Messages

16

General / Default artwork when artwork is missing

« on: October 01, 2020, 07:32:34 PM »

retropie with AM setup, Robospin-HD layout.

Hey guys, I'm embarrassed to even ask this... I knew at one time how to do it, but it's been several years since I have messed with this.  I can't seem to get a default artwork image to load when none are present for a particular rom.   I swear that it used to work, and now it does not.  For some reason if artwork is missing, it grabs a different, incorrect artwork.  For example, Alex Kidd shows the marquee for alien3, and alien syndrome for the wheel.  I double checked my artwork folders, the artwork is indeed missing, and not just incorrectly renamed, so not sure what is going on.  Where is the default artwork location and how do I check to see that the layout is directed to use the default artwork when none are present that match the rom?  I've researched for two days now and can't figure it out.  my artwork is located in my rom folder.  I've tried, for example, for the marquee, I've put my default image in the marquee folder, and have tried naming it "marquee.png", also tried "MAME (Libretro).png", and "Arcade.png".  I see in the layout folder for Robospin-HD, there is default artwork in the main folder, however it's not being used.  I hope this makes sense.

17

General / Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays

« on: February 03, 2020, 10:29:22 AM »

Try each different Window Mode in #5. AM has changed since the Pi FAQ was written.

Yes, tried all options.  I kept it on windowed mode and was able to see the text which would normally be executed in the background.  It tries to run the corresponding script, but is getting "Parameter word expansion failed". 

RP experimental option is absolutely a way to install and use AM but you can't expect for it work the same as a stand alone AM install.
People have been using AM with RP long before it was an experimental option. When something is labeled experimental it's not 100% correct.

K, that's what I thought, I certainly don't expect it to be perfect being experimental.   I just happen to always have issues when I do it this way it seems.  I've used several popular tutorials to get it installed, including using the command line, as well as the experimental route, and each time something is whacky right out of the box.  Nobody seems to have the same issues, and nobody can help resolve the issues, so I'm forced to try using another method.
Using my example, starting up straight after installing AM as an experimental package, I can't delete a display.  I've searched and asked, nobody has ever mentioned an issue like this, let alone suggest a reason or fix for it.   These are the type of issues I get, every single time. 

You can use a RP image and then manually install AM instead of using the RP menu option. Don't let the word "compile" scare you. You can literally cut and paste each line from the FAQ or WIKI to get a AM stand alone install.

Thanks, I did find information on how to do this and just finished with the AM install, I thought it was way more involved than this.  So I'm able to delete displays now.  It seems that the retropie menu is not included by default, there was no extras folder in my .attract folder.  I will try to add this using your post from 2016, or copy the files over from my other image...
http://forum.attractmode.org/index.php?topic=869.msg6679#msg6679
Is this still a valid way to do it?

Here's an analogy...
You have a Ford car with it's original Ford engine in it. When something is wrong you can take it to a Ford dealership or use a Ford manual to fix it because everything was done by Ford. Now lets say you have a Ford car that someone put a Chevy engine in it. When something goes wrong you can't expect the Ford dealership or Ford manual to have the solution to your problem. If you want help with your Chevy engine (an AM compile) you can find the answers here on the AM forum. If you want help with your Ford engine (RP experiemental install) you can find the answers on the RP forum. You're welcome to ask the questions on the AM forum but most of us don't use your type of install (for many of the issues you are having).

I don’t understand how you do not understand that retropie is a preconfigured image a group has made to share with others, and does not utilize attracts default configuration.
Be sure to know linux commands. Use my wiki I previously mentioned to learn them. Any attract help, many here will help. Configuration issues, you will have better chances on a retropie forum.

Maybe I didn't explain this the best, I understand the difference between AM RP & ES.  What I can't wrap my head around is the bizzare problems I always have, just after installation, it must be something I'm doing wrong, as everyone else using these methods do not have these issues.   The issues that I get seem to be on the side of AM. I never received much help with AM on the retropie forums, I thought there was a lot more RPI/AM users than there are on this forum.   
Regardless, I've managed to install AM from the command line and so far and for the first time ever, no issues whatsoever.  I haven't set anything else up, but so far so good.  Sorry to be such a pain, I really appreciate the help though. 
-Mike

18

General / Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays

« on: January 31, 2020, 01:02:07 PM »

Read #5 of the Pi FAQ.

