retroarch_frame_advance
Step emulation forward one frame at a time while paused. Use for precise input timing, animation inspection, or letting emulation initialize after a reset.
Instructions
PURPOSE: Step emulation forward by exactly one frame. USAGE: Use for frame-precise input automation, animation inspection, or letting the system initialize after a reset. ONLY effective while emulation is paused — RetroArch's FRAMEADVANCE is a no-op when running, so call retroarch_pause_toggle first (after checking retroarch_get_status to confirm you'll end up paused, not unpaused). For long jumps (thousands of frames) prefer retroarch_save_state_current / retroarch_load_state_current of a pre-prepared state — frame-by-frame stepping costs ~1 UDP round-trip per frame. BEHAVIOR: When paused, advances the emulator by exactly one frame and remains paused. When NOT paused, the command is silently ignored by RetroArch. FIRE-AND-FORGET: the NCI does NOT acknowledge this command — the call returns as soon as the UDP datagram is sent, with no confirmation that RetroArch received or applied it. To verify the effect, follow up with an observable tool (retroarch_get_status for run state, retroarch_read_memory / retroarch_read_ram for memory mutations, retroarch_screenshot for visual state). UDP packets to a not-listening RetroArch are silently dropped. The new frame count is not reported — to verify progress, take screenshots before/after with retroarch_screenshot or read a known-changing memory value. Transport: RetroArch's Network Control Interface (NCI) over UDP (default 127.0.0.1:55355, requires network_cmd_enable = true in retroarch.cfg). RETURNS: Single line 'Advanced one frame' (UDP-send confirmation only — does NOT confirm that RetroArch was paused or that the frame actually advanced).
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||