ERROR... mk2.xml(5): error parsin cheat expression

[OldSchoolGamer]

When I try to play Mortal Kombat 2 in MAME 0.147 with the cheats enabled, I get an error message that says the following:

mk2.xml(5): error parsin cheat expression "temp0 =user1.md@00033F4" (invalid memory name)

After clicking "OK" on the error message, the game automatically switches from fullscreen mode to windowed mode. The graphics of the game get all messed up and the game soon crashes. I've never had a problem like this before. And Mortal Kombat 2 is not the only game that this error occurs in. When I disable the cheats, the game works fine and there is no error.

Please Help?

[Pugsy]

redownload it... :-

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=6222

You will need u1 of MAME 0.147 though to cure the gfx problem......that is NOT cheat related.

[OldSchoolGamer]

Thanx, that fixed the problem. Small suggestion... maybe there should be a little note next to the download explaining that you updated it with a fix because there are probably many other people who downloaded the cheat file before you did the updated fix. Or have a rerelease ex: Cheat 0.147a

[Pugsy]

<sarcasm>Oh yeah why didn't I think of doing a full release and calling it 0.147a......</sarcasm>

The fix was incredibly minor as it affected about 10 games out of over 25000, the choices were leave it alone as the mk games didn't work in 0.147 anyway (so people couldn't play the games anyway) or do a silent update which required less work and announce it on the forums. To do a full announcement and a full re-release was completely out of the question for so many reasons - so it was never to happen.

(number of people who downloaded the unmodified cheat file) - (number of people don't want to cheat in mk in 0.147) - (number of people who don't want to cheat because mk is broken in 0.147) - (number of people who can read the forums) - (number of people with patience to wait to the next release) - (number of people who will simply use an earlier version of MAME which has working mk games) = ~0

[OldSchoolGamer]

That is a very lucid, intelligent, well-thought out explanation. But, for sh#t and giggles I could argue to the contrary though and play devil's advocate, such as...

the choices were leave it alone as the mk games didn't work in 0.147 anyway (so people couldn't play the games anyway)

Most people wouldn't think to redownload a file that appears not to be updated. So just because MK doesn't work in 0.147, does not hold much water because when the gamer downloads the next "u" update to MAME (which has already been released), they will see that the problem still persists.... and it would never occur to them to redownload the cheat file since there was no notice of a fixed update.

The fix was incredibly minor as it affected about 10 games out of over 25000

True, but the few games that were affected were some of the most popular, well known, and played arcade games. So the chances of someone being affected is misleading with those 10 out of 25000 numbers.