LAY File Basics - Part I - Revision history

Cuavas at 15:48, 7 October 2020

2020-10-07T15:48:52Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:48, 7 October 2020
Line 28:		Line 28:
	For all internally rendered components, you must define the ARGB (alpha, red, green, blue) color of the element, using channel values from zero to one. So for example, where the 8-bit-per-channel RGB value of orange is (255, 127, 0), this would be represented in the layout file as (1.0, 0.5, 0.0).		For all internally rendered components, you must define the ARGB (alpha, red, green, blue) color of the element, using channel values from zero to one. So for example, where the 8-bit-per-channel RGB value of orange is (255, 127, 0), this would be represented in the layout file as (1.0, 0.5, 0.0).

	“Elements” are built up from components. An element is drawn as a single textured ~~quad~~ in the final scene graph. The components are drawn into the element texture using alpha blending.		“Elements” are built up from components. An element is drawn as a single textured rectangular surface in the final scene graph. The components are drawn into the element texture using alpha blending.


	=== VIEWS ===		=== VIEWS ===

	Each layout file must have at least one defined ~~"view"~~ to tell MAME how to position all of the different elements and screens. Each item in a view must include:		Each layout file must have at least one defined “view” to tell MAME how to position all of the different elements and screens. Each item in a view must include:

	* An opening tag, where you element ~~you are~~ using, the ~~orientation,~~ blending mode, and I/O bindings for the element.		* An opening tag, where you specify the element you’re using, the blending mode, and I/O bindings for the element.
	* A closing tag, which states that you are done defining that object.		* A closing tag, which states that you are done defining that object.

Line 50:		Line 50:
	** The screen is the playable game screen. The beginning tag for this in a single-screen system is:		** The screen is the playable game screen. The beginning tag for this in a single-screen system is:
	*** <screen index="0">		*** <screen index="0">
	** The value of “index” is the zero-based index of the screen in the system. For systems that have one screen, this value will always be zero If a ~~systemhas~~ two screens, the value for the second screen would be "1", and so on.		** The value of “index” is the zero-based index of the screen in the system. For systems that have one screen, this value will always be zero If a system has two screens, the value for the second screen would be "1", and so on.
	** The screen can also be specified by “tag” using its tag, relative to the ~~layout’s~~ device. This is most useful for internal layouts for devices that are used as parts of larger systems.		** The screen can also be specified by “tag” using its tag, relative to the device that loaded the layout. This is most useful for internal layouts for devices that are used as parts of larger systems.
	** If a system has multiple screens, you can choose to only display one of the screens, if you so wish.		** If a system has multiple screens, you can choose to only display one of the screens, if you so wish.

Cuavas at 15:39, 7 October 2020

2020-10-07T15:39:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:39, 7 October 2020
Line 11:		Line 11:

	* External image files		* External image files
	** The image must be in PNG or ~~JPEG~~ format		** The image must be in PNG, JPEG, Windows DIB (BMP) or SVG format
	** It can be any size; typically, bigger is better (assuming the original image was already sharp) – the high-quality artwork being used today is typically 4000 pixels wide.		** It can be any size; typically, bigger is better (assuming the original image was already sharp) – the high-quality artwork being used today is typically 4000 pixels wide.
	** A bezel artwork file (the type which surrounds the game screen), should have a center window with an alpha transparency value of zero (i.e. the middle should be “see-through”).		** A bezel artwork file (the type which surrounds the game screen), should have a center window with an alpha transparency value of zero (i.e. the middle should be “see-through”).

Cuavas at 04:00, 5 October 2020

2020-10-05T04:00:53Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:00, 5 October 2020
Line 42:		Line 42:
	* An animate element specifying separate I/O bindings for the item.		* An animate element specifying separate I/O bindings for the item.
	* A bounds element specifying the position and size of the item, or multiple bounds elements for parameter animation.		* A bounds element specifying the position and size of the item, or multiple bounds elements for parameter animation.
	* A color element allowing the item’s color to be modified by RGB multiplication.		* A color element allowing the item’s color to be modified by RGB multiplication, or multiple color elements for parameter animation.

