deadfraggle

If the following method is already well documented, please delete this post. I just wanted to share a little trick I've stumbled upon. There are a few cores in RetroArch that do not have a keyboard option in 'Port 1 Controls'. Specifically, I'm referring to the setting in Quick Menu > Controls > Port 1 Controls, after launching a game. MAME for instance, only allows Retropad, Retropad with analog, and None. While you can customize MAME's key bindings per machine in MAME itself, this method is unhelpful when a single 'machine' (like the BBC Micro) has multiple games with different controls. The Hatari core is another example oddly, where there is no keyboard option. To hack in a keyboard option, simply load a remap file from another core that uses the keyboard option. (Quick Menu > Controls > Load Remap File). For example, I have several customized files saved for the Dosbox core. After loading, the device in Port 1 Controls will be labeled as 'Unknown' but each controller key can be set to any keyboard key. Just save your customizations before exiting and RetroArch will create a new file for the current game that retains the unknown device. This method may have unintended consequences, though I haven't encountered any yet. Use at your own risk.

Thanks for that. I guess I was using the wrong search terms. So because of how Launchbox sets up the command line for emulators, I now understand why you used the custom command line feature. In the default settings, one cannot add a quote after where Launchbox places the game's file name. For a 'default' solution, I created an Autohotkey script. Here's how I set up Vectrex: In the Autohotkey script, "vectrex.ahk": SetWorkingDir, ..\RetroArch Run, retroarch.exe -L "cores\mame_libretro.dll" "vectrex -rp \"..\..\Games\Arcade\roms\" -cart \"%1%\"" Let me know what you think.

I've only tested BBC micro. And while the -rompath method may be known, it isn't easy to find information on how to use it with Retroarch. When I searched, the hash file method is all I could find. So thanks for making me aware. Certainly, nesting quotes with \" on the command line was something I would have never thought of.

Well, "simple" when you know how. So putting aside the auto-launching aspect for a moment, you've provided a method of launching a MAME supported system through Retroarch! The only way I could find previously involved installing hash files as described here, but I could never get it to work. Even with your post, it still took some tinkering to apply it to launching a BBC mirco cassette game, for example. My custom command line parameters for the game 'Microball' is this: -L "cores\mame_libretro.dll" "bbcb -autoboot_delay 2 -autoboot_command \"*TAPE\nCHAIN\x22\x22\n\" -rp \"..\..\Games\Arcade\roms\" -cass \"%romfile%\"" Getting a handle on all the nested quotes, produced by using the escape sequence code \", can be a bit overwhelming. The command to autoboot a BBC micro tape is CHAIN"". However using \" in the Launchbox parameters line only serves to close the -autoboot_command. Mame documentation instructs sending 3 quotes to output a single quote, but \"\"\" doesn't work. My solution was to use the hexidecimal escape sequence \x22. (Information on Escape Sequences can be found here, and here's a list of the ASCII codes.) The other thing of note, is that in the Launchbox emulator settings for Retroarch, I have "Don't use quotes" selected. %romfile% is new to me! Didn't realize one could apparently access Launchbox variables. Unfortunately I have another problem now with launching a cassette game with Retroarch\MAME core\system. Once the tape is loaded, fast forwording does not work, either through Retroarch or the mame command. With the mame command, I get the fast forward notice, but the tape continues at the same speed. Even so, your method is invaluable, as it allows specific games to have individual settings, especially pertaining to gamepad controls. In standalone mame, settings can only be customized at the machine level, afaik.

