RetroArch Kodi add-on for CoreELEC

This script creates a RetroArch add-on for Kodi from Lakka sources for CoreELEC (Amlogic devices). Resulting builds have been tested on CoreELEC versions from 19 to 22 both for arm and aarch64.

Add-on usage

• Download the latest zip file from releases page and install following Kodi instructions. Once installed, starting from v 1.5.0 the addon comes with an internal online updater and can be updated from within Kodi.
• The addon will be shown in the "Game" group, customize the settings as needed and launch RetroArch
• By default the add-on includes only RetroArch and cores to reduce the zip size, use RetroArch internal online updater to download resources as needed.
• If you are new to RetroArch refer to their documentation for all how-to-use and how-to-setup info.

Core list included by default is same as Lakka.

Settings/features

• Boot the system to Retroarch instead of Kodi
• Turn off Xbox360 wireless controllers on exit from Retroarch
• BT controllers shutdown function on RetroArch exit. This option will power off and power back on device bluetooth controller, which may result in paired BT gamepad shutdown if supported (e.g. Sony DS4 controller).
• Use remote location (e.g. SMB) as roms folder. Remote path to be as follows //server_IP/path_to_roms_folder
• Use TV remote controller (CEC) to navigate RetroArch menu (ref here for key bindings)
• Set refresh rate for Retroarch independently from Kodi settings
• Sync Retroarch audio driver/device with Kodi settings
• Auto update. Check for updates will be performed everytime RetroArch is launched
• Reset Retroarch configuration. Restores retroarch.cfg to defaults and addon to first run condition

Folders

Resources

The addon uses an internal resources folder as well as one external local folder /storage/.config/retroarch. Internal folder will be wiped on addon removal/update.

/storage/.config/retroarch should include the retroarch.cfg main configuration file and following subfolders. If not there, empty folders and default retroarch.cfg will be created automatically.

• savestates
• savefiles (e.g. memory card files)
• remappings to store remapped controls
• playlists to store RetroArch playlists - lists of games per emulated system
• thumbnails Boxarts / Screenshots / Title screens will be stored here
• assets wallpapers, themes, icons, fonts, etc. will be stored here
• database contains subfolders cht (cheats), cursors (saved searches) and rdb (games databases for scanning your files)
• joypads configuration files for autoconfiguration of attached joysticks and gamepads will be stored here
• overlays on screen overlays will be stored here
• shaders shaders to enhance the visuals of the emulated systems on current display devices will be stored here
• system cores additional system files (e.g. BIOS) will be stored here

The internal resources folder includes:

• audio_filters various audio filters from relevant repositories
• video_filters various video filters from relevant repositories
• system includes contents from relevant repositories per build configured core list.

Depending on build configuration (not by default) also the following may be included in the internal folder, with the content from relevant repositories:

• assets
• database
• joypads
• overlays
• shaders

In case same subfolder is present both in external and internal resource folders, external will be used and internal content will be merged as needed.

Roms

Default ROM folder is /storage/roms. This folder can be mapped to a remote location using addon settings.

Cores

Cores are stored in lib/libretro internal subfolder (removed on addon removal).

Other folders

Screenshots are stored in /storage/screenshots.

Development and build script usage

Lakka repository is included as a submodule by default. To build the addon with default settings type the following:

git clone --recursive https://github.com/spleen1981/retroarch-kodi-addon-CoreELEC
cd retroarch-kodi-addon-CoreELEC
./build.sh

Extra dowloadable contents as retroarch-assets retroarch-joypad-autoconfig retroarch-overlays libretro-database glsl-shaders are not included by default to reduce addon size, but can be included setting INCLUDE_DLC="Y"(or can be downloaded from RetroArch online updater otherwise).

Default core list can be customized setting LIBRERETRO_CORES_ADD and LIBRERETRO_CORES_RM variables.

Refer to the script source for all other configuration parameters.

First time the building/compiling process will take a lot of time (the whole toolchain will be compiled with the first package).

Addon zip file will be placed in build subfolder.

Adding new translations

New languages for the addon frontend can be added by modifying this file.

The new language code is to be added in the following variable, separated by space (adding italian language in the following examples, coded it_it):

LANG_list="en_gb it_it"

and the new translations for each string are to be added as follows, as per existing structure:

LANG_32001_en_gb="Stop Kodi service before launching RetroArch"
LANG_32001_it_it="Ferma il servizio Kodi prima di lanciare RetroArch"

All language files needed by Kodi will be generated at build time.

Credits

Thanks to Lakka and CoreELEC for their work.

Also thanks to ToKe79 - This work has been developed starting from his.