[Libretro] No Way to Swap Disks on Drive 2

[Starman99x]

How can I swap disks on drive 2 with the Libretro core? It seems the F3/F4/F5 shortcuts are not supported there. And I could not do it by swapping disks via an m3u playlist.

[audetto]

Not possible. The libretro core currently supports only S6D1.

There is an MR to add disk support #312

I would like first to see what other cores with 2 drives do. Any candidate?

[Starman99x]

I would like first to see what other cores with 2 drives do. Any candidate?

Yes. Two cores come to mind, first is Neko Project II kai which has an in-game menu accessed with F12:

Second is PX68K, which has a core option to specify which disk drive to swap disks on:

Also, I suggest pre-inserting disks into drive A/B automatically based on the file order in the m3u playlist.

For example:

Ultima 2.m3u

Ultima 2 disk 1.dsk → Auto insert into Drive A
Ultima 2 disk 2.dsk → Auto insert into Drive B

I think in many cases this will reduce the amounts of times we need swap disks at all.

[audetto]

This could be useful too: https://docs.libretro.com/library/puae/#m3u-and-disk-control

I will look into these case to see how they handle it.

[gouchi]

It seems that RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_DISK_CONTROL_INTERFACE needs to be implemented.

Source

[Jamiras]

I would like first to see what other cores with 2 drives do. Any candidate?

The direction I was planning on going (starting with #312) mimics the quasi88 core (PC-8800): Hold L to eject drive 1. Press left/right to change image. Then release L to insert the selected image in drive 1. Similarly, hold R to eject drive 2. Press left/right to change image. Then release R to insert the selected image in drive 2. #312 only implements the L functionality as I wanted it approved before tackling the second drive.

That would allow switching disks without having to open the RetroArch menu. Additionally, it would allow switching disks entirely from the controller for any games that have multiple disks and can largely be played with just the joystick.

I did note that the shortcuts didn't need to be on the controller, but feel pretty strongly that there should be shortcuts. At a minimum (as indicated by the creation of this issue), something needs to be done for drive 2.

It seems that RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_DISK_CONTROL_INTERFACE needs to be implemented.

It is.

AppleWin/source/frontends/libretro/libretro.cpp

Line 259 in 84b2f8d

cb(RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_DISK_CONTROL_INTERFACE, &diskControlCallback);

RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_DISK_CONTROL_INTERFACE really only works with one drive.

Also, I suggest pre-inserting disks into drive A/B automatically based on the file order in the m3u playlist.

I agree, but rather than putting the first disk in drive A and the second disk in drive 2, I recomment putting the last disk in drive 2. As many Apple II disks are double-sided, the second image in the m3u is likely the back of the first disk. Additionally, drive 2 usually houses a save disk, which would presumably be the last image in the m3u.

[Starman99x]

I recomment putting the last disk in drive 2. As many Apple II disks are double-sided, the second image in the m3u is likely the back of the first disk. Additionally, drive 2 usually houses a save disk, which would presumably be the last image in the m3u.

This may be a good idea in theory, but it may not be intuitive in practice, since users may be used to a different order, and it depends on different games and setups.

I suggest you first look at the general convention that similar cores are following.

But whichever direction you go, a feature to remember last used disk for each drive will make things more convenient on a second run.

[Starman99x]

Any progress on this one?

[audetto]

Not yet. I have looked around and will likely start with an implementation similar to VICE.

[audetto]

Do you have a link to a working Ultima II disk set.

I tried some of the ones in https://mirrors.apple2.org.za/ftp.apple.asimov.net/images/games/rpg/ultima/ultima_II/ and related dirs, but I cannot get it to load the 2nd disk (even without libretro) and some don't boot.

[Starman99x]

Do you have a link to a working Ultima II disk set.

I tried some of the ones in https://mirrors.apple2.org.za/ftp.apple.asimov.net/images/games/rpg/ultima/ultima_II/ and related dirs, but I cannot get it to load the 2nd disk (even without libretro) and some don't boot.

Try the ones that come inside MAME software lists.