EMULAB Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

The new forum is online, hope you enjoy it!

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?  (Read 5676 times)

Dinierto

  • Member
  • *
  • Karma: 0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9
  • Operating System:
  • Windows NT 10.0 Windows NT 10.0
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.99 Chrome 54.0.2840.99
    • View Profile
"Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« on: 18 November 2016, 03:32 »

So I want to use two source directories for the rebuilder, but when I add the directories and put checks next to them, then check "Use add-on paths" I immediately get a dialog saying that I have 0 files.  However if I scan, it finds the files fine.  If I add one of the two directories, it has no problems, same if I only use the second directory by itself.  It's only when I check the add-on paths that it fails.  Any ideas?
Logged


Roman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • ***
  • Karma: 112
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3287
  • Operating System:
  • Windows NT 10.0 Windows NT 10.0
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.99 Chrome 54.0.2840.99
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #1 on: 18 November 2016, 19:20 »

Works fine here....so check:

- Settings->Top Left Drop Down Box switch to AddPaths
- check if your setup add paths are listed (you did setup some, didn't you?) and the checkbox in front of the name is checked....and check if the paths actually exist on your hd and do contain some files.
- By default (not visible though), the backup folder is an addpath

(and the common other things to check is: did you enable all sets/systems etc....-> systems dialog / scanner->setinformation dialog)
Logged

Dinierto

  • Member
  • *
  • Karma: 0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9
  • Operating System:
  • Windows NT 10.0 Windows NT 10.0
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.99 Chrome 54.0.2840.99
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #2 on: 19 November 2016, 19:36 »

Okay maybe I know what I did wrong.  I added multiple folders to the ROMs catagory instead of the Add Paths.  I switched them over and now it seems to be working.  So what exactly is the difference between ROM paths and Add Paths?  I'm not seeing a proper explanation in the documentation.
« Last Edit: 19 November 2016, 19:41 by Dinierto »
Logged

Roman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • ***
  • Karma: 112
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3287
  • Operating System:
  • Windows NT 10.0 Windows NT 10.0
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.99 Chrome 54.0.2840.99
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #3 on: 19 November 2016, 20:14 »

Rompaths are the paths where you store your roms in...Your basic collection is stored there. The most important paths, the one MAME uses to load the files.
Addpaths are only a collection of paths which can be used for operations in the rebuilder (as multiple sources) or in scanner's fix missing. So you can place files in there which should get added to your collection.
The rebuilder also supports drag'n drop, so you can also simply drag'n drop multiple folders in the window ... for multiple sources.
Logged

Dinierto

  • Member
  • *
  • Karma: 0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9
  • Operating System:
  • Windows NT 10.0 Windows NT 10.0
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.99 Chrome 54.0.2840.99
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #4 on: 19 November 2016, 21:49 »

So if I have two MAME collections in two folders, and I want to compile a third collection in a third folder, what catagory should I enter the two source folders under?  Right now I put them both under the Add Path drop down, would that be correct?
« Last Edit: 19 November 2016, 21:51 by Dinierto »
Logged

Roman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • ***
  • Karma: 112
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3287
  • Operating System:
  • Mac OS X Mac OS X
  • Browser:
  • Safari 10.0 Safari 10.0
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #5 on: 19 November 2016, 22:02 »

how do you define a mame collection? or better why do you have multiple ones? or do you mean you got one mame collection spread around several folders?
Logged

Dinierto

  • Member
  • *
  • Karma: 0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9
  • Operating System:
  • Windows NT 10.0 Windows NT 10.0
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.99 Chrome 54.0.2840.99
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #6 on: 19 November 2016, 22:11 »

Because MAME is stupid complicated.  I have one older complete set, and one newer complete set.  As I'm sure you know, you can't just stick any old MAME set into any emulator.  Therefore, I don't have an emulator that plays either of those two sets.  So I'm trying to find a set that I can convert them into that an emulator WILL play.  For example, I'm trying to compile a MAME 2003 collection since Retroarch supports that.
Logged

Roman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • ***
  • Karma: 112
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3287
  • Operating System:
  • Windows NT 10.0 Windows NT 10.0
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.99 Chrome 54.0.2840.99
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #7 on: 20 November 2016, 09:46 »

MAME isn't complicated at all. You only need one MAME version, the latest (currently .179). If you want to update your sets you simply run a full scan on your rompaths, let cmpro fix what is fixable and the new files can be added via the rebuilder.

