Help configuring Pisnes

[FlashyFrank]

I am trying to switch over to pisnes on my GBZ because the other emulators are lagging a bit for me. The problem is that pisnes does not use the same config file for the controller input as the other emulators. So I found out I need to edit the snes9x.cfg file with the controller input for my custom controls. But I am using GPIO for my controller input and I am unaware what my raw input is that I need to input into the .cfg file. So I try to run the Jstest but it does not run no matter how I change the /dev/input/js0.

Does anyone know how I can find out the info I need? I'm sure I just need the numerical value of each button on my GBZ but I am not sure how to find this out.

[rodocop]

Any specific games that are not running fine, i've never had any issues with the pre installed snes emulators. I wonder if there is some other issue.

Also, i've never used pisnes, but can you not go to the retroarch.cfg and see what the buttons are labelled as in there, and use that. Also note, if using retrogame, I think they are just labelled as keyboard strokes?

For example, if you followed this guide, they should be labelled as:

https://sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=57

Up - up
Down - down
left - left
right - right
start - enter
select - s
A - a
B - b
X - x
Y - y
L - l
R - r

[FlashyFrank]

Any specific games that are not running fine, i've never had any issues with the pre installed snes emulators. I wonder if there is some other issue.

Also, i've never used pisnes, but can you not go to the retroarch.cfg and see what the buttons are labelled as in there, and use that. Also note, if using retrogame, I think they are just labelled as keyboard strokes?

For example, if you followed this guide, they should be labelled as:

https://sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=57

Up - up
Down - down
left - left
right - right
start - enter
select - s
A - a
B - b
X - x
Y - y
L - l
R - r

Super Mario World and Mega Man X are the 2 main games I would play on my GBZ and recently they are both lagging so bad that I can not play them. I know Mega Man X had some slow down on the original Super Nintendo but I never used to have any issues with Super Mario World and now it is so laggy I can not play it.

The problem with the retroarch.cfg is that it only displays the key stroke and not the numerical value of said keystroke.

So I look into the snes9x.cfg, where pisnes pulls its controller config, and I noticed at the top it says, "Get codes from /usr/include/SDL/SDL_keysym.h". So i look into the SDL_keysym.h and inside this file it has all the numerical values of the keystrokes.

SpoilerShow

/** What we really want is a mapping of every raw key on the keyboard.
* To support international keyboards, we use the range 0xA1 - 0xFF
* as international virtual keycodes. We'll follow in the footsteps of X11...
* @brief The names of the keys
*/
typedef enum {
/** @name ASCII mapped keysyms
* The keyboard syms have been cleverly chosen to map to ASCII
*/
/*@{*/
SDLK_UNKNOWN = 0,
SDLK_FIRST = 0,
SDLK_BACKSPACE = 8,
SDLK_TAB = 9,
SDLK_CLEAR = 12,
SDLK_RETURN = 13,
SDLK_PAUSE = 19,
SDLK_ESCAPE = 27,
SDLK_SPACE = 32,
SDLK_EXCLAIM = 33,
SDLK_QUOTEDBL = 34,
SDLK_HASH = 35,
SDLK_DOLLAR = 36,
SDLK_AMPERSAND = 38,
SDLK_QUOTE = 39,
SDLK_LEFTPAREN = 40,
SDLK_RIGHTPAREN = 41,
SDLK_ASTERISK = 42,
SDLK_PLUS = 43,
SDLK_COMMA = 44,
SDLK_MINUS = 45,
SDLK_PERIOD = 46,
SDLK_SLASH = 47,
SDLK_0 = 48,
SDLK_1 = 49,
SDLK_2 = 50,
SDLK_3 = 51,
SDLK_4 = 52,
SDLK_5 = 53,
SDLK_6 = 54,
SDLK_7 = 55,
SDLK_8 = 56,
SDLK_9 = 57,
SDLK_COLON = 58,
SDLK_SEMICOLON = 59,
SDLK_LESS = 60,
SDLK_EQUALS = 61,
SDLK_GREATER = 62,
SDLK_QUESTION = 63,
SDLK_AT = 64,
/*
Skip uppercase letters
*/
SDLK_LEFTBRACKET = 91,
SDLK_BACKSLASH = 92,
SDLK_RIGHTBRACKET = 93,
SDLK_CARET = 94,
SDLK_UNDERSCORE = 95,
SDLK_BACKQUOTE = 96,
SDLK_a = 97,
SDLK_b = 98,
SDLK_c = 99,
SDLK_d = 100,
SDLK_e = 101,
SDLK_f = 102,
SDLK_g = 103,
SDLK_h = 104,
SDLK_i = 105,
SDLK_j = 106,
SDLK_k = 107,
SDLK_l = 108,
SDLK_m = 109,
SDLK_n = 110,
SDLK_o = 111,
SDLK_p = 112,
SDLK_q = 113,
SDLK_r = 114,
SDLK_s = 115,
SDLK_t = 116,
SDLK_u = 117,
SDLK_v = 118,
SDLK_w = 119,
SDLK_x = 120,
SDLK_y = 121,
SDLK_z = 122,
SDLK_DELETE = 127,
/* End of ASCII mapped keysyms */
/*@}*/

