HELP: Configuring Retroarch for keyboard input

[Hoakypoaky]

This issues has been driving me nuts for weeks.  I can’t seem to figure it out.

I’m trying to configure Retroarch for the first time.  I want to use it to emulate NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, etc on my Arcade.   The arcade has an Xtension 2 player control panel, configured for keyboard inputs.   Works just fine with MAME games & the standalone MAME emulator.  But I’m just focusing on NES & Retroarch for now.  This should be simple, since I just need to enter control inputs for up, down, left, right, A, B, Start & Select.    I just can’t figure out Retroarch.  

I’ll load the NES core in Retroarch (NestopiaUE), then go to Input and then Input User 1 Binds.   I assume these are the general inputs for Retroarch overall.   Not sure if I need to setup a config file for each core tho.

This should be simple, but it’s not.  I head down to the User 1 D-pad settings.  The correct settings should be up, down, left, right arrow keys.   When I press enter to change & then press down on my joystick, the key is changed to keypad2, not down.  So all my settings are set to keypad8, keypad2, keypad4, keypad6.    It doesn’t matter if I enter inputs with the joystick or arrow keys on the keyboard.   Doesn’t matter if the keyboard number lock is on or off.

So when I launch an NES game, the joystick controls do not work.   I’m at a loss how to fix. 

I suppose I could manually change the config file in notepad++, but I cannot locate the config file on my hard drive, and I’m not sure if config files need to be made for each core.  And if individual config files need to be created, how do I get them to launch with each Retroarch core?

Setting up my Arcade has been a ongoing battle every step of the way.  So damn frustrating.  This shit is going to take me years.   Any help appreciated.  

[Retro808]

In RA you can set global input binds, core specific input binds, and game specific input binds. So there is a lot of flexibility.

To be honest I may be incorrect on this and knowing the knowledge of some of the others in this forum they will either correct me or confirm, but I believe RA in the UI will not let you map game direction keys to the directional arrows since those are the controls used to move around in the UI. You might have to use notepad or notepad ++ to edit the .cfg file.  

Edited October 14, 2017 by Retro808

[Hoakypoaky]

Where is the config file located?   Went into Retroarch config folder, but didn’t see anything there.  

I guess I have to save a core specific config first, then edit in notepad++

not sure how to create that, or where to put the config file so it launches when the core is loaded.  

 

[Retro808]

The main Retroarch.cfg is located in the root folder of your Retroarch emulator. Editing that one will edit controls for any game or core that you do no have either a core remap/game remap or a custom config loading for. If you create a custom config for a core that specific .cfg file will be in the configs folder. 

[Hoakypoaky]

Thanks!  That was really helpful.  I was able to change the Retroarch.config file & the joystick works now

do you know the proper process for saving a config file in Retroarch for each core?  Not sure if I have to change autosave settings  

Not sure how they would be named for each individual core, or how to tell them apart.  I assume retroarch  knows to load the proper config file when a core is loaded?

 

 

[Retro808]

FYI:  I am not the best at this, but this is what I have done with custom configs. I use them because RA's core remap and game remap functions only lets you remap a controller. It will not do arcade sticks like Xtension or Xarcade for some odd reason. Remaps would be better as they load automatically Hopefully if I wrote anything incorrect one of our resident experts will chime in...

To save a core specific config just open RA and load the core you want to make a custom config for. Then under the first row of settings go into "configurations". In there choose "save new configuration". RA will then save a .cfg in the configs folder and it should show up as the name of the core you just loaded. I typically save the new config first then load it and make my control changes just so I do not accidentally change the base RA inputs. Or you can turn off autosave, make your control changes then save the new config. 

You have to tell Launchbox/BigBox to load this custom config for the system you want. So in LB you will need to open Manage Emulators and edit Retroarch. Find Retroarch, click edit then click the Associated Platforms tab and in the default command line field of the system you want you need to enter the custom config command.

For example here in the image for Game & Watch I use a custom config.  -c "config\gw_libretro.cfg"  When you input the command line make sure you include the -c and the quotes. 

 

Edited October 16, 2017 by Retro808

[Hoakypoaky]

That is so helpful!  Thanks for takibg the time to respond.  I will give that a try this week for my NES core

[tvguy]

On 10/15/2017 at 12:14 PM, Hoakypoaky said:

Thanks!  That was really helpful.  I was able to change the Retroarch.config file & the joystick works now

do you know the proper process for saving a config file in Retroarch for each core?  Not sure if I have to change autosave settings  

Not sure how they would be named for each individual core, or how to tell them apart.  I assume retroarch  knows to load the proper config file when a core is loaded?

 

 

hey there, I'm having the same problem with the joystick not working. What were the values you used in the retroarch.cfg for the joystick up, down, left, right to get the joystick to respond? Thanks

[Swift]

Please help with this, I been trying for the past hour and have given up to even get ZX Spectrum emulator to work. I can load games just fine but no matter what buttons I push NOTHING works! By default "User 1" or whatever is configured for this Gamepad thingie... and supposedly Enter would mean start. But nothing happens! I tried keybinding again, everything, nothing works. Why isn't there a simple "these are the general control keys" menu in this thing?

[JoeViking245]

2 hours ago, Swift said:

Why isn't there a simple "these are the general control keys" menu in this thing?

That's how RetroArch is, unfortunately.  I know there's several if not many posts on this site asking similar questions about RA (with answers).  You can search around.

Or go straight to the source.  http://docs.libretro.com/guides/input-and-controls/

[Swift]

6 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

That's how RetroArch is, unfortunately.  I know there's several if not many posts on this site asking similar questions about RA (with answers).  You can search around.

Or go straight to the source.  http://docs.libretro.com/guides/input-and-controls/

Thanks, I found that page too originally, but I do not understand it. It says only that gamepad is a virtual controller mapped to your real one. But I have no controller, I have a keyboard. I have Gamepad set to default controller, I have the buttons mapped, yet nothing happens when I try to push the buttons.

[JoeViking245]

Try deleting your retroarch.cfg file (actually, make a backup.. i.e rename it). When you restart RA, it'll generate a new one.   https://forums.libretro.com/t/solved-retroarch-not-respond-to-keyboard-respond-to-controller/10943/2

If that doesn't work:   See note 5) here.  (granted, this is for a per core configuration. But hopefully will shed some light). http://www.rlauncher.com/forum/showthread.php?1421-RetroArch-Input-Mapping-for-Keyboard

And if you want to get real crazy, edit retroarch.cfg and set the values to like those here. https://gist.github.com/Monroe88/0f7aa02156af6ae2a0e728852dcbfc90

If you still have issues, attach a/some screenshots for us to look at.

[y0ush4]

http://www.rlauncher.com/forum/showthread.php?1421-RetroArch-Input-Mapping-for-Keyboard

 

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