Atari ST Disk Swaps

[Beefington]

Hello all . Does anyone else have issues with Atari ST disk swaps? I'm running 7.1.1 on a Rasp Pi 4 and using lhatari emulator. I can access the hatari menu in game, but cannot scroll the scroll bars in menus to find the disk required. It's a shame that a 'real' mouse is not supported as I think this does not help the matter.

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

[Zing]

@Beefington I don't have an Rpi4, and, I don't play Atari ST, but, searching, I found these two topics that may help you:

• https://forum.recalbox.com/topic/22954/hatari-and-controllers
• https://forum.recalbox.com/topic/23533/hatari-et-joystick-angry

[Beefington]

@Zing many thanks. One of those posts was one I made asking for help on a similar issue. And, I regret to say, I do not speak French so could not read the other. I very much appreciate you taking the time to help though.
Kind regards

[Zing]

@Beefington

One of those posts was one I made asking for help on a similar issue.

Sorry, but if you have already been answered about this, there was no need to create another topic.
As already mentioned in the other topic, you are trying to play a console that originally used a keyboard, so to configure it, you may need to use a keyboard, and, configuring correctly, you will probably be able to use the joystick only (to play / change discs) ).

I do not speak French so could not read the other

About the other topic in French, you just need to use an online translator, you don't need to ignore the information just because it's not in your language, my native language is neither English nor French. I don't speak French, but the Recalbox team is mostly French, so most of the information will naturally be in French, so I also use the online translator to understand what is said in French.

Look:
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=fr&tl=en&u=https://forum.recalbox.com/topic/23533/hatari-et-joystick-angry

In case you still cannot understand, I will summarize:
The hatari will be updated in the next version of Recalbox and with that some improvements are expected, so if you still have problems, please be patient and wait for the next version.

[Beefington]

@Zing again, thank you. I was not being impatient and this topic was different to the one previously raised (which was not 'solved' either). My message to you was in thanks, but you seem to have taken offence; which is unnecessary and (if I might say) slightly hostile.

Thanks again though, I wish you well.

[Zing]

@Beefington Sorry if you thought that, but, you didn't offend me, and I didn't want to look hostile. Please understand that English is not my native language, perhaps my objectivity has made that impression.

I also didn't mean that you are impatient, I just said "please be patient and wait for the next version" because expecting something good always causes anxiety, so it is common to talk to users "be patient".

this topic was different to the one previously raised (which was not 'solved' either)

I understand that you interpret it as two different problems, but, I think you could have used only one topic, because both problems are related to controls.

but cannot scroll the scroll bars in menus to find the disk required

I researched more about it and found the hatari documentation:
https://docs.libretro.com/library/hatari/

If you read until the end, you will notice that in the part that talks about joypad (https://docs.libretro.com/library/hatari/#joypad), it is clear that if you press select you enable "Mouse mode toggle", then, to change the disc, you need to access the menu with "Y", press "select", and use the joystick as if it were a mouse, using button A to "click the mouse".

Please test, check, and give feedback.

[Beefington]

@Zing thank you again. I have read all the guidance you have sent.
I know how to enable mouse emulation on a joypad - it appears to be the only way to use a mouse in the ST in recalbox. My latest post highlights that even when enabling this function, using the mouse pointer to scroll through disk menus is impossible. I was asking the community if anyone else had experiences this issue and if they had come across a solution. It seems strange that for a computer that had mouse as a primary input, the use of a real mouse in the emulator is not supported. As you say, perhaps the update will help this matter. If it doesn't, Retropie might be an option (I understand this gives more freedom to chose and configure emulators/cores)

Kind regards

[Zing]

@Beefington

Okay, I managed to do some tests:

• I can use the joystick as a mouse, and, I can use the pointer to choose the next disk, it is difficult, it is boring, but it is possible. When entering the list of ROMs, it is the worst part: it is very difficult to be able to click the arrow to down in the sidebar, but, it's possible.
• I tested plugging a cheap simple mouse (with cable) before starting an Atari ST game - it worked normally.
• I tested plugging a cheap wireless mouse and keyboard with dongle (1 single dongle for the mouse and keyboard) - The keyboard worked normally, the mouse is recognized (it is possible to use the mouse), but, its movement is slow. It works, you can use it, but it doesn't work well (I think it's better than the joystick as a mouse).

I didn't do any special configuration, I didn't modify anything, I just added Atari ST games (in .st format, compressed in .zip format).

I hope this helps.

[Beefington]

@Zing this is really interesting as I have tried several ways to make the mouse work (including a clean install of Recalbox) and never once made it work. Any recommendations on how I can match your success in this? You mentioned you are not using a Raspberry Pi. It could be this?

[Zing]

@Beefington

You mentioned you are not using a Raspberry Pi. It could be this?

I am using an Rpi3, and you are using an Rpi4.
Yes, there is this possibility, but it is only possible to confirm if someone else who has an RPi4, test it too...

Did you try with another mouse? We cannot rule out that possibility either.

[Beefington]

@Zing I shall try a different mouse later. But the mouse I use works with the SCUMM core. May I ask what version of Atari TOS you used as a BIOS?

Kind regards

[Beefington]

@Zing Thank you. I have had success! I was using a USB hub to extend the reach of my mouse cable. I unplugged that plugged the mouse in direct and it works on the ST fine now. How strange that SCUMM worked with the hub but not hatari.

Thanks for your patience and assistance.

Kind regards