Can't get it "UP" (sorry, too punny)

[qicflair]

New Problem: I can't seem to get the "UP" button to function.

I've tried reflowing the GPIO pin. I added a pin connector directly into the pin, soldered it and added a jumper directly to the up test lead. Passes continuity tests every time, but no response on any conductive pad I have access to. I even dragged a wire across the contact on the PCB on each of the areas for the buttons: works for everything but "Up".

I even re-downloaded and flashed a new copy of the mintypi retropie image, but still the same result.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[rodocop]

May be a dead GPIO?

You could solder the jumper for up to an unused GPIO. You will need to adjust the retrogame file in the boot directory on the SD card to reflect this change as well.

Just google a pi zero pinout and find a pin that is not used by the minty, and is not ground or power. Any should be fine. And remember when editing the retrogame file you will need to use the BCM/GPIO number, not the physical pin number. Once done, you will likely need to remap the controls in emulationstation as well.

[Helder]

See if the GPIO is grounded, check continuity to any GND to see if it has continuity if not then do what rodocop suggested.

[qicflair]

See if the GPIO is grounded, check continuity to any GND to see if it has continuity if not then do what rodocop suggested.

I think you hit the nail on the head again: up doesn't appear to be grounded.

So my question is, How can I go about fixing this?

[Helder]

Hmm does or doesn't? If it's grounded then you likely need to add some flux in between the Pi gpio and pcb and insert a clean iron tip into the GPIO to extract extra solder in there, repeat a few times always cleaning the tip. You can also use solder braid to help suck up the solder and then see if that helped break the GND connection.

The other issue that likely arose is that you punctured the the pcb and hit a GND plane which is all over the pcb when you inserted the iron tip or that jumper wire.

[qicflair]

It looks like i’m not getting ground to the up button, even though everything else had ground. Feel kinda stuck at the moment where the only option could be to separate the pcb and the pi and try again.

[Helder]

That's extreme, do what Rodocop suggested.

[rodocop]

Yeah. Try another gpio before you resort to taking the pi off. Its super simple.

Once you solder the wire open up the terminal via ssh. (I use putty).

Type

Sudo nano /boot/retrogame.cfg

This will open that file. Simply change the numeric value beside "up" with the new gpio number you used.

Ctrl + X to close, then hit Y to save.

Type

Sudo reboot.

[rodocop]

Also, one other thing to note, if you switch the up button to a new GPIO you'll also need to edit the combo script, since up is used to control the brightness toggles. See below:

sudo nano /home/pi/MintyComboScript/MintyCombo.py (this is case sensitive)

once open scroll to this line:
brightnessUpBtn = Button(4)

Change the (4) to whatever the new GPIO is.

Ctrl + x, then y

sudo reboot

done.