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MAME (Arcade) - What's New 1.0.0

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JoeViking245
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About This File

See what new Arcade machines (games) were added for a specific MAME release.
Import some or all of those games from your updated MAME ROM set, into your LaunchBox collection.


The intent of this plugin is to be able to see what new Arcade machines were added in the latest release of MAME.
Then, along with your updated ROM set, provide a means of importing just those new machines into your LaunchBox collection without having to reimport the entire set or attempting to Scan for Added ROMs (which doesn't really work with the Arcade platform anyway).



Features:

  • See what new Arcade (ONLY) games were added specific MAME release
  • Hyperlink to Arcade Games Database site for selected game
  • Filter games by Status (Good, Imperfect, Preliminary)
  • Import the new games (from your updated MAME ROM set)
    • (Optional) Add an Additional Application direct link to the Arcade Database for the game

 

 

arcade_database_banner2.png.394289e76f2a218827d8d0d17e9f81a4.png

A huge and special thanks to motoschifo and his Arcade Database (ADB) website!
All data used comes direct from the Arcade Database and is what makes this plugin possible.

http://adb.arcadeitalia.net

 

 


Prerequisites:

  • Requires LaunchBox version 13.19 or newer.
  • Nothing else if you only wish to see what new games were added.
  • If you wish to import the new games
    • An updated MAME romset [containing those ROMs]

 


Installing:
Copy the contents of the zip file into your /Plugins/ folder
e.g.  D:\LaunchBox\Plugins\MAMEarcadeWhatsNew\MAMEarcadeWhatsNew.dll



Using:
In LaunchBox, go to Tools and select MAME (Arcade) What's New

The plugin will attempt to find your MAME emulator
    If found, the MAME Revision field will populate with your MAME's version and populate the games for that revision

To see new games that were added in a different release

  • Change the number in the MAME Revision field
    • Must be formatted 0.xxx   e.g. 0.281
  • Press Enter

Un-check/check the Show Status checkboxes to see only ROMs with those status(es)

Click a ROM to see brief details about that game
Click the Arcade Database logo to navigate to that game on ADB

Existing: as seen below the game details refers to, if the game exists anywhere in your collection.
    Checks across ALL games in ALL platforms (by ROM filename).
    Below it will show the platform it is in (if "existing")
    This is useful if you're checking previous releases for that hidden gem you didn't know you were missing



Importing:
If you've updated your MAME set, you can import the new ROMs into your collection.

  • All new ROMs shown will be imported.
  • You can multi-select games to add just those games selected.
  • If you wish to import just a single game, close the plugin. Then in LaunchBox, press Ctrl+N to add a new game.

 

 

  1. Click Add Games
  2. Select a platform (Arcade is set by default if exists)
  3. (optional) Un-Check Use Platforms Default Emulator
    • Select an emulator to assign to the games being imported from the dropdown list 
  4. Select the folder containing your ROMs (default is the folder your game files are in for the selected platform)
    • If you keep a curated set separate from your MAME fullset, you can select the folder your fullset is in. 
    • Then after importing, have LaunchBox copy the ROMs and reset the game ROM path. **(see more below)
    • If you've already placed your new ROMs in your curated set folder, select that.
  5. (Optional) Check the box Add link to ADB as Additional App
  6. Click Import Games

 

 

Importing Notes:

  • Games already existing (based on ROM filename) in the platform (step 2) will not be imported
  • Games whose ROM file doesn't exist (step 4) will not be imported
  • After import, a report will show the # of games added and/or skipped
  • Anything in the games Title that is in (parenthesis) will get moved to the games Version field
    • e.g. "Hacha Mecha Fighter (bootleg with Raiden sounds)"
    • Game Title will be saved as "Hacha Mecha Fighter"
    • Game Version will be set to "(bootleg with Raiden sounds)"
  • (Optional) Add an Additional Application direct link to the Arcade Database for the game
    • This will appear as an "Arcade Database" clickable link in the Game Details section (except for LaunchBox version 13.24).
    • link.png.52ac552ad764028f5d233b506db55f66.png        linkomni.png.f4e5a3398d6ebe71db0b0e13a94d9f97.png

Game data set when importing:

  • Title
  • Platform
  • ROMs application path
  • Date Added/Modified
  • Associated Emulator
  • Version (if available)

 


Getting Metadata and Images:

  1. After importing, in LaunchBox select all the newly added games
    • Hint: Click Arrange By and select Date Added. Select the 1st new game. Hold down Shift then click the last, new game.
  2. Go to Tools - Download - Update Metadata and Media for selected games
  3. When asked "Would you like to update games with existing metadata and/or media?"
    • Select "Yes, but do not replace and existing fields and media"
      • Selecting otherwise will remove the Version data (if exists)

 

Metadata Notes:
If importing from the latest MAME revision, when you go to Download/Update metadata, the game(s) may not be found.

 


** Copying the new imported games ROM files to a different ("curated") folder:
To Copy the ROMs and reassign their location (as seen by LaunchBox)...

  1. After importing, (in LaunchBox) select the newly added games
  2. Copying: Go to Tools - File Management and select Export ROM Files from Selected Games to New Folder
    • Have LaunchBox copy the ROMs to the Folder your curated set is in
  3. Reassigning: With those games still selected, go to Tools - File Management and select Change Roms Folder Path for Selected Games
    • Change to the Folder your curated set is in

 


Plugin Updates:
If an Update for this plugin has been released on the forums,
    - The Info/Support icon will flash red.
    - Click the Info/Support icon, then click the Update Available button. 
        This will open the plugins download page in your default browser.

