MAME Save / Load States and Rewind

[vaderag]

I'm re-setting up MAME using the default import in Launchbox...

Before, I had a single key which saved and a different single key which loaded a save state to a slot, but I can't seem to find a way to do this... am I missing something 

Is there a way "quick save" and "quick load" without having to go through a dialogue... sure I had it set up before...

Also I'm trying to get MAME rewind to work - in theory - if I Pause, and then press Shift-` ¬ then it will rewind.

It tries to but it fails and says see error.log - there is a major problem with this... I cannot find an error.log file anywhere...!

Can anyone advise how I can get MAME rewind to work?

 

Thanks

Edited November 1, 2022 by vaderag

[JoeViking245]

5 hours ago, vaderag said:

Before, I had a single key which saved and a different single key which loaded a save state to a slot, but I can't seem to find a way to do this... am I missing something 

Is there a way "quick save" and "quick load" without having to go through a dialogue... sure I had it set up before...

Have you changed the default key(s) in MAME for save and load?  When you say "go through a dialog", are you talking about accessing the save/load feature available in the pause menu (Pause Screen)?  If you go through the pause screen, LB is setup to use MAME's default F7 (Load) and Shift+F7 (Save).  But sounds like you may have had (at one point?) set up different keys in MAME itself to a single key [respectively].  Which, regardless of how it's setup in the pause menu, would still work for you directly in MAME.  Just not via the pause menu.

 

5 hours ago, vaderag said:

I'm trying to get MAME rewind to work - in theory - if I Pause, and then press Shift-` ¬ then it will rewind.

It tries to but it fails

You may need (want?) to disable LB's pause menu.  At least for MAME.  I'm pretty sure that when you're in the pause screen, direct keystrokes are not sent to the emulator.

If you want to disable it (at least do so for testing), edit your MAME emulator and in the Pause Screen section, un-check Enable Game Pause Screen.

[vaderag]

8 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

Have you changed the default key(s) in MAME for save and load?

No and yes (as in I hadn't, but had in my previous setup which was not setup via LB). I've now tried it both ways in the new setup. Behaviour is the same, but when you save it asks for a slot. Previously it never asked for a slot so presumably I'd set it to default to a slot somehow. It may have been something I did with AHK, but... I don't remember!

10 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

You may need (want?) to disable LB's pause menu. 

It's not actually on at the moment. My keys are being passed and step forward works, but I can't rewind... From a bit of research I'm now but convinced it can work well with Mame, but would like to know for sure!

[JoeViking245]

1 hour ago, vaderag said:

Previously it never asked for a slot so presumably I'd set it to default to a slot somehow. It may have been something I did with AHK

Having an AHK script to do that makes sense and is probably the only way.  I don't think MAME has a setting-of-sorts for always using slot "1" (or whatever).

 

1 hour ago, vaderag said:

My keys are being passed and step forward works, but I can't rewind

Have you tried this during gameplay?  Vs. pausing then 'rewinding'.  May double check your key assignments in MAME.  Honestly, I never paid attention that rewind was even a thing.  I've used the Insert [key] for fast forwarding though.

[vaderag]

11 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

Having an AHK script to do that makes sense and is probably the only way.  I don't think MAME has a setting-of-sorts for always using slot "1" (or whatever).

 

Have you tried this during gameplay?  Vs. pausing then 'rewinding'.  May double check your key assignments in MAME.  Honestly, I never paid attention that rewind was even a thing.  I've used the Insert [key] for fast forwarding though.

I'm giving up on the rewind - pretty certain that it's just a debugging feature

However, I really need to get the save / reload working - I don't think it was a script because I'd have seen the window pop up quickly which I never did

Perhaps it was an older version of mame thing...