	Each object within a view must either be a ''screen'', or can be an element defined at the beginning of the layout file as shown above, instantiated with an ''element'' element.		Each object within a view must either be a ''screen'', or can be an element defined at the beginning of the layout file as shown above, instantiated with an ''element'' element.

Cuavas at 03:59, 5 October 2020

2020-10-05T03:59:24Z

Show changes

Mrdo at 20:17, 13 November 2011

2011-11-13T20:17:09Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:17, 13 November 2011
Line 142:		Line 142:
	Let me explain that now. ALL arcade games through the 21st century ran on a standard arcade monitor, with a 4:3 ratio, just like old CRT monitors. Vertical games simply rotated the monitor 90 degrees. No matter what resoloution an arcade PCB runs internally, it is expected to be stretched out to a 4:3 monitor (e.g. 320x240; 640x480, etc.). So if you want to calculate the screen ratio CORRECTLY:		Let me explain that now. ALL arcade games through the 21st century ran on a standard arcade monitor, with a 4:3 ratio, just like old CRT monitors. Vertical games simply rotated the monitor 90 degrees. No matter what resoloution an arcade PCB runs internally, it is expected to be stretched out to a 4:3 monitor (e.g. 320x240; 640x480, etc.). So if you want to calculate the screen ratio CORRECTLY:
	<ul>		<ul>
	<li>The width divided by the height on a horizontal game equals 1.25.		<li>The width divided by the height on a horizontal game equals 1.33.
	<li>The width divided by the height on a vertical game equals 0.75.		<li>The width divided by the height on a vertical game equals 0.75.
	</ul>		</ul>

Mrdo at 18:56, 2 June 2008

2008-06-02T18:56:54Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:56, 2 June 2008
Line 89:		Line 89:

	We'll start out by doing a simple layout file for an artwork bezel. First, here's the code:		We'll start out by doing a simple layout file for an artwork bezel. First, here's the code:
	~~<hr>~~		<!-- vanguard.lay -->
	~~<br>~~<!-- vanguard.lay -->
	~~<br>~~		<mamelayout version="2">
	<~~br><~~mamelayout version="2"~~>~~		<element name="bezel">
	<~~br>     <~~element name="bezel"~~>~~		<image file="vanguard_bezel.png" />
	<~~br>         <~~image file="vanguard_bezel.png" /~~>~~		</element>
	<~~br>     <~~/element~~>~~		<view name="Upright_Artwork">
	<~~br>     <~~view name="Upright_Artwork"~~>~~		<screen index="0">
	<~~br>         <bezel element~~="~~bezel~~"~~>~~		<bounds x="1060" y="790" width="1920" height="2560" />
	<~~br>               <~~bounds x="0" y="0" width="~~4000~~" height="~~3810~~" /~~>~~		</screen>
	<br>~~         </bezel>~~		<bezel element="bezel">
	<~~br>         <screen index~~="0"~~>~~		<bounds x="0" y="0" width="4000" height="3810" />
	<~~br>               <~~bounds x="~~1060~~" y="~~790~~" width="~~1920~~" height="~~2560~~" /~~>~~		</bezel>
	<br>~~         </screen>~~		</view>
	<~~br>     <~~/view~~>~~		</mamelayout>
	<~~br><~~/mamelayout~~>~~
	~~<br>~~		<!--
	~~<br>~~<!--
	~~<br>~~		- Artwork type: Bezel
	~~<br>~~- Artwork type: Bezel		- Scanned bezel provided by Mr. Do
	~~<br>~~- Scanned bezel provided by Mr. Do		- Vectorized by zorg
	~~<br>~~- Vectorized by zorg		- Lay file by Mr. Do
	~~<br>~~- Lay file by Mr. Do
	~~<br>~~		-->
	~~<br>~~-->
	~~<hr>~~


	Now let's look at each section:		Now let's look at each section:

Mrdo at 16:13, 1 June 2008

2008-06-01T16:13:33Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:13, 1 June 2008
Line 1:		Line 1:
	A layout file (LAY file) is simply code in an XML format to tell MAME how to layout different objects for a particular game.		A layout file (LAY file) is simply code in an XML format to tell MAME how to layout different objects for a particular game.

