MAME engine working instruction

Luigi Vogliobene

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Dec 25, 2020, 10:59:54 AM12/25/20

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Hi to all,

just got the Mephisto Polgar MAME rom (polgar.zip) but I am not able to run in picochess v3. Please would you like to give me some information about the correct steps for installing the MAME rom (I edited the engines.ini file in armv7l folder adding the polgar's related lines then I putted the polgar.zip file in the mame_emulations/roms folder).

Thank you in advance.

Luigi

Scally

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Dec 25, 2020, 11:55:22 AM12/25/20

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Hi Luigi,

After adding the ROM you still need an engine entry, a uci entry (if there’s levels) and an ini entry (as you’ve done).

In armv7l my engines.ini entry is:

[polgar]

name = Mephisto Polgar

small = polgar

medium = M Polgar

large = Meph Polgar

elo = 1975

levels = 10

ponder/brain = n

The last 2 lines are optional.

The Engine entry should be similar to other MAME entries, in this case edit a file called polgar and paste these lines in and save it:

#!/bin/bash

cd /opt/picochess/engines/mame_emulation; SDL_VIDEODRIVER=dummy /opt/picochess/engines/mame_emulation/mess -skip_gameinfo -lightgunprovider none -video none -plugin chessengine polgar

The last line above is all on 1 line.

Save it and give it executable permissions via

chmod a+x polgar

You may need sudo at the front.

Then lastly you need the uci entry for the levels, edit a file called polgar.uci and paste these lines in and save it:

[01-5s move]

level = NORMAL 0:05

PicoTimeControl = 5

[02-10s move]

level = NORMAL 0:10

PicoTimeControl = 10

[03-15s move]

level = NORMAL 0:15

PicoTimeControl = 15

[04-30s move]

level = NORMAL 0:30

PicoTimeControl = 30

[05-60s move]

level = NORMAL 0:60

PicoTimeControl = 60

[06-5m game]

level = BLITZ 5:00

PicoTimeControl = 5 0

[07-15m game]

level = BLITZ 15:00

PicoTimeControl = 15 0

[08-30m game]

level = BLITZ 30:00

PicoTimeControl = 30 0

[09-45m game]

level = BLITZ 45:00

PicoTimeControl = 45 0

[10-60m game]

level = BLITZ 60:00

PicoTimeControl = 60 0

We only added some of the levels, if you look at the instruction manual for the Polgar, you could add more in a similar way.

That’s it.

Cheers,

Al.

Luigi Vogliobene

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Dec 25, 2020, 12:32:54 PM12/25/20

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Hi Al,

thank you for your answer, I follow all of your instructions but the engine won't start. Attached you will find the exception I got. May be I own the wrong rom version ? (I have 2 files: polgar.zip and polgar10.zip and I put them both in the roms folder as you can see attached)

Thank you.

Luigi

Immagine 2020-12-25 182537.jpg

roms.jpg

RandyR

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Dec 25, 2020, 12:50:41 PM12/25/20

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Luigi,

You also need hd44780_a00.zip in the roms folder.

Randy

Scally

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Dec 25, 2020, 12:57:57 PM12/25/20

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Also as your’s is a copy of Dirk’s system which is slightly different to mine, your engines.ini file for polgar should start:

[mame/polgar]

Not

[polgar]

Al.

RandyR

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Dec 25, 2020, 1:07:21 PM12/25/20

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A good site to check is adb.a*r*cad*eita*lia.net (remove asterisks). I think it's just an info site with no roms so should be safe to post here. Add hhtp:// to the front. You can search for a game, then scroll down to Files and click on 'Show Mame Required Files'.

Randy

RandyR

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Dec 25, 2020, 1:09:26 PM12/25/20

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I meant 'http://'

Randy

Luigi Vogliobene

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Dec 25, 2020, 1:19:37 PM12/25/20

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Hi Al, Randy,

I missed the hd44780_a00.zip file. Now all is working. Thank you for your support.