Automatically switch between 4-way and 8-way joystick depending on loaded game.

[Arcade Workshop]

Hey everyone. I just picked up a GRS TOS Switchable 4-to-8-Way Restrictor and I'm absolutely loving it. I was able to automate Launchbox to automatically switch my joystick to 4-way for all of the necessary games. I automated 382 games in under 3 minutes! I only needed 2 plug-ins and the ini files; Create Playlists from MAME, see step 3 here https://forums.launchbox-app.com/topic/60019-ultimate-mame-tutorial-all-killer-no-filler-or-playable-fullset/ , and (Bulk) Add Additional Applications, https://forums.launchbox-app.com/files/file/2866-bulk-add-additional-applications/

The application for the switcher is available at https://thunderjoystick.com/products/GRS-TOS/tos428cl_setup.zip (link included in installation manual).

 

After installing the tos428cl application and the LaunchBox plug-ins, click "Tools", then "Arcade Playlists from ini". Next, browse for your MAME ini/folders folder. Then click on Control.ini in the left column, and Joystick 4-way in the middle column. Click "Create Playlist", then either close this window or continue adding playlists by selecting the other control types (Joystick 2-way, Joystick 2-way Vertical).

In the main LaunchBox window, select "Playlists" from the drop-down list under "Search". Highlight your newly created playlist, then click on any game in the list. Hit 'CTRL + A' to select all. Then right-click and choose "Bulk Run Before/After Main Application".

In "Application Name", enter tos428cs

For "Application Path", browse for the tos428cs.exe file installed earlier.

In "Application Command-Line Parameters", enter the COM port followed by the parameters needed (i.e. COM4 setway,all,4). You can determine the COM Port with the command, tos428cl getport.

Tick the box for "Automatically Run Before Main Application", and click "OK".

- Right click any of the games and repeat the above steps, but using "setway,all,8" and ticking "Automatically Run After Main Application".

Now all of the games in that list will switch the joystick to 4-way when started, and back to 8-way on exit.

Repeat the above process for each of the playlists you want to automate.

I've included a video (no sound, just subtitles) that shows the steps in creating the 3 playlists and automating each one. I hope this can help some of you. Have fun!

 

 

 

 

Edited June 21, 2022 by Arcade Workshop
added demonstration video

[80sRkadeGuy]

Very cool! Can you post pics on how you made your joystick dial?

GRS makes great arcade controls and at great prices. I have his Star Wars yoke, Tron stick, spinner and led trackball. Now I'm just waiting on the Tron switcher to be released.

Edited July 13, 2022 by 80sRkadeGuy

[chevyspeed]

Could you help me set up a way to switch the 4/8 way using a Elgato Stream Deck?

[HotMommasCowboy]

On 6/17/2022 at 2:32 PM, Arcade Workshop said:

"Bulk Run Before/After Main Application"

Well, they've changed this up since you wrote about this in the forum. The bulk run... has been removed and now it's "Add". All the steps work until you get to the very end and click the final "OK". Then it gives you a pop up wanting to know the name of the game! Whelp, guess I'll have to add all my games manually (twice to have them switch back to 8 way after I exit a game) unless someone chimes in with a way that'll let me do them all at once like in your video.

On a side note, I had your pieces 3D printed and received them today. They look great, except for the fact that I had them do 2 tops and not a top and bottom!! Major head slap over that one! Whelp, if all goes well, I'll have 2 bottoms in a few days! Thanks again for sharing that info with me. These are going to be awesome once I get them into place.

[HotMommasCowboy]

For anyone trying to go by @Arcade Workshop post, some things have changed. If you follow Arcade Workshop's post, when you right click to go too "Bulk Run Before/After Main Application", that has been removed since his original post. But, @JoeViking245 had already accounted for this by creating a .dll file you can download to have it back. Here is the link to his forum post to download that link if you need it: 

Hopefully this'll help save some headaches for those that have the GRS 4-8 way auto-switcher and try to set it up.

[cigar7]

On 6/17/2022 at 3:32 PM, Arcade Workshop said:

Hey everyone. I just picked up a GRS TOS Switchable 4-to-8-Way Restrictor and I'm absolutely loving it. I was able to automate Launchbox to automatically switch my joystick to 4-way for all of the necessary games. I automated 382 games in under 3 minutes! I only needed 2 plug-ins and the ini files; Create Playlists from MAME, see step 3 here https://forums.launchbox-app.com/topic/60019-ultimate-mame-tutorial-all-killer-no-filler-or-playable-fullset/ , and (Bulk) Add Additional Applications, https://forums.launchbox-app.com/files/file/2866-bulk-add-additional-applications/

The application for the switcher is available at https://thunderjoystick.com/products/GRS-TOS/tos428cl_setup.zip (link included in installation manual).

 

After installing the tos428cl application and the LaunchBox plug-ins, click "Tools", then "Arcade Playlists from ini". Next, browse for your MAME ini/folders folder. Then click on Control.ini in the left column, and Joystick 4-way in the middle column. Click "Create Playlist", then either close this window or continue adding playlists by selecting the other control types (Joystick 2-way, Joystick 2-way Vertical).

In the main LaunchBox window, select "Playlists" from the drop-down list under "Search". Highlight your newly created playlist, then click on any game in the list. Hit 'CTRL + A' to select all. Then right-click and choose "Bulk Run Before/After Main Application".

In "Application Name", enter tos428cs

For "Application Path", browse for the tos428cs.exe file installed earlier.

In "Application Command-Line Parameters", enter the COM port followed by the parameters needed (i.e. COM4 setway,all,4). You can determine the COM Port with the command, tos428cl getport.

Tick the box for "Automatically Run Before Main Application", and click "OK".

- Right click any of the games and repeat the above steps, but using "setway,all,8" and ticking "Automatically Run After Main Application".

Now all of the games in that list will switch the joystick to 4-way when started, and back to 8-way on exit.

Repeat the above process for each of the playlists you want to automate.

I've included a video (no sound, just subtitles) that shows the steps in creating the 3 playlists and automating each one. I hope this can help some of you. Have fun!

 

 

 

 

 

I'm getting a "Unable to connect to COM port" dialog box when doing this for Daphne games (Dragon's Lair, Space Ace). MAME games are fine.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Arcade Workshop]

On 7/13/2022 at 9:48 AM, 80sRkadeGuy said:

Very cool! Can you post pics on how you made your joystick dial?

GRS makes great arcade controls and at great prices. I have his Star Wars yoke, Tron stick, spinner and led trackball. Now I'm just waiting on the Tron switcher to be released.

I apologize for the incredibly long delay, but Here's a link to the 3D printed joystick mount. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4459901