RetroFE forums

1.
If you only need a single collection, just remove Esc from the back controls. The alternative is to change the firstCollection parameter, but then you'll probably have to change your theme's layout.xml file.

2.
Use include.txt files. You can find them as part of the MAME XML files in the download section of this website.

3.
No, that option does not exist at the moment.

4.
Those are MAME settings, not RetroFE settings. You could use uneven stretching in MAME, but I'm not sure you'd be too happy with how a vertical game looks stretched on a 16x9 screen. I suggest you consider using bezels instead.

Hi Pieter

Thank you for you reply. If you or others can please be patient with me, as I am no programmer, and have just played around with an existing layout ""Carousel 16x9" to suit my requirements.

In regard to the earlier items:

1. Yes, I can remove the 'ESC" option from the controls, but I rather remove it from the layout.xml file. I have looked at the layout file and could not work-out what to do. I have attached the layout file below for reference. Could you please help me locate what needs to be edited-out please. BTW - In the settings.conf file located in the root directory of RetroFE, I have already set the following:
"firstcollection          = MAME"

2. I have located the include.txt file example on the RetroFE website, and wish to apply the following:
"mame_no_casino_clones_mahjong_mature_quiz_electro_utilities_playchoice_bootleg.txt"
a) Where do I place the file for it to work?
b) I am curious how the include file works. I presume it works like (Please correct me if I am wrong):
Currently I have no include.txt file, and I assume the RetroFE shows the games on the games list based on the available roms in the directory.
If the include.txt file is added, I presume the game list will show all of the games in the include.txt file, even if the roms are not in the directory (missing)? For example. The include file includes the game 1942 and will be shown on the RetroFE game list, but the game file is not in the rom directory. I assume if you launch the 1942 game from the games list, it will fail, as the rom does not exist?
Is the above assumption correct?

3. Thanks.

4. Sorry, I may have confuse you with my earlier question. I am only wanting to somehow stretch the game video example (media file) that is shown on the RetroFE game selection screen so that it occupies the complete area of the screen, and not the MAME game once launched.

I note that my screen is probably 16x9, and by stretching the video to remove the "black left and right fields" of the video, the video example (media file) may look wrong. But I just want to see if it is possible to do the above in RetroFE, and how (what changes do I have to make to the extracted config file below?

If I am correct (please correct me if I am wrong), I am assuming the layout config extract reference which I have re-attached (changes I have made are highlighted in yellow) is only applicable to the video media files shown in the RetroFE only and not the MAME game itself.

Other Question:

5. In RetroFE, is it possible to somehow to select a favorite game from the MAME game list? How does this work if the feature is available? Does RetroFE create a separate favorite games list games menu?

Thank you in advance.

Regards
D

HI Agent47

Thank you for your reply.

In reply to the following points: - Please feel free to correct any assumption I have made:

1. Thank you for explaining when the need is to use the XML files. Based on that information I will not require the XML files as I am not interested in meta data, only the games list. It make sense that the games list is generated from what is available in the rom directory.

I am only interested in using RetroFE for arcade emulation only (ie. Mame, model2 , model 3 taito X, Daphne ...). So that the games list is generated in RetroFE, I support I will use the following procedure fro the following emulators:

a) Mame - Use the "include.txt" for for games list generation as I am only interested in working arcade games and not for pokies, console ... emulation.
b) Model 2 - Have RetroRF scan the roms folder to generate the games list.
c) Model 3 - Have RetroRF scan the roms folder to generate the games list.
d) Tatio X - Have RetroRF scan the roms folder to generate the games list.
e) Daphne - Have RetroRF scan the roms folder to generate the games list.

Questions:

i) What does the "include.txt" file contents look like. Is it just the file name of the roms (ie. 1942.zip)?
ii) What is the best way of generating a "include.txt" file for Mame? Are there any tool available? If you know of the too, please provide details.
iii) when RetroFE reads the rom directory or the "include.txt" file to generate the games list, does it cross match the logo file and display the logo like on the games selection screen.
ix) If a rom is found, but the logo file is not found, what shown on the the games selection screen. Nothing ie. the game is not shown on the games list. I gather this is true also with the "include.txt" file.

2. Thanks. What is the link to the Pieter filtered MAME lists. I did a search, but could not locate it. I presume that it has XML files, which I presume will not be useful to me as I am not interested in meta data.

