PowerMame 105.0.1b and Calendar Errors in Neo-Geo games.

[Stoked]

Hey there, I've been having a great time setting up my led-wiz(s) and playing with all the lighting goodness. Thanks so much for this version of Mame.

However I'm having a problem running any neo-geo games. I get a "calendar error" every time. I tried running the same games in regular mame 105 and they ran fine. Is any one else getting this error in this version of powermame?

[dna disturber]

On my cab the neo geo games also give a calendar error.
I'm currently running powermame32 0.105.0.1

I don't have any trouble with mame32 but it's the 0.103 version.
I will install 0.105 to see if mame32 gives the same problem.

I'll let you know

 

[MikeQ]

I'm not sure what a "Calendar Error" is but I use Microsoft compilers to compile PowerMAME and on several occasions now, people have reported problems with PowerMAME that don't exist with regular MAME.  This is because the Microsoft compilers are better at catching access violations and other runtime errors.  Often the problem exists on regular MAME too (compiled with gnu compilers) but isn't caught by the runtime.

[Stoked]

The "calendar error" occurs with any games using the neo-geo bios. Immediately after boot-up of these games I get a black screen with the words "calendar error" and no further way to continue.

I believe with the actual neo-geo systems they used a calendar chip to track the date and any error (such as a dead battery or damaged bios) with this during post would result in this screen. How that affects powermame I have no clue. Anyway, even without the neo-geo games I love this version and will keep setting things up for this weekends big arcade party. 

[MikeQ]

Can you give me a specific game that shows this problem.  I tried Double Dragon and Neo Mr Do last night and they both worked ok.

[dna disturber]

Mike,

I installed mame32 0.105 and didn't have the problems with the calendar error.
With powermame32 0.105.0.1 I have the calendar errors on what it seems all neo geo games (haven't tested them all yet but so far none of them worked)
I tested Neo Mr. do and double dragon and they don't work for me.....

Not a big problem of course because I can still run neo geo games with mame32.....

[dna disturber]

I did a compile of the powermame source build 0.105.0.1 using mingw instead of the microsoft compilers.

The result is that the calendar errors now no longer exist.

So Mike I think you're right about the compilers..........

Still it's strange that some have the problem and others have not.
I had the problem on 2 different PC's.

[Stoked]

Looks like I'll try the same.

[MikeQ]

I did a compile of the powermame source build 0.105.0.1 using mingw instead of the microsoft compilers.

The result is that the calendar errors now no longer exist.

So Mike I think you're right about the compilers..........

Still it's strange that some have the problem and others have not.
I had the problem on 2 different PC's.

The amount of memory in a system, hyperthreading and a host of other system specific issues can alter the behavior of these types of problems.  There aren't any differences between 105.0.0 and 105.0.1 that would cause a problem only on Neo Geo games.  The only thing that changed was the order of lights being flashed when pause is hit.  It is likely that code just got shuffled around with the 105.0.1 compile.  Even changing compiler flags (optimizations mainly) would probably change the problems behavior.

[Toonces]

Hi Mike, I just set up a fresh install of windows xp home on a dell 2Ghz box with 512M ram and 40G HD to use in my daughter's cab. Since I use powermame on my cab, I decided to install it on my daughter's cab too even though I am not using an LEDWiz or 49 way sticks. I hand picked about 60 games for her cab that she likes, one of which is Neo Mr Do. I also get the calendar error constantly with PowerMAME32 105.0.1. I haven't tried any other versions and my cab is at 104 and works perfectly. If there is something I can try out, please let me know.

Thanks!

Toonces

[dna disturber]

Toonces,

You can try the version I compiled with mingw.
I haven't got any calendar errors using this build......

http://home.wanadoo.nl/dna-disturber/PowerMAME%200.105.0.1.zip

Have fun..

I wish I had my own cab when i was little 

[Farmboy90]

Toonces,

You can try the version I compiled with mingw.
I haven't got any calendar errors using this build......

http://home.wanadoo.nl/dna-disturber/PowerMAME%200.105.0.1.zip

Have fun..

I wish I had my own cab when i was little 

What did you change?  I am curious what was broken by the changes made to 105.0.1.

Thanks!

