RetroFE development

[ryuuji]

maybe is the layout ? ergo proxy (in the main menu) does not work like the usual ones

[Pieter Hulshoff]

Here's a Windows exe for 0.7.20b2. Changes since 0.7.19 are:
- Fixed menuSort = no behavior for include.txt files.
- Fixed Windows expansion of %RETROFE_EXEC_PATH%.
- Fixed local language support.
- Fixed container scaling.
- Fixed input queue when returning from a game.
- Fixed crash on exit when a controller is connected.
- Fixed incorrect sRGB profile errors for PNGs (Tom).
- Rewritten menu scrolling and input handler.
- Added support for hierarchy in the roms directory via list.romHierarchy parameter in collection's settings.conf file.
- Added playlist support via the keys favPlaylist, nextPlaylist, and prevPlaylist. The playlists should be placed as <playlist name>.txt in the collections/<collection name>/playlists directory.
- Added MacOS support (Tom).
- Added support for /home/user/.retrofe RETROFE_PATH setting for linux / mac (Tom).
- Added brew install option for mac (Tom).
- Added trurip Super DAT support. .dat files are expected in meta/trurip.
- Added collectionInputClear parameter to the global settings.conf. When set to true, the input queue will be cleared when entering/exiting a collection.
- Added automatic update of meta.db when any of the meta xml/dat files are updated/added. No more manual deleting of meta.db required.
- Updated Overview instructions in readme (Tom).

As always: keep in mind that this is WIP, so not fully tested, and keep a backup of your working retrofe.exe handy in case this one doesn't work for you!

[Pieter Hulshoff]

Just a quick question? Would it be possible to keep animating images which are not reloadable just like menus? That would make everything even more smoother.

Can you elaborate on this idea? What did you have in mind?

[Pieter Hulshoff]

Playing around with a trurip work in progress: SNK Neo-Geo CD.

[Multiplexer]

The collectionInputClear works perfectly, thanks! 

[bundangdon]

Ok, so using your keyboard you click once, and then have to wait for 1-2 seconds for something to happen or does it scroll immediately, and it takes 1-2 seconds for the entire animation (menu scroll, fade-out, art loading, fade-in) to complete or it takes 1-2 seconds before you can click again or ...? Just trying to understand what the exact issue is. I can fix almost anything as long as I can understand and reproduce it.

Yep, the first one you mentioned (keyboard you click once, and then have to wait for 1-2 seconds for something to happen). For example, I want to scroll to the left (or right) to choose the next system, but even though I clicked, it doesn't move to the next system until 1-2 seconds later, hence the "lag"

Ok, that IS very odd. I would expect the menu to start scrolling immediately. If that's not the case for you, then I don't have a clue what might be causing that to be honest. This happens with the default theme (Aeon Nox) distributed with RetroFE or did you change any values?

It's with the Aeon Nox theme, Ergo Proxy, and a few other themes, as I've tried them out and come up with the same results. No values have been changed as far as I know. I guess I'll try a fresh install with the latest version you posted and see what happens 

Update: With a 'fresh' install including the latest retrofe.exe file, I've noticed that the lag seems to be caused by the program waiting for the media files for each system/game to load up on the screen. So, when there's any artwork including system, fanart, video, etc. it seems to be waiting for those to load before going to the next system/game. The loading of the artwork seems to be slowing down the pace of the wheel by a second or two

[Pieter Hulshoff]

The loading of art doesn't start until AFTER the menu has stopped moving. That's why I find it so strange that you say your menu doesn't start moving either.

There is however a significant difference between the 0.7.19 and 0.7.20bx animations:

0.7.19:
- press next
- menu starts scrolling
- release next
- onHighlightExit animation
- when scrolling and onHighlightExit animation are done: load art
- onHighlightEnter animation

This caused various animation glitches or lag or missing key presses when keys were pressed before the animations were completed.

0.7.20bx:
- press next
- menu scrolls
- onHighlightExit animation
- load art
- onHighlightEnter animation

This allows for the menu to continue scrolling without animations starting if you press the key before the menu stops scrolling. It also means that if you press once the total animation takes longer than it did in 0.7.19, but that can be shortened in the theme, and there should be no more glitching.

You can also use the onMenuScroll animation in stead, and make it look more like HyperSpin, where art isn't visible during scrolling.

[bundangdon]

You can also use the onMenuScroll animation in stead, and make it look more like HyperSpin, where art isn't visible during scrolling.

That sounds like a good idea. How can I use that?

[Pieter Hulshoff]

Just replace all onHighlightExit animations with onMenuScroll. Should be an easy search/replace.

[Floyd]

Is the new version, especially the part with wheel scrolling going to break themes?

[Pieter Hulshoff]

No, it's not. It's just smoothing out some rough edges from 0.7.19. Feel free to give 0.7.20b2 a try, and see for yourself.

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[Pieter Hulshoff]

Here's 0.7.20b3. I found a bug in 0.7.20b2 with attract mode. Basically attract mode didn't work anymore; it just restarted the video/scrolling text every so many seconds (depending on your settings).

As always: this is WIP, so mainly untested. Please backup your working retrofe.exe so you can go back to the old version if this one doesn't work for you.

[Floyd]

Will give it a spin tonight and see how it works. Posting bugs if found any.

[cassette]

I wanted to say that my #1 requested feature would be this option you mention in the OP to assign multiple controls for one action, so there's definitely still interest on that. Not trying to hurry you or anything of course, just thought I'd let you know

[Pieter Hulshoff]

Just got word tonight that someone's already on it. I currently have 3 potential helpers on the coding front.

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