Quick Save via Controller in BigBox?

[jamievlong]

I tried a generic search just to see if anyone has touched on the subject I couldn't find it. So, sorry if you guys have already talked about it. Also let me preface that I'm pretty new to Launch Box and so far I'm really enjoying what I see. I love hooking up my lap top to my TV via HDMI and playing my games from the couch. I've been thinking about jumping in and buying BigBox. I prefer using every emulator individually instead of running it through Retroarch. The thing that I like about Retroarch though is the ability to have a button combination on a controller bring you back to the main menu so you can quick save. Currently to quick save in LaunchBox , I have to use the keyboard, which is fine if I'm playing on my lap on the couch or hooked up to my monitor at my desk because its within reach, but when I hook it up to my TV, the lap top is across the room on the floor next to the TV. I don't want to invest into a wireless keyboard to have on the coffee table just to use it to save. I know BigBox has a lot more options and a lot more controller support, but does it have the ability to quick save via a controller without pressing F1 or Shift + F1 on a keyboard?

[SentaiBrad]

No, Controller Automation doesn't control anything other than closing down the emulator, alt-tabbing, volume, and a few things like that. RetroArch does work well for that, which is one of the various reasons why I think it's superior. However, if you really don't want to go with RA, then you'd be looking at something like AutoHotKey, Xpadder, things like this. I don't know AHK code off the top of my head, but you can find or make scripts that can do this from a controller. The only problem is, that it will be different per emulator. So you'll need to make/find/edit multiple scripts, and paste them in the Emulators AHK tab. You'll need to edit each one for emulators various different button combinations. You can set it to the same button combination on your controller each time, but not the specific emulator buttons. The AHK website has full documentation, and some users around here love to work with AHK so maybe some of them can help. Otherwise, if you want to go with adding in less software, dealing with scripts, etc, then Big Box + RetroArch covers a wide variety of systems. Not every RA core is gold, but most are and you'll be good to go.

[jayjay]

I use x360 controller.

I have... select + R1 to save, select + L1 to load... I use button combo so no accidental presses.

I also use retroarch but if for you, F1 is save and F2 is load what you would do in Launchbox is...

 

Tools.

Manage Emulators.

Highlight Emulator name, Edit.

Open the "AutoHotKey Script" tab.

 

Enter the following...

 

Joy5::

if GetKeyState("Joy7")

Goto, load

return

 

Joy6::

if GetKeyState("Joy7")

Goto, save

return

 

Joy7::

if GetKeyState("Joy5")

Goto, load

if GetKeyState("Joy6")

Goto, save

return

 

save:

{

Send {F1 Down}{F1 Up}

return

}

 

load:

{

Send {F2 Down}{F2 Up}

return

}

 

 

What the above is saying is... joy5 (L1) + joy7 (Select) = press F1

Example: If you want to change your save button from F1 to G, then you would change "Send {F1 Down}{F1 Up}" to "Send {G Down}{G Up}".

If you wanted to change your button combo then change the numbers next to joy. On x360 controller, Joy1 is A, Joy2 is B etc etc.

I hope my explanation is clear enough.

 

[neil9000]

Yeah i will second Brad here. This is one of the reasons a lot of us here use retroarch as much as we can. The standalone emulators you are using are probably available and are just as good, if not better in some cases than there standalone equivalents, and the same button combo will work across all the emus in retroarch. If you are adamant that you want to use separate emulators for separate consoles then you will have to use some sort of script like posted above, and of course a lot of emulators have different keys for save and load, so you would have to change that script for all your individual emulators. As far as i am concerned that is just a hassle i don't want to deal with, and retroarch let's me not deal with that. Each to there own though, you will just need a lot more setup and tinkering than most users here, and may because of that run into more issues than most as a result.