[Issue]: Problems with 3.5.7 (GameCube build on PAL machine)

[Bomberman94]

Describe the bug

• every second load of the .dol I get a black screen
• 240p still not OK
• preferences not saved (or at a place I‘m not aware of)
• FDS BIOS (disksys.rom) not found but located at the correct location (root in fceux)

I switched back to 3.5.6 and everything‘s fine again.

To Reproduce

I played with different games about 6 times and got same results.

Expected behavior

• can start .dol again and start gaming every time
• correct 240p screen (but picture still not correct centered/full picture available)
• preferences at the old save place or somewhere I can find them
• FDS BIOS should be recognized/found (maybe the location had been changed but how should I know?)

Relevant log output

Screenshots

No response

[dborth]

I don't have a gamecube to test with but this isn't happening for me. it would happen to narrow down which build this started happening in. Here's 3 earlier builds. Could you try them and report whether you have the same problems with them or not:

Build 1: update readme #107

https://github.com/dborth/fceugx/actions/runs/22527552090/artifacts/5705140580

Build 2: Routine maintenance (#526) #104

https://github.com/dborth/fceugx/actions/runs/21319983059/artifacts/5245060915

Build 3: Routine maintenance #103

https://github.com/dborth/fceugx/actions/runs/21318718753/artifacts/5244718055

[Bomberman94]

This one was tricky (at least for me) but I think I have some results for you:

The last (3.5.7) version behaves like the 3 builds regarding the bugs - therefore belongs to the last (final) 3.5.7 version.

The 240p is fine (my TV was the culprit - the screen was very badly adjusted, sorry).
The FDS BIOS will only be recognized when there is the preferences file and when missing, it can’t (problem with creating a new preference file will be described later on).

The problem seems to be the save routine for the preferences:
a) if there are old settings, they will be used by 3.5.7 and after quitting fceugx „to the loader“ (= Swiss latest version) you get a black screen when trying to load fceugx again; workaround is „restart GameCube“ in the menu, then you can load fceugx again without black screen
b) if there are no settings (or let’s say you start with 3.5.7 for the first time without a former version installed) it won’t save any settings (even when you set „automatic detection“ in the menu)

INFO: My setup is: PAL GameCube (only softmodded), Slot A: original memory card 1019, Slot B: SD Gecko Card with 2GB SD, SD2SP2 Adapter with 128GB and a Datel launcher Disc.

All big data (game data etc.) should be via SD2SP2 and configuration files saved on Slot B SD cart.

I therefore wanted to set in the menu
START „SD in SP2“ and
SAVE „SD Gecko Slot B“
… but this doesn’t work (completely) even when I set it to automatic detection it switches to the START and SAVE like above but behaves different: it always creates on SD2SD2 some folders (= fceugx/artwork, covers, screenshots) and on Slot B (but writes only in the preferences file when it exists (but don’t creates one if there is none)

Summary: the load/save routine for the preferences is mixed up with regard to the specific devices (Slot B / SD2SD2). Rest works fine as far as I can see.

[dborth]

fceugx-gc.zip

Can you try this build and report back? I've made a bunch of changes to the saving/loading logic and I'm hoping it works better for you.

[Bomberman94]

Tried your last build and deleted all fceugx directories and files before (to have a fresh start).

What’s better now: this version builds up the usual fceugx directory and files like the configuration file. I started with 240p video and everything was perfectly aligned (I always try the new game „Master of Light“ because it uses the top area (score) as well as the lowest area (blocks) - you are allowed to download this for free)!

But then things are getting weird (again). After (I think) the second restart, I got black screen when trying to load this version, files were saved on wrong location (SD2SD2) again and even 240p alignment was wrong again without changing anything in the screen position or such. I had to adjust the screen position to height „-12“ to get a nearly perfect screen but couldn’t get a perfect position like the very first fresh start!

I then changed back to the last official 3.5.6 version and saving behavior as well as „return to loader“ and start fceugx again without black screen was correct again (I think it loads even faster than the 3.5.7 versions).

Info 1: the snes9xgx seems to have the same problem with restart black screen and saving files on the wrong location (240p was correct before therefore no change here)
Info 2: here you can get the before mentioned game: https://baardbi.itch.io/master-of-light

[dborth]

thanks for testing. I tested on Wii with SD and USB as two connected devices, using one for saves and one for roms.

