Add Extra Key Functions to your X-Arcade on PC and for MAME
OPTION 1:
MacroGamer allows you to record your keyboard and mouse inputs that you can easily assign to a Hotkey to execute them on demand. Here's a video to show how it works. Be sure to run as administrator or it won't save your macros.
OPTION 2:
You can use AutoHotkey to not only software reprogram your X-Arcade keys on PC, but also to make macros (a button/key combination that does other functions or makes a string of keys get pressed in order).
NOTE: In order for this to work in MAME you will need to enable DirectInput support. To do so open your mame.ini file found in either the main MAME folder or ini subfolder, under OSD INPUT OPTIONS change 'keyboardprovider' from 'auto' to 'dinput' so it looks like:
keyboardprovider dinput
If you want to add extra key functions to the X-Arcade on PC download X-Hotkeys program. It makes older model X-Arcade controllers Player 1 Joystick act like arrow keys (instead of Numpad Keys), adds these popular pinball functions, and it adds the following useful functions:
2P Start + 1P Start = Enter (starts a game from MAME menu)
2P Start + Right Pinball Button = Escape (exits MAME games)
2P Start + Button 3 = P (pauses MAME games)
2P Start + Joy1 Up = Raise System Volume
2P Start + Joy1 Down = Lower System Volume
Mouse Button 3 = Escape (exits MAME games) - Works for newer Tanksticks with the red-lit exit button. If you want to add this button to your Tankstick for Exit just use the Orange wire from the trackball (see Trackball Wiring on this page).
If you want to add even more alternate functions, simply make your own config file using the instructions included with AutoHotkey. Here is our custom config file that you can modify to add functions.
These are all third-party programs and applications, we do not support them.
Macros
You can also use AutoHotKey to make macros for complex moves, such as those used in fighting game like Street Fighter. Here are a couple of samples for Street Fighter 4 you can use and customize to your liking or for other characters:
Ryu/Ken/Dhalsim/FeiLong/Abel/Rufus/Viper/Dan/Rose/Gen/Gouken/Seth
Button 7 + FP = Ultra to Left
Button 8 + FP = Ultra to Right
Button 7 + MP = Super to Left
Button 8 + MP = Super to Right