Hacking The Great Quest for Wiiflow Plugins™ - A call for adventurers!

[popckorn]

Thank you so much for taking the time, even though it was fruitless, RunningSnakes.

How should I go about reinstalling the whole PSX section?
Which folders should I delete and then copy from the fresh 2024?
I would love to be able to make a fresh install.

Yesterday I tried again and it did not work with neither controller, I Cannot even bring up the Config Menu to assign keys on the controllers, I cannot do anything but turn the Wii off manually with the console's button.

I am very nervous and anxious, I had an amazing set-up, but now I cannot use WiiFlow.. all my PSX is just there taunting me but I cannot use it anymore .

I hope there is a sure reinstall method just for the PSX modules.
I reckon I must delete and paste the SD/wiiflow/plugins/playstation folders but also SD/wiisxrx ?

Also if I want to add the upgraded Wiistation .dol file shared in the WiiStation 3.0 thread, should I replace the Wiistation.dol at SD/wiiflow/plugins/Plyastation/Wiistation or Wiistation Lighrec folder?

 

[SaulFabre]

I also believe that the cause of those crashes is because of using old settings/config files on newer WiiStation releases.

As @RunningSnakes said, try deleting all your old config files and then restart the application.

PS: New WiiStation build coming in a few hours.

 

[popckorn]

Thank you for the insight on these tricky config files.
I have been trying to understand them ever since I wanted to update to 2024 Pack, but I have been unable to find a clear, concise list of which files are those and where to find them.

What names or extensions I Am looking for? In which folders?
I just need location and IDs and I can remove them each time I upgrade.

I updated to 2024 Plugin Pack by Copy and Replacing the pack over tha 2023 install.
So maybe some config files are not being replaced by the new pack and will leave old config files, but I dont know where to look for them.

Also I would still like to know where in the WiiFlow/Plugins/Playstation directory should I replace the dol for the new build to come out soon. Should I replace it in the vanilla Wiistation folder, or the WiiStation Lightrec folder? or the WiiSXRX folder?

Thank you so much for your empathy and tolerance guys !

Post automatically merged: Mar 20, 2024

Fixed: deleted and pasted sd/wiisxrx and plugins/playstation. It works now.

Last couple of weeks I’ve been toying with a RetroBlue GameCube adapter to play DoDonPachi with an 8bitdo Arcade Stick. It worked and was happy about it. Then updated the Plugin 24 Megapack, a couple of days after. I remember saving a bunch of configuration in both sd and usb, so there. Most likely a config file indeed.

By the way, made it work using the WiiStation plugin instead of WiiStationLR which was failing yesterday. Now I am confused why the former has a LightRec option in it, despite it not being LR?

Does WiiStation 3.0 now supersede WiistationLR, making it redundant at plugins/playstation? Or is LR like wiisxrx in the sense that it must be there as a dependency?

Much Obliged

 

[RunningSnakes]

@popckorn
Good news you have it running now my friend.

So much happens on the PS1 (WiiStation) scene, it really is difficult to keep up. Regarding the WFL plugins for PS1, WiiSXRX plugin will not be changed unless there is any future update, the WiiStation plugin will always be the official release.

The WiiStation LR (Lightrec) plugin has been changed to "WiiStation Alt" although i have not made this available to download yet. This will be the plugin used for rolling releases such as @SaulFabre releases he compiles and provides.

I have the update(s) in my setup but noticed Saul released another build i have not tested yet. When i get a chance to, i will test and get with Saul so he can provide me information of which builds/releases should be used.

 

[popckorn]

Much Appreciated, dude.
This scene is so stimulating, hahaha

The WiiStation LR (Lightrec) plugin has been changed to "WiiStation Alt" although i have not made this available to download yet. This will be the plugin used for rolling releases such as @SaulFabre releases he compiles and provides.

This is an excellent revision! Being able to toggle Stable Release and Nightly, instead of LightRec which has been merged with Stable in 3.0.

Saul's Nightly release scene is my definition of FOMO, lol... but I dread breaking what is sincerely not broken (even though CHD will save me 40GB or so... ).
Having a folder at wiiflow/plugins/playstation devoted to Nightlies is great.

I still do not know whether playing with config files during my configuration of the 8Bitdo Stick, using the Nightly Build, will taint some common dependencies for the Stable Build (e.g. via SD/wiisxrx).

