I finally have my control panel wired. I am using an ipac so the arcade controls at keyboard strokes. I can control the PiMAME menus just fine with the joystick and an arcade button.

I also have a Bluetooth keyboard connected to my system.

When I launch a mame rom the arcade control panel loses all control. The Bluetooth keyboard still has working control.

If I F1 and map keys to the arcade controls using the Bluetooth keyboard they show up as k2:5 (keyboard 2) but I lose all control from the Bluetooth keyboard.

Lastly no keyboard mapping is ever saved to any roms.

Is there another way that I should be setting up my traditional arcade controls and still be able to to use the Bluetooth keyboard?