RetroArch KODI add-on for LibreELEC

This script creates KODI add-on from Lakka sources for LibreELEC devices. Still work-in-progress, resulting builds have not been tested yet. Default build is for S905 ARM devices.

Note: I did not have time yet to test the resulting builds, so it might happen, that LibreELEC will miss a library or two to run RetroArch or one of the cores. Please submit an issue with the name of the missing library.

Builds for testing / testing repository can be found here. Currently available add-ons for these LibreELEC 8.2 builds:

• Generic PC
• Raspberry Pi (v1 and Zero)
• Raspberry Pi (v3 and v2)
• HardKernel Odroid C2
• SolidRun Cubox i2/i4 and Hummingboard
• WeTek Core
• WeTek Hub
• WeTek Play / OpenELEC
• WeTek Play 2
• Amlogic HTPC (S8X2, S805, S905 / S905X devices)
• FiveNinja's Slice

Usage

Go to the folder, where you keep source code, e.g. if src folder in your home folder, then:

cd ; cd src

Or make a src folder in your home, if it does not exist:

cd ; mkdir src ; cd src

Clone the Lakka-LibreELEC repository:

git clone https://github.com/libretro/Lakka-LibreELEC
cd Lakka-LibreELEC

Edit config/path file - uncomment like this:

# Uncomment this line to ignore version when building
BUILD=$ROOT/$BUILD_BASE.$DISTRONAME-${DEVICE:-$PROJECT}.$TARGET_ARCH

This will make sure, that when the version changes, the build subfolder, which will be created by the first compilation, will be re-used.

Clone this repository:

cd ..
git clone https://github.com/ToKe79/retroarch-kodi-addon-LibreELEC
cd retroarch-kodi-addon-LibreELEC

Edit the script retroarch-kodi.sh and change LAKKA to folder, where the Lakka repository was cloned, e.g. to:

LAKKA="/home/joe/repositories/Lakka-LibreELEC"

If you cloned to src folder in your home, you don't have to change LAKKA.

Check remaining variables and adjust them as required, but in most cases there is no need to change them.

Run the build script:

./retroarch-kodi.sh

Examples for other devices (the project/device/system/architecture must be the same, as you use on the LibreELEC device):

PROJECT=Generic ARCH=x86_64 ./retroarch-kodi.sh     # build for generic 64-bit PC
PROJECT=RPi ARCH=arm ./retroarch-kodi.sh            # build for Raspberry Pi
PROJECT=S805 ARCH=arm ./retroarch-kodi.sh           # build for devices with S805 SoC

First time the building/compiling process will take some time (the first package will look like it is compiling really long, but in the background the whole toolchain is being compiled), when it is finished, you will have the result stored in the folder defined in REPO_DIR. You can install this add-on in KODI (copy the ZIP file to your LibreELEC device via scp or samba). After the installation is successful, in add-on settings run the Script Permissions to make the add-on scripts and binaries executable.

You have to put BIOS files (see Lakka documentation - BIOSes) to the /storage/.config/retroarch/system folder. This folder (and all other folders) will be created with the first start of RetroArch. Never ask for BIOS files in IRC channels or formus of LibreELEC or Lakka!

Folders:

/storage/.config/retroarch is the root folder for RetroArch configurations. It includes the retroarch.cfg main configuration file and following subfolders:

savestates for storing the savestates

savefiles for storing the saves (e.g. memory card files)

remappings for storing remapped controls

playlists for storing RetroArch playlists - lists of games per emulated system

system put your BIOS files here

thumbnails Boxarts / Screenshots / Title screens will be stored here (use the online update in RetroArch to download these)

Put your ROM files to folder /storage/roms. You may put them in separate folders by systems, but it is not required by RetroArch.

Screenshots are stored in /storage/screenshots.

The add-on includes also following subfolders in the resources folder, so you don't have to download these:

assets contains wallpapers, themes, icons, fonts, etc.

audio_filters various audio filters

database contains subfolders cht (cheats), cursors (saved searches) and rdb (games databases for scanning your files)

joypads configuration files for autoconfiguration of attached joystics and gamepads

overlays for touch-devices only - on screen gamepad overlays

shaders various shaders to enhance the visuals of the emulated systems on current display devices

video_filters various video filters

The emulation cores are stored in lib/libretro subfolder of the add-on.

Future

My dream is to create and host own KODI add-on repository to provide the RetroArch add-on for various LibreELEC devices.

Credits

Thanks to Lakka for their work.

Also thanks to JoKeRzBoX - I based my work on his work.