Lakka linux reboot-to-payload configuration options

[romanaOne]

In the Lakka GUI, there is a "Reboot" choice on the menu which reboots to Lakka unless you hold down VOL - to make it reboot to Hekate. Is there a configuration file buried someplace where I can change this behavior? ie. Make "Reboot" send you back to Hekate w/o the need to hold down any buttons. It's easy enough to pick Lakka or emuMMC; remembering to hold Vol- is a pain. Shutting off and then jig is also a pain. Does Lakka have no way to suspend? (Detailed, current docs on Lakka are not easy to find; just finding out about Vol- took a lot of searching....) If not, I will always want to go back to HOS when I'm done messing around with Lakka/Retroarch.

Post automatically merged: Nov 28, 2022

Nevermind; found it in /lakka/uenv.txt :

# ================= Extra uenv parameters =================
# lakka_boot_options
# Check lakka initramfs options for possible values.
# Separate them with space.
#
# reboot_action
# bootloader:  Reboot in bootloader menu
# via-payload: Reboot into Lakka

 

[evil_santa]

In the Lakka GUI, there is a "Reboot" choice on the menu which reboots to Lakka unless you hold down VOL - to make it reboot to Hekate. Is there a configuration file buried someplace where I can change this behavior? ie. Make "Reboot" send you back to Hekate w/o the need to hold down any buttons. It's easy enough to pick Lakka or emuMMC; remembering to hold Vol- is a pain. Shutting off and then jig is also a pain. Does Lakka have no way to suspend? (Detailed, current docs on Lakka are not easy to find; just finding out about Vol- took a lot of searching....) If not, I will always want to go back to HOS when I'm done messing around with Lakka/Retroarch.

Post automatically merged: Nov 28, 2022

Nevermind; found it in /lakka/uenv.txt :

# ================= Extra uenv parameters =================
# lakka_boot_options
# Check lakka initramfs options for possible values.
# Separate them with space.
#
# reboot_action
# bootloader:  Reboot in bootloader menu
# via-payload: Reboot into Lakka

You need to change your uenv.txt
Change
reboot_action=via-payload
to
reboot_action=bootloader
now lakka goes to hekate on reboot.
Lakka's standby mode also works without any problems, you don't have to go back to Hekate or the cfw.
Simply press power button.
I added the right uenv.txt to this post.

Btw I hope you use the version from lakka.tv

https://www.lakka.tv/get/linux/switch/

 

[romanaOne]

I didn't know standby worked: old forum posts complain a lot about it not working.
Is there a way to customize the retroarch menu, like to add Suspend? What is the command to suspend to RAM, systemctl suspend? I try to avoid pressing power, vol buttons if I can avoid it because it will be a pain when they break.

I didn't know about another version of Switch lakka besides the one at https://www.lakka.tv/get/linux/switch/

I'm not really sure Lakka is what I want. I was kind of hoping to use it as an easy-as in no partitioning-- starting point and customize it. But Lakka seems pretty, err, lakka-ed down: You can't install any packages and you are trapped in retroarch gui? There is no apt-get or other package manager?

Ubuntu package repo (it says there are arm64 binaries) has a few non-emulator games like Endless Sky, Dungeon Crawl, FreeOrion, Crossfire, FreeCiv I want to try out. (I just assumed Lakka is Ubuntu/Debian-based.)

L4T Ubuntu seems to have apt and a lot more options, but I'm not keen to repartition the card since if I screw up, restoring my games will take ages. Oh, well.

 

[evil_santa]

I didn't know standby worked: old forum posts complain a lot about it not working.
Is there a way to customize the retroarch menu, like to add Suspend? What is the command to suspend to RAM, systemctl suspend? I try to avoid pressing power, vol buttons if I can avoid it because it will be a pain when they break.

I didn't know about another version of Switch lakka besides the one at https://www.lakka.tv/get/linux/switch/

I'm not really sure Lakka is what I want. I was kind of hoping to use it as an easy-as in no partitioning-- starting point and customize it. But Lakka seems pretty, err, lakka-ed down: You can't install any packages and you are trapped in retroarch gui? There is no apt-get or other package manager?

Ubuntu package repo (it says there are arm64 binaries) has a few non-emulator games like Endless Sky, Dungeon Crawl, FreeOrion, Crossfire, FreeCiv I want to try out. (I just assumed Lakka is Ubuntu/Debian-based.)

L4T Ubuntu seems to have apt and a lot more options, but I'm not keen to repartition the card since if I screw up, restoring my games will take ages. Oh, well.

there was a lakka version from natinusala that didn't have a reboot to payload and was pretty much bugged. But it was more a poc.
the current version was adapted from the ground up for the switch by gavin_darklider (you can support him here https://paypal.me/gavindarkglider).
Suspend to ram is not possible only standby.
But the standby time from 100% to 1% are around 2 weeks.
I've never heard of a broken power button though, I don't think it's something you should worry about.
Apt-get is not available in Lakka it's only a front-end whit a minimal Linux behind it.
But if you are familiar whit programming you can ask gavin_darklider in retroNX Discord/Lakka what's possible.
https://discord.gg/3ufrRUpxyX
Or L4S discord for more Linux experience
https://discord.gg/UwKssdF2zY

I think Ubuntu is the better choice for you.
You can install Ubuntu to a usb key or a HDD/SSD connected to the switch (dock or usb port)
It's also possible to install Ubuntu to the internel emmc.
https://wiki.switchroot.org/en/Linux/USB-Boot

 

[romanaOne]

Ok, I just dd'd the L4T image to a USB stick, set the Switch on the dock, rebooted to payload...and I the Nyx gui is not visible on the external monitor?! How can I select Launch etc. if the switch is in the dock? Is there some setting I missed somewhere to make the external screen come on?

I guess I could set it to autoboot L4T and have to hold down VOL- again to boot to menu (undocked).....

 

[evil_santa]

Ok, I just dd'd the L4T image to a USB stick, set the Switch on the dock, rebooted to payload...and I the Nyx gui is not visible on the external monitor?! How can I select Launch etc. if the switch is in the dock? Is there some setting I missed somewhere to make the external screen come on?

I guess I could set it to autoboot L4T and have to hold down VOL- again to boot to menu (undocked).....

Did you changed your uenv.txt in switchroot/Ubuntu?
If so click on the Ubuntu icon on your switch and put in your dock. Ubuntu should now start.

 

[romanaOne]

I was wondering why the retries=100 thing. Now I get why.

I got L4T ubuntu working. Wow. Unity is a completely bizarre choice of DE. Some sort of netbook-era homage to Mac OS 9. (I've heard about Unity making a comeback over at distrowatch news....)

Aesthetics aside, Unity seems to break a lot of games: Endless Sky dies with a core dump in Unity, but runs fine in Xfce. Even slashem-sdl would not work in Unity, but runs ok in xfce. Loads of odd games in bionic packages. For testing I attached a USB keyboard and mouse. There's quite a lot of unique stuff to play with aside from the retroarch crap. Definitely I'm going to install to uSD to test out touchscreen and joycons.... Thanks for getting me started; switchroot documentation is rather terse.

 

[evil_santa]

Nice
switchroot documentation is really a bit short. but that's unfortunately how it is when developers write a documentary. I once wrote one in German at psx-tools.
Don't forget l4t Megascript it's a nice tool for the start. Search it in the app list.
Here are some discord server's for more information.
l4s discord
https://discord.gg/UwKssdF2zY
Switchroot discord
https://discord.gg/5SnVdMSHeN
(Ctcer has there a nice beta from Ubuntu switch)
L4t Megascript discord
https://discord.gg/abgW2AG87Z
Super nice people there