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[Kdulles]

I am VERY new to using ClrMamePro.

I recently downloaded the newest version of Mame,v.141, after using v.135 for the past year or so. I noticed that not all the roms that worked in v.135 work in v.141. I looked online to see what options I had since I didn't feel like downloading all of the roms that have been updated since v.135's release.

I read about ClrMamePro and how I could use it to 'rebulid' the roms that had been updated since v.135 to make all my roms current.

Using ClrMamePro I created a profile using the mame.exe file from v.141. Is that right so far?

How would I use the Rebuilder to update my roms so they work in v.141?
Will the Rebuilder only update the roms that need updating?

I used the online tutorial, but got me confused. Especially the whole explanation on Merged set, Split Sets, and non merged sets.

Can someone explain to me what I should do to just update the outdated roms?
Is there an easier method or some other program that maybe I should be using?

By the way, when I did use the online tutorial on the Rebuilder. It seemed to take FOREVER and it also looks like it created files for roms (zip files) I didn't even originally have (i.e. a game for the Japanese clone version of Final Fight when originally I only had the US version)

I'M SO CONFUSED. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME OUT?

Thanks.

[Roman]

I can give you  a detailed answer in about 24 hours when Im back on a real PC... please be patient.

[Kdulles]

Thanks. I will appreciate any help you can give me.

[Roman]

Ok....where to start....

Some general things...

Merging modes - They define how you can store sets which share a parent/clone relationship. For example there are 50 pacman sets where they usually only differ in 1 or 2 files while the others are identical throughout the sets. Now you have different methods of storing such sets.
"not merged" or "Unmerged" - all sets hold all the files...so a parent holds all the files and each clone holds the shared files as well....in other words....waste of diskspace. Your set count is identical to the set count in MAME.
"split merged" - very common method to store sets.  Again, set count matches the total count in MAME. The difference is that each set only holds the file it really needs, i.e. the parent sets hold the parent files and each clone only holds the file which is not share with the parent.
"full merged" or "merged" sets - compact form...you only have archives for the parent sets and they include all clones as well. Archives for clones don't exist.

Ok...next thing....Profiler, Settings, Scanner, Rebuilder...

Profler - for MAME, use the create option to quickly create a database from the mame binary
Settings - for now, used to setup rom and sample paths

Scanner is used to update your sets, fix issues, get a list of what is wrong with your sets.

Rebuilder is an Adder. It's file based and takes anything it finds in its defined source and copies/moves it to a given destination. It's usually used to rebuild sets from one emulator for a different one but is also commonly used for a quick way to add missing files to your collection. The rebuilder doesn't care about names, it can find out what the real name is and rebuilds all instances of the files it matched.

General way to update MAME is to

1) load the new data in the profiler
2) (if not done yet, setup rompaths, maybe sample paths if you need them)
3) go to the scanner and hit scan (default options are fine)
4) you can enable all fix options there and do another scan to fix all issues
5) after that you should only have missing files (which can't be magically created from nothing)
6) add missing files with the rebuilder (e.g. drag'n drop into the scan results window)
7) scan again and repeat 6/7 till nothing is listed in the scan tree window anymore


Speed:
Well, of course the amount of sets and your PC specs play a role. Rebuilding is fast if you don't use re-compression. Scanning is fast if you don't decompress files to check hashes. Virusscanners should be disabled for the romfolders.


You only have some sets, not all....
Generally you should check all sets and don't care so much about endless lists of fully-missing sets. There is an option to hide them. You can only scan subsets of the full MAME set as well...in Set-Information you got several options to only enable some sets.
You mention the rebuilder creates single files for sets you don't have....well...yes it does...it's its main purpose to do so. That's the cool thing about it. Also Scanner's fix-missing option can do that. If a rom file is missing (e.g. for a set you don't have), cmpro looks at various places if it finds it somewhere and adds it. This doesn't necessarily mean you get complete sets by that method...

As mentioned, the scanner popupmenu holds several options to either hide missing sets afterwards or remove incomplete sets.

Puuuh....should be enough for a start....

