F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions

You have some problems with ClrMamePro ? Well..Then take a look at this little FAQ.

 

ClrMamePro messages

I get a 'can't receive data' message.

Be sure that your mame binary supports the '-listinfo' parameter. Be sure that the harddrive with CMPro has enought free diskspace. Be sure that 'cmd.exe' (WinNT/2000 users) or 'command.com' is in your %PATH% environment variable. Remove command.pif files.

What is that 100% set in set (or natodefa) message while starting ClrMamePro ?

This message appears when a cloneset is totally stored in its parentset. Such sets will be removed from the ROMlist (because they already exist within the parentfile)

What about missing biosfiles messages ?

BIOS files are needed for some systems. Normally they are stored in a separate file (e.g. neogeo.zip or playch10.zip). If they are missing, ClrMamePro displays an errormessage.

What about not separated biosrom messages ?

You should put biosroms in the separated bios sets (like neogeo.zip etc.) If ClrMamePro finds a biosfile which is still in a gameset and you've enabled advanced unneeded, you'll get this message. You have to fix (if you like) this by hand.

What are these wrong merged alerts ?

This message can appear when you're using full merged sets and still have some separate clonesets in your collection. You have to merge these hands by hand...or use the Rebuilder or Merger.

The PBobble Problem -Or- What about this merging alert message while starting ClrMamePro ?

Merging between different systems (e.g. NeoGeo with Arcade) doesn't make sense to me. I advice you to answer the question with YES, so ClrMamePro will handle the sets as normal sets without any parent/clone relationship. If you answer NO, ClrMamePro will handle them the old fashioned way.

 

Zip, gameset and fixing problems

ClrMamePro can't fix wrong sized ROMs. Why ?

Well..Can have different reasons. Check if the correct size isn't larger than the wrong one. ClrMamePro can't create missing data. Another reason can be that your current too large rom is a bad dump and ClrMamePro doesn't find a memory area within it which matches the correct CRC32. 

 

ClrMamePro can't fix wrong named ROMs. Why ?

Check if there's already a file with the right name in the same archive.

 

Why does MAMEMerge, ROMCenter and MAME's -verifyroms report no problems while ClrMamePro does ?

Mostly caused be double ROMs. Double ROMs are at least two roms in sets with parent/clone relationships with equal crc32s but different names. It's caused by the lazyness of MAME driver authors (on the other hand: guys, you are great). Equal roms should have equal names. That's my opinion. ClrMamePro wants both (or more) files, even if they are equal. MAME doesn't display error messages because it just loads the one file twice when starting the game. You can hide the errormessages when you enable the scanner 'hide missing double' option. But I advice you to disable it.

 

Why does ClrMamePro says that it misses roms while the scanresults window doesn't report any missing ones ?

Enable 'show missing 0-crcs' and disable 'Hide missing double'.

 

Why does ClrMamePro complain about missing sets while the zipfiles exist ?

This is mostly caused by bad zipfiles. Enable the strict zipscanner.

 

ClrMamePro complains about bad zipfiles but Winzip tests them ok. Are my roms bad ? What is the strict zipscanner good for ?

Hehe...One of the most common problems. You have to differ between bad zipdata and bad zipstructures. A zipfile has structures (e.g. local file headers) and the compressed filedata. Winzip's test will decompress the data, calculate the crc32 and compares it with the one which is stored in the zipstructures. So you can have a zipfile with good filedata but bad zipstructures. ClrMamePro complains about bad structures ! Why ? Because bad structures cause major trouble when adding or removing files from the archive. So my advice is: Always enable the strict zipscanner. The strict zipscanner will do an extra (- this takes no extra time -) test for bad zipstructures and will report bad local fileheaders, etc. You'll be surprised how many zipfiles you may have which are bad.

 

I get a lot of bad zipfile messages when enabling the strict zipscanner. Why ?

Read the answer to the last question. Your filedata may be ok, but the zipstructures aren't. You have to rezip the files by hand. This means: Unzip the 'bad' archive to a temporary place, remove the archive and rezip the files from the temporary place to a new (!) archive.

 

Winzip tests some zipfiles as bad but ClrMamePro scans them without any warnings. Are my zips bad ?

Yes they are. ClrMamePro doesn't check the data. It only checks some zipstructures and compares the crc32. Checking the data would mean to unzip any file in an archive to memory, calculate the checksum and compare that one with the one in the zipfile. This takes too long. Although you'll find most bad zips when enabling the strict zip scanner.

 

ClrMamePro in combination with MAME32/RAINE and other programs

Can I use MAME32 with ClrMamePro ?

