Philips CD-i in Launchbox

[Headrush69]

From a command prompt or Powershell, run: mame64.exe -cc to create the Mame.ini or start Mame, go down to save configuration and it will create it.

Edited December 18, 2020 by Headrush69

[stevaside]

On 12/18/2020 at 6:22 AM, Headrush69 said:

From a command prompt or Powershell, run: mame64.exe -cc to create the Mame.ini or start Mame, go down to save configuration and it will create it.

Tried all that & still doesn't work...A window pops up for half a second that says "error: unknown option"

Looks like I'm most likely never going to get to try the Philips CD-i, being it's so F******G ridiculous & time consuming to try to get working compared to most other consoles

[Headrush69]

27 minutes ago, stevaside said:

Tried all that & still doesn't work...A window pops up for half a second that says "error: unknown option"

You're still using the mame64.exe from MAMEDev and not the MAMEUI.exe?

The proper MAME doesn't pop up error windows for messages like that.

 

[stevaside]

On 12/19/2020 at 5:30 PM, Headrush69 said:

You're still using the mame64.exe from MAMEDev and not the MAMEUI.exe?

The proper MAME doesn't pop up error windows for messages like that.

 

Yes, I even double checked everything. MAME64 from that exact site is what's set up

Well IDK that is what I saw. I tried starting game again for the hell of it &  another window shows up for like a split second, but I don't see any text this time.

[Headrush69]

Trying run from the command prompt or powershell adding the -v option.

That is verbose mode and should tell us exactly the issue.

Mame64.exe -v cdimono1 hotmario

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by Headrush69
Correct typo

[stevaside]

10 hours ago, Headrush69 said:

Trying run from the command prompt or powershell adding the -v option.

That is verbose mode and should tell us exactly the issue.

Mame64.exe -v cdimono1 hotmario

 

Sorry, not really familiar with running things from command prompt or using powershell. I entered the entire path of MAME64.exe follwed by -v cdimono1 hotmario & got an error

[Headrush69]

1 minute ago, stevaside said:

Sorry, not really familiar with running things from command prompt or using powershell. I entered the entire path of MAME64.exe follwed by -v cdimono1 hotmario & got an error

1. Open Powershell
2. Type cd and than a space
3. Drag your MAME folder from an Explorer window into PowerShell
4. Hot Enter key

You should now be in the MAME directory. Type the following command

Quote

./mame64.exe -v cdimono1 hotmario

 

[JoeViking245]

[alternate method]

Open Windows explorer and navigate to the folder that has you "mame64.exe" file (red underline).  

Click once on the address bar (red dot) and type "cmd" (no quotes) and hit Enter.  (Make sure "cmd" is the only thing on the line before hitting Enter)This will open the Command Prompt at the correct location to now enter the command:    "Mame64.exe -v cdimono1 hotmario"    and press Enter. (again, no quotes)

[stevaside]

Thanks to both of you for the quick responses! I decided to try command prompt again & this is what I got after entering that in

[Belgarath]

You missed out the 1 from cdimono1

[stevaside]

Sorry...

 

Looks like it says the CHD can't be found although I put it both in the software & roms folder of MAME. Only difference I can see is this shows a file that has Philips in the name & the one I have doesn't.  I also put a duplicate file in there just named hotmario.CHD

Edited December 24, 2020 by stevaside

[Headrush69]

Does your software library have the following directory structure:

Software Directory -> cdi -> hotmario -> Hotel Mario (1994)(philips)(eu).chd

Are both rom and software path set in your mame.ini?

Here is mine as an example:

Quote

rompath                   E:\MAME\roms;E:\MAME\CHDs;E:\MAME\software
swpath                    E:\MAME\software

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by Headrush69

[stevaside]

1 hour ago, Headrush69 said:

Does your software library have the following directory structure:

Software Directory -> cdi -> hotmario -> Hotel Mario (1994)(philips)(eu).chd

Are both rom and software path set in your mame.ini?

Here is mine as an example:

 

Well I'll be damned it finally appears to work!

Changing the rom path in the .ini alone didn't work, but then creating a subfolder in software called cdi then another within that called hotmario is what did it (And possibly renaming the rom to hotel mario (1994)(philips)(eu).chd instead of hotel mario (1994)(europe).chd that it was titled from the site I downloaded it from had something to do with it as well?) IDK still kinda confusing, why would creating subfolders with certain names need to be done for CDI when most other systems can have all roms dumped in a single folder & load right up? Im going to have to try this with the rest of my CDI CHDs now, but how would I even know what to correctly name the subfolders (Like I did "hotmario" for example)??

Well HUGE thank you for getting me to this point! Also 1 more question can a gamepad be set up with this system? I don't have mine connected ATM, but Hotel Mario seemed to work with the mouse & keyboard. Just thought I read something once that said gamepad on CDI wasn't possible with emulation? Hope that's not the case

 

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by stevaside

[JoeViking245]

5 minutes ago, stevaside said:

why would creating subfolders with certain names need to be done for CDI when most other systems can have all roms dumped in a single folder

This was kind of mentioned previously, but MAME Software Lists [roms] (vs MAME Arcade Machines [roms] vs PS2 [roms]...etc...) are a unique animal.  

As you know, MAME uses a shot-name naming convention.  i.e. Asteroids is asteroid.zip.  Here's why you put them into their own folders...  The Arcade Machine rom (file) is named asteroid.zip.  The Atari 2600 rom is named asteroid.zip.  The ZX Spectrum Cassette rom is names asteroid.zip.   See a pattern here?

So I suppose you think of the different Consoles (along with Acrade) that MAME can emulate as different 'Platforms'.  Which I imagine is how you'd load them into LB.

