MAME64-TI99 Bluetooth/Wireless controllers not working.

Hi Retrobat support,
Somehow there is an issue with wireless controllers not working when mame64 gets started via Retrobat.

USB-Wired controllers all work fine in Retrobat and starting MAME64 with TI-99 emulation.

but bluetooth connected PS4 controllers work fine in Retrobat and with other emulators, but not with MAME64
(maybe Retrobat or Windows still managed the wireless controllers input ?). Also resetting the controller does
not work,  but starting MAME64 directly from the command prompt with the wireless controller works fine, see videos:

Retrobat starting MAME64
(and use the script to kill explorer.exe as mention in one of the other Retrobat forum topics)
https://youtu.be/U33n6L0a3kQ?si=MeoSxt1aEPXoC3Bj


Command line to MAME64
https://youtu.be/AnVqqTVKluE?si=81sm_3j0CeUtrrf-

In addition to the first post is a more detailed log file.

Located in Retrobat directory
 C:\RetroBat\emulationstation\emulatorLauncher.log


2024-01-13 18:21:46.866 [INFO]      --------------------------------------------------------------
2024-01-13 18:21:46.875 [INFO]      [Startup] "C:\RetroBat\emulationstation\emulatorLauncher.exe"  -p1index 0 -p1guid 030000004c050000cc09000000006800 -p1path "\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}" -p1name "PS4 Controller" -p1nbbuttons 16 -p1nbhats 0 -p1nbaxes 6  -system ti99 -emulator mame64 -core mame64 -gameinfo "C:\Users\globe\AppData\Local\Temp\emulationstation.tmp\game.xml" -rom "C:\RetroBat\roms\ti99\MarioBrosE.rpk"
2024-01-13 18:21:46.934 [INFO]      [Game] MarioBros
2024-01-13 18:21:47.020 [INFO]      [Generator] Using Mame64Generator
2024-01-13 18:21:47.083 [INFO]      [PadToKey] Loaded C:\RetroBat\emulationstation\.emulationstation\es_padtokey.cfg
2024-01-13 18:21:47.086 [INFO]      [Running] C:\RetroBat\emulators\mame\mame.exe ti99_4a -skip_gameinfo -rompath C:\RetroBat\bios;C:\RetroBat\roms\ti99 -cfg_directory C:\RetroBat\bios\mame\cfg -inipath C:\RetroBat\bios\mame\ini -hashpath C:\RetroBat\bios\mame\hash -artpath C:\RetroBat\saves\mame\artwork -snapshot_directory C:\RetroBat\screenshots -ioport peb -ioport:peb:slot2 32kmem -ioport:peb:slot3 speech -cart C:\RetroBat\roms\ti99\MarioBrosE.rpk -state_directory C:\RetroBat\saves\mame\states -ctrlrpath C:\RetroBat\saves\mame\ctrlr -nofilter -verbose -throttle -sound dsound -video d3d -resolution auto -aspect auto -waitvsync -dial_device joystick -trackball_device joystick -paddle_device joystick -positional_device joystick -mouse_device joystick -joystickprovider dinput
2024-01-13 18:21:47.175 [INFO]      [PadToKey] Add joystick PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}
2024-01-13 18:22:22.230 [INFO]      PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}
2024-01-13 18:22:29.029 [INFO]      [PadToKey] Add joystick PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}
2024-01-13 18:22:29.034 [INFO]      [PadToKey] Add joystick PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}
2024-01-13 18:25:27.744 [INFO]      PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}
2024-01-13 18:25:27.748 [INFO]      PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}
2024-01-13 18:25:29.438 [INFO]      [PadToKey] Add joystick PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}
2024-01-13 18:25:29.443 [INFO]      [PadToKey] Add joystick PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}
2024-01-13 18:25:58.868 [INFO]      PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}
2024-01-13 18:25:58.872 [INFO]      PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}
2024-01-13 18:26:01.502 [INFO]      [PadToKey] Add joystick PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}
2024-01-13 18:28:26.857 [INFO]      PS4 Controller - Device:0, Player:1, Path:\\?\hid#{00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb}_vid&0002054c_pid&09cc#9&31f89a67&1&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}




then I copied this command line (and added -ui_active,   or using mame.ini in the \bios\mame\ini\mame.ini file (to set ui_active  1)

Hey guys, we are not robot, read the rules before posting, say "Hello"...
minimum politness please.