Seems someone else has it working here: How do you save a game state in MAME? (arcadecontrols.com)

 

EDIT: I also don't recall re-compiling mame to do this, but this might be an alternate option - combine AHK with hiding the Load/Save dialogue as explained here:  Solved - Need diff to disable load state messages (arcadecontrols.com)

Edited November 2, 2022 by vaderag

[JoeViking245]

2 hours ago, vaderag said:

I'm giving up on the rewind

Good. 🙃

 

2 hours ago, vaderag said:

Perhaps it was an older version of mame thing...

Kind of doubt it.  But it may have been something in a MAME offshoot.?.?..  MAMEui, qmc2, or something funky like that.  To limit save/load to a single slot, I can see having both pros and cons (compared to having up to 10).  Depends on the end-user's needs/requirements.

I do know that you can have a specific game or system automatically load a specific save state by creating an ini file.  In the ini folder create a text file like mslugx.ini (for Metal Slug X) or neogeo.ini (for all NeoGeo games) and put in just 1 line.  "state    1".  Every time you load that game or a game using that source, save state 1 will load automatically.

 

2 hours ago, vaderag said:

Seems someone else has it working here

If you reassign the save state to Shift+P, I imagine if you hold the P a little longer, you'd end up sending Shift+PPPPPPPPPP.  Ultimately saving it in the "P" slot. lol

 

Compiling your own as both links talked about, would be a pain.  Though not really difficult.  But still a pain.

I think it'd be a lot easier to just have an AHK script and put it in the Running Script section of your MAME emulator.  Chances are that it won't work if you want to upload your high scores to the Community Leaderboard.  To make it work, you need to have "-keyboardprovider dinput" in the command line (which is put there by default).

This example will load the save state in slot 1 (if one exists) for a game when you press "A".

SetKeyDelay, 0, 50

a::
{
  send {F7}
  sleep 100
  send 1
}
        

Yes, you will still see a popup for a split second.  Because of how MAME is, it's not a popup "window" you can hide.  You could also change the "a" to "$F7" to have F7 load slot 1 (vs it just bringing up the option menu).

 

If you wanted to get real crazy, you could probably create a lua script plugin to do this and have it work directly in MAME.  With this, you wouldn't have to compile-your-own MAME anytime you update. Or ever, for that matter.

Here's something you might be able to modify.   If you're so inclined.   It's set to save and load to the "auto" slot [only].   http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,151810.msg1623419.html#msg1623419

[vaderag]

4 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

Good. 🙃

 

Kind of doubt it.  But it may have been something in a MAME offshoot.?.?..  MAMEui, qmc2, or something funky like that.  To limit save/load to a single slot, I can see having both pros and cons (compared to having up to 10).  Depends on the end-user's needs/requirements.

I do know that you can have a specific game or system automatically load a specific save state by creating an ini file.  In the ini folder create a text file like mslugx.ini (for Metal Slug X) or neogeo.ini (for all NeoGeo games) and put in just 1 line.  "state    1".  Every time you load that game or a game using that source, save state 1 will load automatically.

 

If you reassign the save state to Shift+P, I imagine if you hold the P a little longer, you'd end up sending Shift+PPPPPPPPPP.  Ultimately saving it in the "P" slot. lol

 

Compiling your own as both links talked about, would be a pain.  Though not really difficult.  But still a pain.

I think it'd be a lot easier to just have an AHK script and put it in the Running Script section of your MAME emulator.  Chances are that it won't work if you want to upload your high scores to the Community Leaderboard.  To make it work, you need to have "-keyboardprovider dinput" in the command line (which is put there by default).

This example will load the save state in slot 1 (if one exists) for a game when you press "A".

SetKeyDelay, 0, 50

a::
{
  send {F7}
  sleep 100
  send 1
}
        

Yes, you will still see a popup for a split second.  Because of how MAME is, it's not a popup "window" you can hide.  You could also change the "a" to "$F7" to have F7 load slot 1 (vs it just bringing up the option menu).

 

If you wanted to get real crazy, you could probably create a lua script plugin to do this and have it work directly in MAME.  With this, you wouldn't have to compile-your-own MAME anytime you update. Or ever, for that matter.