As Keil explained, the RP experimental install is not the same as a AM compiled install. The RP install is designed to take your ES setup and apply it to AM, it's really not designed to make manual changes to AM. In fact, when you update AM through the RP menu it will remove a lot of your manual changes.

The RP experimental install is mentioned on the download page so people know it's an option. That doesn't mean it's the best option for everyone. This method of installation is not a collaboration between RP and AM, it is RP version of AM.

I knew about #5 from the FAQ, it was the first thing that I tried, doesn't resolve the issue, seems to be a different problem. 

Sorry, I'm still trying to wrap my head around all of this, I feel very lost.  So installing from the experimental menu is not supposed to be a way to install AM?  I mean, I install the package, and it looks like all of the AM components are there by way of just poking around the interface, I can create and edit displays, generate rom lists, load snaps & artwork, run the emulators, etc, I just can't delete a display, and all of my retropie menu items are broken/won't load.  I look around the forums and there are a lot of people installing AM by way of the experimental package don't seem to have nay problems using it that way.  The only other way I ever installed was with Floob's image.  What way would you suggest I (with no experience compiling from scratch) install AM? 

19

General / Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays

« on: January 31, 2020, 06:10:49 AM »

Its not an official package. Retropie states in its wiki that support is preliminary. Retropie tends to make heavy use of scripts and places file/directory structures in non-default paths. Thats why I suggested retropie forum. It gets crazy for me to understand whats going on when their user base doesn’t even know whats going on. I wish they adopted the KISS model.

Theres info in the official attract wiki or my arcademvs wiki on compiling attract should you choose that route.

I guess even not being an official package, but being straight from the downloads section from AM site, I just assumed that it would work... maybe it does, there is a good chance I'm doing something wrong, I have very little knowledge of Linux, but I can certainly follow instructions.   For example this particular time, I simply downloaded the latest Retropie, installed the image onto a flash drive, stuck it into the PI, set the basic settings through raspi-config, installed AM as an experimental package, and right away, I can't delete any of the displays, and none of the selections load when clicked from the Retropie menu.   I've just had the worst luck getting AM working correctly installing as an experimental package.  I've wasted days and days installing and setting up just to find something isn't working, and not finding a solution, then start all over again, then run into another road block.  I did try a different way of installing last night, but before I finished, my power plug on the circuit board decided it wasn't having it and came right off of the board, SMH...

I don't think I have the skill to compile, I will keep trying different things or stick with Floobs image if I can't make it work.

20

General / Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays

« on: January 30, 2020, 08:12:22 AM »

You should join a retropie forum. Pi people like releasing images with abnormal configurations.

I believe if I were to ask on the retropie forums, they'd advise asking on an AM forum, since this seems to be AM related.  As far as I can tell, installing as an experimental package through retropie is the "official", or at least recommended way of doing it.  http://attractmode.org/download.html    It says "Attract-Mode is available in RetroPie as an experimental package." and that is exactly how it was installed, followed the guide exactly.   I've been running Floob's on another SD card for years, from my understanding, it hasn't been updated in a very long time, and there are a couple minor annoyances that I haven't been able to get around, that is why I'm trying the latest Retropie/AM install, to get a fresh start on my cabinet.  I'm going to try to re-install from scratch again.  Any suggestions to try?  The screen with the scrolling text goes so quick, I can't read the text to see what is going on.

21

General / RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays

« on: January 29, 2020, 07:55:56 PM »

Setting up retropie & AM, running official retropie image, added AM from the experimental packages on a RPI3.  In AM, when I click any of the RetroPie menu options, ie.  audio, bluetooth, retropie setup, raspi-config, etc. it just scrolls a few lines of text and returns to the menu.  These all work from ES and command line.  First thing that I noticed after running AM for the first time, is when I choose to delete a display, it is not deleted, it's still there, may be related.  I tried updating Raspbian, Retropie, & AM, but still the same.  Any help would be appreciated.  This is the first time I've tried messing with AM in a year or two, as I was plagued with different issues back then.

