Stella emulator on Mac remaps every time it starts

[8bitscum]

I've installed Stella on my Mac and I'm very happy with it. Besides being so clear, rather than a fuzzy RF signal, it feels like the classic 2600 including the sync issue now and then.

 

I'm using new USB joysticks and mapping them is very easy. I've played with two controllers for 1v1 and that works as well. It all functions fine.

 

My problem is, if I quit the app, all of the mapping resets! No matter what order I attach things, it doesn't work unless I MANUALLY remap every single time.

 

Start app, add controllers

Add controllers, start app

Add one controller, start app, add another

 

It's always the same, it sets to keyboard as the input device or uses BOTH joysticks for the same function. It will say "Up: Up arrow, J0B1-, J1B1-" "Down: Down arrow, J0B1+, J1B1+" clearly giving priority to the keyboard.

 

If I can fix this, it is a perfect solution to a dedicated machine. Any ideas? I've uninstalled all system files related to the app and re-downloaded it. Still the same.

[+stephena]

This is a known problem that is currently being worked on, and hopefully will be fixed for the next release.

[8bitscum]

Blah! I hope in time for Christmas. I made a dedicated box for mom since she would have a hard time buying online, shipping, and ending up with busted hardware. If not I'll just set it up for her manually until the update is here! Hah

[+stephena]

No promises for before Christmas, but it is the number 1 issue I'm working on right now.

[+stephena]

I've just found a potential issue for Windows users, which could possibly manifest itself in OSX too. I'm continuing to work on this ...

[+stephena]

The following is a beta build that I hope will fix the issue. Please download/test and let me know.

 

Beta1 is no longer available.

[8bitscum]

That was fast. Thanks for keeping in touch! The best customer support I think I've ever received.

 

It's weird. I mapped everything to the controllers, quit the app without changing/unplugging anything. As soon as I start up, both controllers share the same mapping! They are both the same port!

 

Also, the default mapping is odd. Instead of, say, P0/A4- I get P0/A0-, buttons that don't exist. The other player's controller can be P2, P4...it's never P1. That happens when I hit "Defaults"

 

Using RetroLink controllers. They're tested and work fine in other apps.

 

I trashed it and ALL support files thanks to AppZapper. When that didn't work I installed on another mac just to be sure.

Edited December 21, 2014 by 8bitscum

[+stephena]

OK, the common thing among the reports I've read seems to be that you're using 2 of the same type of controller. I'll try to test that case and get back to you (I say 'try', since I don't actually have two of the same controller). Can you try running again, but go to Options -> System Logs and tell me what it lists for the detected joysticks? Maybe take a snapshot of the window and send it to me??

 

Also, for future reference, the only thing you need to delete to restore to factory settings is ~/Library/Preferences/net.sourceforge.Stella.plist. This is the main settings file, and when removed, Stella will act like a new install.

[+stephena]

Here's a second try; I think I've fixed it this time:

 

[Links removed: Download Stella 4.5 directly]

[8bitscum]

It sticks!!

Personally, this version works for me just fine. However, the only thing I would fix is the default mapping. It uses buttons such as "J0/A0" which don't exist.

 

Working so far! Great!

[+stephena]

OK, great to hear that this issue is finally resolved. It will be present in the final 4.5 release, due sometime in the next few weeks.

 

As for the default mapping, that's a little harder. The goal is that plugging in a new stick should default to a mapping that will work for most people. For most people, that is axis 0/1 for movement, and button 0 for fire. Unfortunately, I have no way to determine (a) whether button 0 exists, or (b) what the best button to use would be. We have to default to something, so I picked the most common configuration.

[8bitscum]

I figured as much. Can't please everybody, and really it takes less than a minute to set it up. Excellent work! Thanks for staying with me through this!