a shortcut of 2P.exe (and to clean it up, re-name it to 2 P).

4. I start the 'parent' Mala, and go into 'options'. I create a new emulator, call it 2 P, and leave the executable blank. In the rom entry, I put the path to the shortcut/lnk file. 'Options' is %rom% (as this is an lnk/batchfile situation). When this 'emulator' is selected, "2 P" will show up as the only 'game' in the list.

4. In the 2P Mala, I set up the MAME options according to the desired configuration. In this case, the MAME exe is in a "2P" MAME directory with a two-player configuration. (However, for the rom directory, I set it to my main MAME rom directory - as well as change the rom directory in this MAME's ini - so that I don't have several sets of roms laying about. Then in the 2P Mala options>gamelist>mame I prune the list so that only the two-player games show in the list.)

Presto. Nested Malas. No overhead during running a game in the second Mala. Each MAME version (emulator) will be 'dedicated' in its place, so XML is read, and game names, vs rom names, are displayed. When you exit the embedded Mala, display will revert back to the first Mala, and you can then exit Mala, or select another emulator.

For U360 support, make sure to run the ultrastick mapper plug-in within each extra Mala directory. When the mapper then looks for mala.exe, it says 'This doesn't appear to be a valid Mala directory. Are you sure you want to use this as your Mala installation directory?' You say YES. Then you finish the installation.


Incidentally, embedded mames can be done horizontally or vertically: a slew of emulators (mames) in the parent Mala; or as a sort of tree - Mala within Mala within Mala.

[loadman]

I have not tried this yet but it sounds good. 

[Gray_Area]

I also want to emphasize that this means each MAME instance will have the U360 mapper support.

Given the above configuration method, it turns out this isn't strictly true. The mapper looks for mala.exe only....

[loadman]

I also want to emphasize that this means each MAME instance will have the U360 mapper support.

Given the above configuration method, it turns out this isn't strictly true. The mapper looks for mala.exe only....

d'oh! 

[Gray_Area]

-disregard-

[Gray_Area]

-incorporated into the original post-

[quadrider1]

very usefull to have diffrent mame versions, like mame 1.108 worked fine flipping galaga in a cocktail but mame .139 does not. Very smart

[Gray_Area]

I have cleaned up the process and have re-written the tutorial to illustrate what I did.

[danny_galaga]

Oooh! Noted for when I get around to working out which games I need that work in a different version of MAME (",)

[Gray_Area]

The original post has been updated. It was incorrect.

Currently, this doesn't work since at least Mala 1.73.

[empardopo]

Are there another solution?
if I set up a second emulator mame, you can not see the game list!
It's only possible in the main mame emulator!

Any solution?

Greetings!

[Gray_Area]

Are there another solution?
if I set up a second emulator mame, you can not see the game list!
It's only possible in the main mame emulator!

Explain more thoroughly, please. And include the Mala version you're using.

[empardopo]

I'm using the 1.74 version of MALA!

I want use two mame versions in MALA, but i want see the games names in both of them lists!

At this moment, in the second mame emulator i can not see the games names! I only see their roms names!

[Gray_Area]

The reason for this process is so game names are displayed in the list. I think you got the directions backwards. In the 'parent' Mala, you create a 'generic' emulator that cues the 'child' Mala. In the 'child' Mala, you set up MAME as normal.