22

General / Re: Layouts going crazy, strange behavior.

« on: November 26, 2018, 06:55:25 AM »

You say you followed the Pi FAQ http://forum.attractmode.org/index.php?topic=1249.0...

1. You say "I've tried twice now installing the latest retropie, then AM as an experimental package." The  first section of Pi FAQ reads

Code: [Select]

Warning to upgraders: If you are upgrading from a version of Attract-Mode that was originally installed from the RetroPie Setup menu do not use these steps, instead upgrade using the RetroPie Setup menu like your original install. Failure to do so will result in two desperate Attract-Mode installations. This specific step is meant for people that have manually installed Attract-Mode from the command line or are installing Attract-Mode for the first time.
2. The keyboard issue you mentioned is talked about in Floob's image thread. It's an old image and I believe the fix was a timeout before launching AM.

Yes, I'm aware of this.  I've updated Floob's image according to the thread, the text input issue is not with Floob's image.  I used a different SD card to install the latest Retropie, then installed AM as an experimental package... It would work for a while, then out of nowhere would not be able to use keyboard input in the text fields, not finding a solution, I abandoned this build and switched back to the SD card with Floob's image.  I've resolved the issue with the layouts on Floob's image, however eventually I'd like to switch to the stretch/Retropie/AM since it's still being updated, but can't get past the keyboard input issue. I will try again and see if I can pinpoint where the problem starts.  I believe it was when I try setting up Scummvm, but not 100% sure exactly what triggered the problem.  I will post a reply when I mess with it again.

Thanks.

23

General / Re: Layouts going crazy, strange behavior.

« on: November 21, 2018, 09:08:50 PM »

Okay, made some progress.  I disconnected winSCP, then logged in again, credentials are saved, so it's still logging in as "pi" as it always has, copied a layout to /.attract/layouts, went into a display and the layout shows up and works.   Strange thing is I've rebooted the rpi several times, winSCP would disconnect, then automatically reconnects after reboot.  Not sure what happened, but it's working now.

24

General / Re: Layouts going crazy, strange behavior.

« on: November 21, 2018, 08:41:02 PM »

Floob's image is over 2 years old! What do you mean by "updated everything"? How was "everything" updated?

You deleted the layouts from the /usr/local/share/attract/layouts folder or from the ~/.attract/layouts folder?

How did you copy your new layouts, which folded did you copy them to and what user account was used to copy them?

I know it's old, but it has always worked well unless I screw something up somehow.  I updated raspbian, retropie, then AM from this post http://forum.attractmode.org/index.php?topic=1249.0
I've tried twice now installing the latest retropie, then AM as an experimental package.  Both times, when setting everything up, out of nowhere, I'm not able to type anything anywhere.  Anywhere that requires text to be added or modified, such as adding or modifying an emulator or display,  I'm not able to type anything.  All other buttons work for navigation, etc, just unable to type anything.  I've read it might have something to do with Linux & permissions, but never found a solution, so I went back to Floob's image.
.attract/layouts folder is the only one I've ever used, and never had a problem up until tonight.  I was always able to delete/add layouts in this folder, then change the layout in the display to the desired layout.  I didn't even know about the /usr/local/share/attract/layouts folder.  I see that the layouts inside this folder match the layouts available in the display configuration.  I have no write permission to this folder.  I use WinSCP to transfer files, using pi as the user, is that what you mean? Sorry, I have little experience with linux.

25

General / Re: Layouts going crazy, strange behavior.

« on: November 21, 2018, 06:45:55 PM »

How/when does AM scan the /layouts folder to collect information on the layouts inside the folder?  It's not doing that, when I add any layout to the folder, it never shows when editing a display and cycling through the layouts, it still shows all of the old layouts that were working before deleting all of them, they are not even in the folder anymore.

26

General / Re: Layouts going crazy, strange behavior.

