Still can’t make atari800 work, even after pointing out the Bios files.
I guess i’m stuck with MESS then.
Where does the atari800.cfg come from and what should it say ? (any examples so we can see how it’s created and how looks ?
I’ll give it a shot when I get home if I have all the info to try…
as far as I know you have to run the core once, configure it with your BIOS path and all of your options, , then there is an option to “save configuration” (or something like that) and it will get created.
Thanks, I am looking forward to trying this. Is there anything speical with this to setup the BIOS ?
I tried it the other day and saved it… Here is a copy of it…
Can this be configured like this ? And what would you set for a 360 controller ?
Atari 800 Emulator, Version 3.1.0 ROM_OS_A_NTSC= ROM_OS_A_PAL= ROM_OS_B_NTSC= ROM_OS_AA00R10= ROM_OS_AA00R11= ROM_OS_BB00R1= ROM_OS_BB01R2= ROM_OS_BB02R3= ROM_OS_BB02R3V4= ROM_OS_CC01R4= ROM_OS_BB01R3= ROM_OS_BB01R4= ROM_OS_BB01R59= ROM_OS_BB01R59A= ROM_5200= ROM_5200_A= ROM_BASIC_A= ROM_BASIC_B= ROM_BASIC_C= ROM_XEGAME= ROM_400/800_CUSTOM= ROM_XL/XE_CUSTOM= ROM_5200_CUSTOM= ROM_BASIC_CUSTOM= ROM_XEGAME_CUSTOM= OS_400/800_VERSION=AUTO OS_XL/XE_VERSION=AUTO OS_5200_VERSION=AUTO BASIC_VERSION=AUTO XEGS_GAME_VERSION=AUTO H1_DIR= H2_DIR= H3_DIR= H4_DIR= HD_READ_ONLY=1 PRINT_COMMAND=lpr %s SCREEN_REFRESH_RATIO=1 MACHINE_TYPE=Atari 5200 RAM_SIZE=16 DEFAULT_TV_MODE=PAL MOSAIC_RAM_NUM_BANKS=0 AXLON_RAM_NUM_BANKS=0 ENABLE_MAPRAM=0 DISABLE_BASIC=1 ENABLE_SIO_PATCH=1 ENABLE_SLOW_XEX_LOADING=0 ENABLE_H_PATCH=0 ENABLE_P_PATCH=0 ENABLE_NEW_POKEY=1 STEREO_POKEY=1 BUILTIN_BASIC=0 KEYBOARD_LEDS=0 F_KEYS=0 BUILTIN_GAME=0 KEYBOARD_DETACHED=0 1200XL_JUMPER=0 CFG_SAVE_ON_EXIT=0 MIO_ROM= BLACK_BOX_ROM= PROTO80_ROM= CARTRIDGE_FILENAME=G:\EmulationStation.emulationstation\roms\atari5200\QIX.a52 CARTRIDGE_TYPE=6 CARTRIDGE_PIGGYBACK_FILENAME= CARTRIDGE_PIGGYBACK_TYPE=0 CARTRIDGE_AUTOREBOOT=1 CASSETTE_FILENAME= CASSETTE_LOADED=0 CASSETTE_WRITE_PROTECT=0 RTIME=1 XEP80_CHARSET= AF80_ROM= AF80_CHARSET= COLOURS_NTSC_SATURATION=0 COLOURS_NTSC_CONTRAST=0 COLOURS_NTSC_BRIGHTNESS=0 COLOURS_NTSC_GAMMA=2.35 COLOURS_NTSC_HUE=0 COLOURS_NTSC_GTIA_DELAY=26.8 COLOURS_NTSC_EXTERNAL_PALETTE= COLOURS_NTSC_EXTERNAL_PALETTE_LOADED=0 COLOURS_NTSC_ADJUST_EXTERNAL_PALETTE=0 COLOURS_PAL_SATURATION=0 COLOURS_PAL_CONTRAST=0 COLOURS_PAL_BRIGHTNESS=0 COLOURS_PAL_GAMMA=2.35 COLOURS_PAL_HUE=0 COLOURS_PAL_GTIA_DELAY=23.2 COLOURS_PAL_EXTERNAL_PALETTE= COLOURS_PAL_EXTERNAL_PALETTE_LOADED=0 COLOURS_PAL_ADJUST_EXTERNAL_PALETTE=0 ARTIFACT_NTSC=NONE ARTIFACT_PAL=NONE ARTIFACT_NTSC_MODE=0 SCREEN_SHOW_SPEED=0 SCREEN_SHOW_IO_ACTIVITY=1 SCREEN_SHOW_IO_COUNTER=0 SCREEN_SHOW_1200XL_LEDS=1 FILTER_NTSC_SHARPNESS=-0.5 FILTER_NTSC_RESOLUTION=-0.1 FILTER_NTSC_ARTIFACTS=0 FILTER_NTSC_FRINGING=0 FILTER_NTSC_BLEED=0 FILTER_NTSC_BURST_PHASE=0 SOUND_ENABLED=1 SOUND_RATE=44100 SOUND_BITS=16 SOUND_BUFFER_MS=0 SOUND_LATENCY=20
I think you need to set that to the path of your 5200 bios ROM, as far as controller configuration, I have no idea. I need to do more tests before I could answer that (if I could)
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Your right…LOL sorry. Thanks for looking into this. Just wondering where you found the options for the core ? Wish I saw that before.
