Attract Mode for OSX MAME - Setup Part 2

Mini-update January 2024: In current versions of RetroArch, the cores are placed under "Application Support" of your user. This path must also be set in "....", otherwise RetroArch does not start. Corrected below and marked in red.

After successful completion of Part 1, there are many further opportunitites to tweak Attract Mode for MAME for your own needs. Here is a collection of useful hints for further fine tuning of the Attract Mode setup:

• Configure the Attract Mode Intro Video
• Configure history.dat to display within Attract Mode
• Assign game-specific configurations for Attract Mode only
• Other Emulators (WIP)
• Including RetroArch Cores (WIP - huge!)

Here are the details:

MAME 0.182, and BGFX-metal Bug registered

I compiled yesterday's MAME 0.182 and today's QMC2 0.71 without issues - and the BGFX_metal bug still persists. 

But I finally made it into mametesters.org and managed to file a bug report here. As it turns out today, it was the MacOS Password Manager and Safari that kicked me out from mametesters.org at previous attempts. A manual login via Firefox after password reset did the trick. So if you want to login to Mametesters as a Mac user, I strongly recommend you to avoid Safari and Mac Password Manager if you run into strange problems like me, being blocked from the site. If you are at Mametesters.org and are able to confirm the bug, please leave a note there - thanks!

Update: While the Mametesters Bug Report has been closed, a Bug has been opened with the BGFX Github repository: https://github.com/bkaradzic/bgfx/issues/1032 - let's see.

QMC Alternative: Attract Mode for OSX MAME - Setup, Part 1

Updated September 2018
This is huge, but needs work during setup. If you are willing to spend the time, it's probably the best MAME frontend around. 


If you are ready for manual text edits, this is what you get:
- best layouts in town with video previews that are compatible with the Retropie Attract Mode layouts
- game settings at ROM level
- very flexible and rather intuitive joypad control
- leave your current MAME/QMC2 installation unchanged and play with identical versions in this frontend
- fast at startup
- very accessible text configuration files

Since all of the following has been trial & error, I start with setup instructions from scratch.

1. Download and install Attract Mode for OSX: http://attractmode.org/download.html - now at version 2.4.1 it is rock solid under OSX and in par with other Operating Systems

2. Start Attract Mode -> Attract Mode directory is created here:

[$HOME -> this is the home directory of your user in Attract Mode terms]/.attract

Note: You will only see this directory if you have enabled 'Show Hidden Files' (with a tool such as Deeper, otherwise you will not see this directory in your Finder!) 

Remember for all further configuration: $HOME stands for your Mac User home directory, this saves you a lot of time and remains portable to other users 

This is the directory where most of your customization happens! Do not touch the directories of your Attract Mode Program (via 'Show Package Contents'), since this will be overwritten with a program update.

3. Enter Attract Mode Configuration: TAB