Start app before emulator does not work [when config more than one emulator] update: does not work at all

[rantanplan]

Hello everybody.

I've configured two folders for sega model 2 emulator. Each folder with its own .exe for the emulator. One I'm gonna use to to launch default mode (Model2 folder) and the other to launch games in 16:9 stretch (model2_stretch folder).

To play games with 2 lightguns, I need demulshooter to run before de emulator and stay open. so I have a .bat file to lauch demulshooter.

For expample, to open House of the dead (hotd) the .bat file is named hotd.bat and the content is : C:\>\<demulshooter dir>\DemulShooter.exe -target=model2 -rom=hotd

Everything works great out of launchbox. I start the .bat and demulshooter opens. Then I start the emulator and the game and everything works. I've tried emulator in Model2 and the emulator in Model2_stretch and both work.

OK, the problem is when i want to do that from launchbox.

I've created two diferent emulatos for the platform Sega Model 2. One called "Model2" and one "Model2_stretch". Each one pointed to the exe y their folder. So now I can rightclic in the game and choose launch with...

Works too.

Now I go to the edit window of House of the dead and in additional apps tab add a app , name it "demulshooter" and point the path to the .bat and check "automatically run before main application".

That should work but it didn't.

When I clic the game and choose the emulator, the .bat doesn't start.

But if I right clic on the game and choose Additional apps-->demulshooter, it works.

I can play this way, but in Bigbox there is no Additional apps menú to start demulshooter.

 

Can someone help me, please?

 

[update]: actually, i've been doing more tests and automatically run app before main application doesn't work at all. I tested it with a snes game configured to launch with only retroarch and fill the additional app with a test .bat opening "google chrome". When I start the game, chrome never opens.

I'm probably doing somthing wrong but I don't know where

PD: run app after main app works ok

Edited March 18, 2023 by rantanplan
more test

[tkssitch]

Set your additional app for Sega M2 this way (not in the picture, but what I'm going to tell you)

application Name =DemulShooter (name means nothing just keeps things cleaner)

Application Path = c:\DemulShooter\demulshooter.exe (Use the demulshooter .exe file, app path is just wherever you keep your Demulshooter not your bat. the reason for the add'l app here is to launch demulshooter along with your game)

VERY IMPORTANT STEP!!!!

Application command line parameter= -target=model2 -rom=ROMNAME (if it's House of the Dead the replace ROMNAME with hotd)

check your box as seen in the picture. Do this for all your games (I think for shooting there is only 6 roms) 

Also, you need to edit your running script in your emulator settings so Demul will properly close, or it won't shutdown. 

 

You'll need to go to "Running script and add this between the existing brackets

 Process, Close, DemulShooter.exe

If you don't do that then demul may close when you open the game.

Hope that helps or get you on the right path at least.

[rantanplan]

Thanks for the answer, but it didn't work doing it that way either.

I have already discovered that launchbox only launches the application in additional apps (in this case demulshoter) when I open the game with the default emulator.
In my case, for example with "house of the dead", I have two emulators: model2_16_9 y model2_4_3.

In the edit metadata menú, "emulator" option, "choose emulator" box is where I set the default emulator. If I set model2_16_9 and play the game with double click or choose this emulator in the play with menu, everything works, the additiona app starts before the emulator. But if I choose other emulator with the play with menu the app does not start.

Thank you anyway. As the problem is quite minor, I'm not going to give it any more thought and leave it as it is.

Maybe the devs can do something in future updates.