RetroArch logging not giving any [libretro info] entries; cannot find cdc of games for naming cheat files

[McBobb]

PCSX2 version: Core Version: 180c1b9a

PCSX2 options: Using PNACH Cheat Files for Playstation 2 Game ISO files

Plugins used: None

Description of the issue: PNACH Cheat Files not being loaded, specifically for Kingdom Hearts (USA).iso, despite the PNACH file including:

gametitle=Kingdom Hearts (USA) comment=SLUS-20370GH-F, CDC=D231ED24

(Serial Number and CDC of the game)

and the cheat file being named with the game's CDC (specifically, "D231ED24")

Cheats are turned on in the game Options.

How to reproduce the issue: Always happens

Last known version to work: Has never worked

PC specifications: CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1400 Quad-Core Processor 3.20 GHz GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX-1050 Ti - 8Gb VRAM GPU Driver: Version 31.0.15.1659

[bslenul]

Not sure how the game CRC is calculated but it's NOT the CRC of the .iso file itself, so don't use that as the .pnach filename, it won't work.

Although my .iso CRC is "D231ED24" just like you, when launching Kingdom Hearts I get:

[libretro INFO] Game CRC: 0f6b6315

That's the value we want, so the .pnach file should be named 0F6B6315.pnach.

Also if RetroArch logs don't show any "[libretro INFO]" lines then something's wrong with your setup, in Settings > Logging, make sure to enable both "logging verbosity" and "log to file" settings, and also make sure both frontend and core logging level are set to "1" or "0", not higher. It should create a retroarch.log file in the RetroArch "logs" folder.

[McBobb]

Thanks for the response. I did do all those things, but I still don't get any [libretro INFO] entries in the log file at all.

Even the CRC for Kingdom Hearts (USA) listed in the core's Information on RetroArch (3 entries) listed the wrong CRC.

[bslenul]

I did do all those things, but I still don't get any [libretro INFO] entries in the log file at all.

Hm that's weird, can you launch the game for a few seconds and quit, then post the log file here, just to see what's in it, I'm really curious 🤔

[McBobb]

This is what the log file contains after running the game for a short bit:

[INFO] [Content]: Updating firmware status for: C:\RetroArch-Win64\cores\pcsx2_libretro.dll on C:\RetroArch-Win64\system
[INFO] [Core]: Using content: "C:\Games\ROM Game Files\Sony Playstation II\God of War II (USA).iso".
[INFO] [Core]: Content ran for a total of: 00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds.
[INFO] [Core]: Unloading core..
[INFO] [Core]: Unloading core symbols..
[INFO] [Video]: Average monitor Hz: 1017.293998 Hz. (36.103 % frame time deviation, based on 2048 last samples).
[INFO] RetroArch 1.10.3 (Git 102abb0)
[INFO] === Build =======================================
[INFO] CPU Model Name: AMD Ryzen 5 1400 Quad-Core Processor           
[INFO] Capabilities:  MMX MMXEXT SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4 SSE4.2 AES AVX AVX2
[INFO] Built: May  2 2022
[INFO] Version: 1.10.3
[INFO] Git: 102abb0
[INFO] =================================================
[INFO] [Input]: Found input driver: "dinput".
[INFO] [Core]: Loading dynamic libretro core from: "C:\RetroArch-Win64\cores\pcsx2_libretro.dll"
[INFO] [Overrides]: Core-specific overrides found at "C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\pcsx2 (alpha)\pcsx2 (alpha).cfg".
[INFO] [Overrides]: No content-dir-specific overrides found at "C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\pcsx2 (alpha)\\Sony Playstation II.cfg".
[INFO] [Overrides]: No game-specific overrides found at "C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\pcsx2 (alpha)\God of War II (USA).cfg".
[INFO] [Config]: Appending config "C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\pcsx2 (alpha)\pcsx2 (alpha).cfg".

That's it. That's the total contents of the file.

[bslenul]

[INFO] [Config]: Appending config "C:\RetroArch-Win64\config\pcsx2 (alpha)\pcsx2 (alpha).cfg".

Maybe the override conflicting, do you mind deleting it? Or at least temporarily rename/move it somewhere else so it's not being loaded?

[McBobb]

That seemed to be the problem. A much longer log file this time. I don't know if you want to see the whole thing or not, but I have to admit it does confuse me some, because it included a warning that it couldn't find the CRC of the game at first.

This seems to be the relevant part of log:

[libretro WARN] Patches: No CRC found, using 00000000 instead.
[libretro INFO] (SYSTEM.CNF) Detected PS2 Disc = cdrom0:\SCUS_974.81;1
[libretro INFO] (SYSTEM.CNF) Software version = 1.01
[libretro INFO] (SYSTEM.CNF) Disc region type = NTSC
[libretro INFO] (SYSTEM.CNF) Detected PS2 Disc = cdrom0:\SCUS_974.81;1
[libretro INFO] (SYSTEM.CNF) Software version = 1.01
[libretro INFO] (SYSTEM.CNF) Disc region type = NTSC
[libretro INFO] Game CRC: 2f123fd8
[libretro INFO] [GameDB] Searching for 'scus-97481' in GameDB
[libretro INFO] [GameDB] Found 'scus-97481' in GameDB
[libretro INFO] [GameDB] Searching for patch with CRC '2f123fd8'
[libretro INFO] [GameDB] No CRC-specific patch or default patch found
[libretro INFO] Attempt to apply cheats if available...
[libretro INFO] Found Cheats file: '2F123FD8.pnach'
[libretro INFO] Loaded 39 Cheats from '2F123FD8.pnach' at 'C:\RetroArch-Win64\system\pcsx2\cheats'
[libretro INFO] Found and applied cheats
[libretro INFO] (GameDB) Cheats Loaded: 39
[libretro INFO] Attempt to apply 60fps patches if available...
[libretro INFO] (60fps Cheats DB) Patches Loaded: 0
[libretro INFO] Game CRC: 2f123fd8
[libretro INFO] [GameDB] Searching for 'scus-97481' in GameDB
[libretro INFO] [GameDB] Found 'scus-97481' in GameDB
[libretro INFO] [GameDB] Searching for patch with CRC '2f123fd8'
[libretro INFO] [GameDB] No CRC-specific patch or default patch found
[libretro INFO] Attempt to apply cheats if available...
[libretro INFO] Found Cheats file: '2F123FD8.pnach'
[libretro INFO] Loaded 39 Cheats from '2F123FD8.pnach' at 'C:\RetroArch-Win64\system\pcsx2\cheats'
[libretro INFO] (GameDB) Cheats Loaded: 39
[libretro INFO] Attempt to apply 60fps patches if available...
[libretro INFO] (60fps Cheats DB) Patches Loaded: 0

At least that seems to be one issue with RetroArch solved for me. Now if I could just figure out why the Analogue-to-Digital function for controllers isn't working for me

[bslenul]

Yeah it will say CRC 000000 at first every time, you can ignore that, this is the important part:

[libretro INFO] Game CRC: 2f123fd8

Which seems to be the CRC of God of War 2 US ;)

Now if I could just figure out why the Analogue-to-Digital function for controllers isn't working for me

Shouldn't be needed for PS2, I'd imagine 99% of the games use analogs by default, so no reason you'd want your analog acting as a dpad. But if you really want to, make sure to use the "(Forced)" option.