And this is valid for each MAME version you want to run. I don't see the point in running a 2003 collection but again, get the belonging mame binary or datfile, run a full scan, and add the missing files. Of course it's harder to find old files since most of them were baddumps which were replaced by good ones over the year.

So...stick with the current one, there are enough up2date frontends out there.

If you really really really want to work with various MAME collections, you should have separate profiles with separated rompaths. No mix of folders at all.
Logged

Dinierto

  • Member
  • *
  • Karma: 0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9
  • Operating System:
  • Linux Linux
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.85 Chrome 54.0.2840.85
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #8 on: 20 November 2016, 15:31 »

I told you, it's not by choice.  I have old MAME roms that I can't use because they're old.  Therefore I want to convert them into a version that is currently playable.  If there's a better way please tell me.

Which leads me to my next question, does scanning actually do anything besides give you a report?  Should I be scanning before I rebuild?  I assumed that rebuilding scans first and then changes the ROMs to fit the new DAT.

I'm sure MAME is simple to you, but to many users such as myself it's ridiculous.  The ROMs are always changing and there are so many different versions you have to look them up, download a DAT file and hope you can make your ROMs work.  Then, even when it formats them, many still don't work.  It's so frustrating for me. 
« Last Edit: 20 November 2016, 15:32 by Dinierto »
Logged

Roman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • ***
  • Karma: 112
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3287
  • Operating System:
  • Windows NT 10.0 Windows NT 10.0
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.99 Chrome 54.0.2840.99
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #9 on: 20 November 2016, 17:37 »

Use the latest MAME....and yes...you can use cmpro to update your sets so that they are accepted by the latest MAME. This of course does not mean anything like "playable" because that's a question of the emulation status of a game, not the existance of its roms.

Well, the scanner is the most important module. It scans your sets and repairs it, i.e. rename wrong named files or files with wrong case, find and remove unneeded stuff, find bad checksums (some cases can be automatically repaired), reorganize parent/clone relationsships or placement of sets, add missing files etc...etc...

The rebuilder on the other hand is a module which is used to convert an existing collection to another database...or to add files from a messy folder to the clean collection.


For MAME you don't need a dat. You use the MAME binary itself. If it changes (e.g. because you've updated), cmpro detects it...then you simply run the scanner and add the newly added stuff via the rebuilder....it's really just some few clicks when MAME is updated.
Logged

Dinierto

  • Member
  • *
  • Karma: 0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9
  • Operating System:
  • Linux Linux
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.85 Chrome 54.0.2840.85
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #10 on: 20 November 2016, 20:29 »

I want playable games though, and my sets are old enough that I'd rather convert them to another older set that it will actually be able to fulfill.

So the scanner actually alters the files??  Or is that only if you have the "fix" option checked?

Also, why would the scanner do things that the rebuilder doesn't?  This is extremely confusing.
« Last Edit: 20 November 2016, 20:29 by Dinierto »
Logged

Dinierto

  • Member
  • *
  • Karma: 0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9
  • Operating System:
  • Linux Linux
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.85 Chrome 54.0.2840.85
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #11 on: 21 November 2016, 02:32 »

Okay so I decided to go with the MAME2010 dat file, even though the set is bigger than I want, and all my problems went away.  Thanks for trying to help!
Logged

Roman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • ***
  • Karma: 112
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3287
  • Operating System:
  • Windows NT 10.0 Windows NT 10.0
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.99 Chrome 54.0.2840.99
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #12 on: 21 November 2016, 07:54 »

So you just dropped 6 years of emulation work and updates....not a clever decision if you ask me. Again, there is NO need to use an old MAME editiion.