/** @name International keyboard syms */
/*@{*/
SDLK_WORLD_0 = 160, /* 0xA0 */
SDLK_WORLD_1 = 161,
SDLK_WORLD_2 = 162,
SDLK_WORLD_3 = 163,
SDLK_WORLD_4 = 164,
SDLK_WORLD_5 = 165,
SDLK_WORLD_6 = 166,
SDLK_WORLD_7 = 167,
SDLK_WORLD_8 = 168,
SDLK_WORLD_9 = 169,
SDLK_WORLD_10 = 170,
SDLK_WORLD_11 = 171,
SDLK_WORLD_12 = 172,
SDLK_WORLD_13 = 173,
SDLK_WORLD_14 = 174,
SDLK_WORLD_15 = 175,
SDLK_WORLD_16 = 176,
SDLK_WORLD_17 = 177,
SDLK_WORLD_18 = 178,
SDLK_WORLD_19 = 179,
SDLK_WORLD_20 = 180,
SDLK_WORLD_21 = 181,
SDLK_WORLD_22 = 182,
SDLK_WORLD_23 = 183,
SDLK_WORLD_24 = 184,
SDLK_WORLD_25 = 185,
SDLK_WORLD_26 = 186,
SDLK_WORLD_27 = 187,
SDLK_WORLD_28 = 188,
SDLK_WORLD_29 = 189,
SDLK_WORLD_30 = 190,
SDLK_WORLD_31 = 191,
SDLK_WORLD_32 = 192,
SDLK_WORLD_33 = 193,
SDLK_WORLD_34 = 194,
SDLK_WORLD_35 = 195,
SDLK_WORLD_36 = 196,
SDLK_WORLD_37 = 197,
SDLK_WORLD_38 = 198,
SDLK_WORLD_39 = 199,
SDLK_WORLD_40 = 200,
SDLK_WORLD_41 = 201,
SDLK_WORLD_42 = 202,
SDLK_WORLD_43 = 203,
SDLK_WORLD_44 = 204,
SDLK_WORLD_45 = 205,
SDLK_WORLD_46 = 206,
SDLK_WORLD_47 = 207,
SDLK_WORLD_48 = 208,
SDLK_WORLD_49 = 209,
SDLK_WORLD_50 = 210,
SDLK_WORLD_51 = 211,
SDLK_WORLD_52 = 212,
SDLK_WORLD_53 = 213,
SDLK_WORLD_54 = 214,
SDLK_WORLD_55 = 215,
SDLK_WORLD_56 = 216,
SDLK_WORLD_57 = 217,
SDLK_WORLD_58 = 218,
SDLK_WORLD_59 = 219,
SDLK_WORLD_60 = 220,
SDLK_WORLD_61 = 221,
SDLK_WORLD_62 = 222,
SDLK_WORLD_63 = 223,
SDLK_WORLD_64 = 224,
SDLK_WORLD_65 = 225,
SDLK_WORLD_66 = 226,
SDLK_WORLD_67 = 227,
SDLK_WORLD_68 = 228,
SDLK_WORLD_69 = 229,
SDLK_WORLD_70 = 230,
SDLK_WORLD_71 = 231,
SDLK_WORLD_72 = 232,
SDLK_WORLD_73 = 233,
SDLK_WORLD_74 = 234,
SDLK_WORLD_75 = 235,
SDLK_WORLD_76 = 236,
SDLK_WORLD_77 = 237,
SDLK_WORLD_78 = 238,
SDLK_WORLD_79 = 239,
SDLK_WORLD_80 = 240,
SDLK_WORLD_81 = 241,
SDLK_WORLD_82 = 242,
SDLK_WORLD_83 = 243,
SDLK_WORLD_84 = 244,
SDLK_WORLD_85 = 245,
SDLK_WORLD_86 = 246,
SDLK_WORLD_87 = 247,
SDLK_WORLD_88 = 248,
SDLK_WORLD_89 = 249,
SDLK_WORLD_90 = 250,
SDLK_WORLD_91 = 251,
SDLK_WORLD_92 = 252,
SDLK_WORLD_93 = 253,
SDLK_WORLD_94 = 254,
SDLK_WORLD_95 = 255, /* 0xFF */
/*@}*/

