Editing Dummies Guide: RetroArch

Open the .7z file with [http://www.7-zip.org/download.html 7zip] or WinRAR, or the archiver of your choice and extract the files to where you want to install RetroArch, or if on console/phone, install it using the standard method for that system.

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center;"

!scope="col"|RetroPad

!scope="col"|Keyboard

!scope="col"|PlayStation

!scope="col"|Xbox

|[[File:Retro_Dpad.png|48px]]

|[[File:Key_Arrow-Up.png|48px]]<br>[[File:Key_Arrow-Left.png|48px]][[File:Key_Arrow-Down.png|48px]][[File:Key_Arrow-Right.png|48px]]

|[[File:PS3_Dpad.png|48px]]

|[[File:360_D-pad.png|48px]]

|[[File:Retro_A_Round.png|48px]]

|[[File:Key_X.png|48px]]

|[[File:PS3_Circle.png|48px]]

|[[File:360_B.png|48px]]

|[[File:Retro_B_Round.png|48px]]

|[[File:Key_Z.png|48px]]

|[[File:PS3_Cross.png|48px]]

|[[File:360_A.png|48px]]

|[[File:Retro_X_Round.png|48px]]

|[[File:Key_S.png|48px]]

|[[File:PS3_Triangle.png|48px]]

|[[File:360_Y.png|48px]]

|[[File:Retro_Y_Round.png|48px]]

|[[File:Key_A.png|48px]]

|[[File:PS3_Sqaure.png|48px]]

|[[File:360_X.png|48px]]

|[[File:Retro_L1.png|48px]]

|[[File:Key_Q.png|48px]]

|[[File:PS3_L1.png|48px]]

|[[File:360_Left-Bumper.png|48px]]

|[[File:Retro_R1.png|48px]]

|[[File:Key_W.png|48px]]

|[[File:PS3_R1.png|48px]]

|[[File:360_Right-Bumper.png|48px]]

|[[File:Retro_Start.png|48px]]

|[[File:Key_Enter.png|96px]]

|[[File:PS3_Start.png|48px]]

|[[File:360_Start.png|48px]]

|[[File:Retro_Select.png|48px]]

|[[File:Key_Shift.png|96px]]

|[[File:PS3_Select.png|48px]]

|[[File:360_Back.png|48px]]

|[[File:Retro_Menu.png|48px]]

|[[File:Key_F1.png|48px]]

|[[File:PS3_Home.png|48px]]

|[[File:360_Guide.png|48px]]

*X button = Search prompt

*R and L buttons = Fast scrolling through files by jumping to the next letter.

By default, the keys used to navigate the menu are the following:

 

*Enter = Confirm

*Backspace = Cancel

*Spacebar = Reset option to default

*Page Up and Page Down = Fast scrolling through files by jumping to the next letter.

 

If "Unified Menu Controls" are enabled under ''Settings'' → ''Input'' , then the keybinds for the RetroPad are used instead for menu control; this was the original behavior before v1.4.1.

RetroArch doesn't come with emulation cores, so you have to download them yourself. However, RetroArch does have a built-in updater. So to download up to date cores, scroll down to ''Online Updater'', and select ''Core Updater''. RetroArch will download a list of available cores to download, and you can individually download them. To see what core does what, see [[Libretro#Cores|this list.]]

If for whatever reason RetroArch can't download cores, or won't display a list of available cores for download, you can get them from the buildbot [http://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ here.]

Some emulation cores require special system files or BIOSes. These can be downloaded [[Emulator_Files#Multi-System|here.]] Extract the ''system'' folder in that archive to where you installed RetroArch (the folder where the retroarch program is. retroarch.exe on Windows).  

Shaders usually either come in single .cg files or as a group of files controlled by a .cgp preset file. If you want to use a preset, like CRT-Royale or Super-XBR, simply select ''Load Shader Preset'' under ''Shader Options'' and select a .cgp file. If you want to select individual .cg files, increase the ''Shader Passes'' and select a .cg file through ''Shader #0'' (or #1, #2, etc.).

By default, RetroArch will save settings when it closes and will do so unless you put RetroArch in a directory that needs elevated privileges without running as administrator/root. ''Save New Config'' will save a ''new'', different, config that won't be loaded the next time RetroArch starts.

It's probably a good idea to enable ''SaveRAM Autosave Interval'' (under ''Settings'' → ''Saving'') so game saves will be written to your hard drive while RetroArch is running.

This particular core requires some specific care. You should have the correct BIOS (if not follow the [[Dummies_Guide:_RetroArch#BIOS_and_System_files|BIOS and System files]] section), you'll also need to make sure your game has a metadata file in the form of a .cue, .toc, .ccd, or .m3u file. The most common metadata people use is .cue, and if your PS1 game lacks a metafile, you can [[Cue_sheet_(.cue)|create one.]]<br>An easier way to get around metadata issues is to get your games from a better source. Redump PS1 games come in .bin/.cue format and work on mednafen without issue, but other sets that come in .bin/.cue/.mp3 format might need editing their cue file with Notepad with the correct filenames for them to work correctly.

==Customizing RetroArch==

There are 4 different menu drivers for RetroArch to choose from, RGUI, GLUI, Ozone and the default XMB. To switch between them go ''Settings'' → ''Driver Settings'' and switch ''Menu Driver''. You'll need to restart RetroArch for changes to take effect.

You can change your wallpaper, text color settings, text size (DPI Override, GLUI only), toggle mouse support, and whether to display the boxart in the ''Menu Settings''.

You can change RetroArch's menu font, but it'll only work for the GLUI menu driver (only on 1.2.2, newer builds have changed GLUI significantly and it no longer uses the OSD font). To change it, under ''Onscreen Display Settings'' hit ''OSD Message Font'' and select a .ttf font file.<br>Should be noted that Onscreen Display Settings are for the yellow popup messages that RetroArch displays and GLUI happen to use fonts from it, all of the other settings here only change the popup message.

Not all cores support cheats, you can check the [http://wiki.libretro.com/index.php?title=Main_Page#Core_Software_Library Libretro wiki] for which cores do. By default RetroArch comes with a fairly large cheat database, so to make a new cheat file, you can find files in the ''cheats'' folder of RetroArch's install directory for reference. To enable cheats, load the game, toggle RetroArch's menu, load a cheat file in the ''Core Cheat Options'' and you'll get a list of cheats available which you can toggle. After setting your cheats, hit ''Apply Cheat Changes''. Some cheats may require you to ''Restart Content'' to take effect.