Thanks for finding and helping here
Ah, I see this… Interesting…Thanks again
I am not sure the options work on the Libretro core, hence why I asked, those options are for the standalone A800 emulator, which in theory should work for the core. and I found them using google 
searching for “a800 emulator parameters” I found a discussion on the Retropie forum.
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I just tested and the options don’t work for the core unfortunately. But it seems once you set up the BIOS roms and load a 5200 rom it loads it directly, at least it did that with most of the roms I tried. that works for me 
So after you setup the BIOS, it will load roms for the 5200 in ES ? Can you give a little more detail on setting it bios so I can do this ?
Last time I played with the 800 core the other day, it would give me an error that I needed a TRUE Atari OS/system
So tonight, trying to see if I can even play QIX, I played with these again.
With a lot of playing and a bunch of trial and error, I got libretro-atari800 (From @r-type ) to play QIX but, I could not play it because no controls were available even though I enabled Joystick in the Atari Control panel. Saving settings would not re-load next time I loaded it accept minor things like the BIOS location and even that was hit or miss. One time it would be there, the next time it would not be there. This took me about 30-40 min of trial and error to get QIX to even run.
Under my testing, IF I was able to get controls to work, this would be an unacceptable option unless there was a way to load it each time and found some funkiness. If you loaded a 2 chip 5200 cart, some games would load but, others would lock up the system, then if you selected 1 chip, those games would play. There would be no way to make easy to work with because of this alone. The more I play with this, the more I see this is not a good option to play 5200 games.
Then I go back to the ONLY thing I was able to play games with is mess_libretro.dll (with the directions from @Thatman84 ) . This is working in Emulation Station but, TO A POINT. For Example QIX that is a dual chip 5200 game, would come up to the Atari logo, then the blinking logo would go away and it would lock up the game. Other games, assuming a 1 chip, seemed to play fine. Controls were a little funky but, I could live with them at this point as I am only testing. The games were not 100%, random game lockups were common.
I did find a BAD DUMP of QIX and for the heck of it I tried it… IT WORKED, I got to play for about 5 min then it crashed on me…Oh, well the quest is still on.
I did try the Mame2000 through Mame2016 cores (step by step, trying at least 3 different roms on each), I got nothing but black screens on all of them. And the update that I had BIG HOPES for mess2014_libretro.dll, never would load, when ever trying to run a 5200 game, I will get the “this application has crashed” window… so no matter what rom I it will crash.
All these cores were updated in RetroArch so they are the newest.
I only have about 18 games setup for the 5200 in Emulation station right now, was hoping for more but, it’s looking like I have a LONG way to go before I get there.
I am really starting to think adding a 3rd party option for 5200 only might be the best way to go here sad to say, Nothing is sold for RetroArch and there is 3rd party options that seem to run EVERYTHING I have dumped at them.
Sigh…the quest is on…
I will look at to improve this.
Also for a5200, a quick search lead me to jum52, Not sure if good or bad emulator but after looking at code i think it will take very very short time to port to libretro. Can you look at to see if standalone works fine and then see if there is an interest to port it to libretro.
