Local Webserver for Custom Core Updates

RetroArch Android devices
#1

Anyone setup a local webserver for updating RetroArch Cores?

If your not sure on the what im doing…

As the cores directory is hardcoded into retroarch for droid and I dont want to root my device (Nvidia Shield TV), the only way to add custom cores not found on the build bot is to point the Online Updater path to a custom URL

Hunterk suggested somewhere that it should be possible to create a local webserver to point at.

Anyway im struggling to get the webserver working.

Testing this on a Windows install before hitting the Shield

I installed XAMPP on my 8.1 laptop and have tried a few different file in the root director. At 1st Online Updater gave error index-extended not found Created a .index-extended file and when i webrowse to “http://localhost/.index-extended” the text inside is displayed onscreen

Trying this out manually to the RetroArch buildbot it seems to be a download file. Im thinking that may be the issue as my local server doesn’t give the file out as a download

RetroArch crashes when I go to core updater on windows and on Android it wont open at all with a custom buildbot address (probably because its not valid incorrect)

Any ideas welcome

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#3

Thanks Just got a little closer

How are you creating that file?

I found a way to create the a file without a filename as required using cmd echo “TEXT” > .index-extended

Copied the contents from the linked file and pasted that in. It works but only getting the Very first line Bsnes. I can probably work with that for now though but would be nice to have my own little online updater so I dont need to worry about testing tnew cores

#4

Got this working with Windows and Shield using the original index file and a copy of the current bsnes-mercury-accuracy core.

What should I do about info files?

#8

Can you specify some of these extra cores and where to download them?

#9

to be fair I have not used any.

Some people have repo’s with custom cores and online sources have been mentioned to me many times. Allan Lindqvist had a setup which used custom cores but I just tried and his site is offline.

#10

I got my hands on a few custom cores and I want to set up a webserver for core updates as well. Could you list a step by step process of doing this? I’m using an app called PAW Server for Android and the AWD IDE but it should achieve the same results.

#11

Its here mate

http://emulationguide.com/retroarch-local-online-updater

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#12

I can’t do that. Is there a way to install cores without root or using a webserver setup? I think there is a setting to change the directory used to store cores to something that doesn’t require root to access, but I’m not sure if the cores will be recognized.

#13

That isnt really possible, that directory is hardcoded into retroarch because of android permissions. It will change back in your settings after you close and open RA

#14

How are other files like ROMs able to be loaded on demand but not the cores?

#16

My website is dead so links wont work.

Someone asked me for this guide so here is the word document for setting it up

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1e06BXTyFqfnOWg_GVieUtgwENwuiog4d

#17

Shorter version by someone more experienced here

I never did test it myself

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#18

Thanks again for your research