Demul issues - Arcade button to exit and setup per game emulator on the same platform.

[kritvichu]

I'm currently runing Demul on Launchbox for playing games on Naomi, Naomi2, Naomi (2)GD, Hikaru, and Atomiswave systems. My problem is on Demul, not Launchbox. Since it last update was in late 2017, I am not quite sure if Launchbox has any work around functions to deal with these 3 problems I have on Demul.

1.The exit key is fixed to 'Alt+F4'. It not allow me to use an arcade button for an exit. Launchbox has an ahk script to bind Esc to Alt+F4;

$Esc::
{
    Send !{F4}
}

It is not quite an ideal to use a keyboard on the arcade cabinet. When I configured a control setting on Demul, it acknowledged one of my arcade buttons as 'JOY0_11'. I tried to change the above script from 'Esc' to 'JOY0_11'. Unfortunately, it does not work. The only workaround I can do is to use another third party 'JOY2KEY' to map Esc to the arcade button. This JOY2KEY causes some conflicts to my PS3 controller time to time and I try to avoid it. Is there a way to map Esc to my arcade button on that ahk script?

2. On Naomi and Atomiswave systems, many games only run on 'Digital' mode on the Arcade JOY1 controller setting (lots of fighting games) while many others still run on 'Analog' mode. This is a pain that requires me to fumble on finding a keyboard and mouse to manually re-configure different type of controller mode on those games. For instance, playing Naomi games, 18 wheeler uses 'Analog' mode on controller. Then, if I need to change to Capcom vs SNK, I need to manually reconfigure the controler to 'Digital' mode. I need to have 2 copies of Demul; one for Analog and another for Digital mode. However, Launchbox not allows me to associate a per-game emaulator selection on the same platform. So, I ended up having to create 2 NAOMI platforms; one associated with 'Demul-Analog' and another  with 'Demul-Digital' emulators. There will be more works to do on Naomi 2, Naomi GD, Naomi2 GD, Atomiswave, Hikaru, and Spider. Before moving on, I need to post it here to make sure this is the right way to do it.

Can I do a per-game emulator selection on the same platform?
If not, any suggestion to classify in categories with less headache?

3. Is there a way to auto-disabled screensaver while running Demul? All other emulators have this functions, not Demul. I need to make sure to turn off the screensaver before running the game.

Thank you.

[Retro808]

8 hours ago, kritvichu said:

I'm currently runing Demul on Launchbox for playing games on Naomi, Naomi2, Naomi (2)GD, Hikaru, and Atomiswave systems. My problem is on Demul, not Launchbox. Since it last update was in late 2017, I am not quite sure if Launchbox has any work around functions to deal with these 3 problems I have on Demul.

1.The exit key is fixed to 'Alt+F4'. It not allow me to use an arcade button for an exit. Launchbox has an ahk script to bind Esc to Alt+F4;

$Esc::
{
    Send !{F4}
}

It is not quite an ideal to use a keyboard on the arcade cabinet. When I configured a control setting on Demul, it acknowledged one of my arcade buttons as 'JOY0_11'. I tried to change the above script from 'Esc' to 'JOY0_11'. Unfortunately, it does not work. The only workaround I can do is to use another third party 'JOY2KEY' to map Esc to the arcade button. This JOY2KEY causes some conflicts to my PS3 controller time to time and I try to avoid it. Is there a way to map Esc to my arcade button on that ahk script?

 

Did you set your controller automation mapping in LaunchBox/BigBox to the button you want to close emulators? In BigBox it is the mapping for "Close Active Window". In LaunchBox it is "Exit Game". If you set the mapping it should work. I use the script below and can close Demul with button combo set for Joy8 + Joy9. What LB controller automation does is basically send Escape when you hit the button you mapped in it.

$Esc::
{
        WinClose, ahk_exe demul.exe
}

If setting it up that still does not work you could try

Joy11::Send {Alt Down}{F4}{Alt Up}

I am not an AHK expert so probably a better way to script that. It was an AHK I saw in another thread that worked.

8 hours ago, kritvichu said:

2. On Naomi and Atomiswave systems, many games only run on 'Digital' mode on the Arcade JOY1 controller setting (lots of fighting games) while many others still run on 'Analog' mode. This is a pain that requires me to fumble on finding a keyboard and mouse to manually re-configure different type of controller mode on those games. For instance, playing Naomi games, 18 wheeler uses 'Analog' mode on controller. Then, if I need to change to Capcom vs SNK, I need to manually reconfigure the controler to 'Digital' mode. I need to have 2 copies of Demul; one for Analog and another for Digital mode. However, Launchbox not allows me to associate a per-game emaulator selection on the same platform. So, I ended up having to create 2 NAOMI platforms; one associated with 'Demul-Analog' and another  with 'Demul-Digital' emulators. There will be more works to do on Naomi 2, Naomi GD, Naomi2 GD, Atomiswave, Hikaru, and Spider. Before moving on, I need to post it here to make sure this is the right way to do it.