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Thank you. If you don’t want to do this, I completely would understand.
I downloaded it, opened it, looked over some settings, looks like it supports a controller but, noting it has not been updated from 2010. IS it possible when it’s a core for RetroArch that it would handle all the game controls or is this up to the core itself ? Just worried about the lack of support for modern controllers like the Xbox one or 360 controllers.
Didn’t see your message till this morning and I am at work doing a quick test on it, so I have no controller access right now.
As for running games, I tried 3, the one that came in the box(there was a free PONG type game it came with) and QIX with one more random one (Kangaroo). I did the command “Jum52_Win32.exe qix.a52” and the rom loaded accordingly with no problems OR asking me for a bios (internal to the program ?). This should work fine for RetroArch and Emulation Station.
The app it self under my minor testing (As for mess_libretro.dll, would NOT play QIX but, would play Kangaroo), it seems like it would do the job.
I can do more testing over the weekend and try a true controller but, if it will pull the controller settings from RetroArch, I would say this a nice option to try and to go for it. I did a little reading about it, and it’s talked about pretty highly as one of the more dependable 5200 emulators that play about 80% of the games
If there was a better one… it seems like KAT5200 is the NEWEST one and seems to play everything (and even supports Xbox controllers out of the box on the newest version)
compiled atari800 directly from r-type’s repo, seems better. can navigate folders now,start has been mapped to R4. hope this will be fully intergrated into libretro/retroarch(meaning autodetect rom type, run from load content, playlist and others.)
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did you update the info core , for supported content ?
no look at kat5200 code for now , but size is hudge so not aim to be a quick one hour libretro port.
jum52 seem to bee updated 2 mounths ago. https://github.com/james7780/jum52 due to the Copyright owner. I retain all since I have no info /feedback from the author to allow such libretro port.
“This source code may not be distributed except by the explicit permission of the Author.”
Oh, my only worries about jum52 is the controller support, otherwise go for it. Do need someone here (like myseif) to try to contact the dev to see if he/she would allow the source to be used for this project ?
I work in IT but, not a programmer, I wish I knew how to compile these, I would try it for “PERSONAL USE” till we could get permissions…
Sigh…
ok my mistake. ive been only testing a5200 specifically qix.bin. my verified qix rom is 16KB, not sure why this has to be loaded into the emulator as two 16kb chip, hench the error. other zipped a5200 and atari-8 loads fine while others has to be extracted and loaded manually.
some atari have different extension too: |atx|bas|rom|xex|
My roms for the 5200 are bin or a52 it seems to be the common thing for 5200 roms that I have seen…
Trust me, when trying to play QIX, I downloaded 5 rom sets (yes, I DO OWN THE GAME, just still at my mothers house, I need to grab then one day) and have seen a lot of them…this of course is not including the 7z or zip or rar ones…
What i did to automaticaly load QIX i choose QIX (1982) (Atari).a52 (16k) for A5200 QIX rom i start atari800 and choose 2 chip 16kb 5200 cartridge the game load and play fine (yes it strange 16Kb but load fine with 2 chip).
in fact a52 are just bin renamed , the mean rom without header (to say which mapped format to use to load cartridge )
Now for automatic load , as i know the good format to choose,
- start again atari800 with this cart .
- when ask for format just hit esc to exit this menu and hit F1 to enter main menu
- go to cartridge management
- create cartridge from rom image
- choose your rom
- select the correct format ( in this casz 2 chip 15200 for QIX )
- save to same name.
- esc then exit emulator .
then you can reload the rom , it have the correct header and load automatically .
yes it’s a boring boring way to do this
if you hex the rom file , you notice that now it have a header like 43 42 52 54 00 00 00 06 00 … the 06 is for 2 chip 16Kb and 32k=4 16k 2 chip=6 and 16k 1 chip=16 seem the header is 16B long , before rom was 16386 now 16400.
Do you think jum52 is going to be possibility for libretto ? I know that worked all the roms I tried, just the controller thing is in question.
If you need a BETA tester, you could always reach me at (my user name) @ Hotmail .com
If your waiting for approval to use it, I hope you hear from him soon !
Thanks again !