After MUCH trial and error, I finally made a setup that automatically loads a ZX81 software list cassette and plays it. First, create a new emulator profile. For my setup I used: Emulator Name: Autohotkey MAME ZX81 Emulator Application Path: ThirdParty\AutoHotkey\AutoHotkey.exe Default Command-Line Parameters: ZX81autoplay.ahk Checkmark 'Don't use quotes' and 'Use file name only' I created a Autohotkey script called ZX81autoplay.ahk, which is saved in the same folder as Autohotkey. It contains: #NoEnv ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases. ; #Warn ; Enable warnings to assist with detecting common errors. SendMode Input ; Recommended for new scripts due to its superior speed and reliability. SetWorkingDir ..\MAME\ ;My MAME folder relative to Autohotkey Run, mame64.exe zx81 -keyboardprovider dinput -ui_active -skip_gameinfo -autoboot_delay 5 -autoboot_command "j""""""\n" %1% sleep, 8000 SetKeyDelay, -1, 110 Send {F2 down} sleep, 100 Send {F2 up} Lines 1 to 3 are auto-generated by Autohotkey Line 4 of the Autohotkey script sets the directory where MAME is located. Line 5 launches MAME with the MAME UI active, waits 5 seconds, then sends the command to type LOAD "". (The 'J' key on the ZX81 is the shortcut for LOAD, and """ sends a single quote, so """""" sends "".) \n sends the ENTER key. %1% is for the argument that Launchbox will send to the script, which is the name of the game file. (LOAD"" on the ZX81 runs the first program on the cassette.) Line 6 waits 8 seconds Lines 7 to 9 is the only working method I could find that would send F2 (the default Play Tape hotkey) via the script. (Credit) Once the tape starts loading you can press Insert to fast forward. Don't forget to press Scroll Lock after the game is loaded to give keyboard focus back to the game. You may need to adjust the delay times in the script. I'd also like to mention that the ZX81 is the first MAME supported system I've come across that doesn't play the tape automatically with loading commands, as with the Commodore 64 or the BBC Micro. Not sure why this feature is missing. This post is a bit old, but I'll take that lemon-aid if the offer is still valid! Edit: Upon review, I guess I could just create a new MAME emulator profile for ZX81 and use the built in Running Autohotkey Script tab.

Forgive the resurrection, but appending information is still a "change" from what it was previously. Since multiple genres can be selected, it is natural to think that performing a bulk edit would add a genre selection to what was there previously. Launchbox should ask the user's intention, Instead of revealing how it operates through trial and error.

I installed eXoDos with a partial list of games. Before merging it with my existing collection, I ran the copy of LaunchBox that was provided with eXoDos (just to check it out.) After closing that copy, I followed the instructions for merging the eXoDos collection into my main collection. Everything went fine, except now LaunchBox has a grey riveted background instead of the default background theme (that changes depending on what game is selected). Changing the background in LaunchBox options is not available in my free version. I didn't move any files from the main directory, just the sub-folders mentioned in the eXoDos manual. Since Launchbox is portable, I thought running a different copy of the program wouldn't affect my main installation. Apparently, I was wrong. How can I restore it?

Thanks again. I was way off. I need to create a playlist to group games together, not a category. Can I just install the beta version over the current stable release? Nevermind, just found the tutorial. EDIT: So to answer my own question, there is no way to sort or filter games by launcher (Steam, Epic , Uplay, etc.). They can be highlighted with badges in the full version, but as far as I can tell, there is no sorting by badge.

Does the full version come with a manual or help files? I would expect one at that price.

Cool, thanks! After import, are there automatic filters that allow me to distinguish games on Epic vs. Steam? I also have a few uninstalled games exclusively on the Uplay (Ubisoft) launcher. Any insight on what 'platform categories' are actually used for would be appreciated.

So I'm manually adding my uninstalled Epic Launcher titles into LaunchBox. I'd like to create a platform category for them called Epic. In the category creation popup box, what are the 'Nested Name' and 'Sort Title' fields used for? BTW, is there any official documentation, manual or help files for LaunchBox? Edit: Perhaps Platform Categories are not what I thought they were. I created one under 'Windows', but cannot add a game to it. I would definitely RTFM if one existed.

Dang. Thanks for responding anyway. I was hoping perhaps someone had ported it. On another note, if I use the Mame core save state function, I get better results than using Retroarch's save state feature. Loading a Retroarch save state tends to give me glitchy results, if it works at all. So many hotkeys to re-bind though. Edit: Nevermind. I just learned that 'Hotkeys' in Retroarch's hotkeys setting is actually a modifier. So by setting it to the 'alt' key, I rebound every hotkey to ALT + {hotkey} in one swoop. Sweet.

I'd like to use the crt-geom shader included Retroarch, with the standalone Mame app on Windows. Imho, the BGFX crt-geom shader included with Mame is visually inferior to the one included with Retroarch. Using the Mame core in Retroarch is a pain because of all the shared hotkeys, and because of problems loading save states with certain games.