“First of all, this tutorial is for big box launch box users. I will do tests on other front ends when I have time, thank you for your understanding.”
Hi guys
As promised here is a Tutorial to launch the shader night and day according to the hour.
here is the way which seems the easiest to configure this.
we will work on the sega saturn as an example.
all first download the core that you like the most. for me it is beetle saturn.
Once this is done I copy it to the same place. I rename one
Sega Saturn Day and the other Sega Saturn Night.
Once this is done. I go to the config folder
I create a Sega Saturn Day folder
and another Sega Saturn Night.
I configure each core by pointing to its own configuration folder.
Sega Saturn Day points to Config \Sega Saturn Day\ …
Sega Saturn Night points to Config \Sega Saturn Night\ …
Your config folder should give this
Config
Sega Saturn Day
Beetle Saturn
Sega Saturn Day.cfg
Sega Saturn Night
Beetle Saturn
Sega Saturn Night.cfg
Once this is done launch a game then apply the normal dumion shader for the Sega Saturn Day. then save for the heart.
do the same for the Sega Saturn Night, remembering to apply the night mode and save for this one.
do not hesitate to test by opening retroarch and loading ex sega saturn Night configuration.
load the core then the game and see if the desired shader is applied.
If all is well we continue!
In the Launchbox\Third Party\AutoHotkey folder
We create a folder regardless of its name, for me it’s script
it gives that:
F: \ ThirdParty \ AutoHotkey \ Scripts\
We will now create the script. Open a text document.
copy the following script, obviously having to fill in the fields according to your folder tree.
romPath = %1%
If A_Hour between 06:59 and 20:59
Run, “RETROARCH\PATH” -L “CORE\PATH\DAY.Dll” -c “CONFIG\PATH\DAY.cfg” “%romPath%”, 1
else
Run, “RETROARCH\PATH” -L “CORE\PATH\NIGHT.Dll” -c “CONFIG\PATH\NIGHT.cfg” “%romPath%”, 1
for example to make it more concrete here is mine
romPath = %1%
If A_Hour between 06:59 and 20:59
Run, “F:\Emulateurs\RetroArch\retroarch.exe” -L “F:\Emulateurs\RetroArch\cores\Sega Saturn.Dll” -c “F:\Emulateurs\RetroArch\config\Sega Saturn\Sega Saturn.cfg” “%romPath%”, 1
else
Run, “F:\Emulateurs\RetroArch\retroarch.exe” -L “F:\Emulateurs\RetroArch\cores\Sega Saturn Nightly.Dll” -c “F:\Emulateurs\RetroArch\config\Sega Saturn - Nightly\Sega Saturn Nightly.cfg” “%romPath%”, 1
easy!
before pasting the script, skip a line. once this is done we record by changing the extension by .ahk and this in lowercase if not it does not work. at least for me …
Save it in the Launchbox \ Third Party \ AutoHotkey \ SCRIPT folder that you have just created.
Well the hard part is done!
Now we go to launch box! we choose tool
manage emulators
add
Retroarch Sega Saturn Emulator Name
Emulator application path:Launchbox\ThirdParty\AutoHotkey\AutoHotkey.exe
we will point to the autohotkey executable which is naturally in the launch box folder for me it gives
F: Launchbox\ThirdParty\AutoHotkey\AutoHotkey.exe
Then in the default command line parameter box we point to the script we have just created.
This gives for me:
“F: \ ThirdParty \ AutoHotkey \ Scripts \ Sega Saturn.ahk”
do not forget the quotes.
do not check any boxes on this tab.
Then we go to the associated platforms tab.
choose the exact name of the platform you have created.
type its first letter then it will be displayed you just have to select it. check the default emulator and multidisc if your core allows it.
Then click OK
And that’s it! your sega saturn will change its brightness according to the time this script is made from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. I remind you that it is only at launch. If you play at 8:30 p.m. and that at 9 p.m. you are still there nothing has changed. on the other hand, if you start a game from 9 p.m. you will switch to NIGHT mode, even for 7 a.m. or you will switch to day mode.
Here is a first draft if anyway it is not clear to you I remain available and if really it does not go I will take captures to illustrate all this to you.
The final word
I wanted to quote the people who help me.
JoeViking245 on the LaunchBox forum which gave me the basis of the script.
Koroth on the Launchbox forum which helped me to point out the configuration.
Jason Carr for his fabulous job creating a launchbox which to date is for me the best front end available in my humble opinion.
@Hypermadness for his Shader which corresponds to what I have been looking for for a little over 20 years.
And finally @dumion for his sharing and his quality work which also represents what I have been looking for for 20 years.
Thank you for being indulgent I am French and therefore do not master the language of Shakespeare.
Thank you to you and don’t forget … life is just a game!
I still continue the tests but if we go further we can have fun setting a date for Halloween Christmas and many other things!
Once my tests are done I will give you a little tutorial. I forgot to specify that it is for BigBox and launchbox. I have not tested with rocket launcher that I know nor any other frontend that I do not know ! thanks again for your work 
Since there is not a whole lot going on I felt It needed to be pretty realistic to measure up.
