323 replies to this topic

[Ivanovic]

Okay, lets split things up somehow:
1) The problems with the search function are "picklelauncher issues". It would probably be better if you told pickle about those. Not sure if those are fixed in a more recent version than I am using though. It might be a good idea to post those launcher specific issues in a thread that pickle does read, like eg this one: http://boards.openpa...ssues-requests/

2) From how I understand things there might be a slight problem with your proposed changes: IIRC picklelauncher does not support mapping the same functionality to several buttons. Yes, otherwise I would still eg have "enter" active as "start this item". So yeah, some of your proposals can't work this nicely as long as this limitation is valid. And personally I really dislike *only* having the "start" button to activate content simply because this is an ergonomic nightmare to reach when holding the Pandora normally.

The version of picklelauncher currently shipped with the snes9x4p binary is a little older though. A more recent release might already improve things. I am currently building the latest version and will upload it to the repo in hope that it won't break things too badly. I will not change the default config for the moment, though I'd be happy if you could have a look at the config files of picklelauncher that you got in your snes9x4p appdata folder (the relevant file is "config.txt" and the complete path from the root of your sdcard should be "pandora/appdata/snes9x.skeezix.alpha/config.txt"). In this you can experiment for yourself with the button mapping to see if your proposed changes actually feel "better". Yes, you can do those "just for yourself" to have them the way you want it and you could also attach/post them here so that others can test them and give me feedback what is better.


The latest version is available via the repo. Just to have the latest changes in the emulator listed in this thread, too (and not only in a thread in the other boards):

Changes in "1.39ff.20111205.2" compared to "1.39ff.20111205.1":
* New version of picklelauncher (based on r8 of pickles svn repo).

Changes in "1.39ff.20111205.1" compared to "1.39ff.20111204.1":
* Allow hardware scaling for HiRes Games, too.
* Default to the hardware scaled 4:3 mode when nothing is/was selected yet or an invalid mode is selected.
* Only display scaling modes that are actually supported (limited support of scaling modes for HiRes (no scale2x and smooth)).
* Fixed display of the framecounter when in HW scaling mode.
* Fixed switching through scaling modes using the keyboard key 's' to include all modes.
* VSync should now work correctly again.

Changes in "1.39ff.20111204.1" compared to "1.39ff.20111010.2":
* Added notaz libsdl and based on this added some hardware scaling capabilities (all using the full height but only work for LowRes Roms (no Secret of Mana):
- fullscreen
- 4:3
- 8:7 (aspect ratio used internally for NTSC)
- 8:7,5 (aspect ratio used internally for PAL)
* Fixed menu to display more nicely when switching through display modes.

[zapman]

Okay, lets split things up somehow:
1) The problems with the search function are "picklelauncher issues". It would probably be better if you told pickle about those. Not sure if those are fixed in a more recent version than I am using though. It might be a good idea to post those launcher specific issues in a thread that pickle does read, like eg this one: http://boards.openpa...ssues-requests/

The new version you packed is working much better. The display bug on the top right is gone in most of the cases and I learned that the search function does not look for the first letters of the roms but searches you string in all filenames. That's even better then I thought and makes my other suggestions about the search function obsolete. I will post problems that I might encounter to the thread you posted, thx for the link.

2) From how I understand things there might be a slight problem with your proposed changes: IIRC picklelauncher does not support mapping the same functionality to several buttons. Yes, otherwise I would still eg have "enter" active as "start this item". So yeah, some of your proposals can't work this nicely as long as this limitation is valid. And personally I really dislike *only* having the "start" button to activate content simply because this is an ergonomic nightmare to reach when holding the Pandora normally.

The version of picklelauncher currently shipped with the snes9x4p binary is a little older though. A more recent release might already improve things. I am currently building the latest version and will upload it to the repo in hope that it won't break things too badly. I will not change the default config for the moment, though I'd be happy if you could have a look at the config files of picklelauncher that you got in your snes9x4p appdata folder (the relevant file is "config.txt" and the complete path from the root of your sdcard should be "pandora/appdata/snes9x.skeezix.alpha/config.txt"). In this you can experiment for yourself with the button mapping to see if your proposed changes actually feel "better". Yes, you can do those "just for yourself" to have them the way you want it and you could also attach/post them here so that others can test them and give me feedback what is better.

Ok, if there are reasons there can't be multiple buttons assigned for the same thing atm, I understand. I edited the config file myself and I'm so glad you told me about this! The new settings feel so much nice and easier to navigate. Synergy doens't work atm (the home dir must have moved with HF6, it can't find the .synergy.config and I can't find the new location of the home dir) so I can't paste my settings here. I will also stick to Pickles thread to ask him if he would implement the multiple button thing as a feature for later versions of his software.

thx Ivanovic!

