Archade cabinet with Xlobby

[krolrules]

Xlobby is EXACTLY what I have been looking for, as a front end to my home made archade cabinet. Not only will I use it for that, but pc games as well (Like Quake 3 and Unreal Tornament!)

However......

I cannot seem to successfully create a database of my roms, and have my page in xlobby load the database for selection.

I am using the ColbySkin because of the look and feel. I like the Various archade menus (like Atari, Nintendo, etc...), but cannot get my database to load up when selecting the proper console.

I have tried various combinations of events using the setup, event manager and the skin editor, and seemed to have failed.

Does anyone out there have success with loading and using such feature? Can someone instruct me on the proper way to create a database of roms and have loadup on proper page?

Thanks for the help!

[Colby]

I never built the actual databases for my skin, but its not so hard. Mattdisaster is the real expert at this. Youll have to create new databases and events to execute your emulator.

I dont know how familiar you are with all of this, search the forum if you need a step by step I might have time to help.

What are the games systems youre using?
what are the file types for these?
what are the directory sctructures for these?
what emulators are you using?
do you want "coverart" for your games?

[krolrules]

Thanks for replying!

Here's the info to your q's

System trying to use are atari (for now, just atari as an example)
file types = .bin
file struct for roms = c:\x\atari\roms
emulator = stella
no coverart at this time

I played with trying to make a database last night, and I was able to see it on my atari page successfully. However, when restarting xlobby, it seems to freeze when trying to load "LOADING: SCREENS."

Here is my procedure on what I did...and the errors I recieved alon the way...

1. Loaded xlobby with colbyskin
2. Ran Setup (F2)
3. Created Database by using the import tab, selecting the "roms template," my extensions as .bin, named the new database as atarirom, added the path to look for the .bin files, and then imported. The import completed sucessfully.
4. After the successfull creation of the database for the roms, I opened the skin editor.
5. I went to the "goto screen" and selected the "atari screen."
6. I then selected the "screen" tab on the editor.
7. Now this is where I get problems...and some misunderstanding. To my belief, I need to create a catagory to house my database, so the atari page knows what catagory to look for. So I go the the "Add Catagory" sub-tab on my "screen" main tab, and I type in a category, and then click "create custom category" (I call it "atarirom).
8. Sometimes, and not all the time -- I can then goto the Edit Category screen and my category will be there, and I can choos my database for my screen. Other times, It says "no category selected." How do I officially select a category? Where do I choose it?
9. Then, if I am able to edit the category, I can visually see the thumbnails for my roms on my atari page. And they work sucessfully on loading the games!!!!!!!! Great!!!!!
10. However, when closing the editor I recieve this message:

Code: Select all

"A unhandled exception has occured in your application."

Details:

See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at xlobby2.FormSkin.toXML()
   at xlobby2.GdiForm.unpause()
   at xlobby2.SkinEditor.CloseEditor()
   at xlobby2.SkinEditor.closing(Object sender, CancelEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnClosing(CancelEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmClose(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/microsoft.net/framework/v1.1.4322/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
xlobby2
    Assembly Version: 1.0.1580.32678
    Win32 Version: 1.0.1580.32678
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/richk/Desktop/x/xlobby/xlobby2.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/system.drawing/1.0.5000.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/system.drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/system.windows.forms/1.0.5000.0__b77a5c561934e089/system.windows.forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/system/1.0.5000.0__b77a5c561934e089/system.dll
----------------------------------------
XPluginSDK
    Assembly Version: 1.0.1580.30012
    Win32 Version: 1.0.1580.30012
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/richk/Desktop/x/xlobby/XPluginSDK.DLL
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/system.xml/1.0.5000.0__b77a5c561934e089/system.xml.dll
----------------------------------------
AxInterop.SHDocVw
    Assembly Version: 1.1.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/richk/Desktop/x/xlobby/AxInterop.SHDocVw.DLL
----------------------------------------
XWeather
    Assembly Version: 1.0.1577.33604
    Win32 Version: 1.0.1577.33604
    CodeBase: file:///c:/documents%20and%20settings/richk/desktop/x/xlobby/plugins/xweather/xweather.dll
----------------------------------------
Interop.SHDocVw
    Assembly Version: 1.1.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/richk/Desktop/x/xlobby/Interop.SHDocVw.DLL
----------------------------------------
Accessibility
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/accessibility/1.0.5000.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/accessibility.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Management
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/system.management/1.0.5000.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/system.management.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Design
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.573
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/system.design/1.0.5000.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/system.design.dll
----------------------------------------

************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just in time (JIT) debugging, the config file for this
application or machine (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.

For example:

<configuration>
    <system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the machine
rather than being handled by this dialog.



Lastly, when trying to restart xlobby, I freezes on the "LOADING: SCREENS"

Since this is still in alpha (I guess) is this common to happen? Am I creating categories incorectly, or does creating categories in this alpha version still too buggy?

Any help would be appreciated, but it is not life or death. Trying to discover if xlobby would make a convient application for my archade/gamming console.

Thanks!