Here's something you might be able to modify.   If you're so inclined.   It's set to save and load to the "auto" slot [only].   http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,151810.msg1623419.html#msg1623419

Interesting... leaning towards the AHK option - will the running script be active while running - I understood it as 'at launch' but that's probably my misunderstanding!

I have no idea what an lua script plugin is... but i might investigate!

[JoeViking245]

44 minutes ago, vaderag said:

will the running script be active while running

Yes.  It's launched in conjunction with the game starting and stays active until either the script closes itself (ExitApp) or the game exits (then it's forced closed).

 

45 minutes ago, vaderag said:

I have no idea what an lua script plugin is... but i might investigate!

Scripting MAME via Lua — MAME Documentation 0.249 documentation (mamedev.org)

MAME Lua Class Reference — MAME Documentation 0.249 documentation (mamedev.org)

They're pretty cool and can do A LOT of things.  I do pretty well with AHK, C# and batch files (which are actually lot more powerful than you can imagine).  I can look at a Lua script and understand and follow through with what it's intending to do.  But I'll be damned if I could write/create one from scratch. lol  But it's been a couple years since I've looked at them.

In the last year, MAME has updated their Lua scripting documentation.  Namely in the Class Reference section.  Though I haven't really looked at it.  Maybe you'll have more patience than me.  

[vaderag]

4 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

Yes.  It's launched in conjunction with the game starting and stays active until either the script closes itself (ExitApp) or the game exits (then it's forced closed).

 

Scripting MAME via Lua — MAME Documentation 0.249 documentation (mamedev.org)

MAME Lua Class Reference — MAME Documentation 0.249 documentation (mamedev.org)

They're pretty cool and can do A LOT of things.  I do pretty well with AHK, C# and batch files (which are actually lot more powerful than you can imagine).  I can look at a Lua script and understand and follow through with what it's intending to do.  But I'll be damned if I could write/create one from scratch. lol  But it's been a couple years since I've looked at them.

In the last year, MAME has updated their Lua scripting documentation.  Namely in the Class Reference section.  Though I haven't really looked at it.  Maybe you'll have more patience than me.  

I've started down a rabbit hole now... if I hasn't seen that save script you sent i may not have done, but if i could just bind those actions to a keypress (rather than a menu) then I'll be golden!

 

Struggling to find any reference in MAME to the emu.register_ options tho

Edited November 2, 2022 by vaderag

[JoeViking245]

16 minutes ago, vaderag said:

Struggling to find any reference in MAME to the emu.register_ options

That might have been when I gave up. lol

Time for a little deeper digging.  It's "documented" in the luaengine.cpp file.  mame/luaengine.cpp at master · mamedev/mame · GitHub

In the commented section emu library and starting on line 603.

Have fun. 

[vaderag]

28 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

That might have been when I gave up. lol

Time for a little deeper digging.  It's "documented" in the luaengine.cpp file.  mame/luaengine.cpp at master · mamedev/mame · GitHub

In the commented section emu library and starting on line 603.

Have fun. 

My head is hurthing lol

There is some code which I'm trying to parse already included - it seems that this somehow (and that somehow is the key) listens for a hotkey which when pressed does something... not really sure what, but that bit doesnt matter

BUT, it's making my head hurt to reverse engineer!! 

All I need is... if [insertkey here] is pressed, then manager:machine():save("auto")

 

