Which Version for Dual Mice/TB/Spinner on XP?

[eyal8r]

Hey guys-
I am coming back after being out of the loop for a while. I had my machine off for quite sometime, but then screwed it all up when I tried to upgrade it. Cutting to the main point- I need help setting MAME back up. Can you tell me which version of MAME I need, and how to set it all up? I realize I'm going to have to get all new roms for it..

I have XP, dual trackballs, dual spinners, flight stick, and dual players (7 button + joysticks).

Like I said, been away from the scene for a while now- can you tell me which version to get to run all this?  Also- what's the easiest one to use? I get all confused with the command line versions, and anything difficult.  I'd also like to throw on a frontend if possible, once it's up and running.  Can you guys help?
Thanks

[u_rebelscum]

Official mame or (such as in your case) Mame32.  I'd get the most up to date version unless you have a slower computer.  You'll need to enable mice, as the default is still them disabled in mame/mame32.

The new thing is you'll have to map the trackballs and spinners, just like if you have four game controllers (aka gamepads aka joystick joysticks).  The trackball games would use mouse X & mouse Y, and the spinner (aka dial) games whould use mouse U & Z.  Mouse devices are mapped just like joysticks and buttons: tab, input, go to input you want to remap, enter, move mouse device.  Repeat for each you need to remap.

I'd remap using "Input (general)" so all trackball games would use the trackballs and all dial games use the spinners.  (And then copy it to a ctrlr file if you want; this ctrlr file is not needed, though.)  Don't forget to map the buttons, if needed.  Then if specific games need special mapping different than the one you set up, you can remp those through "Input (this game)".

If you need any more details, let us know.

[Howard_Casto]

Official mame or (such as in your case) Mame32.  I'd get the most up to date version unless you have a slower computer.  You'll need to enable mice, as the default is still them disabled in mame/mame32.

The new thing is you'll have to map the trackballs and spinners, just like if you have four game controllers (aka gamepads aka joystick joysticks).  The trackball games would use mouse X & mouse Y, and the spinner (aka dial) games whould use mouse U & Z.  Mouse devices are mapped just like joysticks and buttons: tab, input, go to input you want to remap, enter, move mouse device.  Repeat for each you need to remap.

I'd remap using "Input (general)" so all trackball games would use the trackballs and all dial games use the spinners.  (And then copy it to a ctrlr file if you want; this ctrlr file is not needed, though.)  Don't forget to map the buttons, if needed.  Then if specific games need special mapping different than the one you set up, you can remp those through "Input (this game)".

If you need any more details, let us know.

Somebody needs to add a "write to ctrlr file" option in mame's input menu.  Like you adjust them as normal, but if you want to save them to your ctrlr file you slect that, it asks you ifyou want to save it as the driver, the parent or the specific game then it reads the cfg file's input section, deletes it, and copies it into your ctrlr file. 

It'd be a good bit of code I know, but it would definately make ctrlr files more user-friendly.  Just a thought.

[eyal8r]

ok- yes, I'm stuck. Got the roms all loaded- games working great. XP recognizes both TBs and both spinners (all only use 1 cursor tho)- but when I loan up Arkanoid or Missle Command, I can't seem to get the thing configured properly to use the controls. I know how to get into the game config- but once Im there, I dont know which setting to set to what. I've read all the FAQs, but am more confused now than before. I dont get the Analog/Inc/Dec thing.

Would you mind giving me a dummies version of how to get my dual spinners and dual TBs working properly?  Everything else seems to work great (joys and buttons).
I'd really appreciate it!

Oh- an off question here- I tried to play 1942- but it starts me on stage 32, instead of stage 1. Is there a reason for that?
Thanks again..

[Howard_Casto]

You just remap em.

Every mouse is a different control now, so you just go into the general controls, player 1, go to the trackball section, select an axis to change, move that axis on your arcade panel until it registers.. lather, rinse repeat.

[eyal8r]

yeah, see I try that but it doesn't seem to work.

