Can't launch MAME via RetroArch (SocketError error, CancellationToken cancellationToken)

[jlfreund]

I'm having the same type of problem reported on this thread: "Can't get LaunchBox to Open MAME games via RetroArch"

I am just trying to setup my Launchbox 13.6 for Windows 10 for the first time, and am running into the same problem.  I can't launch any MAME games using RetroArch from Launchbox.  When I try to launch, I see the cursor spin for a few seconds, the hard drive spins up, then nothing.

I had installed RetroArch from LaunchBox successfully under LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\RetroArch.exe, and am able to manually launch RetroArch from Launchbox by right-clicking any game title and selecting "Open RetroArch..." from the popup menu.  Once RetroArch is loaded, I can manually run any MAME game from there.

The problem seems to be that LaunchBox just doesn't try to launch RetroArch when launching a game, as RetroArch\logs folder is empty (after turning on Debug logs there).  Opening the LaunchBox debug logs, everything looks good, including LaunchBox validating the ROM Is "OK" then the last thing I see before it gives up is:

2023-08-01 08:57:49 AM Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Desktop.ViewModels.MainViewModel.window.Deactivated Start
2023-08-01 08:57:49 AM Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Desktop.ViewModels.MainViewModel.window.Deactivated Before Pause Video
2023-08-01 08:57:49 AM Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Desktop.ViewModels.MainViewModel.window.Deactivated Completed

But when I re-opened the  LaunchBox log a minute later, it seems to have flushed a few error messages (see attached), immediately below the statements above, that may be related with the original launch request (not 100% sure, due to slow flushing of logs, and low resolution of timestamps)...

2023-08-01 08:58:48 AM FIRST CHANCE EXCEPTION: Unable to read data from the transport connection: The I/O operation has been aborted because of either a thread exit or an application request..
   at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.AwaitableSocketAsyncEventArgs.ThrowException(SocketError error, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.AwaitableSocketAsyncEventArgs.System.Threading.Tasks.Sources.IValueTaskSource<System.Int32>.GetResult(Int16 token)
   at System.Net.Security.SslStream.ReadAsyncInternal[TIOAdapter](TIOAdapter adapter, Memory`1 buffer)
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
2023-08-01 08:58:48 AM FIRST CHANCE CONTINUED INNER EXCEPTION: The I/O operation has been aborted because of either a thread exit or an application request.

The problem is 100% reproducible on any MAME game, when attempting to use the correct "MAME Current" core (mame_libreto.dll) which works from RetroArch directly.

Debug 2023-08-01 08-57-30 AM.log

[JoeViking245]

Would you be against using the [recommended] stand-alone MAME emulator to run your MAME ROMs?

It would provide a much better emulation experience and in most every instance, works 'right-out-of-the-box'.

[jlfreund]

1 hour ago, JoeViking245 said:

Would you be against using the [recommended] stand-alone MAME emulator to run your MAME ROMs?

It would provide a much better emulation experience and in most every instance, works 'right-out-of-the-box'.

Not sure what you mean by "recommended", but I don't think that relates to my problem of LaunchBox not attempting to launch RetroArch.  I've tried configuring LaunchBox to use several different MAME cores, including the latest ("Current") as well as 2010, 2003, but that doesn't help LaunchBox get past the error mentioned above.

[neil9000]

8 minutes ago, jlfreund said:

Not sure what you mean by "recommended", but I don't think that relates to my problem of LaunchBox not attempting to launch RetroArch.  I've tried configuring LaunchBox to use several different MAME cores, including the latest ("Current") as well as 2010, 2003, but that doesn't help LaunchBox get past the error mentioned above.

You are extracting your roms prior to launch, uncheck that box. Ill second what Joe said though, the retroarch cores are terrible and i'd highly recommend not using them.

[jlfreund]

Cool, thanks!  Unchecking the box fixed it.  What is the difference between "stand alone MAME" vs RetroARch "MAME Current" core?  I thought that core was basically built from the same tree as stand alone MAME, just as a DLL instead of an app.

 

[MadK9]

Retroarch mame are hacked cores forced to work in RA, hence all the different versions. mames own devs despise Retroarch and what they have done and will never support it.

RA Mame has conflicts with controllers is one of the biggest issues as Mame fwill fight with RA's own control implementation.

Please heed the advice, you get a far better mame experiance using the official stand-alone version than unofficial hacks....

[jlfreund]

Sounds good, thanks for the heads up.  I'm worried about stable support for multiple controllers, so will heed the warning and updated to stand-alone MAME.  I guess I'll need to update most of my ROM's as well.

[neil9000]

32 minutes ago, jlfreund said:

Sounds good, thanks for the heads up.  I'm worried about stable support for multiple controllers, so will heed the warning and updated to stand-alone MAME.  I guess I'll need to update most of my ROM's as well.

You said in a previous post you was trying to use the current mame core, so surely you have the current mame romset? Cause if you dont there is a likelihood that a ton of games wouldnt of worked anyway.