Snes9x will not run - appears for split second before closing.

[EmphaticItalic]

The SNES emulator Snes9x has suddenly stopped working on my Linux Mint 18.3. When attempting to run it, it appears on the Cinnamon taskbar for a split second before closing.

What can be done when programs begin to act this way in Linux Mint?

I haven't used it since July, and I would have run the Level 1 and 2 updates available in Update Manager once August rolled around (I like to run install the accumulated updates once a month only).

I mean to say, the last I used Snes9x was before running my "August" updates. This is the first time I've tried running Snes9x this month since I last updated. How can I roll back the updates I did to see if it might fix it?

Removing and adding again in Software Manager doesn't affect anything - as I expected would happen.

I don't appear to have anything in Time Shift that can help me. It has only been keeping snapshots for the previous five days - I actually thought it was holding much more than that.

The only other change I can think of that may have broken Snes9x is something I installed - Spotify perhaps? It is the only software I've added in many months

This is the first time I can remember having a real frustrating problem with Linux Mint since first installing 3.5 years ago!

I've been enjoying some nostalgia gaming a couple of hours a week with Snes9x this year.

Thank you for readnig

[trytip]

what output you get running snes9x-gtk in Terminal?

[EmphaticItalic]

It simply says command not found.

[rickNS]

Not really a fix, but certainly a good alternative...
You could try using higan (in software center) a better program IMO. runs nes, and snes roms, plus you can make it bigger, full screen if you want.

[trytip]

command not found means it's not installed. not sure why i have to use a PPA to install it in mint 19. not sure if it's the mint 18 repos either. run apt install snes9x-gtk

[rickNS]

not sure if it's the mint 18 repos either. run apt install snes9x-gtk

Your right...there is NO "Snes9x" in mint 18 repo...There is one in mint 19, but only as a flatpak. "com.snes9x.Snes9x" questionable how well it it works, don't know , didn't try.
This project (Snes9x) appears dead as of about 2015, when many problems appear on the forums.
As I said install "higan" (first choice) and you'll be up and running your games in no time.
Other options are zsnes, and gfceu both are (like "higan") in the software manager, for both mint 18 and 19.

[trytip]

snes9x works 100% much better than higan but it's up to OP you don't need to convince me.

[rickNS]

Not trying to convince you.
I quoted you because you said "not sure why i have to use a PPA to install it in mint 19". You had to use a PPA because Debian removed it from their package base like 3 years ago, hence it is not in ubuntu or mint software manager. So obviously at least a few people do not consider better at all, by any %.

[EmphaticItalic]

So, seems like I need to use a ppa to re-install Snes9x? It all seems rather odd because I installed Snes9x from the software manager in Mint 18.3 six months ago - it still appears there as if nothing has changed - no indication it is no longer available in the package base.

Higan is fine but I am wondering about what to do about my save states from Snes9x....

I haven't used any Snes emulation in at least 15 years. Back then all I knew of was Zsnes or Snes9x. I originally tried what I remembered - Zsnes for Windows, under wine. I then recalled from long ago there was always a Linux version of Zsnes. I tried that but I was having trouble getting video settings to display correctly. I moved on to Snes9x because it was also available in the software manager, and it was working perfectly with no fuss (and running much better than it ever did on my old hardware from 15 years ago!).

[trytip]

https://mintguide.org/games/345-snes9x- ... tendo.html

i don't know where i got my version snes9x-gtk_1.53 now i can't find it, but this ppa will have it. you can install the ppa then remove it. it also has a few more emulators

[EmphaticItalic]

I've reinstalled from the new ppa and Snes9x is working great again, thanks. Unfortunately, I've run into another problem with the rom I was using now seems broken somehow (on any emulator) - but of course that is outside the scope of this forum. Thanks once again.

[trytip]

which rom is misbehaving? many times if you don't delete the .config of emulators or the save state you'll get a corrupt start. in my case i tried the ppa but the version did not work for me, some roms did not open. i thought it was my computer

uninstall the v1.54 and test your rom with the 1.53 it's from the same ppa but you need to scavenge the ppa for it

snes9x-gtk_1.53+git-r298~1~ubuntu15.10.1_amd64.deb

[EmphaticItalic]

Thanks for your continued support, I've had to put off looking at these forums for other priorities lately. Since you ask about the rom I will tell you.

The rom is Final Fantasy VI ; FF3.FIG. I've had the rom a very long time (the date modified is from the 90s!), I found it in backed up files from years ago. In my childhood I never actually played through it properly - Final Fantasy VIII was the latest blockbuster at the time, and it had state of the art graphics which appealed to a kid more.

The issue I'm having is the rom seems to run fine, but no buttons seem to work, or a few but not most.

This is not happening on any other roms I try.

I've accepted that my save states are probably gone, and I'll probably have to find a save state online and try to get it to work properly. I can see you are also suggesting trying a slightly older version - but mostly I must set up config files correctly?

[trytip]

are you using a controller? i setup my controller in options>preferences>joypads

[EmphaticItalic]

Hello again, so sorry for letting this thread die and my slow replies - being an adult these days I have many other priorities before Final Fantasy VI!

I had also resigned myself to watching a walkthrough on Youtube for the rest of the game.

I was reminded about this thread when unfortunately I saw this disgusting spoiler come up in my Youtube recommendations (thanks for that Youtube! - I've never actually played through FF6 in my childhood). That beautiful moment being revealed, I wanted to try and get back immersing myself in FF6 by actually playing

I'm not using a controller, just the keyboard. On FF3 no buttons seem to work except perhaps the Start button. There was this one off occasion where things were working properly but it all seems rather erratic whether the controls decide to work.

If I still can't get this working perhaps it would be an excuse to pick a SnesMini this Christmas!