Installed CCS64. Using LB Import: Chose C64 Platform, but Emulator Name Dropdown Won't Show CCS64 As Option?

[C64Crazy]

So I installed some game roms, created a folder under Launchbox named Emulators (I think this is where they should go?), and installed the CCS64 Emulator for the Commodore 64 in that folder. Using the Import Roms tool, I picked my rom path and chose the Commodore 64 platform. So far so good, but when it comes to the next step of selecting emulators no emulators at all show in the drop down menu. So, I clicked on the ADD button and the drop down window for Emulator Name won't show CCS64 as an option. In fact, far as I can tell, all the emulator names it lists don't seem to be any kind of emulator for the Commodore 64.

I don't seem to be able to find the emulators it does show as options in any of LB's folders, because I was thinking perhaps I've put CCS64 in the wrong folder and it should go elsewhere. What am I missing here, and where are those emulators it lists hidden, because I suspect that's where CCS64 should go?

Bit of prior info- Before this I had tried to use LB Import Roms to download the emulator through it's system, thinking it wouldn't recognize it done manually, but that little blue Text link to surf the web does not show up when using Commodore 64 as the platform setting. It did before when I chose Arcade as the platform when first attempting to set up MAME (which I've aborted doing for now but that's a different problem).

While I love what I see so far in potential having paid for Bigbox, it's been several days and I've yet to set up my first game platform on this thing, having run into several roadblocks. I'm mainly shooting for C64, Amiga, and 1980's to early 90's MAME stuff. It was easy as "pie" on the Retropie. Everything I've read says LB is so easy to use. I'm sure that's true. Just having some bad luck in my particular wants and needs of platforms and corresponding emulators I guess.

Edited November 26, 2017 by C64Crazy

[Asparky]

I know this video, doesn't show the emulator you are using, but it should give you some pointers:

 

[bundangdon]

2 minutes ago, C64Crazy said:

So I installed some game roms, created a folder under Launchbox named Emulators (I think this is where they should go?), and installed the CCS64 Emulator for the Commodore 64 in that folder. Using the Import Roms tool, I picked my rom path and chose the Commodore 64 platform. So far so good, but when it comes to the next step of selecting emulator no emulators at all show in the drop down menu. So, I clicked on the ADD button and the drop down window for Emulator Name won't show CCS64 as an option. In fact, far as I can tell, all the emulator names it lists don't seem to be any kind of emulator for the Commodore 64.

I don't seem to be able to find the emulators it does show as options in any of LB's folders, because I was thinking perhaps I've put CCS64 in the wrong folder and it should go elsewhere. What am I missing here, and where are those emulators it lists hidden, because I suspect that's where CCS64 should go?

Bit of prior info- Before this I had tried to use LB Import Roms to download the emulator through it's system, thinking it wouldn't recognize it done manually, but that little blue Text link to surf the web does not show up when using Commodore 64 as the platform setting. It did before when I chose Arcade as the platform when first attempting to set up MAME (which I've aborted doing for now but that's a different problem).

I've been told LB is so easy to use, and while I love what I see so far in potential having paid for Bigbox, it's been several days and I've yet to set up my first game platform on this thing, having run into several roadblocks. I'm mainly shooting for C64, Amiga, and 1980's to early 90's MAME stuff. It was easy as "pie" on the Retropie. Everything I've read says LB is so easy to use. I'm sure that's true. Just having some bad luck in my particular wants and needs of platforms and corresponding emulators I guess.

Compared to other frontends, Launchbox is MUCH easier to use. However, it does require a few settings 'tweaks' with some emulators, especially the ones for computers, arcades, and other various machines. And first of all, (i'm assuming) you'll need to download the emulators separately. They aren't included with launchbox, as it is a retail program, and I'm sure that would cause some major copyright/trademark issues, while also making the emulator authors quite unhappy at the same time. Download the emulators and for the sake of convenience, unzip their contents into your "Emulators" folder. For the Commodore 64, I highly recommend trying the emulator VICE, as it's a little easier to set up than CCS64 and you can grab the latest version here http://vice.pokefinder.org/. Hope this helps

[C64Crazy]

I'll check out the C64 Setup video hoping it provides some answers, but when I launched LB for the first time and chose Import Roms it automatically launched a video by ETA Prime, which was related to installing the SNES but obviously is a How To Video on Importing Roms. Great video, but it didn't address the issues I'm running into. First, he was able to click on the little blue link to surf the web for his emulator of choice. Doesn't show on mime having picked Commodore 64 for platform, so I installed CCS64 manually. Second, he was able to find the emulator in the Name Emulator drop down. Doesn't show in mine, and I even tried placing the CCS64 emulator in the exact same folder he used. As said, when following his instructions but using ARCADE as the platform, I was able to find a mame emulator via the little blue link, installed it, and then found it in the NAME EMULATOR drop down menu. That has since been aborted due to other issues (outdated MAME I installed that won't run on Windows 10), so I figured I'd tackle the 64 first. My best guess right now is that the little blue link puts the emulator in a place LB will see as options and that I'm mistakenly putting in the Emulators folder I created, or that somehow LB is made aware of only emulators imported via that little blue link. Shot in the dark right now. Will watch the above video and hope it sorts it out.