/** @name Numeric keypad */
/*@{*/
SDLK_KP0 = 256,
SDLK_KP1 = 257,
SDLK_KP2 = 258,
SDLK_KP3 = 259,
SDLK_KP4 = 260,
SDLK_KP5 = 261,
SDLK_KP6 = 262,
SDLK_KP7 = 263,
SDLK_KP8 = 264,
SDLK_KP9 = 265,
SDLK_KP_PERIOD = 266,
SDLK_KP_DIVIDE = 267,
SDLK_KP_MULTIPLY = 268,
SDLK_KP_MINUS = 269,
SDLK_KP_PLUS = 270,
SDLK_KP_ENTER = 271,
SDLK_KP_EQUALS = 272,
/*@}*/

/** @name Arrows + Home/End pad */
/*@{*/
SDLK_UP = 273,
SDLK_DOWN = 274,
SDLK_RIGHT = 275,
SDLK_LEFT = 276,
SDLK_INSERT = 277,
SDLK_HOME = 278,
SDLK_END = 279,
SDLK_PAGEUP = 280,
SDLK_PAGEDOWN = 281,
/*@}*/

/** @name Function keys */
/*@{*/
SDLK_F1 = 282,
SDLK_F2 = 283,
SDLK_F3 = 284,
SDLK_F4 = 285,
SDLK_F5 = 286,
SDLK_F6 = 287,
SDLK_F7 = 288,
SDLK_F8 = 289,
SDLK_F9 = 290,
SDLK_F10 = 291,
SDLK_F11 = 292,
SDLK_F12 = 293,
SDLK_F13 = 294,
SDLK_F14 = 295,
SDLK_F15 = 296,
/*@}*/

/** @name Key state modifier keys */
/*@{*/
SDLK_NUMLOCK = 300,
SDLK_CAPSLOCK = 301,
SDLK_SCROLLOCK = 302,
SDLK_RSHIFT = 303,
SDLK_LSHIFT = 304,
SDLK_RCTRL = 305,
SDLK_LCTRL = 306,
SDLK_RALT = 307,
SDLK_LALT = 308,
SDLK_RMETA = 309,
SDLK_LMETA = 310,
SDLK_LSUPER = 311, /**< Left "Windows" key */
SDLK_RSUPER = 312, /**< Right "Windows" key */
SDLK_MODE = 313, /**< "Alt Gr" key */
SDLK_COMPOSE = 314, /**< Multi-key compose key */
/*@}*/

/** @name Miscellaneous function keys */
/*@{*/
SDLK_HELP = 315,
SDLK_PRINT = 316,
SDLK_SYSREQ = 317,
SDLK_BREAK = 318,
SDLK_MENU = 319,
SDLK_POWER = 320, /**< Power Macintosh power key */
SDLK_EURO = 321, /**< Some european keyboards */
SDLK_UNDO = 322, /**< Atari keyboard has Undo */
/*@}*/