Yes, of course the scanner alters the sets....you didn't spot the fix option checkboxes?

Why the scanner do things the rebuidler doesn't do? Well, I guess you have a major wrong assumption here.
I don't know where you got the idea that the rebuilder is what you need. The rebuilder is a file-by-file stupid check checksum and recreate matched files in the destination. It is useful if you got a bunch of messy folders and want to see what is valid from the this big amount of junk. Nothing more. A plain add-files-from-a-source-to-destination.

Again, the scanner is the main module. The one to use to update your collection.

And again, there's nothing confusing.

- Profiler->Create->use the latest MAME binary (this has to be done only once)
- Settings->Setup rompaths (Samplepaths, if you like) (this has to be done only once)

- Scanner-> choose prefered merge mode, enable all fix options, scan, after that you have a clean collection (but of couse there might be missing files). They can be added either via Scanner fix-missing or the rebuilder.
And when MAME udpates you simply start with the scanner (since loading the profile automatically detects the MAME change and updates the profile).


If you did not do a tutorial yet, you should read one. If you already read one and it claimed that the rebuilder is the one to use, it was a wrong one.
Logged

Dinierto

  • Member
  • *
  • Karma: 0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9
  • Operating System:
  • Linux Linux
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.85 Chrome 54.0.2840.85
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #13 on: 21 November 2016, 12:06 »

I know you're trying to help, and I apologize for frustrating you.  I think that there are things you are explaining that I'm not fully understanding and you are not fully understanding my goals.

I have older ROMs, which I don't want to alter.  Because they're older, they won't "just play" with the newest version of MAME.  However, if I change them to one of the milestone versions that are emulated via Retroarch, I can play them.  If I change them to the latest MAME, I end up with 100+ gbs of ROMS, and some of the major ones I want to play aren't included because my files are too old.  I have limited space, and as I discovered, 2010 gives me the perfect package in a manageable space.  Once I used the rebuilder with that DAT, it worked perfectly.

I've read several articles and watched several videos and they have all said to use the rebuilder for making a new set from existing ROMs.

Thank you again for your time.
Logged

Roman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • ***
  • Karma: 112
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3287
  • Operating System:
  • Windows NT 10.0 Windows NT 10.0
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.99 Chrome 54.0.2840.99
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #14 on: 21 November 2016, 12:38 »

Hehe...no problem, you're not frustating me...

it's just....using 6 years old MAME versions  is like using still using Windows95 ;-)

MAME really improved a lot since then, not to mention all the cool stuff like HLSL...but ok...if you're happy with the 2k collection fine.

The general rule is: use the data basis in cmpro which matches the mame version you're using. So in your case, a 2k MAME binary (or datfile)
Logged

Dinierto

  • Member
  • *
  • Karma: 0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9
  • Operating System:
  • Linux Linux
  • Browser:
  • Chrome 54.0.2840.85 Chrome 54.0.2840.85
    • View Profile
Re: "Use Add-on Paths" Doesn't work?
« Reply #15 on: 21 November 2016, 12:50 »

Yep, I had no problems finding the right DAT.  I forgot to mention another reason I wanted to use an older version.  I hate having to update my romset whenever MAME is updated, since I can't download files it can be frustrating.  By picking the MAME 2010 core in Retroarch I can just pick a set and forget about it.  I'm not a bleeding edge player who likes to have the latest and greatest sets and features.  I have a certain set of games I like, and so long as they play well, I'm happy.  If I have further troubles I'll consult your considerably knowledgable help, thanks!
« Last Edit: 21 November 2016, 13:01 by Dinierto »
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.116 seconds with 20 queries.

anything