Can you test the following:

• delete the settings file
• confirm on your SD2SD2, you have a /fceugx/roms folder
• confirm on your Slot B SD you have a /fceugx/saves folder

Test 1: Boot the emulator. Go into Settings > Saving & Loading and see what the Load Device and Save Device are set to.
I assume you want Load Device = SD in SP2, Save Device = SD Gecko Slot B

Let me know if it set those correctly.

Test 2: change Load Device to Auto, Save Device to Auto. Return to the main settings menu, then go back into the Saving & Loading menu. It should've tried to set the Load and Save device again for you. Did it set them correctly?

Test 3: before you exit, make sure you've manually set the save/load devices correctly in the menu if they were set wrong. Exit the emulator. Check the settings file itself. Did it set the LoadMethod and Save Method correctly in the file? SD Gecko Slot A = 5, SD Gecko Slot B = 6, SD in SP2 = 7

For your reference, the new logic does the following:

• loads the preferences. If Load/Save devices are set, uses those.

Assuming we found no preferences file:

1. if not, cycles through all the devices in the following order: SD Gecko Slot A, SD Gecko Slot B, SD in SP2, GC Loader, DVD, SMB. For each device, check if the folder /fceugx/roms exists. If it does. use that device for loading.
2. if step 1 failed to find anything, cycle through all the devices again. The first device found is the load device.
3. Cycle through all the devices again (same order). For each device, check if the folder /fceugx/saves exists. If it does. use that device for saving.
4. if step 3 failed to find anything, cycle through all the devices again. The first device found is the save device.

[dborth]

I should add (it's implied by the logic above) that if the save or load directories exist on a device you don't intend to use for that purpose, if it's checked earlier in the order it'll be picked up.

[Bomberman94]

Will check in the next days as you suggested. If I don’t hear anything else, then I will use the last Pre-Release version you uploaded…

[dborth]

Yup, it should be the same as what I sent you, but doesn't hurt to use it.

[Bomberman94]

I deleted the settings file.

Test 1:
Load Device = SD Gecko Slot B
Save Device = SD Gecko Slot B

Test 2:
I both put them to Auto, return to main menu and again to saving & loading menu.
It automatically set the settings to:

Load Device = SD Gecko Slot B
Save Device = SD Gecko Slot B

Test 3:
I manually set the settings to:

Load Device = SD in SP2
Save Device = SD Gecko Slot B

… and now things are getting strange:

I tried to load fceugx but only got a black screen. I turned off/on the GameCube and I was able to load fceugx but this time language was automatically changed to German (I didn’t change this after deleting the settings file!) Now the saving & loading settings are correct:

Load Device = SD in SP2
Save Device = SD Gecko Slot B

… but Load folder is now empty. I put it to the folder on SD in SP2 and exited fceugx. Now new folders „fceugx…“ were generated on SD in SP2 and I started fceugx again - and again: black screen.

[Bomberman94]

Edit: I changed the folder name on SD2SP2 to „NES“ (I thought the name might be too long before) but this didn’t change anything. Always black screen…

You can only avoid black screen with putting the setting in

Settings - Menu:
Exit Action -> Reboot

And it always generates the fceugx folders: artwork, covers, screenshots on SD2SD2 after restarting the GameCube and starting fceugx again.

Always these 3 and yes, they are already existing on SD Gecko Slot B (so they are on both devices).

[dborth]

So two things seem to be happening:

1. The code isn't auto-detecting SD in SP2 as a valid load device.
2. I'm assuming there's some corruption on the preferences and when they're loaded, strange things can happen (eg: change the language, change the rom directory, or change the video mode (which could explain the black screen))

For point 1 I'm assuming you're able to browse the device though and load games? are you using the standard expected file structure, ie: /fceugx/roms ?

For point 2 I need to determine whether the preferences.xml is being saved correctly so I can determine whether this is an issue with saving or loading the preferences.

• can you load the app, configure all the preferences how you normally use them, close it, and then grab the settings.xml written to the SD care and attach it here?
• have you run a file system check on the card?
• have you tried running completely from SD Gecko Slot B or completely from SD in SP2 (with the other device unplugged)?

[Bomberman94]

I think it’s the code not the file structure or so. I switched to the old and reliable version 3.5.6 - here is everything fine (no black screen ad no folders in the wrong device). The only reason why I tried to update was the faulty 240p solution (and it seems to be not correct or say perfect in the latest version either).

Same for snes9xgx: old version 4.5.7 is fine and new version has black screen and doubled folders on SD2SP2 device. Here is 240p solution good therefore no reason (at least for me) to change.