[Kdulles]

I think I am still a little bit confused. Let me re-state what I am trying to do. I would like to update (is rebuild the right word?) all of the roms (zip files) that I have that have been changed between versions .135 and .141. For example, let's say that I have Mame in a folder named C:\Mame and my roms (zip files) are in a folder named C:\Mame\Roms.

How would I update ONLY the roms (zip files) that have changed between versions .135 and .141 and leave all other roms (zip files) alone?

In theory, if I have 100 roms (zip files) [not including BIOS files] in my C:\Mame\Roms folder I would still have that same amount in the folder when I am finished updating them with ClrMamPro. Is this correct? For example, I have Final Fight (World) [ffight.zip] and it's clone Final Fight (USA) [ffightu.zip]. When I am done doing what I am trying to do I would like to still only have those two roms (zip files) and NOT have ffightj.zip, ffightua.zip, and ffightub.zip in my rom directory too.

Would it be at all possible for you to explain to me step by step what I need to do? Iwould REALLY, REALLY appreciate it.  Please, if you can, include what options I should or shouldn't select. Again, I would REALLY appreciate this.

What I have tried doing is using my mame32.exe file to create the profile, used the scanner (I think), and used the rebuilder, but that seems to be taking a really, really, long time. Plus it looks to be creating ALOT of unnecessary file including files like ffightj.zip that I expalined above.

I am however, prepared to start from scratch if I need to in order to acheive what I am trying to do. Thanks.

[Roman]

If you only care about sets which changed between two versions use mamediff to create a diff-dat and use that.

But I think you don't want that. Correct me if I'm wrong but you got a .135 collection and now want to use them with .141.
As mentioned before you don't need to rebuild them especially not with recompression enabled.

First step is to load a .141 database (Profiler->Create->use your .141 mame binary)
2nd step is setting up rompaths (if not yet done)
3rd step is the scanner, enable all check and fix options and let it go. It will fix what can be fixed
4th step is "add the missing stuff"...if you collected roms between .135 and .141 you can e.g. drag'n drop them into the scan tree window...internally this runs the rebuilder - an Adder -. Afterwards, rescan.


Scanning a full MAME set on a Core2Duo machine takes maybe 15 seconds to a minute (depending on the used diskcache) and no fixing. If lots of things need to get fixed it takes longer of course.

Regarding the single files, as mentioned before, rebuilder is file based and creates all instances of files. Same for fix-missing in the scanner. If you don't want that, you need to limit the sets to the sets you have/want. Go to Scanner->Set Information for this and disable sets manually, via regular expressions, variables, file lists or available button.

[Kdulles]

I downloaded Mamediff, but when I run it a DOS window pops uf for a split second then disappears so I guess that's not an option right now.

When you say 'add the missing stuff' what exactly do you mean? All of the roms that I have added between v135 and now (over the past year or so) are in the same folder as the roms that I originally had--I don't have a seperate directory for the new roms; they are all in the same folder.

Just so I have this right...

STEP 1 - Create a new profile by clicking 'Create' and using binary file for Mame 141. Then I would click 'Load/Update'
STEP 2 - Use 'Settings' and click 'Add' and enter the location of my roms (c:\Mame\Roms). Then Click 'Save as Def."?
STEP 3 - Use the 'Scanner', Enable all of the 'Fix' options, leave all the other options the same and click the 'Scan' button.

This is where I think I get lost. If I follow the 3 steps above will this accomplish my goal of updating ONLY the roms (zip files) that I have (if needed) so they will work in v141 (in the event that they have changed between v135 and v141)?


Thanks.

[Roman]

I downloaded Mamediff, but when I run it a DOS window pops uf for a split second then disappears so I guess that's not an option right now.

It's a commandline based tool. You need to run it from a command line interpreter. But as I said, it will create you a difference datfile out of two given dats...most likely not what you want.

When you say 'add the missing stuff' what exactly do you mean? All of the roms that I have added between v135 and now (over the past year or so) are in the same folder as the roms that I originally had--I don't have a seperate directory for the new roms; they are all in the same folder.

Fine...if you got all files in one folder, the scanner will clear up the mess for your. Usually when updating you have two categories of issues: Sets which need fixing (renames for example) and all the missing files due to newly added sets. The scanner fixes the renames etc but of course you need to add the newly added sets somehow...there the rebuilder can be used.

