major software help

[greer]

Hi people this is my first post but it's kind of a biggy. I'm all up for the mame machine thing i have a cabinet a controls deck which i made using the keyboard hack i have a regular computer monitr and a PC in teh back which i plan to load full of roms

the problem is that I am great with technical stuff but not so smooth with software so i need some help please. these are the things i want the software to do maybe then you will be able to advise me:

the program must run at start up rather than windows
i would like it to be an easy to scroll menu with the list of games
I would like it to run all of my mame roms aswell as all of my genesis roms however i have 3 playstation 1 games which i would like to include to run

please could someone advise me as to how i should set up some software (if it's available to my needs) if not would there be someone that i could commision to create this sort of software

any help will be greatly recieved thank you all you loverly loverly people  

[Lilwolf]

Not all that hard... but it will force you to look at a few other apps.

1) use a frontend to mame.  There are a few out there (including one I wrote)... All have advantages...Most can handle more then one emulator (thanks to Howard and his middleware wrappers to make most emulators look like mame).

MAMEWah
 - GREAT frontend
 - Skinnable (make it look like you want)
 - VERY easy to install and use.  
 A good start.

Lazarus
 - GREAT frontend
 - Amazing what you can do with it
 - A little more difficult to setup.

I would add mine... but it hasn't been updated for a long time... and the next version is VERY different.... when will it ever be finished??


Then...

Get it working with mame to start off with... then work on getting the wrappers to launch the emulators of your choice for the other emulators.

Then...

to get it to start on boot.  Easy enought you can put the launch batch file / shortcut and drag it into your startup in windows.  

Then...

Download a windows boot screen and shutdown screen to look like you want.

[greer]

WOW great advice thanx soo much but now i hav a problem with mamewah yeah i know DUFUS

anyways can you teach me how to make a list?? and to change the settings maybe send me an example set up???

Also how do i use that layout designer???

sorry for being such a dumbass bt i just want to do it right
thanx again for the advice
greer

[simplygriff]

Alright I'm going to try to help get you started.

In Mamewah  press 2 to get to the menu.
Go to the Game List Options and press 1
Go to The option that says something like select custom list and press 1
Go to Custom list 1 and press 1
Go To Change List Title and press 1.  This will give you a cursor at the bottom of the menu screen to Change the title of the list.  I'll use "test" to keep it simple. After you enter your new title press enter.
To set up a list using filters you'll need to have the cartver.ini (google: catver.ini mame) file in your folder with your MAME.exe
If you just want to select specific games to be in your list do this:
Switch back to your main list by using the list selection described above.
When you have the game you want on your custom list selected press Z.  This is the default for adding a game to a custom list.
This will bring up a list of your custom lists.  Select the one you want the game in and press 1.   MameWah will tell you the game has been added and press any key.

That's a simple way to create a custom list.  Let me know if you have any questions.  I can explain the layout designer later.  I'm at work now.
-G