	~~<p>~~

	Every game in MAME utilizes at least one internal layout file.		Every game in MAME utilizes at least one internal layout file.

	~~<p>~~

	All external artwork files utilize layout files to tell MAME where to put all of the different artwork pieces in relation to the game screen(s).		All external artwork files utilize layout files to tell MAME where to put all of the different artwork pieces in relation to the game screen(s).

Mrdo at 16:13, 1 June 2008

2008-06-01T16:13:06Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:13, 1 June 2008
Line 77:		Line 77:
	<ul>		<ul>
	<li>Again, in the early days, some games that used black and white monitors had color gel overlays placed on top of the monitor to give the game some color. An element defined as an overlay will blend in with the game screen to change the color of the screen.		<li>Again, in the early days, some games that used black and white monitors had color gel overlays placed on top of the monitor to give the game some color. An element defined as an overlay will blend in with the game screen to change the color of the screen.
	~~</ul>~~</ul></ul>		</ul></ul>

	For each object in a view, you need to define the "bounds" of the element, which tells MAME what coordinates to use to place each element. If you think back to geometry in school, think about when you did graphing. The x-axis is horizontal, the width, left to right; the y-axis is vertical, the height, top to bottom. Where x and y cross is (0, 0). As you go to the right, numbers get bigger (like geometry); as you go down, numbers get bigger (the opposite of geometry).		For each object in a view, you need to define the "bounds" of the element, which tells MAME what coordinates to use to place each element. If you think back to geometry in school, think about when you did graphing. The x-axis is horizontal, the width, left to right; the y-axis is vertical, the height, top to bottom. Where x and y cross is (0, 0). As you go to the right, numbers get bigger (like geometry); as you go down, numbers get bigger (the opposite of geometry).
Line 88:		Line 88:
	<ul><li>"left" and "top" are the coordinates of the top left corner of the object; "right" and "bottom" are the coordinates of the bottom right corner of the object.</ul>		<ul><li>"left" and "top" are the coordinates of the top left corner of the object; "right" and "bottom" are the coordinates of the bottom right corner of the object.</ul>
	</ul>		</ul>
	Either way works; it's just a matter of personal preference. I use the first way, as I already know the size of each element I'm using. In addition, it's easier to make adjustments to move things around; you just change "x and y," leaving the width and height the same.		Either way works; it's just a matter of personal preference. I use the first way, as I already know the size of each element I'm using. In addition, it's easier to make adjustments to move things around; you just change "x and y," leaving the width and height the same.


	<h3>YOUR FIRST LAYOUT FILE</h3>		<h3>YOUR FIRST LAYOUT FILE</h3>

Mrdo at 16:10, 1 June 2008

2008-06-01T16:10:49Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:10, 1 June 2008
Line 167:		Line 167:
	</ul></ol>		</ul></ol>

	~~<p>~~

	Those are the basics for now. There will later be a Part II for some more advanced examples.		Those are the basics for now. There will later be a Part II for some more advanced examples.

Mrdo at 16:10, 1 June 2008

2008-06-01T16:10:33Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:10, 1 June 2008
Line 166:		Line 166:
	<li>Who wrote up the layout file		<li>Who wrote up the layout file
	</ul></ol>		</ul></ol>

			<p>

	Those are the basics for now. There will later be a Part II for some more advanced examples.		Those are the basics for now. There will later be a Part II for some more advanced examples.