Hi, I have edited the first two messages in this forum to comply. It is a weird issue and I am trying to fix it for a long time

I know the developer of the TI emulation in MAME64 and he can help to check if it is something in the MAME64 system

and maybe we need to tune this startup command as we have seen other issues before with MAME64 and TI99 (See the atariage TI99 forum on mame64 for all the troubleshooting).

I could not find yet in emulation station in which file this command line is stored and to try out some other parameters to start MAME64 from RetroBat.

C:\RetroBat\emulators\mame\mame.exe ti99_4a -skip_gameinfo -rompath C:\RetroBat\bios;C:\RetroBat\roms\ti99 -cfg_directory C:\RetroBat\bios\mame\cfg -inipath C:\RetroBat\bios\mame\ini -hashpath C:\RetroBat\bios\mame\hash -artpath C:\RetroBat\saves\mame\artwork -snapshot_directory C:\RetroBat\screenshots -ioport peb -ioport:peb:slot2 32kmem -ioport:peb:slot3 speech -cart C:\RetroBat\roms\ti99\MarioBrosE.rpk -state_directory C:\RetroBat\saves\mame\states -ctrlrpath C:\RetroBat\saves\mame\ctrlr -nofilter -verbose -throttle -sound dsound -video d3d -resolution auto -aspect auto -waitvsync -dial_device joystick -trackball_device joystick -paddle_device joystick -positional_device joystick -mouse_device joystick -joystickprovider dinput

Quick update:

I tried the https://retrobat.forumgaming.fr/t1929-retrobat-v6-public-beta-3
(but still the same issue with MAME64 as emulator that PS4 Controllers does not work)

however changing the emulator to:
RetroArch and MAME emulator is working with the PS4 controllers.
(in my Retrobat 5.3 somehow RetroArch core mame was not working, I copied it from the
beta v3 "mame_libretro.dll" and it works now with 5.3 with the PS4 controllers).
This solution works fine so far.

globeron wrote:
I tried the https://retrobat.forumgaming.fr/t1929-retrobat-v6-public-beta-3
(but still the same issue with MAME64 as emulator that PS4 Controllers does not work)

Hello
Are you using your PS4 controller with a specific third-party software ?
BTW, you can create some profile for Mame64, and then "call them" from the Retrobat menu

https://wiki.retrobat.org/controllers/specific_mapping/mame64-controller-mapping

Hi @getupor, no other software is used. The PS4 are connected via bluetooth in windows per normal.When I start Mame64 via the command prompt (with the same command Retrobat is using) then it works okay.

Thank you for the recommendation, let me try tomorrow with the profile to see if it makes a difference and if I can get it to work.

But I am happy so far with libretro/mame it all works with TI and did pad2key mapping, works great.

Hello,
Unfortunately with few emulators, mame included, when Emulationstation and the emulator are both opened, controllers do not work in the emulator.
This happens with non-xinput controllers.

Hi @tartifless,
Thank you for the clarification!

No problem, maybe someday we'll find out the issue...

We strongly recommend xinput controllers for best experience, especially xbox one controllers or 8bitdo in xinput mode, these are the ones we own and can test and correct if required ...

Thanks Tartifless,  I do only have wired XInput controllers (no wireless), but I came one step further with the PS4 wireless controllers.

I got the idea of the other post yesterday in the forum about PS3 controllers, but there is something similar for PS4 controllers.
https://www.pcgamer.com/how-to-use-a-ps4-controller-on-pc/

The PS4 controller is now mapped to an X360 controller in the DS4Windows program.
(I hid the PS4 controller option)

the only issue now is that Retrobat shows 2x controller icons as it recognizes the PS4 controller and the "X360 controller"
(and X360 is recognized as Joystick 2 in the TI-99/4A programs).

I am not sure if my analysis is correct, but that MAME64 looks to the Xinput controllers only?  (or like getupor was pointing to your details here https://wiki.retrobat.org/controllers/specific_mapping/mame64-controller-mapping)

I did try the different profile options with the PS4, but I need more time in the weekend (as I could not get it work, but it might be the solution) as it explains why MAME64 and PS4 Wireless  controllers work when directly started from a command prompt ?
(if this works, then the DS4Windows tool is not needed anymore).