 

Again, a big thanks to the Arcade Database and all its contributors!


As always, all thoughts, views, suggestions, comments and accolades are welcome.

What's New in Version 1.0.0   See changelog

Released

No changelog available for this version.

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Recommended Comments

sundogak

sundogak 738

Posted

Hi JoeViking245, thanks for this plugin. It ..plugs...a major gap in my mind on how LB handles the full set import aspect for MAME. 😀  I always keep an updated set but hesitant to run full set importer as it nukes any customization to metadata. As there typically isn't huge updates to the arcade platform it is a drag to wade through the change notes to see if anything cool added. Much slicker to see what is new and add things that are of interest and keep any customization post fullset import using your plugin awesomeness.  

One thing I noticed and not sure if intended. I have a current non-merged set 0.281. For fun and giggles, I went back in tool to Ver 0.260 to see anything missing. The tool says missing in my collection the demonwld5 entry.  But it is in the additional application listing for that parent so it has been imported into LB and ROM is present. Does the tool only look at the main entry within LB under ROM File Launching entry or was it intended to also see the additional applications/clones?   I noticed in other sets such as 0.279 for 280zzzapa a clone of 280zzzapa as well.  Not a big issue just want to make sure something isn't amiss for my understanding of how it is working.  

Screenshot2025-10-30190536.thumb.png.7df3add82281810bf0c583d19a256382.png

Screenshot2025-10-30190641.thumb.png.c9db9847db1b3f7734955d065bf61fb1.png

Screenshot2025-10-30191216.thumb.png.e2406154d307feddb9a3747d34cc7093.png

JoeViking245

JoeViking245 1,880

Posted

15 hours ago, sundogak said:

Hi JoeViking245, thanks for this plugin. It ..plugs...a major gap in my mind on how LB handles the full set import aspect for MAME. 😀

You're welcome.  And love the pun! :D

15 hours ago, sundogak said:

I always keep an updated set but hesitant to run full set importer as it nukes any customization to metadata. As there typically isn't huge updates to the arcade platform it is a drag to wade through the change notes to see if anything cool added.

Same here, and that was my thought exactly. Though whatsnew.txt gives a lot of good information, it's not, as they say, "for the faint of heart".

 

15 hours ago, sundogak said:

Does the tool only look at the main entry within LB under ROM File Launching entry or was it intended to also see the additional applications/clones?

The prior.  I don't keep any Additional Apps (clone games) in my Arcade platform. If I do know of a clone that's better (or I like better) than the parent ROM, that ROM is the main game. And still, no Additional Apps.

So, I didn't even think about Additional Apps and clones. 😊  Well, I did for about a half-a-sec and remembered how much of a pain it is dealing with clone/parent relationships and Additional Apps [in code].  Then quickly "forgot", thinking... "this is working on my setup." :D

 

The next update will iron out Additional Apps dilemma.  Thanks for bringing this up as it affects the import part as well. (which I conveniently ignored also)

 

(As a general note....) Speaking of importing, I have no intentions at this point of importing clones as Additional Apps for their parent games (or if the parent is an Additional App and one of its clones is the parent, adding it to that).  Thought being, there's only about 12 games [on average] added per release, and "I got you this far. You can work out the rest". ;)  But knowing me.... [I'll leave it at] subject to change. 😎

sundogak

sundogak 738

Posted

35 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

(As a general note....) Speaking of importing, I have no intentions at this point of importing clones as Additional Apps for their parent games (or if the parent is an Additional App and one of its clones is the parent, adding it to that).  Thought being, there's only about 12 games [on average] added per release, and "I got you this far. You can work out the rest". ;)  But knowing me.... [I'll leave it at] subject to change. 😎

Yeah, definitely didn't expect nor think really needed as intent is looking at small subset of new items for each MAME release. You already have the "clone of" info in your descriptor. I likely wouldn't have even noticed but I had completed a full re-import of 0.281 into LB after moving of bunch of folders/things/drives around and thought maybe had messed something up as should show no gaps. 

One thing that would be helpful is selector to turn off import of a game(s). So if it is the millionth clone of Pac-Man can skip it. Especially if using curated MAME setup similar to yours. Again, not huge issue as 9 or so games and can just run import and delete ones didn't want...but feature creep is fun if I am not coding it!  :) 

JoeViking245

JoeViking245 1,880

Posted

25 minutes ago, sundogak said:

One thing that would be helpful is selector to turn off import of a game(s).

Conversely, how about a multi-select option where you can select just the games you want to import?  

e.g.  There's 6 ROMs in a given release and you want all except the 5th one listed. 

Click the 1st ROM, press/hold Shift and click the 4th ROM. Now [let go of Shift and] press/hold Ctrl and click the 6th ROM.

or

Click the 1st ROM, press/hold Shift and click the 6th ROM. Now [let go of Shift and] press/hold Ctrl and click the 5th ROM (to de-select it).

or

Click the 1st ROM, press Ctrl+A (to select all). Then press/hold Ctrl and click the 5th ROM (to de-select it).

sundogak

sundogak 738

Posted (edited)

Quote

Conversely, how about a multi-select option where you can select just the games you want to import?  

That is what I was thinking but typing didn't come out that way! 

Quote

Click the 1st ROM, press Ctrl+A (to select all). Then press/hold Ctrl and click the 5th ROM (to de-select it).

This option makes sense to me as well if easier to code than above. 

Edited by sundogak

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