STEP 2 - Use 'Settings' and click 'Add' and enter the location of my roms (c:\Mame\Roms). Then Click 'Save as Def."?

No, don't click on "save as def.".

STEP 3 - Use the 'Scanner', Enable all of the 'Fix' options, leave all the other options the same and click the 'Scan' button.

The default scanner options are 'everything to check enabled' and split-merged mode. That's pretty fine for your. In other words, yes, keep all options untouched and check the fix options. If you like you can leave them disabled and hit new scan to see what is all wrong with your collection. Nothing will be touched then, just checked....and you can watch the tree output get filled...

This is where I think I get lost. If I follow the 3 steps above will this accomplish my goal of updating ONLY the roms (zip files) that I have (if needed) so they will work in v141 (in the event that they have changed between v135 and v141)?

If you only want to update the sets you have you can go to set-information and hit 'avail. sets'. Afterwards do a new-scan.
However, read this: http://www.emulab.it/forum/index.php?topic=22.msg439#msg439
Limiting sets is not a good thing to do...I personally prefer scanning/fixing all and afterwards removing/hiding the stuff I don't want (Scanner Popupmenu View->Hide Fully missing sets and/or Delete->All incomplete sets)....

[Kdulles]

I did the steps that you said to...

I created a profile using the v141 binary file.

I went to Settings and entered in the path where my existing roms (zip files) are.

I went to Scanner, checked all of the 'Fix' options and left everything else alone, and clicked 'Scan'. The scan results window popped up and everything that came up seemed to have a red 'X' next to it. Is that what's supposed to happen??
The summary window when it was done had the following listed:

----------------------------
Missing
·Sets                 6196/9124
·ROMs                 51016/132610
·CHDs                 370/478
·Samples              -/2601
·Bytes                39gb/86gb

Fixed Wrong Case
·Sets                 1/1
·ROMs                 13/13
·CHDs                 0/0
·Samples              -/-

Fixed Unneeded
·Sets                 3/3
·ROMs                 590/590
·CHDs                 0/0
·Samples              -/-

Fixed Wrong Name
·Sets                 65/65
·ROMs                 3110/3110
·CHDs                 0/0

Fixed Wrong Size
·ROMs                 1/1

Fixed Wrong Date Time
·ROMs                 0/0

Wrong Hashes
·Wrong CRC32 ROMs     0
·Wrong SHA1 ROMs      0
·Wrong MD5 ROMs       0
·Wrong SHA1 CHDs      4
·Wrong MD5 CHDs       4

Corrupt Containers    0

---------------------------------------

Active Sets           9124/9124
·Parents              1866/1866
·Clones               4463/4463
·Others               2742/2742
·BIOS                 53/53

Active ROMs           132610/132610
·Parents              28230/28230
·Clones               67628/67628
·Others               34327/34327
·bad dumps            722/722
·no dumps             1505/1505
·verified dumps       0/0
·BIOS                 198/198

Active CHDs           478/478
·Parents              63/63
·Clones               93/93
·Others               235/235
·bad dumps            34/34
·no dumps             53/53
·verified dumps       0/0
·BIOS                 0/0

Active Samples        2601/2601
·Parents              534/534
·Clones               1846/1846

Active Bytes          86gb/86gb
---------------------------------------

It also raised the number of zip files in my roms folder from 1969 to 2914. That seems very odd. It also seems to have created a number of very small files (1KB - 4KB) too.

As far as the part about "Scanner Popupmenu View->Hide Fully missing sets and/or Delete->All incomplete sets" I didn't see that option anywhere. Am I missing something?

By the way, I Really appreciate you taking the time to help me out with all of this.

[Roman]

window popped up and everything that came up seemed to have a red 'X' next to it. Is that what's supposed to happen??

everything listed is an issue....open the tree

• branches to see the details. A red cross means that you got the set but it got issues. A red cross in front of a folder means you completely miss the sets.

It also raised the number of zip files in my roms folder from 1969 to 2914. That seems very odd. It also seems to have created a number of very small files (1KB - 4KB) too.

