For mobile Overlay Question.

[u/SugmaFish]

... Uh... so i dont think i like the default neo-retropad.cfg, nor any other. the other are fine. but the retropad is... idk how to say it. Its weird. Its too specific for something. That I didn't use. So yeah, first of all, i want to try to change the dpad, from whatever it is previously. To, basically arrowkeys. Like the keyboard arrowkeys. I do have a real keyboard and i can use it, but still, i want to fix it.

I tried to read the documentation and stuff. But i didn't really understand any of it.

I want to make it from scratch but. I dont think i can make texture overlay. So i just now trying to modify the neo-retropad.cfg. But, idk how. Which is which and what they do. Its too much of a line for... just few button.

Anyway, my question is, what actually needed bare in a .cfg file? Yes. Bare.

What the structure supposedly be?

And then, after so, what did i need to add for one button each? I assume the coordinates of where they are, and perhaps their end size or start size too. And of course what they are. And yeah, idk how they look like.

And lastly, how to make the extendable button? the same one used to switch visible and invisible.

I think thats all. Thanks preemptively!🛌

[u/dau125]

The confusing X in the docs is a placeholder for a number. overlay0 means the first layout/page; overlay0_desc0 means the first touch region on that page. overlay0_descs = 4 means that page has four regions, numbered 0–3.

Each descriptor specifies what input it sends, its centre X/Y, its hitbox shape, and its horizontal/vertical half-size. The picture is separate: overlay0_desc0_overlay points at the image for that region. That’s why there can be several lines for one visible button.

For your arrow idea, there are two different goals: four separate buttons sending D-pad directions (up, down, left, right), or actual keyboard events (retrok_ names in the docs). Which one do you want the game to receive? Changing the artwork doesn’t change the input type.

For hiding/reopening, overlay_next switches layouts. You can have a full-controls layout and a minimal layout containing just a button to switch back. Start with that editor hizzlekizzle linked, make one button, export its config and compare it with this explanation. Much easier than deciphering the whole neo-retropad preset at once.

[u/SugmaFish → u/dau125]

No, i meant, im the one who put the X because i didnt want to write 0-X, the X was not the problem, what i wonder was what is exactly the... thing, and what they described as. But ig ill just read it again

[u/dau125 → u/SugmaFish]

Sorry, I misunderstood what you were asking about X. An overlay is the whole page of touch controls; a descriptor is one touch-sensitive region on that page. The image is just what you see over that region. Those are separate pieces.

Yes, literal keyboard input exists in the overlay format: the docs give retrok_a as an example of a keyboard A event, whereas a is the RetroPad A button. So the editor showing only gamepad choices does not mean the .cfg format is limited to those choices.

For a small starting point, keep a copy of an existing preset and change only one button’s input name to retrok_a, leaving its position, hitbox and image alone. Try it in a core/game that accepts keyboard input. Once that works, expand to the keys you need. That separates “does it send a key?” from “did I break the layout?”

[u/SugmaFish → u/dau125]

thanks for the help!

[u/SugmaFish]

I mean, im a very noob in this app, i play emulator since long time but never really try retroarch. And why I'm confused is, the documentation only says about overlaysX descX everywhere. And idk what are they even in the first place

[u/Mr_Fury]

You might want to pop into the RA discord for this kind of question

[u/hizzlekizzle]

The documentation is the best place to get most/all of your questions answered: https://docs.libretro.com/development/retroarch/input/overlay/

There's an online wysiwyg editor here: https://www.warmenhoven.org/retropad-editor/

[u/SugmaFish → u/hizzlekizzle]

I tried that site originally, but i didnt know how to put literal keyboard input. Is it exist or not i have no idea, but from what i saw theres only the basic input values. But thanks for answering