Enable Cocktail Mode for specific games

[rchadd]

I know that cocktail mode can be enabled by changing the dip switches for a game.

But does this have to done everytime you play the game, or can these dip settings be saved t0o be effective for next time that it is played?

do you have to create/edit an ini file to do this? is there already an ini file that already enables cocktail mode for games that support it?

is there a switch that should be up on the mame command line to specify the dip switch settings when the game is started?

i don't want to enable cocktail mode for all games if possible as my cab will also have CP on the "3rd side".

[TheGatesofBill]

The DIP settings are stored in the cfg file for the game. There is also a cocktail compile around somewhere.

[rchadd]

The DIP settings are stored in the cfg file for the game

looks like the cfg file is not a text file. assume that means that i need to start the game go into the admin screen and then set the dip switches. are the settings then saved to the cfg file when I exit mame? will they then be used automatically the next time i play that game?

[TheGatesofBill]

Yes, but they are game-specific.

[Jakobud]

CFG files are binary.  They are game specific.  They save so that the next time you play the game it has the same CFG settings.  CFG files are rarely compatible from one Mame version to another (ie. when upgrading Mame you will probably have to adjust CFG settings again for each game). Why no one has yet to make software that parses CFG files so you can edit them outside of Mame is beyond me...

[rchadd]

looks like there is going to be a lot of work to set up each game then...

is it easy to figure which games support cocktail mode and what dip setting are required?

is this info documented anywhere?

i had hoped that it was just a matter of setting a variable in the mame.ini file !?!
 eg. "mode=cocktail" and that would apply to all games that supports that mode. I think that would have been a good solution.

Is there a build of mame specifically for cocktail cab? does No Name Mame support this type of feature?

[TheGatesofBill]

There is a Cocktail MAME somewhere if memory serves. I am looking into adding a -cocktail switch or something to No Name MAME, but it requires more time than I currently have.

[Tilzs]

If you use advance mame, you can set the cocktail dipswitch globally.

Better yet, you can set cocktail just for the vertical games, while leaving the dip switches for the horizonal games on regular. ( or vice versa) Just use the following line.

vertical/input_dipswitch[cabinet] cocktail

[seibu]

If you use advance mame, you can set the cocktail dipswitch globally.

Better yet, you can set cocktail just for the vertical games, while leaving the dip switches for the horizonal games on regular. ( or vice versa) Just use the following line.

vertical/input_dipswitch[cabinet] cocktail

Had to add (sorry!) - that advanceMAME also lets you flip games that don't have cocktail support in-game by pressing a certain key - so you can effectively play anything cocktail style!

God I love advanceMAME!

[Howard_Casto]

CFG files are binary.  They are game specific.  They save so that the next time you play the game it has the same CFG settings.  CFG files are rarely compatible from one Mame version to another (ie. when upgrading Mame you will probably have to adjust CFG settings again for each game). Why no one has yet to make software that parses CFG files so you can edit them outside of Mame is beyond me...

Because they are the wrong way to go....  Ctrlr files are the future.  If the proper code was added there could be dip files added that work just like ctrlr files.  Unfortunately, with the exception of urebel, myself and a few others, nobody wants to "waste time" working on mame's various input and configuration issues.  And as we are all busy with our own projects, it's hard to get the time to work on them either.  

[danny_galaga]

Had to add (sorry!) - that advanceMAME also lets you flip games that don't have cocktail support in-game by pressing a certain key - so you can effectively play anything cocktail style!

God I love advanceMAME!

you mean i could play defender in cocktail mode? damn, i wish i knew how to do 'techy' stuff on the 'puter...

[rchadd]

you mean i could play defender in cocktail mode?

are you sure defender does not already have a dip setting to enable cocktail mode?

a few weeks ago i saw an original  defender cocktail cab on ebay.

[danny_galaga]

you mean i could play defender in cocktail mode?

are you sure defender does not already have a dip setting to enable cocktail mode?

a few weeks ago i saw an original  defender cocktail cab on ebay.

my ROM doesnt have any dip switch settings. dont know, maybe there is a later type that does? i have red label and green label altough i have no idea what the difference is...