jupace autoboot_command wont type certain characters in CAPS

[mcfilmmakers]

I have been trying to get autoboot commands to work in Jupiter Ace and came across an interesting bug:

-autoboot_command "load GR\n" results in typing load R and enter instead of the expected load GR and enter.

However, -autoboot_command "load gr\n" outputs the correct load gr and enter.

The issue is that the GR is case sensitive for some, but not all games. Example: Ace invaders (Forth Dimension) aka invader1

In kkong, -autoboot_command "load CHARACTERS\n" results in output of load HRCES.

Secondly, the platform is heavily reliant on typing a command, play the tape a bit, pause the tape, type 2nd command, play more tape, etc, etc.... is there a way of doing this in mame?

Third, how does one type a character that requires holding shift? ex: shift+2 = @ instead of 2.

[cuavas]

You might need to use an autoboot Lua script if it’s any more complex than just waiting a certain amount of time and then typing something.

[mcfilmmakers]

In regards to my 2nd and 3rd issues, you're probably right. However the MAME wiki doesn't explain how to do this at all. I would very much appreciate a working example of such a script.

That said, the main issue is that autoboot_command should be typing the characters I tell it to type, and it isn't.

[Bob-Z]

For what is worth I have written some autoboot LUA scripts here: https://github.com/Bob-Z/RandoMame/tree/main/autoboot_script

They are "just working" level scripts, I am LUA newbie and they are certainly not the best LUA code you can imagine. But they mostly work (to be honest, I have not tested all of them with MAME 227, which changed the LUA API, so they may not all work actually...)

Anyway, I hope this helps. And, if you manage to write a working script for jupace, I will be thankfull if you can share it.

[angelosa]

emu.keypost('abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ')

Most likely down to a jupace driver issue rather than LUA, cfr. same snippet in mame x1turbo40 hubasic1 -console

[cuavas]

Yeah, the issue is that the fixed keypress duration used by the natural keyboard manager isn’t enough for the Jupiter Ace. Natural keyboard mode is decidedly flaky.

[mcfilmmakers]

Except that the issue is unique to those missing characters and not the keyboard as a whole.