Atari800 RetroArch core - how pass Atari machine type from LaunchBox

[EvoluZion3]

Some of the games in my Atari 800 collection need the 400/800 system, some require the 800XL system. I can swap from one to the other manually using the RetroArch Core Options but I wondered if there was a way of passing/overriding this setting from LB to RA.

[JoeViking245]

Option A

Edit your RetroArch emulator and add a 2nd "Atari 800" Associated Platform, set it to use the other core and do not check the Default Emulator box.  Save. Then to use the other core:

• Right-click a game and select Launch with  - RetroArch and select the other core.

 

 

Option B   (the override option)

Edit the games that you don't want to use the platforms' default core and set a custom command line parameter that'll load the 'other' core.

• Edit a game
• got down to Emulation
• check the box Use Custom Command-line Parameters
• type in the command to load the other core
  • -L "cores/atari800_libretro.dll"
  • (or whatever core you need to load)
• Save

This would need to be done per-game (aka one-by-one).

 

To do this in bulk (change if for several or many games all at once), you can use the Bulk Custom Command-Line Editor plugin.

 

[EvoluZion3]

Thanks JoeViking, that's very useful to read. I think what might make this more difficult is it's the same core "Atari - 5200 (Atari800)" but two different options I want (the core lets you choose between different "Atari Systems" such as 400/800, 800XL, 130XE, etc.) so I want some games to use one option and some to use another, unless you were suggesting having two copies of the same core, but one core set to one option (400/800) and the other core set to the the other option (800XL)?

[Headrush69]

If you are using the a800 Retroarch core for atari computer systems and the a5200 Retroarch core for atari consoles, you should be able to bring up the Retroarch menu (F1 by default), go to core options and change the computer system emulated. Then just save a game override and that game should load as that system.

Edited December 12, 2023 by Headrush69

[EvoluZion3]

ah thanks Headrush, that's created an .opt file just for the game which now has the different setting I needed!

I wonder just for completeness is it possible to pass the filename of this .opt file from LB to RA, just to "formalise" it (I much prefer LB to run the show and spoon-feed RA what it needs to do, rather than letting RA recognise the incoming game filename and look for the .opt file itself).

Even better would be if LB could override the specific parameter atari800_system = "400/800 (OS B)" just for this game but I doubt you can pass this low level of override to RA.

[Headrush69]

8 minutes ago, EvoluZion3 said:

I wonder just for completeness is it possible to pass the filename of this .opt file from LB to RA, just to "formalise" it (I much prefer LB to run the show and spoon-feed RA what it needs to do, rather than letting RA recognise the incoming game filename and look for the .opt file itself).

You can but it might ackward and have the same issues you might be looking to avoid using the builtin Retroarch override system.

I don't use them anymore, but you can pass Retroarch the location of the Retroarch config file and at the very least have that config put the to a different location for the options file.

Retroarch doc is here.

12 minutes ago, EvoluZion3 said:

Even better would be if LB could override the specific parameter atari800_system = "400/800 (OS B)" just for this game but I doubt you can pass this low level of override to RA.

Not that I know of.  You could also use a prelaunch command to copy/modify the options file manually  which wouldn't tie it to the name. I have use this in the past but it's cumbersome to maintain (easier using Joe's bulk editors), but I find it was easier just to use the built in options for my sanity rather than trying to remember what hacks/routines I used for specific games. 

[EvoluZion3]

hmm ok thanks it looks like it may be best to keep things simple and leave RA to read the .opt file. Thanks Headrush