Edited November 26, 2017 by C64Crazy

[Zombeaver]

@C64Crazy You can put the emulator wherever you want, but you'll need to create an emulator entry for it in Launchbox. It doesn't have to be one "known" to Launchbox beforehand. Some emulators have some default parameters if it's one that's already known but, if not, you can still add it anyway. Just name it whatever you want, add whatever parameters you want, and direct it to the emulator .exe.

I use CCS64 myself. My entry for it looks like this in Launchbox:
You don't have to add anything to the AutoHotkey Script page, but I've added some commands to allow certain CCS64 functions to be mapped to a 360/Xbone controller:

I've got more details on the full script here if you're interested.

[Zombeaver]

Also, don't watch that tutorial. It's got a good deal of bad information in it to be honest with you (like importing .nib files which do absolutely nothing in this context).

It's not complicated. Make a new emulator entry in LB, browse to CCS64's exe, name it CCS64, add Commodore 64 as the associated platform. That's it. You're getting hung up on the fact that it's an emulator that LB isn't already aware of and doesn't have a link to download the emulator or default parameters to go with it - this is true for plenty of emulators. There are certain ones that are already known/suggested in LB and plenty of others that aren't. If they aren't, there's nothing stopping you from adding them by hand.

[C64Crazy]

Thanks will try all that. You're the reason I'm using CCS64, having dug up a lot of old posts on Commodore 64 emulators. Sounds like a great one. I was leaning towards Winvice until I saw your remarks about the fast auto loader that automatically activates when it senses drive activity, and deactivates automatically avoiding compatibility issues. Seems like a major drawback to vice having to manually turn it off after each load, and from what I've read doesn't seem as compatible to some games.

I'll get back to you on how this pans out when I try what you've suggested, watched prior posted video, etc. Thanks...

[Zombeaver]

No problem! CCS64 is a fantastic emulator.

It's really not bad to setup. Don't get hung up on having to place the emulator in a specific place or having it show up automatically in a list - one of the great things about Launchbox is how flexible it is. You can put your emulators wherever you want and name them whatever you want when you make an emulator entry for them in Launchbox. Launchbox just has a list of known emulators that it kindof auto-fills parameters for, but this isn't a be-all-end-all. If it's an emulator that isn't one of these previously known ones, you can still add it manually. All you have to do is browse to the emulator's exe, add any default command-line parameters if necessary (none are necessary in the case of CCS64), and add in the relevant platform to the associated platforms tab (Commodore 64 in this case). You can also check the box to make it the default emulator for that platform in the associated platform tab.

[C64Crazy]

No dice on trying what you said. I named the Emulator CCS64, chose the pathway to the exact file, and when I try to proceed further in Import a error popup window appears and says "Please enter at least one applicable platform in grid". I'm guessing it's wanting me to pick from one of the options it offers in the NAME EMULATOR drop down menu. Time for a smoke, I'm getting frustrated! 

[C64Crazy]

BTW don't know if it matters, but my unzipped CCS64 folder does not show the program with an exe extension. It just describes it in the folder as an application. I assume this is no biggie? But when I chose it as the application path launchbox lists it with an exe extension. I'm guessing this is completely unrelated to the NAME EMULATOR error issue I'm having.

[DOS76]

yeah when you direct to the file you also have to go to the 2n tab associated platform and tell it the name of the platform you want to use it with..

[C64Crazy]

The Choose Platform drop down menu was prior to this. I've already selected Commodore 64 in that. The next step being Chose Emulator, which nothing shows in the drop down, so I clicked on ADD...which brings me to naming the emulator drop down, and none of the emulators listed are related to the CCS64. I then just typed in that for the name, and chose the Emulator Application Path to the emulator, but if I try to proceed with Import an error popup window says "Please enter at least one applicable platform in grid". So back to square one. It seems to want me to pick an emulator name in the drop down that it offers, none of which are remotely related.