[Toonces]

Thanks dna! I'll give this one a go.

As soon as I get it finished up I'll post a couple of pics. Nice little cab

Thanks,

Toonces

Toonces,

You can try the version I compiled with mingw.
I haven't got any calendar errors using this build......

http://home.wanadoo.nl/dna-disturber/PowerMAME%200.105.0.1.zip

Have fun..

I wish I had my own cab when i was little 

[dna disturber]

Farmboy90,

I haven't changed anything in the source , I just compiled it with another tool.
Mike thought that the errors could occur because he compiles it with microsoft compilers so I tried it with mingw.

So no fixes needed powermame works as it should be, only for some people the Ms compile gives an unexpected error on the neogeo games.

[MikeQ]

Farmboy90,

I haven't changed anything in the source , I just compiled it with another tool.
Mike thought that the errors could occur because he compiles it with microsoft compilers so I tried it with mingw.

So no fixes needed powermame works as it should be, only for some people the Ms compile gives an unexpected error on the neogeo games.

I mentioned the Neo Geo issue to Aaron Giles and he has noticed the same behavior with Microsoft compilers with regular MAME too so it is either a bug with the MS compilers or a bug with MAME that the MS compilers are uncovering.  I've contemplated switching to Mingw but I think it is good for the MAME project that these problems are found and looked into.

[orbian]

How did you get that to compile?

I get the error:
obj/PowerMAME/ui/ui.a(properties.o)(.text+0x3c77):properties.c: undefined refere
nce to `EnumDisplayDevicesA@16'

I did a compile of the powermame source build 0.105.0.1 using mingw instead of the microsoft compilers.

The result is that the calendar errors now no longer exist.

So Mike I think you're right about the compilers..........

Still it's strange that some have the problem and others have not.
I had the problem on 2 different PC's.

[mccoy178]

Just wondering, is the solution to download the other compiled version?  If there are more powermame versions to come, will this be addressed?  Just wondering.  Back to my bunk.

[buks]

I downloaded dna's recompiled exe as I was getting the same error in Neo Turf Masters (and probably all the others).

Unfortunately, the new exe doesn't seem to work on my system. I dropped into DOS to see if there are any erros but it doesn't seem to do anything. I type "powermame joust" and "powermame -help" and nothing - just back to the dos prompt.

Regular powermame works fine (apart from the calendar errors). Oh, and "Monster Farm Jump" doesn't work for some odd reason.

I'm using an AMD processor if thats any help.

Buks

[shanel1972]

I get the same calender error with any game using the neogeo.c driver.

[mccoy178]

The recompiled version above works just fine.  It's mame32, but I still use it with mamewah.  It also makes setting the custom pause and other features very easy.

[buks]

cheers mccoy - that has answered my question as I use powermame not powermame32.

Now, is there a chance that some kind soul could recompile powermame for me ? I honestly looked at installing the mingw compiler but got completely confused and didnt actually download it !

thanks in advance.

Buks

PS I could try using powermame32 if no-one can post it.

[mccoy178]

I was pleasantly suprised with powermame32.  No complaints other than issues with Johhny5.

[mccoy178]

Looks like the link is dead.  Can someone rehost it?

[dna disturber]

Oops......

I needed the space on my homepage for a short time,
but forgot to place it back.

So here it is again (and as mccoy178 said it's the 32 version)

http://home.wanadoo.nl/dna-disturber/PowerMAME%200.105.0.1.zip


Dna Disturber

[DaveMMR]

Anyone doing a recompile on the regular Powermame (not the 32)?  It also gets the "calendar error" that's been mentioned.  I gave a go at doing it but haven't the foggiest idea how.  If anyone does it and needs somewhere to host it, I can provide that. 

NOTE: I'd use 32 but I'd like to cut down on CPU usage if at all possible.

[shanel1972]

Thanks so much for the link repost/rehost. The games are working now. If you should happen to need it hosted, I have plenty of room for it too, if needed. Thanks again.

[buks]

Strangely i get an illegal operation type error when I rune powermame32 using the new exe. I'm at work at the moment so I can't post the exact error message (its one of those where you can send a hex dump to microsoft). Very odd. I presume i'm the only one who gets this ? IIt must be me/my machine then !