Nothing odd.....I already told you that fix-missing creates all missing files it finds somewhere (e.g. in other sets in your rompath). Besides of that over time sets get updated so that split of sets is also possible. Nothing odd....

As far as the part about "Scanner Popupmenu View->Hide Fully missing sets and/or Delete->All incomplete sets" I didn't see that option anywhere. Am I missing something?

Right click in the scan results tree view to see the popupmenu. If you use "delete->all incomplete sets", be sure to disable fix missing before doing another scan. The reason is simple, otherwise you would directly re-add the just removed sets from cmpro's backup folder.

[Kdulles]

I can understand that because there was probably a fair amount of updates to roms between .135 and .141, but as soon as I start the scan they little window taht pops up fills up with red X's and they keep scrolling non-stop at a really fast pace. That seems like there is a MAJOR issue and that I could be doing something wrong that I'm doing.

[Kdulles]

I am attaching a screen capture from the scan. I expanded the tree for the Game Rod-Land and it states that I am missing the rom files when clearly I have them and they are showing up and playable in Mame. I also looked the rom up, as an example, on MAWs and it stated that it hasn't been modified since version .53! What's going on?!? I am convinced I am doing SOMETHING wrong. I just don't know what. PLEASE HELP! THANKS.

Again, I am prepared to start over again from scratch if need be. I know that I have already stated this, but my ONLY goal is to update the roms (zip files) that I have that work in v.135 but no longer work in v.141 to enable them to start working in v.141.

I ask again that you please go through it step-by-step with as much detail as possible to help me do what I want. As you can imagine, this has begun to become very frustrating and I would like to once again thank you for your patience.

Thank You.

[Roman]

states that I am missing the rom files when clearly I have them and they are showing up and playable in Mame.

If cmpro says you don't have it then you don't have it. Recheck your rompaths settings if they match the ones you're using in MAME. Sounds like you're scanning a wrong folder. "rodlandj.zip" should be in your rompath somewhere (when using split merged sets). But maybe you're using full merged sets and didn't set the correct merge mode in cmpro. You should check that. MAME loads it, well, of course since MAME doesn't really care where it gets its files from, it simply looks in each rompath and in all parent/clone sets.
Auto scrolling of the tree view can be disabled in the scanner popup menu by the way

I told you already to limit your sets in set-information. For example by pressing the "avail sets" button and do a new scan afterwards. I've also told you that limiting sets is usually not the way to go....Instead I'd do: be sure your rompaths and merge modes are correctly set, let the scanner fix all it can fix, then use the delete->all incomplete sets option and rescan with fix-missing disabled.

[Kdulles]

I decided to just erase all of my roms (I Still have the backup of all of them that I made) and start all over. I copied all of my roms into a new folder and re-installed ClrMamePro.

At startup I created a whole new profile using my Mame32.exe (I know that I stated Mame.exe in previous messages, but that was just was just to simplify it). I then went into setting and added the path where my rom folder is (on the desktop in a folder named roms inside a folder named backup). I then went to Scanner and checked all of the boxes under 'Fix' & left ALL other option alone.

I then clicked 'New Scan' and a window popped up saying 'No Roms path specified' Go to Setting and set some paths or disable 'Roms'!!

I went back into settings and verified that the location of my Roms was still set and it WAS. When I then went to Scanner and hit new scan again I got the same message. What's going on?!?!? Also, should I leave 'Sets' 'Roms' 'Samples' and 'CHD' selected in the top left corner of the 'Scanner' screen?

Thanks.

[Kdulles]

I think I figured out why I was getting that message. I accidentally forgot to select Add Roms Paths and instead just left it as Add Paths. Sorry. My other question still stand though about leaving Sets, Roms, samples, and CHD selected in the scanner options. Remember, I only want to check my existing zip files (about 1978 of them) and not check what I have against every game available for mame (10,000+).

Thanks.

[Roman]

options. Remember, I only want to check my existing zip files (about 1978 of them) and not check what I have against every game available for mame (10,000+).

I've answered that many times now. If you only want to scan your existing zip files, you have to go to set-information and hit the avail.sets button, then do a new scan.
Keep in mind that I also gave you a link where possible sideeffects of this method are described.