Need help setting controller configurations in retroarch per core not globally

[rushisrighton]

Here's my issue. I have launchbox / bigbox and I like using retroarch for most of my emulators. The problem I have is I want to assign my buttons separately for each system, nes / snes / genesis / mame etc.etc.

I am using bigbox pc  in an upright arcade cabinet, I am using arcade controls and buttons Ultimarc I-PAC ultimate and happ buttons.

So bigbox and retroarch sees my controls as keyboard inputs, if I bind controls for sega genesis, it binds them globally meaning  the same key inputs are now mapped to the nes emulator. I want separate config files for each emulator but I can't figure out how to make this happen, can anyone help? 

[JoeViking245]

Start up RA (NOT from inside LB/BB).  Load the core for the platform you want to configure. Go (right) to Settings, Input, User1Blinds.  Setup the buttons/controls (and for User2Blinds if you wish). Go back to Main Menu.  Select Quick Menu (which doesn't show if you don't have a core loaded) then Overrides (very bottom). Select Save Core Overrides.  Though probably not necessary, without making any other changes, load RA, do the config/save, exit RA, restart and test that core/platform.

My upright cab has the I-PAC/2 and when I 1st tried RA, I actually completely gave up.  About 6 months later I convinced myself it can't be that hard. Sure enough... the answer was right there the whole time.  

[neil9000]

Actually you just need to set the controls for individual cores in the quick menu/Controls section, just change them to how you want then in the same menu is a "save core remap" option, hit that and it will save them for the currently loaded core.

[rushisrighton]

4 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

Start up RA (NOT from inside LB/BB).  Load the core for the platform you want to configure. Go (right) to Settings, Input, User1Blinds.  Setup the buttons/controls (and for User2Blinds if you wish). Go back to Main Menu.  Select Quick Menu (which doesn't show if you don't have a core loaded) then Overrides (very bottom). Select Save Core Overrides.  Though probably not necessary, without making any other changes, load RA, do the config/save, exit RA, restart and test that core/platform.

My upright cab has the I-PAC/2 and when I 1st tried RA, I actually completely gave up.  About 6 months later I convinced myself it can't be that hard. Sure enough... the answer was right there the whole time.  

Maybe I am having a real problem then. When I try to save core override I get a “saving overrides error”

[JoeViking245]

Load the core, then load content (a game).  Press F1 to back into RA and try the config/save.

[rushisrighton]

Well so far no change in behavior, whatever I do in the nes core changes the genesis core, or if I configure the genesis core it changes the nes core. I tried changing the nes in retroarch, then exit/save. I then went into bigbox and while in game I hit f1 and in the quick menu I was able to save the core override.

i thought well cool, it saved the core override. So next I went into retroarch and bound my controls for the genesis exited/saved on exit. Went into bigbox, loaded a game, pressed f1 and saved the core override.

so I went back to the nes and same as before now all my controls are bound to my button mappings for the genesis.

Ive read a ton of tutorials, spent more hours on this then I care to admit, and I'm still stuck. What can I possibly be missing?

[rushisrighton]

Well. Another 4 hours of trying, nothing works I've tried it multiple ways, it's setting the controls globally. The config override isn't working.  Why won't retroarch allow me to set my buttons, frustrating.

[rushisrighton]

15 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

Start up RA (NOT from inside LB/BB).  Load the core for the platform you want to configure. Go (right) to Settings, Input, User1Blinds.  Setup the buttons/controls (and for User2Blinds if you wish). Go back to Main Menu.  Select Quick Menu (which doesn't show if you don't have a core loaded) then Overrides (very bottom). Select Save Core Overrides.  Though probably not necessary, without making any other changes, load RA, do the config/save, exit RA, restart and test that core/platform.

My upright cab has the I-PAC/2 and when I 1st tried RA, I actually completely gave up.  About 6 months later I convinced myself it can't be that hard. Sure enough... the answer was right there the whole time.  