EDIT: sorry - i though that would collapse! Oh well

-- license:BSD-3-Clause
-- copyright-holders:Vas Crabb
local exports = {
	name = 'timecode',
	version = '0.0.1',
	description = 'Timecode recorder plugin',
	license = 'BSD-3-Clause',
	author = { name = 'Vas Crabb' } }


local timecode = exports

function timecode.startplugin()
	local file                  -- the timecode log file
	local write                 -- whether to record a timecode on the next emulated frame
	local text                  -- name of current part
	local frame_count           -- emulated frame counter
	local start_frame           -- start frame count for current part
	local start_time            -- start time for current part
	local total_time            -- total time of parts so far this session
	local count                 -- current timecode number
	local show_counter          -- whether to show elapsed time since last timecode
	local show_total            -- whether to show the total time of parts

	local frame_mode            -- 0 to count frames, 1 to assume 60 Hz
	local hotkey_seq            -- input sequence to record timecode
	local hotkey_pressed        -- whether the hotkey was pressed on the last frame update
	local hotkey_cfg            -- configuration string for the hotkey

	local item_framemode        -- menu index of frame mode item
	local item_hotkey           -- menu index of hotkey item
	local commonui              -- common UI helpers
	local hotkey_poller         -- helper for configuring hotkey


	local function get_settings_path()
		return emu.subst_env(manager.machine.options.entries.homepath:value():match('([^;]+)')) .. '/timecode'
	end


	local function set_default_hotkey()
		hotkey_seq = manager.machine.input:seq_from_tokens('KEYCODE_F12 NOT KEYCODE_LSHIFT NOT KEYCODE_RSHIFT NOT KEYCODE_LALT NOT KEYCODE_RALT')
		hotkey_cfg = nil
	end


	local function load_settings()
		-- set defaults
		frame_mode = 1
		set_default_hotkey()

		-- try to open configuration file
		local cfgname = get_settings_path() .. '/plugin.cfg'
		local cfgfile = io.open(cfgname, 'r')
		if not cfgfile then
			return -- probably harmless, configuration just doesn't exist yet
		end

		-- parse settings as JSON
		local json = require('json')
		local settings = json.parse(cfgfile:read('a'))
		cfgfile:close()
		if not settings then
			emu.print_error(string.format('Error loading timecode recorder settings: error parsing file "%s" as JSON', cfgname))
			return
		end

		-- recover frame mode
		local count_frames = settings.count_frames
		if count_frames ~= nil then
			frame_mode = count_frames and 0 or 1
		end

		-- recover hotkey assignment
		hotkey_cfg = settings.hotkey
		if hotkey_cfg then
			local seq = manager.machine.input:seq_from_tokens(hotkey_cfg)
			if seq then
				hotkey_seq = seq
			end
		end
	end


	local function save_settings()
		local path = get_settings_path()
		local attr = lfs.attributes(path)
		if not attr then
			lfs.mkdir(path)
		elseif attr.mode ~= 'directory' then
			emu.print_error(string.format('Error saving timecode recorder settings: "%s" is not a directory', path))
			return
		end
		local json = require('json')
		local settings = { count_frames = frame_mode == 0 }
		if hotkey_cfg then
			settings.hotkey = hotkey_cfg
		end
		local data = json.stringify(settings, { indent = true })
		local cfgname = path .. '/plugin.cfg'
		local cfgfile = io.open(cfgname, 'w')
		if not cfgfile then
			emu.print_error(string.format('Error saving timecode recorder settings: error opening file "%s" for writing', cfgname))
			return
		end
		cfgfile:write(data)
		cfgfile:close()
	end


	local function process_frame()
		if (not file) or manager.machine.paused then
			return
		end
		if write then
			write = false
			count = count + 1
			show_total = true

			-- time from beginning of playback in milliseconds, HH:MM:SS.fff and frames
			local curtime = manager.machine.time
			local sec_start = curtime.seconds
			local msec_start = (sec_start * 1000) + curtime.msec
			local msec_start_str = string.format('%015d', msec_start)
			local curtime_str = string.format(
					'%02d:%02d:%02d.%03d',
					sec_start // (60 * 60),
					(sec_start // 60) % 60,
					sec_start % 60,
					msec_start % 1000)
			local frame_start_str = string.format('%015d', (frame_mode == 0) and frame_count or (msec_start * 60 // 1000))

