Emulate Apple II with Retroarch's Mame Core

[SiriusVI]

Hey everyone,

I've recently started adding a bunch of smaller systems to my Launchbox collection, but since there aren't any specified cores for them, I haven't gotten them to work, until now.
Using Retroarch's Mame core, I was able to launch the  following systems:

- Philips CDI
- Emerson Arcadia 2001
- Entex Adventure Vision
- Fairchild Channel F
- GCE Vectrex

However, I just cannot for the life of me, get Apple II to work. If I try to launch it, retroarch will crash. So here's how I got the other systems working:

The process is rather simple if you know how to do it (example Fairchild Channel F).

1. You need the system specific hash file in place at: YOUR_PATH\RetroArch\system\mame\hash\channelf.xml

2. You need your games in softlist format named and zipped in a way that is readable by mame (e.g. alieninv.zip)

3. Your games must be in a folder named after the softlist entry in the hash file: YOUR_PATH\channelf\alieninv.zip

4. The BIOS file(s) need to be in the samefolder as the games: YOUR_PATH\channelf\channelf.zip

5. In Launcbox --> manage emulators --> associated platforms, change the core for Fairchild Channel F to mame (without name tags)


This way I've been able to get these 5 systems working. Apple II however alsways crashes retroarch, even though I've folllowed these exact steps:

1. You need the system specific hash file in place at: YOUR_PATH\RetroArch\system\mame\hash\apple2.xml

2. You need your games in softlist format named and zipped in a way that is readable by mame (e.g. alf.zip)

3. Your games must be in a folder named after the softlist entry in the hash file: YOUR_PATH\apple2\alf.zip

4. The BIOS file(s) need to be in the samefolder as the games: YOUR_PATH\apple2\apple2.zip

5. In Launcbox --> manage emulators --> associated platforms, change the core for Apple II to mame (without name tags)


So I'm stuck here. Does anyone know where I went wrong?

Edited November 13, 2019 by SiriusVI

[JoeViking245]

Try adding these device files to your ..\apple2 folder.

a2diskiing.zip   and   d2fdc.7z

[SiriusVI]

Just now, JoeViking245 said:

Try adding these device files to your ..\apple2 folder.

a2diskiing.zip   and   d2fdc.7z

Thx for the suggestion. Will tray that once I get home.

I've also realized that there are many different apple 2 bios files, such as apple2ee or apple2ep, and so on. 

Which of these should I use? And if I decide to use a bios other than "apple2.zip", does that mean I have to change the name of my generation folder to "apple2ee" and rename the hash file to "apple2ee.xml"?

Also I have found that there are more XML files for apple 2, such as apple2_cass.xml. how do they factor in here?

[JoeViking245]

In the examples you gave, the BIOS files apple2ee and apple2ep are clones of the BIOS file apple2e  which are all for the Apple IIe system.  Here's some good reading for you. https://wiki.mamedev.org/index.php/Driver:Apple_II  

No. Do not rename the hash files!  The different ones are kind of in the names.  Cassettes.  Clean Cracked (5.25") floppies.  Miscellaneous (probably utilities and such).  Original floppies.   And of course, the apple2gs.xml file is for the Apple IIGS system.

[SiriusVI]

4 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

Try adding these device files to your ..\apple2 folder.

a2diskiing.zip   and   d2fdc.7z

I've just tried this, but unfortunately, retroarch still crashes when I try to launch a game =(. Do you have any other ideas?

[JoeViking245]

For RetroArch, no.  Sorry.  I've only used MAME (standalone) and it seems to load it fine.

[SiriusVI]

11 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

For RetroArch, no.  Sorry.  I've only used MAME (standalone) and it seems to load it fine.

I've just tried  MAME standalone, but it doesn't work as well. I may have set it upincorrectly though. I've never really used mame standalone. Besides, all the other 5 systems seem to work with my method. I have the strange feeling that it might have to do with the different bios versions and mame not knowing which one to load...

Edited November 13, 2019 by SiriusVI

[Headrush69]

If you start MAME standalone from a command prompt passing the option -v, it will give you exact details on what the problem is.

Quote

eg. ./mame64.exe apple2e ballblaz -v

or if not using software lists

./mame64.exe apple2e -flop1 E:\ROMs\Apple2\Ballblazer.woz -v (Change to path of your disk image)

 

[SiriusVI]

So if I use mess2015 core, retroarch launches and I get this result:

Is that progress? =D

[JoeViking245]

Ya.  That's as far as I attempted.

[SiriusVI]

14 minutes ago, Headrush69 said:

If you start MAME standalone from a command prompt passing the option -v, it will give you exact details on what the problem is.

 

Thanks for the info. I am a total noob however and don't know how to launch anything from a command prompt. Where and how do I enter this command prompt? Will I have to change anythin if I use software lists?

[JoeViking245]

Use the apple2ee.zip BIOS file.

 

 

[Headrush69]

I would suggest using standalone MAME over the Retroarch 2015 core, as there have been a ton of changes since that version and MAME's input system is more versatile. (But it all depends on what you're trying to run.)

Assuming you're on WIndows 10, right click the Windows icon in taskbar and select Powershell in the menu that appears. type cd following by a space, and than drag your MAME folder onto this screen. Hit return/Enter. This will move you into the MAME directory.

Now just type either of those commands from above. Just make sure you have the -v option.

 

[DOS76]

you could also add the -v option to you LB commandline for MAME and it would generate it without needing to use Powershell or a command prompt

[Headrush69]

54 minutes ago, DOS76 said:

you could also add the -v option to you LB commandline for MAME and it would generate it without needing to use Powershell or a command prompt

Can you expand on this?

Obviously I have to disable the hide console option and startup screens in LB for this to work, but the console log closes so fast it's hard to read. Is there some setting to make it persistent?

[DOS76]

ah does it only output to the console if so then my bad I thought it might generate a file somewhere.

[Headrush69]

3 minutes ago, DOS76 said:

ah does it only output to the console if so then my bad I thought it might generate a file somewhere.

I tried adding redirection to the command line arguments as well, but because LB always adds the file name as the last argument, it doesn’t work.

[JoeViking245]

Plan "B" can always be just run mame64.exe directly.  Start (after opening it) by clicking "Available"  on the left side of the screen.  Then double click the system (assuming it shows).  In this case It shows up [Apple //e (exnhanced)] because the 'apple2ee.zip' file is there.

The 1st error (screenshot) shows It's missing"'a2diskiing.zip"This next error shows "d2fdc.zip" is missing.Then of course, there could be both missing.As a wise man once said, "there's many ways to skin a cat."

(though I do like the info "-v" gives from the command prompt.  Thanks @Headrush69!

[SiriusVI]

Well, my Mame just gives me this message without telling me which files are mising:

[Headrush69]

Do you have your roms in the default rom folder in the MAME folder?

You can set your rom directory wherever you want on that same screen under Configure Options but the default is roms folder in MAME folder. (Make sure you save configuration if you change it)

Edited November 14, 2019 by Headrush69