Vertical Mame Frontend

[Steven633]

Any suggestions on an easy to set-up front end for my cab.

It needs to have simple instructions on how to set-up and configure as I am not an expert in computer stuff. It must have the ability to start automatically from booting up the PC, and be capable of running on a vertically mounted monitor.

[youki]

Hello,

Most of Front End does that.

Have a look to the Wiki  here :  http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Front-Ends

Of course, i suggest you try mine : AtomicFE .

But other are good too. i'd concentrate your choice on Mala, GameEx or AtomicFE . These ones are still very supported , and works in vertical mode too.

I have a dedicated forums also for support if you need help.

[loadman]

Have a look to the Wiki  here :  http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Front-Ends

Yep 

[Steven633]

Cheers guys, I have been playing about with AtomicFE over the last couple of days. Seems to be just the thing, but I do have a couple of queries...

First, I am not having much luck with the Layout editor. When my cab is completed it will only play 5 games. What I want is to display the 5 marquees on the FE, then to simply use the joystick to select the game to play. I have tried using clickzone 1 to 5 to load in my 5 marquees, but when I run Atomic I just get a blank screen after the intro video. To be honest guys I am a real novice at this and don't really have a clue!!!

The other thing I need to find out is how to bypass all the windows and desktop stuff, so when I power up the PC it takes me straight to the AtomicFE menu.

Any help appreciated.

[youki]

For the layout, i can do a simple template for you. then you will have just to modify it with yours images.   Just give me a mockup (even in simple drawing on a paper you scan).

How do you want select the marquee? It you are in a cab i suppose you don't want to use the mouse.  The Click zone you used are done for touchscreen, ligth gun, or mouse.
The way to do what you want in Atomic, is to use a Picture List that will display the marquees . And use this list in "free mode" to place the item where you want.
But as i said, do a mockup of what you would like (without considering technical limitation) , and i will do the closest for you.  I'm not an artist , so i will do the technical part , then it will be up to you to change images.   you can send me your mockup to my email : y o u k i  @ a t o m i c f e . c o m

For the second question. The simplest to boot up to Atomic is to but a shortcut to Atomic in the Start up menu of windows.

Just go in Atomic Folder,  right click on Atomic.exe , chose "copy" in the menu.

Then right click on the "start" menu of windows

choose "explore" , navigate to "program" , "start up" 

right click  on the right where there is nothing.  And choose "paste as shortcut".

That' s all.

Then if you want hide windows boot and loogo. You can do that using bootskin.  This topic on Atomic support forum talk about that.

http://spaceinvaders.7.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=789

[Steven633]

Thanks.

The start-up thing works like a dream, I am not too bothered about the windows stuff, but I may look in to that later.

As for the image layout, I have tried messing about with the picture list tool and am getting nowhere fast. The 5 games going in my cab are - Outzone, 1942, Tiger Heli, Galaxian and Pac-Man. I have been on the net and managed to find PNG marquees for all 5 games. All I want from my frontend is that the 5 marquees are displayed on 1 page, so I can easily select the game to play from this 1 page, using the same joystick as I use to play the game. Nothing fancy, no text, no videos playing, just the 5 marquees in a simple vertical list.

[youki]

Ok for your layout, i'm going to do that for you.

In what resolution you want display the front end?  480x640 ,288x640 or else?

I will do the layout optimized for the size you want.

[youki]

Ok, i made quickly one layout for you.

It is on my website now,  the direct link is here: 
verticallayoutmarquee_480x640

It will looks like :



To make it work with your configuration.

Put your file marquee in one folder.  (said c:\mame\marquee )  ensure that they are named exactly the rom.
ex :
Rom : 1942.zip     marquee: 1942.png
Rom : pacman.zip marquee: pacman.png
Rom: galaxian.zip marquee : galaxian.png

then in AtomicManager , go to "Folder tab"  , "layout related" subtab.
Make point : "Picture list folder" to the folder where are your marquees. (c:\mame\marquee).

Then save , and run Atomic. It should work.  let me know if you have problem or if you would like something different pour the layout. the one i did is very basic.

[Steven633]

 

Still can't get it to work.

I have downloaded the folder you have made to my system. I then created a marquee folder in my C:MAME folder (there wasn't one in there) and put my 5 marquees in, I changed the names to match the names in my rom folder too. Then I opened Atomic Manager and set the the picture list folder bit to the folder I downloaded from you. I also pointed the Folder-Main-Layout Folder to the folder I downloaded from you. I have also set Folders-Layout Related-MARQUEE Folder to the new marquee folder I created in C:MAME. Not sure if I really need to do this but it seemed logical.

When I run FE all I get is blocks of green and black. No actual Marquee pictures. The selection box does work though, and I can select games from the FE. Its just that the actual marquees do not display.

 

[youki]

Your configuratiojn seems correct.

Coud you send me your marquee files on my mail? (y o u k i @ a t o m i c f e . c o m)

and if possible for you a screenshot of what you see. (just press print/screen key when atomic runs, and then open PAINT or something similar and go to edit menu , and paste , then save, and send me the picture).

Are you sure your marquee image are .PNG format?   If no, it could be the problem , let me know what it is.

[Steven633]

Jackpot...

Thanks mate, I can't believe I so blatently read your intsructions wrong.....

Steve

[youki]

You're welcome.

One more thing, i don't know if you see the intro video when you start Atomic.  If not (and if you didn't disable it volontary) , in Atomic Folder there is a .exe :  Tscc_codec.exe ,   just run it , to install the codec, then you should see it.

If you need something different or modification on the layout and you can't manage to do it, let me know.