			-- elapsed from previous timecode in milliseconds, HH:MM:SS.fff and frames
			local elapsed = curtime - start_time
			local sec_elapsed = elapsed.seconds
			local msec_elapsed = (sec_elapsed * 1000) + elapsed.msec
			local msec_elapsed_str = string.format('%015d', msec_elapsed)
			local elapsed_str = string.format(
					'%02d:%02d:%02d.%03d',
					sec_elapsed // (60 * 60),
					(sec_elapsed // 60) % 60,
					sec_elapsed % 60,
					msec_elapsed % 1000)
			local frame_elapsed_str = string.format('%015d', (frame_mode == 0) and (frame_count - start_frame) or (msec_elapsed * 60 // 1000))

			-- update start of part
			start_frame = frame_count
			start_time = curtime

			local message
			local key
			if count == 1 then
				text = 'INTRO'
				show_counter = true
				message = string.format(_p('plugin-timecode', 'TIMECODE: Intro started at %s'), curtime_str)
				key = 'INTRO_START'
			elseif count == 2 then
				total_time = total_time + elapsed
				show_counter = false
				message = string.format(_p('plugin-timecode', 'TIMECODE: Intro duration %s'), elapsed_str)
				key = 'INTRO_STOP'
			elseif count == 3 then
				text = 'GAMEPLAY'
				show_counter = true
				message = string.format(_p('plugin-timecode', 'TIMECODE: Gameplay started at %s'), curtime_str)
				key = 'GAMEPLAY_START'
			elseif count == 4 then
				total_time = total_time + elapsed
				show_counter = false
				message = string.format(_p('plugin-timecode', 'TIMECODE: Gameplay duration %s'), elapsed_str)
				key = 'GAMEPLAY_STOP'
			elseif (count % 2) == 1 then
				local extrano = (count - 3) // 2
				text = string.format('EXTRA %d', extrano)
				show_counter = true
				message = string.format(_p('plugin-timecode', 'TIMECODE: Extra %d started at %s'), extrano, curtime_str)
				key = string.format('EXTRA_START_%03d', extrano)
			else
				local extrano = (count - 4) // 2
				total_time = total_time + elapsed
				show_counter = false
				message = string.format(_p('plugin-timecode', 'TIMECODE: Extra %d duration %s'), extrano, elapsed_str)
				key = string.format('EXTRA_STOP_%03d', extrano)
			end

			emu.print_info(message)
			manager.machine:popmessage(message)

			file:write(
					string.format(
						'%-19s %s %s %s %s %s %s\n',
						key,
						curtime_str, elapsed_str,
						msec_start_str, msec_elapsed_str,
						frame_start_str, frame_elapsed_str))
		end
		frame_count = frame_count + 1
	end


	local function process_frame_done()
		local machine = manager.machine
		if show_counter then
			-- show duration of current part
			local counter = (machine.time - start_time).seconds
			local counter_str = string.format(
					machine.paused and _p('plugin-timecode', ' %s%s%02d:%02d [paused] ') or _p('plugin-timecode', ' %s%s%02d:%02d '),
					text,
					(#text > 0) and ' ' or '',
					(counter // 60) % 60,
					counter % 60)
			machine.render.ui_container:draw_text('right', 0, counter_str, 0xf0f01010, 0xff000000)
		end
		if show_total then
			-- show total time for all parts so far
			local total = ((show_counter and (machine.time - start_time) or emu.attotime()) + total_time).seconds
			total_str = string.format(_p('plugin-timecode', 'TOTAL %02d:%02d '), (total // 60) % 60, total % 60)
			machine.render.ui_container:draw_text('left', 0, total_str, 0xf010f010, 0xff000000)
		end
		if file then
			local pressed = machine.input:seq_pressed(hotkey_seq)
			if (not hotkey_pressed) and pressed then
				write = true
			end
			hotkey_pressed = pressed
		end
	end


	local function start()
		file = nil
		show_counter = false
		show_total = false
		load_settings()