Question:
 
i) Is there XML files which only list the rom details and not the meta data. If so, I am wondering if it is possible to cut and paste the filtered contents to a "include.txt" file.
ii) If you know of a tool(s) that can generate XML files, please let me know.
ii) Not sure, but I found the following tool under third party tools on the forum - "Hyperlist-2-include" (http://retrofe.nl/SMF/index.php?topic=171.0). Does this file generate the include.txt file from a xml file? If that is the case, than this might me the tool that I am looking for.

3. Thanks - Advice taken. I am hoping that the web site Pieter filtered MAME lists has the xml file, or even use a tool to generate the xml file. I have searched hyperspin tools, but could not locate a useful XML generator when I can filter for working arcade games only, remove clones, pinball, console, poker ...etc and may be just filter for just English games.

4. Refer 3 above.

5. Found the Mame Arcade 64 no lag on the hyperspin web site (http://hyperspin-fe.com/files/category/448-other/). current version 0.94 available.

6. Thanks. I will be interested if anyone uses the X-Arcade (tank) with RetroFEand if they can share their FE and Emulator joystick config files.

7. Thanks - It seem to be a very complicate tool!

Thank you again.

Thank you.
D





http://hyperspin-fe.com/files/category/448-other/

Hi

I have a few question as a new starter about the RetroFE which I hope someone is able to answer:

1. Is the games selection list in the emulator (game) selection layout for any emulator, is it a XML file? ie. For MAME you use an MAME 0.195 XML file, for Model2 you use an Model2 XML file ... etc?

2. Is there a tool that you can use to edit XML files. For example, MAME has arcade games, pokey games, console games, working games, non working games  ... etc. If I want to only have a MAME XML file that only has working arcade games, how can this be done?

3. Is there a location where I can download the XMl files for emulators. I note on the RetroFE download web page that you are able to download the MAME 0.195 XML file.

4. Further to question 2 above, if for example I have a MAME Arcade XML file created, what is the best way to delete unwanted games.

5. For MAME emulation, I intend using the ARCADE64 0.195 with RetroFE. Does anyone know if there is a equivalent:

a) no nag version of ARCADE64

b) XML file for ARCADE64

6. Does RetroFE support the X-Arcade (tank version) joystick? and if so, what is the configuration required to have it operational with RetroFE?

7. I came across the RocketLauncher Wiki web site (http://www.rlauncher.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page), and I note that RocketLauncher supports RetroFE.

What is the benefit of using Rocketlauncher with RetroFE? Can any one give examples of using RocketLauncher with RetroFE.


Look forward to replies.

Thank you.
D.

Hi Pieter

Thank you for your reply.

I am still trying to understand how RetroFE works, and I am slowly learning, but not at the pace that I would like to. Leaning / understanding software language is not a skill I have, and sorry for the questions that I raise below:

1 "RetroFE does not make a difference between an emulator selection layout and an emulator layout.":

I think I understand what you mean. And if I am right, you are saying that the same layout generally applies between the emulator selection layout and the emulator layout. I see the similarities of the layouts on the RetroFE default layout provided when first installing RetroFE, where the menuIndex is used to make items visible/invisable.

Without trying "Animatic" layout, does the video background rotate between different games on the emulator selection layout, and when the selected emulator is chosen (ie. Emulator layout screen), the video background is only shown for the selected game? If that is the case, on the emulator selection layout, how are the video background chosen by RetroFE? Is it randomly chosen from the emulators video directory and continue to be randomly chosen once the background video is finished playing. Also I gather the video background in the Emulator layout screen if the same game is selected, the video background will be played repeatedly.

2. You can define everything in RetroFE/layouts/<layout name>/layout.xml:

Do you mean that the two different menuIndexs. ie. 0 and 1 are created in the one layout.xml file? Looking at the RetroFE/layouts/Default 16x9/layout.xml files seem to suggest that.

Would this mean that under the "Emulator selection layout" ie. menuIndex 0, when scrolling through the emulator options (ie. Mame, Daphne, Model2 ...etc), the layouts would be the same for each emulator? Also I suppose this would apply to the "emulator layout" ie. menuIndex 1, when each emulator layout would be the same. ie. Mame layout, Daphne layout, Model2 layout would all be using the same layout.


If you are able to assist me, your help would be appreciated. I note that my request is for a simple layout, noting to complicated.

In the mean time, I will be raising other questions to understand how RetroFE works, and how I can best configure the FE to suit my requirements.

Thank you.
D