Not directly. MAME32 doesn't support an option to receive a romlist. Don't panic ! Use MAME32 for playing and a DOS binary of MAME for ClrMamePro. MAME32 and MAME use the same romsets when they have the same version number.

 

When I use ClrMamePro with RAINE I don't get all the games. ClrMamePro only imports 1/2 of the games.

It's a known strange behaviour of the RAINE executable. Cleaning the cache, enabling all games in the settings dialog and freeing diskspace helps in most cases. 

 

I use ZipMagic and ClrMamePro goes nuts.

Disable it while using ClrMamePro.

 

Other weird ClrMamePro issues

ClrMamePro freezes while receiving data.

Remove command.pif files or set the 'close on exit' option. Normally you have to remove the pif files from your windows\pif folder.

 

ClrMamePro doesn't import all sets from an EXE file.

Free more diskspace on the ClrMameProharddisk.

 

How can I add ROMs to my collection ?

Use the Rebuilder !...or the fix missing option.

 

I have so many unneeded files. Why ?

Check your ROM/Samplepath settings. Check if 'Advanced Unneeded' is enabled..If so, disable it. Check your set settings, too !

 

I have so many missing files. Why ?

Check the 'I'm using:' in the scanner dialog. You have to tell CMPro how you store your ROMs.

 

I have lost some files after merging. Why ?

Be sure that you do a merging operation after a successfull name-check-scan ! The merger won't merge wrong named ROMs.

 

Can I just scan my collection..without changing anything ?

Sure...Use the Scanner and disable all 'fix' settings.

 

If I start ClrMamePro Windows says something like: 'Switch to DOS mode'

Well...You're system is a mess...Currently we don't really know when this is happening. It can be fixed by reinstalling Windows :o) But maybe you just have to remove any command.pif files and install some MFC updates.

 

You suck. ClrMamePro deleted all my roms.

Well...It's not possible. ClrMamePro doesn't remove any valid roms which are listed in the romlist. Looks like you're using the wrong data.

 

Can you send me romset xyz ?

No.

 

Can I send you romset xyz ?

No.

 

Can I send you money for your program ?

Well...ClrMamePro is Freeware. So you don't have to pay me anything. On the other hand if you really want to support me by giving me money or presents, mail and let me know :o).

 

Will you release the sourcecode ?

No...not in the near future. If I find the time I want to make it as portable as possible. And maybe then I will release the sources.

 

Write a frontend or an emulator !

No. No time.


Troubleshooting

You've run into major trouble ? Well..Read the upper FAQ first. If you don't find a solution for your problem, make a clean ClrMamePro install. That means that you deinstall it by removing its files (esp. the cache folder) and the registrykeys and reinstall it. Read more about it in the Installation / Deinstallation section.

Most problems are caused by wrong or bad cache files. So quit ClrMamePro, delete ClrMamePro's cache folder and restart ClrMamePro.

Some other hints are:


How to...

...add support for a new emulator

Not so easy as writing a datfile....The emulator has to support an option to create a ROMlist. This list has to be sent to std (Standard Output). MAME's -listinfo parameter is an example for such an option. Then you have modify ClrMamePro's engine.cfg file to add the support for the emulator. Take a look at the engine.cfg documentation. 

...write a datfile

You have to know the rominformation and the datfile-syntax. Take a look at MAME's -listinfo output. Also read the datfile documentation.

...add ROMs to my collection

Use the Rebuilder. The destination path should point to your current collection and its source should point to the new roms. You can also drag'n drop new files in the scan-results window. It will use the current rebuilder settings for rebuilding. After rebuilding it will do a fastscan operation, so don't forget that you should have finished a scan operation before dropping files in the scan-results window. Another method is to use the fix missing option.

...update an old MAME version

Start ClrMamePro. It will now import the new ROMlist. Then do a scan to see what's missing and what is changed. For fixing the changed sets you can now use the fix options. Read the last 'How to...' section to know about adding files.  

...use download managers to get missing roms

You need a download manager which monitors the clipboard. After scanning your sets you have a report of missing roms. Right-click a set in the scan-results window and click on 'copy <setname> to clipboard'. The downloadmanager will add it to its download list. Before that you should specify a pre- and poststring (right-click the set and you'll find the menu to enter these strings). A possible prestring can be: 'http://www.my-cool-rom-resource.com/' and a good poststring is e.g. '.zip'. ClrMamePro will then copy the string 'http://www.my-cool-rom-resource.com/<setname>.zip' to the clipboard. For more information take a look at the scanner's scan-results window.