Freeplaytech Forum

took a little time today to try and get this DS emulator up and running on the IMAGE=Freeplay_CM3_20051201

some errors along the way but these steps helped me get there:

step 1
-------
usually found under `experimental packages`, the drastic downloader fails to install the pre-built binary:

`Error running 'tar -xv -z -C /opt/retropie/emulators/drastic --strip-components 1' - returned 2`

taking closer look at `RetroPie-Setup/scriptmodules/emulators/drastic.sh` shows installer to fail on function `install_bin_drastic()`. this in turn calls function `downloadAndExtract()` from script `RetroPie-Setup/scriptmodules/helpers.sh`.

so this identifies issue. i started at these funcs for a while and it appears this `helpers.sh` isnt parsing command-line args as expected. 


step 2
--------
replace `helpers.sh` with latest from main: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RetroP...helpers.sh
replace `drastic.sh` with latest from main: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RetroP...drastic.sh

i kept the originals in home directory with some suffix like `helpers_orig.sh` and `drastic_orig.sh` for easy re-use.


step 3
-------
i tried running again: `sudo RetroPie-Setup/retropie_packages.sh drastic`.

this time new error:

`curl performs SSL certificate verification by default, using a "bundle"
 of Certificate Authority (CA) public keys (CA certs). If the default
 bundle file isn't adequate, you can specify an alternate file
 using the --cacert option.
If this HTTPS server uses a certificate signed by a CA represented in
 the bundle, the certificate verification probably failed due to a
 problem with the certificate (it might be expired, or the name might
 not match the domain name in the URL).
If you'd like to turn off curl's verification of the certificate, use
 the -k (or --insecure) option.

URL https://files.retropie.org.uk/archives/d...0.4.tar.gz failed to download.`

now it tells us what to do! so go and edit: `vi RetroPie-Setup/scriptmodules/helpers.sh`

and add-in the following line

```
params+=("-k") 
```

BEFORE the `curl` command is called, i.e. before this line:

```
cmd_err=$(curl "${params[@]}" 2>&1 1>&3 | tee /dev/stderr)`
```

step 4
-------
downloader now succeeds:
```
sudo RetroPie-Setup/retropie_packages.sh drastic


= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Installing dependencies for 'drastic' : NDS emu - DraStic
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =


= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Installing 'drastic' : NDS emu - DraStic
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Downloading https://files.retropie.org.uk/archives/d...0.4.tar.gz to /tmp/tmp.9lxvNPHTfv/drastic-2.5.0.4.tar.gz ...
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100 6149k  100 6149k    0     0   141k      0  0:00:43  0:00:43 --:--:--  252k
drastic/system/
drastic/system/drastic_bios_arm7.bin
drastic/system/drastic_bios_arm9.bin
drastic/game_database.xml
drastic/drastic_logo_0.raw
drastic/drastic
drastic/drastic_readme.txt
drastic/usrcheat.dat
drastic/drastic_logo_1.raw
Completed @BINARY_INSTALL
/opt/retropie/emulators/drastic /home/pi

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Configuring 'drastic' : NDS emu - DraStic
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

'/opt/retropie/configs/nds/drastic/game_database.xml' -> '/opt/retropie/emulators/drastic/game_database.xml'
'/opt/retropie/configs/nds/drastic/system/drastic_bios_arm7.bin' -> '/opt/retropie/emulators/drastic/system/drastic_bios_arm7.bin'
'/opt/retropie/configs/nds/drastic/system/drastic_bios_arm9.bin' -> '/opt/retropie/emulators/drastic/system/drastic_bios_arm9.bin'
'/opt/retropie/configs/nds/drastic/usrcheat.dat' -> '/opt/retropie/emulators/drastic/usrcheat.dat'
'/opt/retropie/configs/nds/drastic/drastic_logo_0.raw' -> '/opt/retropie/emulators/drastic/drastic_logo_0.raw'
'/opt/retropie/configs/nds/drastic/drastic_logo_1.raw' -> '/opt/retropie/emulators/drastic/drastic_logo_1.raw'
/home/pi

```

will add a brief post below to get controller set-up because the default config isn't very helpful!

controller config is personal taste, but here are some steps to help configure DraStic out-of-the-box:

would recommend a DS3/DS4 BT conroller or at least some game pad with L2/R2, L3/R3 and L/R analog sticks

- the default drastic in-game menu is loaded using L2
- font is really small on Freeplay screen so best to hook up to monitor
- configure input is now like retro-arch menu

note: the extra L2/R2, L3/R3 and analog sticks that native DS doesnt have are useful to help emulate: touch stylus, touch press, swap screens, swap screen orientation, close/open hinge and load in-game drastic menu

hope this helps

oh and you may find that the RetroPieSetup menu GUI will freeze when you go into things like "bluetooth" or "wifi" etc.

to fix that just copy back the original `helpers.sh` that came with install on IMAGE=Freeplay_CM3_20051201 (one reason to keep original handy!)

i think there is something funky with latest `helpers.sh` that doesn't play well with version of RetroPie on IMAGE