Who can write this utility?

[Neverending Project]

Or more importantly, who can and is willing to write this utility?

With the AimTrak recently released and more lightguns to follow I would guess, I think it would be great to have a simple utility to facilitate calibration without quitting MAME or front-end software. When you enter calibration mode the AimTrak needs a visible cursor to point to the corner in which to shoot to calibrate. Generally there are no visible cursors in the front end, or like I have done they might be changed to a single pixel. MAME takes over low-level input, so when paused there is no cursor available.

Headkaze made the CPWizard utility which launches on MAME pause, and optionally before a game launches from the front-end software. I can picture a similar utility that launches/activates on a couple of triggers: before launching a game from a front end, when MAME is paused, or via a macro, keystroke or button press.

The way I picture it working: on lightgun games I would configure my front end (Mala) to first launch this calibration utility which would show a full-screen graphic like a target or grid with a crosshair visible. I could take a couple of shots to check my accuracy and either shoot an area to continue (exit) or initiate my AimTrak calibration.

This utility could be called by pausing MAME (changing players at significant height differences for example), or by a button combo. Ideally, we could ask Andy to update the AimTrak firmware utility so a button press on the AimTrak could play a macro in addition to a button press. A special button assignment (a third button on the gun) could pause MAME, launch the calibration utility, and then initiate calibration.

Any thoughts?

[youki]

You are surely not interrested as you are a mala user. But AtomicFe supports Lightgun.

You can for instance make a special screen with a special layout for lightgun that group all your game that need gun.

And That special layout can be if you wish even driven by the gun (you can give some "function" (like "go next game" , "run game" etc )  to part of the screen  that react to gun fire) .  And you have of course the option to make show the cursor or not.

However I have never tried with the AimTrak. So i don't know if it is suitable for that.

[brian_hoffman]

Or more importantly, who can and is willing to write this utility?

With the AimTrak recently released and more lightguns to follow I would guess, I think it would be great to have a simple utility to facilitate calibration without quitting MAME or front-end software. When you enter calibration mode the AimTrak needs a visible cursor to point to the corner in which to shoot to calibrate. Generally there are no visible cursors in the front end, or like I have done they might be changed to a single pixel. MAME takes over low-level input, so when paused there is no cursor available.

Headkaze made the CPWizard utility which launches on MAME pause, and optionally before a game launches from the front-end software. I can picture a similar utility that launches/activates on a couple of triggers: before launching a game from a front end, when MAME is paused, or via a macro, keystroke or button press.

The way I picture it working: on lightgun games I would configure my front end (Mala) to first launch this calibration utility which would show a full-screen graphic like a target or grid with a crosshair visible. I could take a couple of shots to check my accuracy and either shoot an area to continue (exit) or initiate my AimTrak calibration.

This utility could be called by pausing MAME (changing players at significant height differences for example), or by a button combo. Ideally, we could ask Andy to update the AimTrak firmware utility so a button press on the AimTrak could play a macro in addition to a button press. A special button assignment (a third button on the gun) could pause MAME, launch the calibration utility, and then initiate calibration.

Any thoughts?

Well I do not have an AimTrak, What I would do is make an AHK script call the Aimtrak calibration program then splash an image on screen , then when you pull the trigger the script can splash another image on screen in another corner.

You want to send me yours for some testing?