So how many retroarch emulators are you using bigbox for? You have an iPac and your able to assign your buttons on a per core basis? I'm at a loss getting this to work, any chance you can give it a try again and give a little more detailed how to? I've done what you suggested but it's not worked, there must be something I'm missing. It'd sure help me out having someone else with a similar system. 

[JoeViking245]

If through RA, you Load Core/Content, F1, Controls [assign buttons] and Save Core Remap File, you don't need to do anything when you load a game in BigBox except play.  Any and all emulator configuration (especially in-game controls) needs to be done, and confirmed working outside of LB/BB.

You don't by chance have RA installed in your Program Files directory?  That could be the underlying issue.  ..directory/file write administrator permissions and all that shtuff.  If it's not, I think your best bet is to simply start fresh with RA. (LB/BB has Nothing to do with the issues you're having.  Just sayin'.)  Since nothing appears to be working correctly with RA, there's no loss in completely trashing your RA installation and installing fresh. 

From Windows, start [your freshly installed] RetroArch.

Load Core
  find the core and hit enter
Load Content
  go to the directory that has your games and select one
  (mine are in zip files, so I need to select Load Archive)
  you may be asked to select a core (again)
  do that and the game will start
Hit F1
  you'll be at RA's Quick Menu (starting at "Resume")
Scroll down and select Controls
Scroll down and map your controls
  it'll look different than my pict (was on a remote computer)
Once done, scroll up and select Save Core Remap File
Scroll up more and select Resume

All should be good.

At this point the game is running.  Hit F1

 

[rushisrighton]

I have RA stored in my LaunchBox/ emulators folder. If I can’t get it running tonight I might have to do a fresh install.

[JoeViking245]

That's a perfect location for it.  Definitely do try again but maybe not 4 hours until you decide to do a fresh install.    With all the trial and error, there could be that one little setting that accidentally got changed that'll leave you at wits end.  GL

[rushisrighton]

? I’m pretty patient and very persistent. I usually don’t ask for help, until I’ve worked on it for a looooong time. Thanks for all the help by the way.

[rushisrighton]

Fresh install of retroarch only 2 cores loaded, Nestopia and sega gsx. Exact same problem. Change 1 they both change. When I load a game it shows that config override loaded successfully, and I call bullshit.

[Lordmonkus]

Here are my settings in RA and I have no problems with per core controller settings, you have to turn off Save Configuration on Exit and make sure that when you change your control settings that you save the config as a Core Override.

[rushisrighton]

8 minutes ago, Lordmonkus said:

Here are my settings in RA and I have no problems with per core controller settings, you have to turn off Save Configuration on Exit and make sure that when you change your control settings that you save the config as a Core Override.

I have save on exit on, man I'm gonna be pissed and happy if that fixes it.

[rushisrighton]

Well I turned save on exit off, saved current config, exited and renters to make sure it was set to off. 

Exited and went into my remap folder and deleted the old content.

opend retroarch loaded the nes core, mapped my controller, then loaded content and inside of the game hit f1 and saved core override.

exited retroarch re entered and confirmed nes controls worked. Then exited retroarch.

I then went intro retroarch loaded the sega genesis core and repeated the procedure, exited and made sure my genesis controls worked, then I tried the nes and they were now set to genesis controls.

Still doesn't work. I gotta get some sleep.

[rushisrighton]

A little more info, I'm using windows 10 on pc, Ultimarc ultimate keyboard/controller and I'm setting my controls under the "retro pad" setting.

[Lordmonkus]

You can also try the controller remaps in the quick menu.

[rushisrighton]

22 hours ago, Lordmonkus said:

You can also try the controller remaps in the quick menu.

Tried that now also, same result. I even tried setting it up and just saving a game remap configuration - no go. 

My only other thought would be that I have 2 hard drives. I load all my roms off of the second hard drive, my ssd holds all of my retroarch/launchbox and operating system. Any chance this has anything to do with it?

[Lordmonkus]

I don't see why what drive your roms are on would have any effect one way or another. Retroarch just saves an override file for that rom based on the rom name itself and when you load that rom again it loads the override for it.