[stevaside]

1 hour ago, JoeViking245 said:

This was kind of mentioned previously, but MAME Software Lists [roms] (vs MAME Arcade Machines [roms] vs PS2 [roms]...etc...) are a unique animal.  

As you know, MAME uses a shot-name naming convention.  i.e. Asteroids is asteroid.zip.  Here's why you put them into their own folders...  The Arcade Machine rom (file) is named asteroid.zip.  The Atari 2600 rom is named asteroid.zip.  The ZX Spectrum Cassette rom is names asteroid.zip.   See a pattern here?

So I suppose you think of the different Consoles (along with Acrade) that MAME can emulate as different 'Platforms'.  Which I imagine is how you'd load them into LB.

Ahhh that makes total sense, I didn't put much thought into that lol

I've been using MAME for like 16 years, but this is 1st time ever trying it with something other than arcade games. Maybe MESS did it similar, I have used that but AGES ago, so don't rememeber

Edited December 25, 2020 by stevaside

[Headrush69]

15 hours ago, stevaside said:

Also 1 more question can a gamepad be set up with this system? I don't have mine connected ATM, but Hotel Mario seemed to work with the mouse & keyboard. Just thought I read something once that said gamepad on CDI wasn't possible with emulation? Hope that's not the case

Yes you can. Mame is very powerful for mapping controls and even allows digital type inputs to simulate analog inputs.

Within MAME when you bring up the inputs for each game, you can set up you game controller to simulate the CDI mouse. If your controller has analog sticks, you can use them as the CDI mouse X&Y. You will likely need to play with sensitivity in the Analog section within the Mame in game menu as well. If you don't have a gamepad with analog sticks, you will see options under those settings with the inputs named DEC and INC in the name. Those are for mapping digits inputs to the analog inputs.

Edited December 25, 2020 by Headrush69
Fixed typos

[JoeViking245]

On 12/24/2020 at 4:21 PM, stevaside said:

how would I even know what to correctly name the subfolders (Like I did "hotmario" for example)??

The easiest way would be to have downloaded a MAME Software List CHD's set which will have the folder structure already in place.  

Next method is to open the ../MAME/hash/cdi.xml file.  Then search for the game(s) in there."software name" is the 'short_name' or Folder name you want to use.
"description" is the proper Title for the game.
"disk name" is file_name (minus .chd) in which the rom file should be named.

Or... if "you know a guy" you could ask him to make a text file that lists the short_name and file_name (minus .chd) that you could reference.   cdi_Names.txt

There's probably somewhere on that internet thing that with some searching you may be able to find them also.

If you are able to do the "easiest way", there's a MAME Software List Importer plugin in the downloads section that can import these into LB/BB for you.  But it might be an all or nothing type thing.  (Like the MAME Arcade Full Importer built in to LB).  That is, if you only have 25 of the 625 entries in cdi, it'll "import" 625 'games'.  But you can then 'scan for deleted roms' in LB and it will remove those 600 'missing'  games from your Platform.

[stevaside]

6 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

The easiest way would be to have downloaded a MAME Software List CHD's set which will have the folder structure already in place.  

Next method is to open the ../MAME/hash/cdi.xml file.  Then search for the game(s) in there."software name" is the 'short_name' or Folder name you want to use.
"description" is the proper Title for the game.
"disk name" is file_name (minus .chd) in which the rom file should be named.

Or... if "you know a guy" you could ask him to make a text file that lists the short_name and file_name (minus .chd) that you could reference.   cdi_Names.txt

There's probably somewhere on that internet thing that with some searching you may be able to find them also.

If you are able to do the "easiest way", there's a MAME Software List Importer plugin in the downloads section that can import these into LB/BB for you.  But it might be an all or nothing type thing.  (Like the MAME Arcade Full Importer built in to LB).  That is, if you only have 25 of the 625 entries in cdi, it'll "import" 625 'games'.  But you can then 'scan for deleted roms' in LB and it will remove those 600 'missing'  games from your Platform.

Ahhh, knew there was an easier way, but I wound up just scrolling through the list of games on MAME , writing down the file names then naming the folders that....but...

I have bigger problems now. I was unable to get the CD-i to play from within Launchbox at all even though I set up the correct MAME as the default emulator. Loading the games from MAME itself wouldn't even work, kept telling me files were missing. That command line method is the only way I can play these games so far...and also the joystick configs I set never seem to save

Edited December 26, 2020 by stevaside

[JoeViking245]

Do you have a "mame.ini" in your MAME root folder and in your ../MAME/ini/ folder?

No?  Good.

Do you have a "cdimono1.ini" in your MAME root folder and/or in your ../MAME/ini/ folder?   Hopefully just one in one or the other folders.  What does the rompath for it look like?  Does it look like the rompath line in your mame.ini?

Edited December 26, 2020 by JoeViking245

[stevaside]

21 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

Do you have a "mame.ini" in your MAME root folder and in your ../MAME/ini/ folder?

No?  Good.

Do you have a "cdimono1.ini" in your MAME root folder and/or in your ../MAME/ini/ folder?   Hopefully just one in one or the other folders.  What does the rompath for it look like?  Does it look like the rompath line in your mame.ini?

mame.ini is just in the ini folder

Don't see a cdimono1.ini at all, in any folder, I even searched for the file. Closest I found was a cdimono1.cfg file in the cfg folder. I went in the mame.ini file & noticed the rompath listed the software folder , but not the software\cdi where the roms are. I changed it to that thinking that was probably the issue, but no. Get a "error unknown option" message when trying to start a game in Launchbox