Edited November 26, 2017 by C64Crazy

[Zombeaver]

Yeah, you have to add an associated platform on the associated platform tab. Otherwise it's not going to know what platforms are relevant for that emulator.

12 minutes ago, C64Crazy said:

I'm guessing it's wanting me to pick from one of the options it offers in the NAME EMULATOR drop down menu.

No, as I said, it does not matter if it's in the list or not. All those are are suggestions. The error you're receiving is because you're not specifying an associated platform in the associated platform tab. You need to add Commodore 64 and check the box for the default emulator. This is shown in my screenshots above.

[Zombeaver]

1 minute ago, C64Crazy said:

The Chose Platform drop was prior to this. I've already selected Commodore 64 in that. The next step being Chose Emulator, which nothing shows in the drop down, so I clicked on ADD...which brings me to naming the emulator drop down, and none of the emulators listed are related to the CCS64. I then just typed in that for the name, and chose the Emulator Application Path to the emulator, but if I try to proceed with Import an error popup window says "Please enter at least one applicable platform in grid". So back to square one. It seems to want me to pick an emulator name in the drop down that it offers, none of which are remotely related.

No. It blanks out the associated platform if you do it first. You need to fill out the first tab first, then associated platforms.

[C64Crazy]

Ahhhh! That got it done. Wow, they really should post that and the other above issues/info in a prompt window for setting up a new platform or emulator. I would have never known that was the issue judging by the error message. Seems like all of the above is an obscure dead end with no way out to a newbie on LB like me. I know they've put great effort into making LB easy to use, so if anybody from LB is reading this might be a good idea to explain all the above issues/solutions in the ADD EMULATOR setup window.

Romset art importing as I type...Thanks a billion! Now to set up the logitech f310 controller in LB, Bigbox, & CCS64, play a few games, and then turn my attention to putting together a modern MAME romset for use with the latest emulator. THAT I'm not looking forward to. I know it's going to be an even more daunting task, not due to LB, but due to the nature of MAME.

Oh BTW, what controller mapping in assigning buttons do you recommend in CCS64? Think I saw a post from you on that which sounded like a good idea...mapping certain function keys and spacebar, etc, to certain buttons on the controller to speeding through intros and such without having to screw around with the keyboard. A simple list of what you assign to what would be of big help. I also need to find out what buttons people generally assign to what for LB/BB functions, escaping emulators, etc. Have no clue yet what the most common assignments people use are and would like to follow the trend on that.

Thanks again!

Edited November 26, 2017 by C64Crazy

[Zombeaver]

5 minutes ago, C64Crazy said:

Wow, they really should post in that prompt window that setting up a new platform or emulator requires setting up the associated platform settings.

It does:

52 minutes ago, C64Crazy said:

when I try to proceed further in Import a error popup window appears and says "Please enter at least one applicable platform in grid".

That's exactly what it's telling you. If you don't have an associated platform in the associated platform tab, it doesn't know what platform(s) the emulator can be used with.

In case anyone is confused about this, for future reference:

 

[Zombeaver]

21 minutes ago, C64Crazy said:

Oh BTW, what controller mapping in assigning buttons do you recommend in CCS64? Think I saw a post from you on that which sounded like a good idea...mapping certain function keys and spacebar, etc, to certain buttons on the controller to speeding through intros and such without having to screw around with the keyboard. A simple list of what you assign to what would be of big help. I also need to find out what buttons people generally assign to what for LB/BB functions, escaping emulators, etc. Have no clue yet what the most common assignments people use are and would like to follow the trend on that.

The assignments in CCS64 itself you don't need to mess with. The A button (on a 360/Xbone controller) will be fire by default. I'm not sure about an F310 but I believe it uses Xinput so it should be similar.

I use AutoHotkey to assign some CCS64 functions to the controller. I linked that above, but here it is again.

[C64Crazy]

Thanks, will check that out. And yes, it's clear now the error popup window is saying to assign a platform, but that clarity is after the fact for me. I assumed they either meant you didn't pick the right platform in the prior drop down menu, or LB was being picky because you aren't picking any of the emulator names that come after the ADD emulator option. Hindsight is 20/20 though, now I know obviously. Thanks again.

[C64Crazy]

BTW what threw me for a loop was when I added my own MAME emulator before it did not require me to assign associated platform info. I'm guessing that's because MAME is already related to LB and so it knows what platform to associate it with. That minor issue might be good to point out in the ADD portion of the setup...that if it's a emulator not known prior this will have to be done, and that you can name it anything in NAME Emulator, then select pathway, then setup Associated Platform.