« on: November 21, 2018, 06:38:51 PM »

It sounds like you installed AttractMode from the RetroPie Setup Menu which doesn't use the default AttractMode install locations. Look in your other "attract" folder(s) for the correct location.

Installed from Floob's image, then everything updated.  It had been working flawlessly for weeks.  The only thing that was done today was deleting everything from the .attract/layouts folder and copying new layouts into the folder, right after everything went to crap.

27

General / Layouts going crazy, strange behavior.

« on: November 21, 2018, 05:17:13 PM »

Today I tested a bunch of layouts on my pc.  On my RPi3, I deleted all of the layouts in the .attract/layouts folder, and copied over all of the ones that I'd like to use that I previously tested on my pc.  Now, in my display, under layout pick box,  none of the new ones are showing, only some of the old ones that were deleted. When picking the old layouts, only a couple of the old ones show as they should, all the rest are showing as the default with the large screen text and the snap in the background full screen (they all worked before all this).  I've rebooted, thinking maybe it would refresh, but still no go.  What the heck happened?  Seems like anything I try to do just screws up my AM setup.  I'm stumped.

28

General / Re: Does a good ScummVM setup guide exist for the RPI? Could use some help

« on: November 08, 2018, 08:53:32 AM »

@ slowsl
setup your games names > close AM > goto your artwork folder > rename artwork to your folder-game-names (so foldername and picturename are identic) > goto AM artwork folder > delete scummvm folder >

start AM > press TAB key > Emulators > choose your scummvm-display > depending on your layout (attrac-man, cools, reflect, verticools, and so on) > set flyer, marquee, snap, wheel to your artwork folder > Exit AM > start AM (and your artwork should be there now)

Are you saying instead of using individual folders for each type of artwork (snap, background, wheel), to put them all in one artwork folder and in the display, point all of the artwork paths to this artwork folder?  If so, I can only have one file with the game ID name, how can I have separate files for snap, wheel, and background?  Sorry, I'm a bit confused.  The way all other emulators artwork is setup that I have, there is a snap folder, a flyer folder, and a wheel folder, inside each of these folders the image file matches the romname.  I figured doing it this way, and matching the game ID would be the same, but only the background image is working doing it this way.

one offtopic information about scummvm 2.0.0 on windows & latest AM version 2.5.0:
i've added my games via scummvm-menu manually in scummvm.
After adding, setup and configure scummvm display and emulator in AM, correct game names are showed in AM automatic?!
After starting game via AM, a window popups that scummvm searchs your input to scummvm-gameid automatically (only the games, that i've addes manually to scummvm-menu). Nice feature of scummvm team. Thanks

I did notice this, I didn't need to run your renaming .vbs script!

29

General / Re: Does a good ScummVM setup guide exist for the RPI? Could use some help

« on: November 07, 2018, 10:18:37 AM »

@ slowsl
thats right.
See here (Section scumm-vm).
scummvm using own game-id (sq5 for Space Quest 5).
You have to use the own scumm-vm game-id as gamefolder names > create romlist > then edit the second column (title) in romlist (See)

Perfect, got it sorted out, thank you for the link, very informative thread.  My next problem is the artwork.  In my /roms/scummvm  folder, I have a snap, flyer, and wheel folder.  I tested by adding images to each folder.  I've tried matching the game ID & title, but the only one that works is the flyer.  Any ideas?

30

General / Re: Does a good ScummVM setup guide exist for the RPI? Could use some help

« on: November 07, 2018, 05:34:37 AM »

I was able to record the command line text and pause the video in order to see what was going on, here is what it shows....

- working directory: /opt/retropie/emulators/scummvm/bin
*** running: /opt/retropie/emulators/scummvm/bin/scummvm -f -p /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/scummvm/sq5 sq5
scummvm: non-existent game path '/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/scummvm/sq5'
usage: scummvm [options]... [GAME]

It's looking for the folder "sq5", which I have named differently.
Looks like all of my game folders are currently the full names of the game, is my only option renaming all of the game folders to match the scummvm game ID names?