[BUG] Build options for libretro.pcsx-rearmed are outdated and are causing the Kodi to crash

[KOPRajs]

Describe the bug

Because of the changes in the upstream libretro.pcsx-rearmed core the LibreELEC build options need to be updated.

More info can be found here: https://github.com/kodi-game/game.libretro.pcsx-rearmed/issues/16

I suggest the following changes in the /packages/emulation/libretro-pcsx-rearmed/package.mk for both master and LE9.2 branches:

1. Replace the no longer working USE_DYNAREC=1 with DYNAREC=ari64 for the ARM platform.

2. Use the new DYNAREC=lightrec for both Generic and Aarch64 builds.

More info about the new dynarec: https://www.libretro.com/index.php/pcsx-rearmed-now-has-dynarec-support-across-multiple-platforms/

To Reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Run any PSX game using the current version of PCSX-reARMed core (22.0.0.9.1)
2. Kodi crashes

Informations

• LE Version: 9.2.3
• Hardware Platform: x86 and ARM

Additional context

[KOPRajs]

When the update is done it should be build and pushed to the official repository ASAP because the current broken version is being distributed to users through addon auto-update and breaks working installations.

[CvH]

I have no games to test, can you test it ? If so what arch/project do you need ?

[KOPRajs]

I personally use CoreELEC on Amlogic S922X-H, so PROJECT=Amlogic DEVICE=AMLG12 ARCH=arm from master branch should work for me. This one should be build with the DYNAREC=ari64.

We should also test some build with the new DYNAREC=lightrec. I can test the Generic x86 build.

[KOPRajs]

Or if you are building from LE9.2 branch then PROJECT=Rockchip DEVICE=RK3399 ARCH=arm should work for me as well.

[CvH]

Here are for Generic a Master build with DYNAREC=lightrec and a RK build for 9.2 with DYNAREC=ari64

master-generic-game.libretro.pcsx-rearmed-22.0.0.9.1.zip

9.2-arm-RK-game.libretro.pcsx-rearmed-22.0.0.9.2.zip

[KOPRajs]

Unfortunately the RK build crashes for me, sorry. Could be either not compatible build for my system or a problem in the addon itself. I could try the AMLG12 build from master if you can build it.

I'll test the Generic build tomorrow.

[KOPRajs]

P.S. Looking through the Makefile.libretro more closely:

1. Shouldn't we also export _BUILTINGPU=neon when we export _HAVENEON=1?
2. What does platform=aarch64 do? I can't see it defined in the Makefile.libretro.
3. The GIT_VERSION seems to be ignored and replaced by the Makefile.libretro, right?

[CvH]

I can't answer any of that questions. We have currently no real maintainer for the whole emulator stuff so we just bump versions and cross fingers :)

[KOPRajs]

Hmm:

1. For every platform defined in the Makefile.libretro that has _HAVENEON=1 there is also the _BUILTINGPU=neon. If it is not defined, it is set by _BUILTINGPU ?= peops in the end. So I would say if we don't define the platform (using the fallback to platform=unix) and we are exporting the _HAVENEON=1 manually, we should export the _BUILTINGPU=neon as well.

2. I don't know either and I don't have anything running aarch64 to test it.

3. At least it shouldn't break anything if it gets replaced, so I would leave it for now :-)

[KOPRajs]

So I've put up an emergency build environment and tried to build a proper version for Amlogic-ng.arm in CoreELEC myself so I can test it, because the Rockchip build doesn't work for me.

Here is the patch I used: https://pastebin.com/f185VKkR

The fixed build for Amlogic-ng.arm with the above patch is here: http://koprajs.mx-net.cz/game.libretro.pcsx-rearmed-22.0.0.9.1.zip

I can confirm that this fixes the build for me and the PCSX-reARMed is now working fine again.

I'm not sure if the aarch64 build is correct, but if it is broken, then it was already broken before this patch.

[shantigilbert]

Just FYI, it should be

make -f Makefile.libretro DYNAREC=lightrec platform=arm64 GIT_VERSION=$PKG_VERSION

as using platform=aarch64 will not build

[KOPRajs]

Yeah, I'm just not sure how the different GPU plugin (unai) will affect the build, but definitely platform=arm64 seems better choice than platform=aarch64, which is not defined at all. Another option might be to omit the plarform directive completely, but someone would have to test which one is better (or actually works).

[shantigilbert]

Not really tested the addon, bur I know for sure that you need to define the platform, and it has to be arm64 as otherwise it will not build.

[KOPRajs]

Have you tested the build without explicitly specifying the platform? In theory it should fallback to platform=unix just like for the other ARCHs and inherit the compiler options from the PROJECT settings and the _BUILTINGPU=neon from the above patch.

[shantigilbert]

it does not fallback to aarch64 by itself, but I noticed there is a patch included

https://github.com/LibreELEC/LibreELEC.tv/blob/master/packages/emulation/libretro-pcsx-rearmed/patches/libretro-pcsx-rearmed-0001-aarch64-support.patch

so aarch64 will work, unless the patch is also outdated

[KOPRajs]

Nice catch, I've missed the patch as well. The patch contains USE_DYNAREC=1 in its context so it should be updated, but it should be a trivial update and then it will work with the platform=aarch64 as you say.

To sum it up: Lets apply this patch to the package.mk: https://pastebin.com/f185VKkR

And update the aarch64 patch here: https://github.com/LibreELEC/LibreELEC.tv/blob/master/packages/emulation/libretro-pcsx-rearmed/patches/libretro-pcsx-rearmed-0001-aarch64-support.patch

[KOPRajs]

FYI: The CoreELEC already accepted the relevant part of the changes until it is fixed upstream: https://github.com/CoreELEC/CoreELEC/commit/c4cf39650821ec6599fe620be3ffa09b33cf2070

[CvH]

https://github.com/LibreELEC/LibreELEC.tv/pull/4469#issuecomment-663958857

[Sidordroid]

PCSX REarmed 22.0.0.9.2 addon Kodi How to enter the BIOS of the console? And how to change the disk on this emulator?

[CvH]

pls use the https://forum.kodi.tv/ for those questions, the kodi wiki is likely completely outdated