Ah, there still is WinSCP, here are my settings, for those who feel about the old settings like I do:

# General Settings
screen_width = 800 # Screen width in pixels.
screen_height = 480 # Screen height in pixels.
screen_depth = 16 # Screen depth in bits per pixel.
fullscreen = 1 # True if screen is set to fullscreen mode, otherwise false.
cpu_clock = 300 # If supported, will set the CPU to clock value in Mhz.
use_zip_support = 0 # True if launcher uses internal zip support.
show_exts = 0 # True if the selector should show file extensions in the filenames, otherwise false.
show_hidden = 0 # True if the selector should show hidden files and folders in the display list, otherwise false.
show_pointer = 0 # True if the selector should show the SDL pointer, otherwise false.
show_labels = 0 # True if the selector should show the button text ttf labels, otherwise false.
unused_keys_select = 0 # True if any unmapped key events should cause the application launch, otherwise false.
unused_buttons_select = 0 # True if any unmapped button events should cause the application launch, otherwise false.
reload_launcher = 1 # True if the launcher should reload following the shutdown of the target application, otherwise false.
text_scroll_option = 1 # True if horizontal the text scroll option should enabled, otherwise false.
filename_arg_no_ext = 0 # True if the extension for file to be loaded is removed, else the extension is not removed from the filename.
file_abs_path = 1 # True if the absolute path for the file location should be used to calling the filname, else the path is omitted.
font_size_small = 16 # Font size identified as small.
font_size_medium = 24 # Font size identified as medium.
font_size_large = 28 # Font size identified as large.
entry_fast_mode = 1 # Fast entry navagation mode, where 0 for alphabetic mode 1 for search filter
max_entries = 10 # Maximum number of entries to be in the display list.
scroll_speed = 2 # The speed of the horizontal the text scroll speed, lower faster, higher slower..
scroll_pause_speed = 100 # The time delay of the horizontal the text scroll when the left/right ends are reached, lower shorter, higher longer.
profile_delimiter = ; # Delimiter character

# GUI Positions
autolayout = 0 # True if the launcher should auto position gui elements, if false manual positions are used.
posx_title = 5 # X coordinate in the upper left corner
posy_title = 25 # Y coordinate in the upper left corner
posx_btnleft = 5 # X coordinate in the upper left corner
posy_btnleft = 100 # Y coordinate in the upper left corner
posx_btnright = 610 # X coordinate in the bottom left corner
posy_btnright = 480 # Y coordinate in the bottom left corner
posx_listnames = 90 # X coordinate in the upper left corner
posy_listnames = 106 # Y coordinate in the upper left corner

# GUI Options
entry_y_delta = 4 # todo
entry_x_offset = 10 # todo
entry_y_offset = 20 # todo
button_w_left = 50 # todo
button_h_left = 30 # todo
button_w_right = 160 # todo
button_h_right = 80 # todo
preview_w = 200 # todo
preview_h = 120 # todo
entry_max_w = 600 # todo
filepath_max_w = 790 # todo

# Button Enable Options
buttonleft_enable_0 = 1 #
buttonleft_enable_1 = 1 #
buttonleft_enable_2 = 1 #
buttonleft_enable_3 = 1 #
buttonleft_enable_4 = 1 #
buttonleft_enable_5 = 0 #
buttonleft_enable_6 = 0 #
buttonright_enable_0 = 1 #
buttonright_enable_1 = 1 #
buttonright_enable_2 = 0 #
buttonright_enable_3 = 0 #

# Paths
zip_temp_path = ziptemp # Path to store extracted files from zip.
previews_path = previews # Path to read preview graphics.
font_path = Dotmatrx.ttf # Path to ttf font file.
image_background = images/background.png # Path to background graphic.
image_pointer = images/pointer.png # Path to pointer graphic
image_selectpointer = images/selectpointer.png # Path to selector pointer graphic
image_upone = images/button_oneup.png # Path to button graphic for one up.
image_downone = images/button_onedn.png # Path to button graphic for one down.
image_pageup = images/button_pageup.png # Path to button graphic for page up.
image_pagedown = images/button_pagedn.png # Path to button graphic for page down.
image_dirup = images/button_dirup.png # Path to button graphic for dir up.
image_dirdown = images/button_dirdn.png # Path to button graphic for dir down.
image_cfgapp = images/button_dirdn.png # Path to button graphic for cfg app.
image_cfgitem = images/button_dirdn.png # Path to button graphic for cfg item.
image_select = images/button_launch.png # Path to button graphic for cfg select.
image_quit = images/button_quit.png # Path to button graphic for quit.

# Colors
# 0 white 1 yellow 2 fushsia
# 3 red 4 silver 5 gray
# 6 olive 7 purple 8 maroon
# 9 aqua 10 lime 11 teal
# 12 green 13 blue 14 navy
# 15 black
color_buttons = 13 # Color index used for the coloring the fallback button.
color_fontbuttons = 0 # Color index used for the coloring the font used in the fallback button.
color_background = 0 # Color index used for the coloring the screen background.
color_fontfiles = 15 # Color index used for the coloring the entries that are files.
color_fontfolders = 14 # Color index used for the coloring the entries that are folders.

