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[jclampy]

Hi everyone I am new user and having a few difficulties using Clrmamepro.

I use default settings.
When I first load a .dat file in Clrmamepro I select 'no to all' questions.
I compile romsets using split method.

Here is what I am trying to do:
01. Created folder for mame v0.034 romset.
02. Used mame v0.034 .dat from progettasnaps with Clrmamepro to compile romset.
03. Completed 'New Scan' and showed up 0 missing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
04. Created folder for 'difference of' mame v0.034 to v0.036 romsets.
05. Got mame v0.036 .dat from progettasnaps.
06. Used mamediff to create 'difference of' .dat between mame v0.034 to v0.036 .dat files.
07. Used newly created 'difference of' .dat with Clrmamepro to compile romset.
08. Completed 'New Scan' and showed up 0 missing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
09. Created folder for 'difference of' mame v0.034 to v0.036 to v0.037b5 romsets.
10. Got mame v0.037b5 .dat from progettasnaps.
11. Used mamediff to create 'difference of' .dat between mame v0.034 to v0.037b5 .dat files.
12. Used mamediff to create 'difference of' .dat between ['difference of' mame v0.034 to v0.036] and ['difference of' mame v0.034 to v0.037b5] .dat files.
13. Used newly created 'difference of' .dat with Clrmamepro to compile romset.
14. Completed 'New Scan' and showed up 0 missing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
15. Got mame v0.037b5 .dat from progettasnaps.
16. Completed 'New Scan' on *all three previously created folders at same time and results in a whole lot of problem messages popping up.

Is there a way to do the last part so that the problem messages don't pop up? I assume it starts throwing messages up while scanning the v0.034 folder even though it still has the other two (v0.036 and v0.037b5) folders to scan after.

Maybe I have to change some settings in Clrmamepro to reflect my use of multiple paths?

Also, am I using the best method for what I am trying to do above?

Thank you for all help/advice.

PS:
v0.034 is for PCMamev0.4a for PPC/WM
v0.036 is for PCMamev0.5wip for PPC/WM
v0.037b5 is for Mame4all and various iterations

[Roman]

ah now I see what you're trying to do...you want one basic install (.34) and then diff updates....

First of all....I personally don't see any sense in keeping old MAME versions or even each and any version....but anyway...

You want to keep diffs, then you need to handle them in separate profiles and in different rompaths.

You got one profile for .34 and one profile per diff-dat you've created. In each you point to 1 rompath holding just the roms from the used diff dat.

Again...your basic idea of keeping a base version and then diff updates is very unsual....

[jclampy]

Hmm, I thought it seemed like a good idea to keep them seperated like that at the time. Saves space from having three different full romsets and also keeps the old rom versions that would be lost otherwise. Plus needed the seperate versions for the three listed emulators that I want to try out.

But yes, I am starting to get the 'unusual' feeling as well. Because it appears to me that maybe Mame (especially these older versions) and also Clrmamepro probably are getting confused by my setup.

Am I right in thinking that there is no way or settings for Clrmamepro to be able to handle this:

15. Got mame v0.037b5 .dat from progettasnaps.
16. Completed 'New Scan' on *all three previously created folders at same time and results in a whole lot of problem messages popping up.

without the problem messages popping up?

[jclampy]

Kind of like;
Option A) First scan all specified rom paths and then afterwards if required roms are not found then start popping up error messages. Instead of popping up error messages whilst scanning only the first of the three folders.
Option B) Just slipped my mind but I think it was something to do with thought below...

Does Mame (maybe the more modern versions) work with 'multiple paths' where any duplicated roms in the 2nd path overides the 1st path, and any in the 3rd path overides the 2nd path, etc,etc?

Or, maybe mame and clrmamepro aren't made for, or don't like it when the romsets in multiple paths *overlap* each other?

I dunno, it's nearly 1am here so I am going to call it a day.
I'll check back tomorrow when I am fresh.

[Maybe my idea above is only good for archiving purposes and then I should create a 'new' folder for a compile of a *single* full romset for a particular mame version when I want to run 'that final scan audit' or to actually boot the games?]

Thanks.

[Roman]

mame does not really care about naming. It looks in any defined rompath (mame.ini) and checks also the parent/clone sets for a checksum match to load the files...no matter how the files themselves are named within the zip....

your proposed diff method is not commonly used or requested. If there are uses who use such old mame versions, they keep the differences in separated rompaths and use separated profiles. There are "rollback" datfiles floating around for nearly each and any mame release.

[jclampy]

Ok, I have been busy away from the computer for most of the last couple of days but I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about my original idea.

I am now about 50% of the way through confirming that my 'method' can work with a few caveats.

#1 Looks like Mame has *no issues* as long as my newest 'diff' romset folder is listed first and then the rest follow in order back to the 'base/beginning/foundation' romset folder. (so rom folders are listed in reverse order of pertaining version number).

#2 Clrmamepro doesn't work as Mame does above so all 'diff' romsets must be handled individually via there respective .dat file to make sure *no issues*.
As you noted "they keep the differences in separated rompaths and use separated profiles."

#3 So when it comes to auditing you would use Clrmamepro to scan 'diff' romsets for errors and you would use Mame to do an 'overall' scan. So far I am getting perfect results running these scans.

As I said, I am only about 50% of the way through checking my method is fully sound. At the moment it looks like my method can be used as an archive and also for normal use, which is great since it saves future recompiling.

I am using 'split' merge as well if anyone wants to know.

[jclampy]

I have now tested enough to confirm that my 'method' is working perfectly.
I have it setup as one lot of files that is used both as an archive and at same time fully useable in Mame.
Currently is about four folders deep 'piggybacked' signifying each version jump and I can just add another folder per version that I am interested in.
For the Mame version that I run I just link to pertaining version folder and the preceeding version folders all the way back to my set 'beginning/foundation' folder. Each Mame version could see a complete romset and the various folders would be setup as 'diffs' between the relevant version and all previous version jumps. A 'diff' doesn't have to be each version; you can create your own 'diffs' that could be spread out by six months or a year for example. Also possible to branch out at any time for an unofficial Mame build wouldn't be a problem. Just make a 'diff' and folder to 'branch' to that unofficial Mame build.

The three caveats listed in my previous post still apply.

I'll close by saying that after using Clrmamepro for a while now and getting used to how it works I am very impressed. It is really powerful and now that I am more comfortable at using it I notice it is designed very well. At first I liked Clrmamepro because it seemed easy to use. Now I also see how extremely functional it is and the good amount of thought and wisdom that has gone into it to get it where it is today.

Cheers.