Can I do a per-game emulator selection on the same platform?
If not, any suggestion to classify in categories with less headache?

 

You can do per game. Just right click the game and edit. In the Emulation tab choose the emulator you need. You can also select multiple games at once and it will bulk edit them.

8 hours ago, kritvichu said:

3. Is there a way to auto-disabled screensaver while running Demul? All other emulators have this functions, not Demul. I need to make sure to turn off the screensaver before running the game.

Cannot help on this as I do not run a screensaver on my cabinets. I use BigBox attract mode whenever they are running.

[kritvichu]

Hi Retro808, Thank you very much for helping. You helped me save a lot of time doing things redundantly and not necessary. I am really appreciate your help.

When you said I could do per-game emulator selection on the same platform. I knew right away I must have done something wrong. I found out that I need to uncheck box a default emulator under an associated platforms tab when both emulators use the same platform name . Previously, it had one emulator checked as a default. When I tried to set both emulators on the same platform, I got a warning that the new emulator would override the default emulator.  So I ended up working around the problem creating multiple platforms. I am glad I asked it here first before wasting too much time on this unnecessary tasks. All I have to do now is to clean up my mess, removing those many redundant platforms to just one name per system and 2 emulators for a specific control setting to use.

Regarding binding the exit to an arcade button, my Launchbox is a free version. That controller automation is available on the Premium version. I think that is the way to go. I really love Launchbox. The developer business concept is awesome. They let people try their awesome products, not a share ware with trial period, but it is free and very solid functionality product. The community is very supportive and friendly environment to help users and noob like me. 

[Kiinkyfoxx]

I think in Demul you can do alternative control settings as well so might not need analog and digital set ups.

Open Demul -------Config-----Controls-------Joy 1--------Down the bottom there is a check box for alternative settings- check it and it takes you to a second config screen for the same joystick - I think if you set one screen up as analog and then the other as digital that might save you having duplicate platforms as well.

It was a while ago I set mine up and I have changed a few things since, so this might not be correct but worth a try - unless you already have in which case ignore me.

[Retro808]

21 minutes ago, kritvichu said:

Hi Retro808, Thank you very much for helping. You helped me save a lot of time doing things redundantly and not necessary. I am really appreciate your help.

When you said I could do per-game emulator selection on the same platform. I knew right away I must have done something wrong. I found out that I need to uncheck box a default emulator under an associated platforms tab when both emulators use the same platform name . Previously, it had one emulator checked as a default. When I tried to set both emulators on the same platform, I got a warning that the new emulator would override the default emulator.  So I ended up working around the problem creating multiple platforms. I am glad I asked it here first before wasting too much time on this unnecessary tasks. All I have to do now is to clean up my mess, removing those many redundant platforms to just one name per system and 2 emulators for a specific control setting to use.

Regarding binding the exit to an arcade button, my Launchbox is a free version. That controller automation is available on the Premium version. I think that is the way to go. I really love Launchbox. The developer business concept is awesome. They let people try their awesome products, not a share ware with trial period, but it is free and very solid functionality product. The community is very supportive and friendly environment to help users and noob like me. 

I will definitely say purchase a license. I have enjoyed the product for over 3 years now and our two devs just keep making it better. I know they would appreciate the support. Should be easy enough to fix what you have and get it a bit cleaner.

[kritvichu]

On 4/29/2020 at 8:47 AM, Kiinkyfoxx said:

I think in Demul you can do alternative control settings as well so might not need analog and digital set ups.

Open Demul -------Config-----Controls-------Joy 1--------Down the bottom there is a check box for alternative settings- check it and it takes you to a second config screen for the same joystick - I think if you set one screen up as analog and then the other as digital that might save you having duplicate platforms as well.

It was a while ago I set mine up and I have changed a few things since, so this might not be correct but worth a try - unless you already have in which case ignore me.

Hi Kiinkyfoxx, thank you for the tips. I was busy trying to set up all platforms for Demul and just came back to read. Yeah, that trick works very well. Yeah, I don't need to have too many copies of Demuls. It takes down to just 2 to run Dreamcast, Naomi, Naomi GD, Naomi 2, Naomi 2 GD, Atomiswave, Hikaru, Cave3RD, Gaelco, and System SP. Dreamcast needs to use a oldgpudx with a specific parameter setting while others can use gpudx11.  The whole things deprived a lot of my time trying to compile all the roms and CHD. Even so, lots of roms could not run. But I am happy with the roms I can run, especially Hokuto No Ken on Atomiswave. That is my favorite.