Author Topic: Multiple executables on a single Display?  (Read 5468 times)

Asterra

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Multiple executables on a single Display?
« on: July 19, 2017, 01:55:07 AM »
I have a situation where I need to be able to choose whether to use this or that executable for a given MAME game.  (Specifically, RetroArch handles vector games badly, so in those cases I will need to use regular MAME.)  What I'm trying to avoid is the need to split up my arcade library into two separate displays (MAME Vector and MAME Everything Else), but right now it looks like that's the only way I'm going to be able to ensure that the desired executable gets chosen for vector games specifically.

Hoping there's a way to do this.

bjose2345

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Re: Multiple executables on a single Display?
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2017, 03:40:41 AM »
Dont need to split it into multiple mame directories, just when you start a game, hit the A button (or whatever button you have mapped to the action button) and select from the menu what emulator you want to use for that rom (second option).

more info here>

https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/runcommand
« Last Edit: July 19, 2017, 03:42:39 AM by bjose2345 »

Asterra

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Re: Multiple executables on a single Display?
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2017, 06:09:49 AM »
Dont need to split it into multiple mame directories, just when you start a game, hit the A button (or whatever button you have mapped to the action button) and select from the menu what emulator you want to use for that rom (second option).
I have a suspicion that this functionality is not applicable in the case of PC use.  Certainly I can't pin info down with searches.

BOXXMAN

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Re: Multiple executables on a single Display?
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2017, 11:07:51 AM »
If I understand correctly, what you want to do is specify different executables for individual games in a certain display?  On pc this can be done by bringing up the game edit menu by hitting  the g key I believe. There is the option in there to specify a custom executable on a per game basis. I use pc myself, so don't know if the same is true with pi. Unfortunately most of the focus and conversation about this fe seems to be geared toward pi, which to me is a novelty and waste time when you could use real hardware to run it with far more options, especially when building it into a cabinet.

Asterra

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Re: Multiple executables on a single Display?
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2017, 01:07:20 PM »
On pc this can be done by bringing up the game edit menu by hitting  the g key I believe.
This is the correct answer.  Thanks.  AttractMode seems to have defaulted to the unexpected hotkey of "escape+down".  Whatever works.  It'll take a while to make entries for the ~90 roms that need it, but at least it can be done.

BOXXMAN

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Re: Multiple executables on a single Display?
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2017, 07:48:59 PM »
On pc this can be done by bringing up the game edit menu by hitting  the g key I believe.
This is the correct answer.  Thanks.  AttractMode seems to have defaulted to the unexpected hotkey of "escape+down".  Whatever works.  It'll take a while to make entries for the ~90 roms that need it, but at least it can be done.
In your case, the easiest way to accomplish this would be to set up different displays with the executable you want for each set (e.g, MAME for most games, AAE for vector, Model 2, for Sega Model 2 ect.) Get all of this separate displays set up with the roms and executables you want. Then, go into the Configure>Emulators>Generate Collection/Rom List. Use this to include all of the arcade systems you want in one list, and generate one unified arcade game list. Go back to the menu and then go into the configuration of the displays you used to create your master list and mark them as "Show in Cycle- No". Then, all of the individual displays will not be seen, only your one large master arcade list, all set up to use the executables set per display. The only caveat to this is you would have to have your vector roms in a separate folder from the MAME, so when you generate a romlist, it includes only the specific roms you want for that list. This isn't a problem for most other arcade roms though, since you will already have them in separate folders for that specific emulator (eg. Model 2, Model 3, Naomi, ect.) since they don't work with MAME anyway.

Asterra

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Re: Multiple executables on a single Display?
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2017, 09:07:30 AM »
This isn't a problem for most other arcade roms though, since you will already have them in separate folders for that specific emulator (eg. Model 2, Model 3, Naomi, ect.) since they don't work with MAME anyway.
I actually did not know that.  That whole subsets of roms don't even work in MAME.  Then again, I haven't tried them yet.  This is something I guess I'll need to look into.  Hopefully there's a guide for singling them out, and also hopefully RetroArch will have those special cases covered in some core.