Anyone get the Atari XEGS running in launchbox?

[heelsinc]

I can get the games to launch through mess but not in launch box.  I'm guessing my command line is wrong "xegs -cart" any one get this system up and running yet?

[burritodamus]

Did you ever get this working?  I am having the same issue.

 

I am using the MAME software list Roms, but cannot get them to run.  I also tried the Atari800 core in Retroarch and can't get to run either,

 

 

[Retro_Rage]

On 7/10/2020 at 10:33 AM, burritodamus said:

Did you ever get this working?  I am having the same issue.

 

I am using the MAME software list Roms, but cannot get them to run.  I also tried the Atari800 core in Retroarch and can't get to run either,

 

 

This is kind of an old topic, but I do have XEGS working perfectly in Retroarch using the Atari800 core. You need to first make sure the core is setup properly first, check out here https://docs.libretro.com/library/atari800/ then just select XEGS from the retroarch core settings menu. Once you do, just save the setting over ride for content directory so its only saves for the XEGS games and not 5200 etc.

[sozuke]

Retro_Rage, I can't find XEGS in the core options, just different atari computers! Has this been changed, or did you mean one of them?

[Headrush69]

9 hours ago, sozuke said:

Retro_Rage, I can't find XEGS in the core options, just different atari computers! Has this been changed, or did you mean one of them?

Since the XEGS was essentially identical internally, picking the computer options in Retroarch should work fine.   (130XE)

Edited August 14, 2021 by Headrush69

[sundogak]

@sozuke Like Headrush69 said, XEGS is basically an 8-bit Atari computer with no keyboard built-in.  So setting RA options like below will work:

atari800_system = "800XL (64K)"

atari800_system = "130XE (128K)"

You can also use the same core for the Atari 5200 if setup separate config path and set to:

atari800_system = "5200"

Edited August 14, 2021 by sundogak

[sozuke]

Thanks guys! I knew that, but still couldn't get my roms to work. The reason turned out to be more involved than expected, so I'll describe what I've learned in the hope that others will benefit.

You'll need the right BIOS files in the Retroarch system folder, and the atari800 system type set to 800XL (which I believe to be identical to the XEGS spec wise) or the 130XE (which has a bit more RAM). This is easy to figure out, and described in the core documentation.

The game roms, however, come in a variety of formats. Cartridges are .rom, .bin or .car - I had .bin. It turns out a lot of roms will need processing to be able to start. To do this, you need to go into "controls" in the Retroarch quick menu and change the control device type to Atari Keyboard. This will enable you to press alt+c with the core running, which will open the cartridge management menu in the Atari OS. Here, you can create a cartridge from your .bin file. I chose the XEGS switchable cartridge type, which seems to work. This will create a new file, which has a header that lets it auto start when you open it in the core.

You can find people describe this in forum posts and the like if you google, but they'll typically just write "go to the cartrige management menu", which makes it sound like this menu is in the Retroarch core options.

[sundogak]

@sozuke *.bin files do not have the cartridge header so the emulator has to either have DB with checksum that will auto load or you have to tell it what to do.  The third alternative that works for all is that you convert BIN file to a cart format so the header is installed (like you found via RA).   There are a couple threads on this here that cannot seem to find now with more detail, but the tools below will do the job for any emulator.  You have to be a bit careful on what type you select in the above method you use, since not all carts use same header (particularly the later versions).  If works for you great, but if see oddities crop up or just want to double check then see below.

WUDSN - 8-bits are enough - Atari ROM Maker

WUDSN - 8-bits are enough - Atari ROM Checker

Unfortunately it is a two step process. Use the ROM Checker to see what type of header is needed. It compares the checksum to known list of binaries.  I would say it got about 95% of the files I ever tried. Then with the knowledge of what header type it is you use the ROM Maker and use the setting the Checker gave you.  Although in theory you could hunt down a set that is already in *.car format, I have found some folks have just renamed the extensions and still a binary with no header (or incorrect one). In the end, anything that was a cart/bin I converted/checked that file had header.  Now no matter what emulator you use then it will run.

Edit Note: for future readers the discussion for *car and such is applicable for non-MAME emulators (Altirra, Atari800, Kat5200).  If using MAME then use the MAME set via Software List. MAME has its HASH files via the a800.xml to figure how to manage various things, including carts.  

Edited August 15, 2021 by sundogak