Hide console output when opening/closing emulators

[djcross]

I've recently started tinkering with emulationstation, and presently one of my little annoyances is that the console text is being displayed when an emulator is being started and stopped.

Is there any way to disable this?

[joeelliott]

There is currently no way to make the console text silent, which is outside of emulationstation and not something that can be hidden, which is actually a complaint in many other linux projects not even related to emulation or the rpi.

It may be possible for Aloshi to make emulationstation run a loading screen (I would love this, as a theme designer :+1: ) until the game actually boots. I have no real concept of how labor intensive a feature like that may be though, or if its even possible for emulationstation to know the game loaded in order to exit the loading screen and go into an idle mode.

[nilsbyte]

I agree, @joeelliott - but only from a designers point of view. It's a mix of a Linux related question and ES. Also the console output before and after running an emulator gives vital information of the things that are going on. If there will be a feature like this, it surely has to be switchable on or off.

[bowenwr]

I agree it would be "nice to have" (and togglable) for my specific use case of having a dedicated PC only for EmulationStation games, allowing me to hide the PC aspects from view.

[nilsbyte]

@Aloshi and @petrockblog have to evaluate if this is possible with RetroPie.

[djcross]

I managed to make this better, but not perfect by prefixing clear && to the beginning of all of the run commands in the tags inside es_systems.cfg

[GM-Script-Writer-62850]

i think you can dump the output to /dev/null by adding this to the emulator's command > /dev/null 2>&1

<command>retroarch -L /usr/lib/libretro/stella_libretro.so --appendconfig ~/.config/retroarch/retroarch.atari.cfg %ROM%</command>
becomes
<command>retroarch -L /usr/lib/libretro/stella_libretro.so --appendconfig ~/.config/retroarch/retroarch.atari.cfg %ROM% > /dev/null 2>&1</command>

if you want to nullify all text emulationstaion > /dev/null 2>&1

[djcross]

Ahhh, also a good idea. I'll try this tonight.

[ghost]

Is it possible to implement this in Windows as well?

[GM-Script-Writer-62850]

in your bat script start it with @echo off that might do it, you could just run es using a shortcut icon or startup entry

[Aloshi]

FYI, the latest build in the unstable branch completely hides the console on Windows unless ES is run with --debug.

[ghost]

Fantastic! Will check it out! Thanks for this great software. I will donate some money to it when i can if you have a paypal or similar.

[space-invader]

I'd like to know where which is the file that starts emulationstation when booting a RetroPie image.

I want it in order to try the "emulationstaion > /dev/null 2>&1" order.

PD. I'm sorry for my bad English!

[GM-Script-Writer-62850]

IIRC it is the last line of /etc/profile

[space-invader]

Hi, I tried it, but the "last log in..." message and the messages when starting and exiting an emulator continues. What can I do to nullify them?

[GM-Script-Writer-62850]

have it run clear;emulationstaion > /dev/null 2>&1

[space-invader]

Ok, this works for muting the messages when starting and exiting the emulators, but not for the message "last log in...", I think this is a kernel message, so silenting ES will not silent this, correct?

[GM-Script-Writer-62850]

clear should have got that off the screen

[space-invader]

In my case not :(

Now I have finished with it, tomorrow I will post the complete líne I have...

Thanks.

[GM-Script-Writer-62850]

no problem, you can just post your last few lines and i can edit them, there must be something i am forgetting

[space-invader]

Ok!

[space-invader]

Hi again!

The last líne of my "/etc/profile" file is this:

[ -n "${SSH_CONNECTION}" ] || clear;emulationstation > /dev/nulo 2>&1

(all in a unique líne)

[space-invader]

nulo NOT, null

Muy spanish corrector works more than I'd like ;)

[GM-Script-Writer-62850]

try this if [ -z "${SSH_CONNECTION}" ];then clear;emulationstation > /dev/null 2>&1;fi

that can also be is a readable fashion written like this, but i assumed you wanted it in a single line

if [ -z "${SSH_CONNECTION}" ];then
   clear
   emulationstation > /dev/null 2>&1
fi

this will make debugging a PITA since you can't see what the error message is, you know cause you dumped everything into null, but it will give you a black loading screen *this is beyond es support, this is basic shell scripting, this really belongs on the retropi forms, just saying

you may want to use the --no-exit option on es emulationstation --no-exit > /dev/null 2>&1 this will prevent the user from exiting es and requiring a keyboard be connected

[space-invader]

No way.

The message continúes there :(

[space-invader]

In fact, the message appears and then the screen is cleaned, but the message can be seen.

I'd need a method to forcé the message not to be shown (if it is possible)

[space-invader]

I have realised that the problem is not on this script. I suppose it is a kernel message, but I have no idea on how to deactivate it.

[GM-Script-Writer-62850]

most likely it is output from dmesg just googled something try this

if [ -z "${SSH_CONNECTION}" ];then
   echo "6" | sudo tee /proc/sys/kernel/printk
   clear
   emulationstation > /dev/null 2>&1
fi

• most distros make sudo require inserting the user password, this is not the case on stock rasbian/retropi

[FrankSerpico]

Up!