# Controls

# Keyboard
key_up = 273 # up
key_down = 274 # down
key_left = 280 # y button: jump 10 roms up
key_right = 281 # x button:jump 10 roms down
key_dirup = 276 # left
key_dirdown = 275 # right
key_cfgapp = 0 # unknown key
key_cfgentry = 0 # unknown key
key_setone = 51 # 3
key_setall = 52 # 4
key_select = 278 # a button
key_back = 279 # b button (does nothing)
key_quit = 27 # escape

# Joystick
button_up = 0 #
button_down = 1 #
button_left = 2 #
button_right = 3 #
button_dirup = 4 #
button_dirdown = 5 #
button_cfgapp = 6 #
button_cfgentry = 7 #
button_setone = 8 #
button_setall = 9 #
button_select = 8 #
button_back = 11 #
button_quit = 9 #
deadzone = 10000 # Deadzone for analog joysticks.

[Ivanovic]

Just to keep you busy increasing the download counter I did some more additional changes to this emulator. The changes are rather small and insignificant, though IMO the display of message like "State loaded" is a nice addition. As always the latest version is available via the repo.

Changes in "1.39ff.20111207.1" compared to "1.39ff.20111205.2":
* Make sure the (rather useless!) fps counter is displayed on the game screen and not in some "off screen corner"
* Reenable display of messages like "State saved" and allign them nicely in the line above the fps counter.
* Allow to exit the emulator with 'Esc' additonally to exiting via the menu or the key 'q'.
* Updated the readme file to include the Pandora specific changelog and info about compilation as well as other things.

[Ivanovic]

Okay, I have been busy today and done some stuff for this emulator. The most obvious change is that I switched over to github, applied the patch from john4p (all the changes in "1.39ff.20111208.1") and completely reworked the menu (feedback welcome!). Besides I did some smaller changes, as listed in the changelog. As always the latest version is available via the repo.

Changes in "1.39ff.20111213.1" compared to "1.39ff.20111208.1":
* Don't quit the emulator when pressing the 'q' button on the Keyboard. Quiting now works using 'Esc' (fn+q) or via the menu.
* Completely reworked the menu (feedback welcome!).
* Added an option to toggle vsync to the menu. Beware that turning off vsync will remove the frame limiter and many games will run significantly too fast.
* Some rendering code cleanups leading to tiny (negligible!) speed improvements for the HW scaled modes as well as HiRes games when using 2x2 no-AA and the rom requires a width of 512px.
* Update of the README to list credits and point to the new repo at github.

Changes in "1.39ff.20111208.1" compared to "1.39ff.20111207.1":
* Added the possibility to cut black borders in the GUI (useful for SF2- and Final Fight-series and Batman Returns).
* Values for cut borders automatically get stored and restored per game.

Edited by Ivanovic, 13 December 2011 - 11:09 PM.

[Silent-Hunter]

Is it possible to allow Action Replay codes with this, like in the desktop version?

[Silent-Hunter]

I dislike smoothing. Will there be hardware output with no smoothing?

[Ivanovic]

I dislike smoothing. Will there be hardware output with no smoothing?

The hardware scaler is using your systemwide configuration. You can define yourself how it does upscaling there. This is done using one systemwide script but don't ask me how good the effects will be...

Besides there is the "2x2 no-AA" option which is plain software upscaling without any smoothing.


EDIT: To make it even more clear: The hardware scaler is controlled by the operating system and *not* by the application itself. You can configure it the way you want it to behave following these steps making it systemwide settings which effect ALL applications relying on the hardwarescaling:
1) When in XFCE mode hit the pandora button and select "Settings->LCD-Settings".
2) A selection menu will open. Here you can either change the "current video filter" for this session or change the default. Yes, the "video filter" is the scaling method used. There you either select "Default (Slightly blurred)" or "Simple pixel doubling (no filter)". The later seems to be what you want.
Yes, in the emulator I have no control about what you select there and how it should behave, this depends on the operating system and what you select using this tool!

Edited by Ivanovic, 26 February 2012 - 01:56 PM.

[Silent-Hunter]

How come the sound on some games keeps going even after it should have stopped? Like when I jump in Super Alfred Chicken, it makes the jump sound, then it keeps going.

[Silent-Hunter]

I dislike smoothing. Will there be hardware output with no smoothing?

The hardware scaler is using your systemwide configuration. You can define yourself how it does upscaling there. This is done using one systemwide script but don't ask me how good the effects will be...

Besides there is the "2x2 no-AA" option which is plain software upscaling without any smoothing.


EDIT: To make it even more clear: The hardware scaler is controlled by the operating system and *not* by the application itself. You can configure it the way you want it to behave following these steps making it systemwide settings which effect ALL applications relying on the hardwarescaling:
1) When in XFCE mode hit the pandora button and select "Settings->LCD-Settings".
2) A selection menu will open. Here you can either change the "current video filter" for this session or change the default. Yes, the "video filter" is the scaling method used. There you either select "Default (Slightly blurred)" or "Simple pixel doubling (no filter)". The later seems to be what you want.
Yes, in the emulator I have no control about what you select there and how it should behave, this depends on the operating system and what you select using this tool!

Hey, thanks very much!