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Author Topic: [SOLVED] Separate paths CHD VS nonCHD?  (Read 2755 times)

yescabernetnointernet

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[SOLVED] Separate paths CHD VS nonCHD?
« on: 04 December 2021, 18:16 »

Hi Roman!
I've done some searchings digging through "CHD" discussions here in the forum but that lead me to much more confusion and now I'm lost...  :o

I'm about reorganizing the entire folders structure of my retro library.
I'd like to accomplish this arrangement (using real names as easier-to-understand example):
Code: [Select]
ROM sets path:
Z:\mame\0238\sets\chd0\gtmr.zip

###

CHD sets path:
Z:\mame\0238\sets\chd1\sf2049.zip
Z:\mame\0238\sets\chd1\sf2049\sf2049.chd
Any suggestions?

Also, what if I would to merge only the .chd files leaving the rest of my collection non-merged?


Thaaank you!!  ;)
« Last Edit: 04 December 2021, 21:12 by yescabernetnointernet »
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Roman

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So maybe we start with merging. Either all or none.
And I think if you're talking about non merged you most likely speak of split merged....since unmerged is really really a waste of hd space and actually it's not what you might think of.

not merged or unmerged: each set got all the files it needs in it (folder or archive 7z/zip/rar). So clone sets contain the parents again in them.....a waste of bytes.....but actually that's not the full truth since sets usually also require bios roms and since some time ago also device roms....so if you really want to talk about fully stand alone not merged sets, you'd need to double/triple/etc such files and put them in the archives, too....as you can see....there is no real need to even talk about not merged/unmerged sets.

split merged: the most common storing method since you a) have a set for each set, so you have a better look on it and b) there are no (or nearly no) dupe files since the clone sets only contain the files which are unique for them. "or nearly no" because we don't support clone of clones...so there are cases where clone sets would be a able to share files, too but they don't because the parent doesn't use it

full merged: also pretty common....but not my personal favourite....only parent sets exists and they hold each clone in it, too.

When we talk about chds, it's the same....chds are simply a part of a set. A set is a collection of roms and/or samples and/or chds and they are always stored: rompath\setname\file 1... file n for decompressed sets or rompath\setname.zip (.rar/.7z) for compressed ones. Now in theory it would mean that you put the chd in the zip file too, but since they are already compressed containers, so it doesn't make much sense...that's why you put them in a folder named after the setname. Keep in mind, the chd filename doesn't need to match the setname.
For full merged sets it would mean that you have a rompath subfolder named after the parent set which holds all chds for the parent and its clones....and you got a zipfile somewhere in a rompath with all rom files.

You can keep a folder for chds as you mentioned in your last post but that won't fit with the softwarelist combined mode. In a normal clrmamepro profile, you can of course keep as many rompaths as you like and spread the sets over them as you like.

Finally, in "normal" clrmamepro mode, you can also use system default paths which allows you to split your collection by bios...but again...then you need 1 assigned rompath per BIOS...So for example SegaSP sets would have a rompath with folders for the chds and the zip archives for the roms.....


It's basically up to you...what you prefer.....as soon as a combined SL mode or sýstem default paths are used, you will be limited though.

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yescabernetnointernet

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not merged or unmerged: each set got all the files it needs in it (folder or archive 7z/zip/rar). So clone sets contain the parents again in them.....a waste of bytes.....but actually that's not the full truth since sets usually also require bios roms and since some time ago also device roms....so if you really want to talk about fully stand alone not merged sets, you'd need to double/triple/etc such files and put them in the archives, too....as you can see....there is no real need to even talk about not merged/unmerged sets.
Yup I know I know, but it's good to me (not selecting "Separate BIOS sets"): I'll keep all sets unmerged, not a big deal.

You can keep a folder for chds as you mentioned in your last post but that won't fit with the softwarelist combined mode. In a normal clrmamepro profile, you can of course keep as many rompaths as you like and spread the sets over them as you like.

Finally, in "normal" clrmamepro mode, you can also use system default paths which allows you to split your collection by bios...but again...then you need 1 assigned rompath per BIOS...So for example SegaSP sets would have a rompath with folders for the chds and the zip archives for the roms.....
I'm not using SL at all (and I never used 'em).


In the end it's still not quite clear to me how to achieve handling CHD sets in their own dedicated directory...  ;D
Anyway, I was thinking about it... I think I found the solution for my needs: I'll simply go with creating a custom xml via clrmamepro selecting only CHD sets (%h=1;%H=1) in Scanner>Scan Results>Set Information  8) Roman, with Set Information you gave us such a powerful and lovable tool!  ;)
« Last Edit: 04 December 2021, 21:11 by yescabernetnointernet »
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Re: [SOLVED] Separate paths CHD VS nonCHD?
« Reply #3 on: 05 December 2021, 12:06 »

If you keep CHDs in one rompath, no problem. But they will follow the general set merge setting.

So if you have full merged sets, you need a subfolder for each parent set in there and the folder holds the parent and the clone chds. If you have split merged sets, you need a subfolder for each parent and clone set and the chds are put in their belonging subfolders. If you have not merged sets, you do the same as for split, but there might be cases where you need to double chds.

As I said...as long as you don't use system default paths or the combined SL mode, it's simply another rompath which simply holds chds (in their set-subfolder). You can keep the belonging roms (if there are any) in a different rompath, zipped/7zipped or even decompressed.
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yescabernetnointernet

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Re: [SOLVED] Separate paths CHD VS nonCHD?
« Reply #4 on: 03 September 2022, 12:38 »

So... Just ad addendum: I ended up using two different xml (both generated - better, exported - with ALT+E while running MAME inside its Main Screen).
Example (CHD only)


CHD only XML = merge, sets (gamechdname.zip and gamechdname/game.chd) are inside path/to/mame/set/chd
rom only XML =  unmerge, sets (blahblah.zip) are inside path/to/mame/set/rom
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