MAMEWorld Forums - EmuChat - Re: Querying MAME for system information

> Hey all.
> So I'm trying to query MAME to find out information about a system (Vtech) to see
> what sort of controllers MAME is enumerating.
> Is there an easy way (commandline or from within the system running) to see what MAME
> is expecting?
>
> (I have an ulterior motive. I used to use one of these 30 years ago, and I remember
> one of the selling points being the "16 way" joystick these had, so I wanted to see
> if that had been wired up to the driver)
>
> Cheers!

Your question is rather ambiguous about what system you are referring to. So I'll try to address it as best as possible.

"Vtech" returns results from many products in different times on MAME. This for example has not mention about any joystick in the source. However it isn't 30 years old either. If you want to know what source file corresponds to the system you are looking for, you can use the "mame system -listsource" parameter.

Your best option would be to use the "mame system -listxml" parameter and find the relevant information yourself. For example "mame laser500 -listxml" returns:

Code:


C:\Emus\MAME>mame laser500 -listxml | more
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE mame [
<!ELEMENT mame (machine+)>
        <!ATTLIST mame build CDATA #IMPLIED>
        <!ATTLIST mame debug (yes|no) "no">
        <!ATTLIST mame mameconfig CDATA #REQUIRED>
        <!ELEMENT machine (description, year?, manufacturer?, biosset*, rom*, di
sk*, device_ref*, sample*, chip*, display*, sound?, input?, dipswitch*, configur
ation*, port*, adjuster*, driver?, feature*, device*, slot*, softwarelist*, ramo
ption*)>
.
.
.
        <machine name="vtech_joystick" sourcefile="src/devices/bus/vtech/ioexp/j
oystick.cpp" isdevice="yes" runnable="no">
                <description>Laser/VZ Joystick Interface</description>
                <input players="2">
                        <control type="joy" player="1" buttons="2" ways="8"/>
                        <control type="joy" player="2" buttons="2" ways="8"/>
                </input>
        </machine>
</mame>

No 16-way joystick too.