Compartmentalizing, though, is a great way to test intermediary builds, specially for those helping debugg it, even though I doubt most of the beta testers have any doubts about what they are doing, it is me and my kin that need some compartmentalization to fool proof the plugins a bit, lol.

My Quality Assurance Auditing years are coming back to me, lol...
I specialized in SOPs and Manuals, technical writing, so I might be of help at some point.

 

[RunningSnakes]

Here is a minor update that has been merged with complete plugin pack, PS1 cores and Atari 2600 ini updates...

 

[wei134102]

does anyone test mame2003A.DOL play hook.zip on sd card,there is a dsi error,some coreA games have dsi error ,other is ok ?why,but i use it in usb is ok!


update:
i fomat my sd card ,now is good !mybe some files whorg!

 

[mushy7969]

I'm dusting off an old wii and this seems awesome!

I'm having trouble with some of the emulators reading from the usb device though. For example, gb and gbc emulators both show errors like "No games found in usb1:/ROMS/Nintendo/GB". GBA emulator works fine though and loads from usb:/ROMS/Nintento/GBA. All standard .zip files too. I can't find anything interesting in the config files - anywhere else I could look?

Also any way to set it to not look for ".zip" in the title of coverart?

 

[Jate]

Hi!

It's been a while since I've been on here but it's as organised as ever.

I have a question, the latest version of the pack includes Wiimc version 2021 but the latest version is from 2023.

https://github.com/SuperrSonic/WiiMC-SSLC/releases/tag/v3.0.0-Revised

Is it better to use the 2021 version?

 

[RunningSnakes]

@mushy7969

Are you using only USB as plugin device or do you also have SD card inserted?

If you are using USB only, check Settings Page 1/14...
Game Partitions - Click Set ...
Wii Partition = USB
GameCube Partition = USB
Plugins Partition = USB

Then check Settings Page 2/14...
Startup Settings - Click Go
USB Port = 0
Mount SD only = No

-------

If you are using SD/USB with plugins installed on SD and games/roms on USB, check....

Plugins Partition = SD

USB Port = 0
Mount SD only = No

Post automatically merged: Mar 28, 2024

@Jate
When i last updated WiiMC which was some time ago, i included the last version working/stable as a plugin. I do remember having issues with a few versions i tested but it is very possible a newer version works 100%. My suggestion would be to simply replace the existing .dol and test if newer version you have is working properly, keeping original as a backup just in case you run into issues.

 

[DBZFan102]

This may be a noobish question, but when I added some of the pallettes from the 'Extras' download, the menu turned monochrome and simplistic, like the default version. I did replace the original default file with the one in the download, so that might be why, but it seems strange to me. Like, a pallette shouldn't cause a complete appearance change, right? Should I reset the cache or something?

 

[ukigh4ie2]

Hi @RunningSnakes,

thanks for the plugin pack update, which I'm currently sorting in my private Git repo.

I noticed that both base and extra archive contain Vectrex roms under differnt path

./WiiFlow Plugins Pack 2024/COPY_TO_SD_OR_USB/vec/WebWars.vec
./WiiFlow Plugins Pack 2024 Extras/COPY_TO_SD_OR_USB/ROMS/Vectrex/WebWars.vec

May I ask why we have the files twice? Can't VECTREX-WII and VECTREX-RA share the directory?

--- a/COPY_TO_SD_OR_USB/private/VTREX/Omega-Chase.cfg
+++ b/COPY_TO_SD_OR_USB/private/VTREX/Omega-Chase.cfg
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ exit_fade = "false"
-libretro_path = "sd:/apps/RA-HEXAECO/Vectrex.dol"
+libretro_path = "sd:/apps/RA-HEXAECO/Nintendo mGBA.dol"

Intentional or accidental?

 

[SaulFabre]

Hi @RunningSnakes,

thanks for the plugin pack update, which I'm currently sorting in my private Git repo.

I noticed that both base and extra archive contain Vectrex roms under differnt path



May I ask why we have the files twice? Can't VECTREX-WII and VECTREX-RA share the directory?

For avoid conflict between different versions of Vectrex emulator, i guess.

 

[ukigh4ie2]

For avoid conflict between different versions of Vectrex emulator, i guess.