(note: the RetroArch Libretro/MAME works so far good!   and as far as I see is there no need to change to the MAME64 to run the TI-99/4A games). I use MAME64 separately for other purposes (like Myarc Geneve 9640, TI-99/8, etc.).

globeron wrote:Thanks Tartifless,  I do only have wired XInput controllers (no wireless), but I came one step further with the PS4 wireless controllers.

I got the idea of the other post yesterday in the forum about PS3 controllers, but there is something similar for PS4 controllers.
https://www.pcgamer.com/how-to-use-a-ps4-controller-on-pc/

The PS4 controller is now mapped to an X360 controller in the DS4Windows program.
(I hid the PS4 controller option)

the only issue now is that Retrobat shows 2x controller icons as it recognizes the PS4 controller and the "X360 controller"
(and X360 is recognized as Joystick 2 in the TI-99/4A programs).

I am not sure if my analysis is correct, but that MAME64 looks to the Xinput controllers only?  (or like getupor was pointing to your details here https://wiki.retrobat.org/controllers/specific_mapping/mame64-controller-mapping)

I did try the different profile options with the PS4, but I need more time in the weekend (as I could not get it work, but it might be the solution) as it explains why MAME64 and PS4 Wireless  controllers work when directly started from a command prompt ?
(if this works, then the DS4Windows tool is not needed anymore).

(note: the RetroArch Libretro/MAME works so far good!   and as far as I see is there no need to change to the MAME64 to run the TI-99/4A games). I use MAME64 separately for other purposes (like Myarc Geneve 9640, TI-99/8, etc.).

You need to use the latest Ryochan's DS4Windows soft, not the unmaintained one, also you need to use "HidHide" in DS4Windows to hide the DS4 original controller, this will solve your issue.

globeron wrote:
I am not sure if my analysis is correct, but that MAME64 looks to the Xinput controllers only?  (or like getupor was pointing to your details here https://wiki.retrobat.org/controllers/specific_mapping/mame64-controller-mapping)

MAME recognizes dinput controllers, so almost all controllers that Windows recognizes.

Hi,
For DS4Windows it is the latest version 3.3.3 and the "hide PS4 Controller" is ticked, but I keep seeing 2 icons for 1 controller.
(also I tried to assign/fix the XBOX360 to controller 1 in Retrobat and PS4 to Controller 2 (even it is hidden in DS4Windows, I do see it in Retrobat), but in MAME64 TI99 still the controller is used as Joystick 2 (testing with Blasto and 2x tanks), using auto-config.

You are MAME does recognized DINPUT controllers (USB controllers no problem at all, via Retrobat and/or via a command prompt)
The PS4 controllers are also fine via a command prompt. In the weekend I will try to troubleshoot the MAME profiles sequence if I
can get it to work with PS4 wireless for DINPUT. (and also troubleshoot DS4Windows).

globeron wrote:Hi,
For DS4Windows it is the latest version 3.3.3 and the "hide PS4 Controller" is ticked, but I keep seeing 2 icons for 1 controller.
(also I tried to assign/fix the XBOX360 to controller 1 in Retrobat and PS4 to Controller 2  (even it is hidden in DS4Windows, I do see it in Retrobat), but in MAME64 TI99 still the controller is used as Joystick 2 (testing with Blasto and 2x tanks), using auto-config.  

You are MAME does recognized DINPUT controllers (USB controllers no problem at all, via Retrobat and/or via a command prompt)
The PS4 controllers are also fine via a command prompt.  In the weekend I will try to troubleshoot the MAME profiles sequence if I
can get it to work with PS4 wireless for DINPUT.   (and also troubleshoot DS4Windows).

If it does see 2 controllers, it means HidHide is not correctly configured with DS4Windows.

Hi @tartifless .  
For the last month it has been working perfectly with the HidHide on and DS4Windows.
(so that PS4 wireless controllers are only seen as XBOX360 Controller).

I am using Libretro/MAME with Game Focus on and programmed some buttons with Pad to Key.
(so that I do not have to press 1,2,3 on the keyboard).

Also MAME64 works fine now (using DS4Windows and HidHide)