Which do I use for my spinner- paddle or dial?  Do I use the analog control? I try to do that, spin it, and it doesn't register any movement. Or, do I use the digital option?  Is it the Inc or dec options?  Can you give me specifics here?
THanks

[u_rebelscum]

yeah, see I try that but it doesn't seem to work.

Which do I use for my spinner- paddle or dial?  Do I use the analog control? I try to do that, spin it, and it doesn't register any movement. Or, do I use the digital option?  Is it the Inc or dec options?  Can you give me specifics here?
THanks

Basics:
"Paddle" and "dial", as you're using them, are the original game's input types.  You can map anything to them: spinner, trackball, joystick, keyboard, etc.  You want to use your "spinner for the dial", not the "dial for the spinner".  (semantics, I know, but... ) 

In Mame, generally "paddle" means "limited turn POT based analog input" (aka limited absolute analog), and "dial" means "unlimited turn encoder based input" (aka unlimited relative analog).  But since some arcade machines had "limited relative" or "unlimited absolute", this isn't a fixed rule.

And yes, use you spinner in the "... analog" inputs, since the spinner is an analog device.

Try testing if your mouse buttons remap.  If they don't, you're not enabling mice in Mame.  Enable mice and try again.

Paraphased from FAQ:

... Inc/Dec: used for mapping a digital device to analog game input: such as keyboard keys mapped to a dial input. This is just like in H03, and you map your left/up [key] to the "...Dec" and right/down [key] to the "...Inc".

... Analog: used for mapping an analog device to analog game input: such as analog joystick device to dial input or a trackball device to a paddle input [random examples]... Make sure to move ... the mouse device fast enough (without backspin) for MAME to register the movement.

It you can tell us what wasn't clear in the mameFAQs, maybe we can come up with something better and submit it for improvements.

[eyal8r]

Well- I got it mostly working. For some reason, my Spinner 1 doesn't register. Spinner 2 does, but not 1. So, in XP, Spinner 2, TB1, & TB2 all work the mouse fine. Just Spinner 1 sits there.  Which is weird because it was working fine in XP before, and I haven't touched or changed anything. Any ideas?

When I spin it, it just vibrates the curser. Suggestions?


To answer your question about the FAQ- it's confusing for newbies who don't get it. I would say if you could be more specific- ie- give more specific examples, that would be very helpful. For example- if you have 2 spinners- start a game, hit tab, go to Input Settings (General), Player 1, dial 1 and hit enter. Then spin the spinner and see that it registers...  Something like that would be awesome. A Step by step guide, or more specific examples instead of just generalities.  

I hope that helps...

[u_rebelscum]

Well- I got it mostly working. For some reason, my Spinner 1 doesn't register. Spinner 2 does, but not 1. So, in XP, Spinner 2, TB1, & TB2 all work the mouse fine. Just Spinner 1 sits there.  Which is weird because it was working fine in XP before, and I haven't touched or changed anything. Any ideas?

When I spin it, it just vibrates the curser. Suggestions?

Just vibrating one pixel back and forth points to one of the sensors not registering.  It could be a loose wire, a broken sensor, a dirty sensor, or a broken light source.

To answer your question about the FAQ- it's confusing for newbies who don't get it. I would say if you could be more specific- ie- give more specific examples, that would be very helpful. For example- if you have 2 spinners- start a game, hit tab, go to Input Settings (General), Player 1, dial 1 and hit enter. Then spin the spinner and see that it registers...  Something like that would be awesome. A Step by step guide, or more specific examples instead of just generalities. 

I hope that helps...

Is the example in mameFAQ h03 too general?  Or would another link to it from h05 in the analog paragraph help?  Two almost the same examples would be redundant, but maybe your example is different enough to be added without pictures. 

Hmm, or maybe the t02 FAQ can be editted to include mice not working.  And h05 could be reworded some...  I'll see if I can come up with better writing; mame.net has a forum just for suggesting changes to the FAQ (that's more often misused for asking FAQs).