Im using the lastest release of ES for Windows (2.0.1a.), and cmd window keeps popping up when I run an emulator and when they close . Is this was not fixed in the latest version ? I run Retroarch for all emulators. What am I doing wrong? Thank you for your attention

[stephenohair]

I use a keyboard even with the /dev/null 2>&1 trick I still see keypresses. I fixed this by adding stty -echo before calling emulationstation and then enabling it again with stty echo after exiting. I made the change in my /etc/profile.

Edit the last line of the /etc/profile to look like:

[ -n "${SSH_CONNECTION}" ] || `clear;stty -echo;emulationstation > /dev/null 2>&1;stty echo`

[0x646e78]

@SuperEvenSteven - worked a treat thanks!

[LeftoverNoodles]

@Aloshi Did this enhancement make it into 2.0.1a?

[Jeromyal]

For windows I created the following batch file

@echo off if "%1" == "" start "" /min "%~dpnx0" MY_FLAG && exit taskkill /f /im explorer.exe set HOME=%~dp0 emulationstation.exe start explorer.exe exit

I then used a program called portable bat to exe converter to create a new ES portable launcher app

Killing the explorer makes a nice black screen and the cmd window hides itself. Then when you quit ES, the explorer restarts. Note: Be sure to not be doing explorer processes when launching this such as coping or moving files.

I have not found a way to hide that brief flash of a cmd window that transitions between the ES browser and retroarch launching a core instance.

[mahtar]

@Jeromyal thanks for the Windows tip.

Bat to Exe converted file was triggering my antivirus so I decided to use shortcut to bat file and set it to minimize, works great on Win10.

Also I wanted to minimize all the other windows before ES starts so I created a shortcut to toggle desktop inside ES folder and run it before killing explorer in the bat. Unfortunately it won't toggle the windows back as it probably forgets the states when explorer is killed (so I don't call it again in bat).

To create ShowDesktop.lnk file, create a new shortcut with target: explorer.exe shell:::{3080F90D-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257}

Bat file then looks like this:

@echo off
if "%1" == "" start "" /min "%~dpnx0" MY_FLAG && exit
ShowDesktop.lnk
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
set HOME=%~dp0
emulationstation.exe
start explorer.exe
exit

I then created shortcut to the bat file, set the icon to ES and to run minimized and the overall experience is much better.

Someone may write a custom portable launcher that does it all or maybe I will do it if I find some time.

That brief flash of cmd window would have to be sorted within ES as it is being called every time an emulator is started. I tried adding start /min [emulator command] in es_systems.cfg between <command> tags but then ES window is minimized when coming back from emulator (plus without explorer running, the minimized cmd window is visible anyway). It would be worth checking if ES code can be changed so the cmd window is not visible.

[Jakobud]

The worst thing about this Loading text screen is that there is an option to "Press A button to configure". It sucks to let your kids play a RetroPie because they end up trying to play a game, press a button at the wrong time and end up in some weird configuration menu where they end up lost or worse, screwing up settings.

[dankcushions]

@Jakobud https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Runcommand/#configuring-runcommand

[QcGix]

This is an old issue but it seems to be still relevant on Windows. I've tried the batch file to kill explorer but there is still a flash of the cmd prompt before the emulator start. I've used other emulator like LaunchBox BigBox where they add a full screen loading screen so these cmd prompt are hidden. Would it be possible to do that in Emulation Station? This is the only thing remaining that bugs me about Emulation Station. I'm trying other front end because of that but none is has snappy as Emulation Station.

[psakhis]

Workaround it's set cmd console windowPos out off range desktop. Works perfect. I load reg file before start emulastation and i restore it at exit.

[QcGix]

That sounds like a good idea. I'll try that tonight, would you mind sharing your reg file? We'll just have to adjust the value. Thanks!

[psakhis]

It's easy. I recommend you open [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console] and save as cmd_show.reg Change WindowSize and WindowsPosition and save as cmd_hide.reg or edit properties in a opened cmd until you don't see cmd window and save as cmd_hide.reg. My start.cmd as is _regedit /s cmd_hide.reg c:\users\arcade\emulationstation\emulationstation.exe --resolution 450 270 regedit /s cmdshow.reg

cmd_hide.txt cmd_show.txt

(*) I notice switchres retroarch needs explorer.exe, i only can do is hide taskbar at windows starts.. i don't find any other workaround for this.

[QcGix]

I've just tested this and it work perfectly for my needs! Thanks alot!

[psakhis]

I'm glad for you. I didn't like seeing windows components on my arcade cabinet xD, buuuut W7x64 gives me all the funcionality and performance.

[Tasosgemah]

Someone mentioned that newer builds hide the command window, i downloaded the latest exe with 20-March-20 date but the CMD still appears. Do i have to toggle/edit something?

[psakhis]

I'm using latest development version and i don't find any argument or option for hide command window launching roms (not emulastation properly). How the workaround works i have not spent more time with it.

[Lakeyzer]

[ -n "${SSH_CONNECTION}" ] || clear;stty -echo;emulationstation > /dev/null 2>&1;stty echo

Years later and I still had this issue on my RetroPie. Just got some Sinden Light Guns and they sometimes generate input for the command line. This comment is what finally lead me to fully fixing it.

I updated my /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh to the following.

clear;stty -echo;emulationstation --no-splash > /dev/null 2>&1;stty echo