Author Topic: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays  (Read 3680 times)

slowsl

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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.

keilmillerjr

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Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2020, 04:57:13 AM »
You should join a retropie forum. Pi people like releasing images with abnormal configurations.

slowsl

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Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays
« Reply #2 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.

keilmillerjr

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Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2020, 12:44:27 PM »
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.

slowsl

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Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays
« Reply #4 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.

progets

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Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2020, 10:27:33 AM »
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.

slowsl

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Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays
« Reply #6 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? 

progets

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Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2020, 01:58:45 PM »
Try each different Window Mode in #5. AM has changed since the Pi FAQ was written.

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.

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.


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).

keilmillerjr

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Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2020, 04:02:23 PM »
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.

Read this RETROPIE script and start there.

https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/blob/3a35c1b25ce051507981fd310bbd1a1573032f26/scriptmodules/supplementary/attractmode.sh

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.

I love (sarcasm) how retropie removes attracts example configs. They really do not want people touching the image.

slowsl

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Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays
« Reply #9 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

progets

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Re: RetroPie menu items not loading in AM, also can't delete displays
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2020, 01:14:17 PM »
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?

No, the RetroPie menu or the Extras folder are not included in a Attract-Mode install.

If you want a RetroPie Menu you can use the post you list for help or look at the script in this thread http://forum.attractmode.org/index.php?topic=1311.msg9542#msg9542.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2020, 01:21:19 PM by progets »