Joystick scrolling of gamelist

[happyskibunny]

I am wanting to use the joystick (running through on old ps2 connected i-pac 2 player) of my arcade cabinet to continuously scroll though my game list when held down, rather than one game at a time. I have read that you need to enable z-axis to scroll, but I can not see that option or find it? Every screen shot I have seen here shows it in the options, but this is all I see:

[JoeViking245]

Your joystick connected through your IPac-2 should be tied to the keyboards Up/Down/Left/Right arrow keys.  When you have a game selected, and then hold the joystick down, it should zip right through them (same as the down arrow key).   The 'focus' need to be in the games section though.

[happyskibunny]

Unfortunately it does not. My keyboard will scroll down through game list when holding down the down arrow, but holding down the joystick will only move down one game, so I have to tap down constantly to scroll down game list.

[JoeViking245]

@happyskibunny I was reading up on something else and came across something regarding that if it's plugged in via PS/2 it doesn't have auto repeat.  But if plugged in via USB, it does.  I can't find it again right now, so I may have been looking at a different Ultimarc board.  But if you can come across a PS/2 to USB cable (and have an available USB port), it might be worth a try.

Plan "B" is to email Andy at Ultimarc and ask 'the man who knows'.  

[happyskibunny]

I could do, but from what I understand is that the i-pac deliberately does not have key repeat because this would be problematic for games, and that it is specifically for the Frontend to have this function built in. Here is a picture from Launchbox forums showing the option to 'Use z-axis to Scroll' that I believe enables this, but I can not find it in the current release. Maybe it has been removed?

[JoeViking245]

The Z-axis would be the 'variable' trigger on an Xinput controller (like seen on an XBox 360 controller [and others]).  Variable: i.e. squeeze the trigger a little, it gives a little gas, say in a racing game.  The IPAC-2 has the ability to switch [input] modes so that it can be seen as Keyboard (default), Dinput or Xinput.  But it needs to have firmware version 50 which looks like may only be available in newer IPAC's.  Yours, having the PS/2 connector on it is 'older', but may still accept the firmware upgrade.  Not sure.  But I'd recommend keeping it in keyboard mode.

The relevant info for the IPAC-2 with a PS/2 connector isn't available on the site.  But looking at their Mini-PAC, which does have info for its PS/2 connection model, and I believe uses the same IC chip, states:

Quote

Supports selective up/down key repeat in PS/2 mode (all keys repeat in USB mode) to give easy scrolling through lists with minimal CPU overhead and interface "clutter".

"Selective up/down key repeat", meaning that just the up/down keys can repeat (when using a PS/2 connection) helping it stay 'safe for games'.  [Also, having all keys repeat via a PS/2 connection may overload the computer's CPU. No the case with USB].

This up/down repeat [ via PS/2] may have been implemented after your board was produce.  I have the Mini-PAC [circa 2006] in my cab which has the PS/2 connector on it. The cable running from it to the PC is PS/2 on one end and a PS/2 & USB on the other.  I don't have a PS/2 connection on my PC, otherwise I'd give it a test. But my joystick up/down scrolls though the games in LB same as the up/down key on the keyboard does.

If for some reason or another it ends up that it "just plain won't work" with your IPAC-2, you could do something like assign Shift + joystick Up/Down to PageUp/Down.  Where Shift (by default) is the Player 1 Start button.  Just a thought.

[happyskibunny]

Thanks for your reply JoeViking245. I think the problem may be that my ipac is over 10 years old, so probably does not support this. I have ordered a new one.

[JoeViking245]

You are welcome!