Save cheats so they are active when a game is started?

[mrudie]

I'm sorry if this has been answered before - it seems to me like it would be a common question, but I have searched and searched, and can't find an answer.

I was hoping to get a game to start up with a cheat already enabled. Is there any way to SAVE the cheats that are enabled so they are active when a game starts?

I've tried the "Save..." under "Options", but it doesn't work. I have to go in and enable the cheat I want each time I start the game.  Is there a way to edit the cheat.dat file so it's enabled when the game starts?

I'm using MAME32 v119

The game in particular is Area 51, because I have a lightgun, and the reload doesn't work very well. I just want to have infinite bullets enabled as soon as the game starts.

Any ideas??

Thanks