		-- only do timecode recording if we're doing input recording
		local options = manager.machine.options.entries
		local filename = options.record:value()
		if #filename > 0 then
			filename = filename .. '.timecode'
			emu.print_info(string.format('Record input timecode file: %s', filename))
			file = emu.file(options.input_directory:value(), 0x0e) -- FIXME: magic number for flags
			local openerr = file:open(filename)
			if openerr then
				-- TODO: this used to throw a fatal error and log the error description
				emu.print_error('Failed to open file for input timecode recording')
				file = nil
			else
				write = false
				text = ''
				frame_count = 0
				start_frame = 0
				start_time = emu.attotime()
				total_time = emu.attotime()
				count = 0
				show_counter = false
				show_total = false
				hotkey_pressed = false

				file:write('# ==========================================\n')
				file:write('# TIMECODE FILE FOR VIDEO PREVIEW GENERATION\n')
				file:write('# ==========================================\n')
				file:write('#\n')
				file:write('# VIDEO_PART:     code of video timecode\n')
				file:write('# START:          start time (hh:mm:ss.mmm)\n')
				file:write('# ELAPSED:        elapsed time (hh:mm:ss.mmm)\n')
				file:write('# MSEC_START:     start time (milliseconds)\n')
				file:write('# MSEC_ELAPSED:   elapsed time (milliseconds)\n')
				file:write('# FRAME_START:    start time (frames)\n')
				file:write('# FRAME_ELAPSED:  elapsed time (frames)\n')
				file:write('#\n')
				file:write('# VIDEO_PART======= START======= ELAPSED===== MSEC_START===== MSEC_ELAPSED=== FRAME_START==== FRAME_ELAPSED==\n')
			end
		end
	end


	local function stop()
		-- close the file if we're recording
		if file then
			file:close()
			file = nil
		end

		-- try to save settings
		save_settings()
	end


	local function menu_callback(index, event)
		if hotkey_poller then
			if hotkey_poller:poll() then
				if hotkey_poller.sequence then
					hotkey_seq = hotkey_poller.sequence
					hotkey_cfg = manager.machine.input:seq_to_tokens(hotkey_seq)
				end
				hotkey_poller = nil
				return true
			end
		elseif index == item_framemode then
			if (event == 'select') or (event == 'left') or (event == 'right') then
				frame_mode = (frame_mode ~= 0) and 0 or 1
				return true
			end
		elseif index == item_hotkey then
			if event == 'select' then
				if not commonui then
					commonui = require('commonui')
				end
				hotkey_poller = commonui.switch_polling_helper()
				return true
			elseif event == 'clear' then
				set_default_hotkey()
				return true
			end
		end
		return false
	end


	local function menu_populate()
		local result = { }
		table.insert(result, { _p('plugin-timecode', 'Timecode Recorder'), '', 'off' })
		table.insert(result, { '---', '', '' })

		local frame_mode_val = (frame_mode > 0) and _p('plugin-timecode', 'Assume 60 Hz') or _p('plugins-timecode', 'Count emulated frames')
		table.insert(result, { _p('plugin-timecode', 'Frame numbers'), frame_mode_val, (frame_mode > 0) and 'l' or 'r' })
		item_framemode = #result

		table.insert(result, { _p('plugin-timecode', 'Hotkey'), manager.machine.input:seq_name(hotkey_seq), hotkey_poller and 'lr' or '' })
		item_hotkey = #result

		if hotkey_poller then
			return hotkey_poller:overlay(result)
		else
			return result
		end
	end


	emu.register_frame(process_frame)
	emu.register_frame_done(process_frame_done)
	emu.register_prestart(start)
	emu.register_stop(stop)
	emu.register_menu(menu_callback, menu_populate, _p('plugin-timecode', 'Timecode Recorder'))
end

return exports

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by vaderag

[JoeViking245]

I think I remember for sure now why I stopped messing with it.  And a sure reminder as to not go trying it again. lol 

You might have a little better luck with something like /MAME/plugins/autofire/init.lua