how to exit How to EXIT out of Kat5200 with controller in BigBox.

[myklejay]

Hello all, 

I'm struggling with Kat5200... Looking for suggestions on how to exit out of Kat5200 using a controller in BigBox.

In Launchbox I'm only able to exit a Kat5200 game by hitting ESC on the keyboard (which only exits the game to the kat5200 emulator GUI) then I have to use a mouse in the kat5200 GUI to exit the emulator using the dropdown exit button. 

I haven't figured out a way to set a hotkey in Kat5200, and I do have the "Exit AutoHotkey script" section of "edit emulator" in Launchbox, but as mentioned above, it takes ESC + mousing to "Exit" in the kat5200 GUI to actually exit the emulator completely. 

This 2 step process makes it impossible to use the key mapping function to exit in BigBox.

Anyone else run into this, and what was your solution? After scouring the forums for days, I can't seem to find the issue mentioned anywhere... 

FYI: I would rather streamline things and just use the Atari800 core in Retroarch to run my 5200 library, but I'm having issues with serious gameplay slow down, and sound distortion (in BigBox only) That said, Atari 5200 games run perfectly fine in both Launchbox, and directly out of Retroarch when using the Atari800 core... hence the reason for Kat5200 which runs very well, and to me actually looks better on screen, but the exit issue is driving me mad. Thanks in advance! 

Edited February 28, 2021 by myklejay

[sundogak]

You can do one of two ways.  Alt-F4 is the default command in Kat5200 to quit the program.  The default for ESC is quit current emulation and go to the GUI which is why you are getting what you describe above since ESC is being issued. 

First Method (remap in LB):  Remap ESC to issue Alt-F4 for the KAT5200 emulator from within LB.  Go into running AutoHotkey tab in the emulator and paste in below:

; Use normal ALT f4 in windows to close. ESC takes back in menu. 
Esc::
Send, !{F4}
return

 Second Method (remap in Kat5200): 

Remap within Kat5200 what the keys you want to Exit and Back.  Outside of LB, launch Kat5200.exe.  Then hit ESC. You should get a screen like this (ignore mine says Atari 800 since that is what use emulator for):

If you click on Options and then User Interface you can select how keys are mapped within Kat5200. I recommend you run Kat5200 in Portable Mode. To do that you make a text file called portable.txt   inside this text file you you place following:

# Replace 0 with 1 below to make portable
1

Now the SQL database and such will be stored in the KAT5200 directory where the EXE is located.  I also recommend before you start making too many changes within Kat5200 that you make backup of the kat5200.db3 which is the SQLite database that stores all its settings including above remaps/profiles. That way if you do something (like forget to map a GUI key) that you can get back to prior settings.  

Once you get to the User Interface settings you click on the Exit to map to key you want.  Just make sure you make Back button mapped to something else besides ESC or you will have conflicts and/or you won't be able to get back to GUI.  

 

Lastly, a third option is if you use Retroarch you can use the Atari800 libretro core.  

 

[myklejay]

I’ll give these options a shot.  Thank you so much for the help, I appreciate you!!