About This File
This program will compare your LaunchBox database to Mame. You can see what games have been added, renamed, or removed from Mame since the last version.
I created this program because I was having trouble with LaunchBox importing roms after each new version of Mame. I tried using the add new roms button in LaunchBox, and when i checked each game after I noticed a lot of games did not get imported correctly, and I was not sure if all games were added or not. This tool is designed to be used with a full mame set, but I guess it could be used on an incomplete set too.
You will need to create an XML list from Mame, and have a catver.ini file.
This program works on a combined database. I am not sure if this will work if all your child roms are separated.
Your additional applications must be in the default combined name.
(ie: "Play Red Hawk (horizontal, Greece) Version...") if you do not have the Version with 3 . it will show missing. Also in a parent game Make sure you have the version of the game in the version field of launchbox. Anything in () is the version. If a game does not have a version that is fine.
Everything is case and space sensitive.
How to use Mame Check:
1. Make a copy of your LaunchBox database for mame in your Launchbox\Data\Platforms folder
WARNING! While testing this i did get duplicate entries in my Launchbox database. I'm not sure how this happened as I don't know how to write to XML yet. I think what happened is I had the arcade.xml file loaded in Notepad++, and after LaunchBox updated the list, notepad interfered with it. PLEASE backup your Arcade xml file first just to be safe.
2. Open command prompt
go to your mame folder
type mame64.exe -listxml >213.xml
3. go to http://www.progettosnaps.net/catver/
click on download catlist, catver & genre
extract catver.ini to your mame folder (NOTE: a new catver.ini file is not always available as soon as a new mame version. You might have to wait a few days for a new one!)
4. launch Mame/Launchbox checker
loading the xml files can be done in any order.
5. click browse button for Mamelist XML location
choose your xml file from mame folder
6. click browse button for Launchbox xml location
choose Arcade.xml or Mame.xml file from your Launchbox\Data\Platforms folder (NOTE: It is the name of the platform you are using)
7.Click browse button for Catver.ini location
choose catver.ini file from your mame folder and wait for a few minutes while it builds the mame filter.
It can take up to 5 minutes or more!
8. You can hide genres from either launchbox or Mame
it is better to hide from mame! Put a check box next to the generas you want to hide
9. Click Search button at the bottom.
Program will show not responding, and icon will turn to loading icon while it is building the list.
Grab a drink or play some games... this will take a while! It takes about 5 minutes or so on my slowish computer.
you can copy the name from the cell by clicking the cell and pressing ctrl + c. then you can paste it into Launchbox game information.
In this screen shot I am hiding all of the Whac-AMole games, and Utilities. There are actually more generas that are checked if you scroll up in the mame filter.
The green Fields are what the games are labeled as in Mame.
The yellow fields are games that are incorrect in LaunchBox.
The red fields are games that are missing from launchbox.
I list the rom that mame is expecting next to each name as sometimes mame changes the rom names.
You can see if your parent or clone is incorrect.
Here is a matching Launchbox database compared to what Mame has.
Games listed in this salmon color have either been removed from Mame, or do not have the same genera as what Catver.ini have. Clones that have different genera than their parent will be listed here.
The games listed in this screen shot will always be listed as they are mature clones of their parents or are test versions of the roms.
I am new to programming, and this is my first program. It is not the prettiest program, and needs to be optimized better. But it is functional.
Hopefully it helps some of you.
To Do:
1. fix auto formating and stretching of the screens.
2. add duplicate removing functionality.
3. add auto backup of platform xml file.
I am happy to share my source if anyone wants to improve this, or see what the program is doing.