But the ROMs should always be the same, or have I misunderstood something?

 

[RunningSnakes]

@ukigh4ie2

Yes the roms are/should be the same and yes it was intentional. I did this for overlay support for both cores/emulators, both Vectrex-Wii and Hexaeco-Vectrex require different hardcoded paths for overlays.

I have abandoned Vectrex-Wii personally since Hex-Vex is superior in every way, although it is not perfect it is great imo and one of Hexaeco-SS shining cores.

 

[DBZFan102]

This may be a noobish question, but when I added some of the pallettes from the 'Extras' download, the menu turned monochrome and simplistic, like the default version. I did replace the original default file with the one in the download, so that might be why, but it seems strange to me. Like, a pallette shouldn't cause a complete appearance change, right? Should I reset the cache or something?

Sorry, I made a mistake here. Those pallettes were for RetroArch. Still, it is true that ever since I installed these packs, the themes are just not working. At first, it displayed the name "Rhapsodii Shima" on the settings even though it was using the default theme. But after I reloaded the cache, now it just says "Default" and pressing the arrows won't display any other themes, as if they were never installed.

Those themes came with my WiiFlow installation, if I recall; they worked before. What part of this plugin pack could have broken them?

 

[RunningSnakes]

Those themes came with my WiiFlow installation, if I recall; they worked before. What part of this plugin pack could have broken them?

Let me understand correctly, you had WFL with Shima theme working before installing the plugins pack?

1. The only theme that comes with a WFL installation is the black Default theme.

2. The plugins pack is for emulator plugins and has no themes included.

3. The Extras download Does include "extra" background images for the Shima theme made by myself, @mastershoes & @matto21 but no "theme installations" are included.

@Tetsuo Shima has a dedicated thread for his theme installation you should refer to that will get it up and running.

 

[DBZFan102]

Let me understand correctly, you had WFL with Shima theme working before installing the plugins pack?

1. The only theme that comes with a WFL installation is the black Default theme.

2. The plugins pack is for emulator plugins and has no themes included.

3. The Extras download Does include background images for the Shima theme made by myself, @mastershoes & @matto21 but no "theme installations" are included.

@Tetsuo Shima has a dedicated thread for his theme installation you should refer to that will get it up and running.

I have already looked at his theme installation thread. I've attempted to reinstall the Shima theme as well as installing the SDTV version as well. Neither has been recognized.

Again, the themes were working fine before I put all the new files in. And I recall something similar happening before, as well. I strongly believe something in these packs, perhaps an .ini file or another, caused the themes to stop working, because it was the only thing I changed in my WiiFlow installation in recent times.

I still have other things to try, like reinstalling WiiFlow or deleting its save file, but I still would appreciate some advice.

 

[RunningSnakes]

Try removing/deleting the wiiflow_lite.ini file located... apps/wiiflow/wiiflow_lite.ini and restart WFL to create a new configuration, back up your previous ini.file before doing this.

You will get the default theme when booting, then go into settings and apply the Shima theme. Hopefully this will fix your issue.

 

[RunningSnakes]

@DBZFan102

Did you happen to fix your issue?

I am curious if you have 2 or more themes installed after some testing with this.

Tetsuo has mentioned that too many plugins will indeed cause memory issues/crash. He and myself cleaned up the platform.ini not long ago, but since then, i have also included a few other entries. I am not positive where or when the breaking point can begin with the Shima theme, or using a different theme.

So i tested the only other theme i have installed (Carbonix) which i tested a few years ago. I kept this theme since i thought i would modify it but it is wasting space on my SD, i have not attempted to use this until your post prompted me.

I made adjustments to the Carbonix theme after i kept getting unwanted restarts and it seemed to fix the issues. I test more, that is how i run into more issues...long story short, Carbonix cannot run successfully on WFL 5.5.4.1.

Now i apply Shima theme and everything is a mess. WFL launches and works but launching any game will result in dsi exception error and loops back to WFL with no possible way to exit unless i hard reset.

In conclusion, maybe other themes work 100% but i would not suggest installing more than 1 beside the default theme.

All themes will use same important paths...
apps/wiiflow/wiiflow_lite.ini
dev:/wiiflow/cache/lists/
dev:/wiiflow/settings/titlesdump.ini

In my experience, cleaning/removing those above paths files will fix most issues.