/* Add any other keys here */

SDLK_LAST
} SDLKey;

/** Enumeration of valid key mods (possibly OR'd together) */
typedef enum {
KMOD_NONE = 0x0000,
KMOD_LSHIFT= 0x0001,
KMOD_RSHIFT= 0x0002,
KMOD_LCTRL = 0x0040,
KMOD_RCTRL = 0x0080,
KMOD_LALT = 0x0100,
KMOD_RALT = 0x0200,
KMOD_LMETA = 0x0400,
KMOD_RMETA = 0x0800,
KMOD_NUM = 0x1000,
KMOD_CAPS = 0x2000,
KMOD_MODE = 0x4000,
KMOD_RESERVED = 0x8000
} SDLMod;

#define KMOD_CTRL (KMOD_LCTRL|KMOD_RCTRL)
#define KMOD_SHIFT (KMOD_LSHIFT|KMOD_RSHIFT)
#define KMOD_ALT (KMOD_LALT|KMOD_RALT)
#define KMOD_META (KMOD_LMETA|KMOD_RMETA)

#endif /* _SDL_keysym_h */

So now using all this info I can combine it and I was able to get the controls working.....BUT pisnes is also not running at 100% when I test Super Mario World Tested a few other games and they dont seem to be running at 100%.

So what should I do? Should I try overclocking the pi or adjusting some settings? I noticed the slow down a while ago and I did a fresh install of retropie thinking maybe it was the SD card getting old or corrupted. I think i might have used a newer version of retropie, 4.4. Maybe that has something to do with it? I am not sure what to try next. Any help is appreciated.

I also have another GBZ that has the same slow down on those SNES games as of recent. Should I try installing an older version of retropie?

[rodocop]

hmm, is it a pi zero? and what other scripts or programs do you have installed, there may be some background processes running that are slowing down the game. I typically use MMX and Super Mario World to test me pi's too, and generally they do fine. I would try an over clock and see if it helps as well. Just use the overclock used in the minty pi and see if that helps.

And just FYI, i just finished a build using a pi zero, and tinkerboys v3 AIO, retropie 4.4. Battery monitor script installed and an ads1015, usb audio, no slowdowns in MMX or super mario world.

[FlashyFrank]

Im running minty's combo script and battery monitor on top of retrogame on one of the GBZ's and just retrogame and minty's combo script on the other. They both were running SNES at 100% in the past and they both seem to be having the same exact slow down issues.

Maybe Ill try a fresh install with out the minty's combo script. Ill try overclocking one of the pi's first and see if that helps at all.

[FlashyFrank]

I tried overclocking the pi and that did not seem to help much at all.

So I am formatting a new sd card and I will try to do a fresh install with out the extra scripts.

[FlashyFrank]

Ok, so I did a fresh install of retropie and then added retrogame for controls and then added SMW and MMX then tested and they both seem to be running just fine. So I'm guessing it must be the combo script causing issues? Im going to tinker more with it tomorrow and we will see.

[rodocop]

Ok, so I did a fresh install of retropie and then added retrogame for controls and then added SMW and MMX then tested and they both seem to be running just fine. So I'm guessing it must be the combo script causing issues? Im going to tinker more with it tomorrow and we will see.

That's good. In the combo script. Make sure there are no conflicts with the button mapping. For example if you have the function button set to a gpio of a commonly used button (abxy etc) it may cause issues since you'll be using those lots and dont necessarily want to press function.

I'd reccomend the function button being L or R. Or add a seperate button.

[rodocop]

And double check the retroarch.cfg since there is hotkey for slow motion. Might be obvious, but make sure it is off, or not assigned to a button you use.

[FlashyFrank]

And double check the retroarch.cfg since there is hotkey for slow motion. Might be obvious, but make sure it is off, or not assigned to a button you use.

I will double check this but it only slows down in SNES and not any other emulators so I don't think it would be this.

I normally assign the function button to my start or select.

The only reason I like the combo script is for easy shut down, is there a way for me to get this function with out adding the entire script? If I have to go with out the combo script it isn't the end of the world but I would like to get it working.