Set up for Different Controller for Same Port Based on Core (RetroArch)

[3DrinksAhead]

Hi,

I am using LaunchBox/Big Box with RetroArch and could use some help understanding exactly how the controller configurations/ports work.  

My goal is to be able to use a specific controller based on the core. The majority of these controllers are blue-tooth and so won't always be connected to my PC. What I am envisioning is, use a keyboard to navigate BigBox, pick the system/core I want to play a game for, and then use that specific controller to play the game on a designated system. For example:

In BigBox, use a keyboard to navigate to my NES games. Connect my bluetooth N30 Modkit controller and play NES game. Exit out of NES game, turn off N30 Modkit controller, navigate to a Sega Genesis game on keyboard, connect bluetooth Retrobit Genesis controller and play Genesis games....and so on. I will list my controllers/cores below.

The issue I'm seeing is that (using the above example), when I connect my NES controller, that takes over 'Port 1', and the keys are assigned to that port (as opposed to the controller). When I disconnect that and connect my Genesis controller, that replaces the NES controller in Port 1, but the old configuration on the Genesis controller is replaced by the mapping that was just used for the NES controller, and I need to reconfigure the buttons within RetroArch before I can play the Genesis game on the Genesis controller. 

My question is, is there a way to use either the autoconfig, hard-coded configurations, or core remaps in RetroArch to make it so that when one controller replaces another in that port, that the new controller's mappings are used?  Am I better off skipping RetroArch all together and just launching directly from the different emulators for each system?

 

System/Controller Index

NES - N30 8BitDo Modkit (Bluetooth)

SNES - SN30 8BitDo Modkit (Bluetooth)

N64 - Raphnet Dual USB Adapter/Original N64 Controller

GameCube - Mayflash USB Adapter/Original GC Controller

Genesis/CD/32x - Retrobit Bluetooth Genesis Controller

Saturn - 8bitDo Saturn Modkit (Bluetooth)

Dreamcast - Mayflash Adapter/Original Dreamcast Controllers

Playstation - 8BitDo PS1 Classic Modkit (Bluetooth)

Playstation 2 - DualShock 3

 

[Headrush69]

Core remaps will do what you want, but you can run into issues with device indexes especially if you forget to disconnect a controller.

I use the tool devreorder to hide controllers I don't need for specific cores to be absolutely safe of no issues. I create a simple AHK script to move the appropriate devreorder.ini file into place for each core and set that to run before Retroarch as an additional app. For example:

Quote

cp devreorder_snes.ini devreorder.ini

So that specific ini file blocks all controllers except the XBOX 360s I use for SNES.

Edit: Double checked my set up and I have it set per game, not system.  With a little more work you could do per system. 

Edited July 21, 2020 by Headrush69