How to boot straight into MAME roms with Launchbox (no command prompt + no nag)

[Jayinem]

I just started looking into nonag MAME but it was only half of what I was looking for. I wanted to boot directly into MAME roms like they were PC games. Well I just figured out how and wanted to share. (if there was already another way I apologize I couldn't find one)

First download Nircmd (scroll to bottom) https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html

You will get 3 files including NirCMD.exe put all of them into your MAME directory where you have MAME.exe.

Now go to Launchbox > emulators and open your MAME emulator. You're going to change emulation path to NirCMD.exe instead of MAME.exe.

Right below that you will enter these for Default Command-Line Parameters 

execmd mame.exe -keyboardprovider dinput.

That will remove the command prompt. 

Now in your MAME folder open MAME.ini text document.

Under Core MISC Options change skip_gameinfo from 0 to 1.

Done, your MAME roms should now boot directly without any command prompt and no warning about games working/not working. (if you like to use this to know if a MAME rom is working or not just boot it outside of Launchbox) 

Edited Saturday at 11:19 PM by Jayinem

[Jayinem]

Well it appears if a game has issues it will still tell you but if there's no issues it will skip the screen about the rom. Not sure if there's a way around this, maybe you could use nonag MAME to avoid this. But I mostly hate annoying command prompts. 

I'm going to try to use nircmd for other emulators that boot with one and will report back. 

 

Edit: Nircmd + nonag MAME = direct boot MAME roms. 

It will work for any emulator that opens a command prompt. 

Edited Sunday at 12:06 AM by Jayinem

[JoeViking245]

The no-nag version is the exact same as MAMEDev's mame.exe.  Just that it completely disables the "nag" part of the code.  That said, I believe MAME's [original] exe will only "nag" on the individual games 1st run. (Along with setting skip_gameinfo to 1, which is a different warning window.)  e.g. run the same game a 2nd time, and you won't see it.  However, it will show again, once, 15-days(?) later.

Regarding the command prompt window, in the MAME emulator settings (in LaunchBox), checking Attempt to hide console window... check box should hide it.  Using startup screens should also obscure it.  All assuming you have MAME set to start the games maximized (default). 

[Jayinem]

6 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

The no-nag version is the exact same as MAMEDev's mame.exe.  Just that it completely disables the "nag" part of the code.  That said, I believe MAME's [original] exe will only "nag" on the individual games 1st run. (Along with setting skip_gameinfo to 1, which is a different warning window.)  e.g. run the same game a 2nd time, and you won't see it.  However, it will show again, once, 15-days(?) later.

Regarding the command prompt window, in the MAME emulator settings (in LaunchBox), checking Attempt to hide console window... check box should hide it.  Using startup screens should also obscure it.  All assuming you have MAME set to start the games maximized (default). 

I feel stupid attempting to hide console window does work. I never had any luck with it with attempting to hide GUIs. But as far as startup screens I'm stuck on a 5 year old Launchbox so no premium for me so no startup screens. 

[JoeViking245]

For stubborn GUI's, some will have a command line parameter (e.g. -batch or -nogui) that will hide them.  

Not the if the Startup Screens section in the edit emulator window is completely disabled, or just a part of it.  But in there is an option Hide all windows that are not in Exclusive Fullscreen Mode that may help with the GUI's.  Like before, assuming the game window is starting fullscreen.

[Jayinem]

5 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

For stubborn GUI's, some will have a command line parameter (e.g. -batch or -nogui) that will hide them.  

Not the if the Startup Screens section in the edit emulator window is completely disabled, or just a part of it.  But in there is an option Hide all windows that are not in Exclusive Fullscreen Mode that may help with the GUI's.  Like before, assuming the game window is starting fullscreen.

If you pay for a Launchbox subscription does it require that you update? I think I mention to you before I don't want to update because I have over 1,300 games on my Launchbox and I made all the covers myself by getting them off google many I had to edit to my liking took a lot of time unfortunately when I update many of them get removed and it's just too much of a hassle.

 

 

 

[JoeViking245]

17 minutes ago, Jayinem said:

If you pay for a Launchbox subscription does it require that you update?

Absolutely not. You can get the premium features (on sale now for the next couple days) and not ever update the version you're on. If you so desire.