JoeViking245

January 13

11 hours ago, CRMarch81 said:

Now I am trying to do the same thing with mspacmanf (speed hack) and clubpacm (another hack of ms.pacman), launchbox will not upload these even with the force importing duplicate games option checked during manual import.

Ran a test for importing... can't find 'mspacmanf' as a MAME ROM. But 'clubpacm' (and 'clubpacma') should import without issue. On the How would you like to import your MAME games screen, be sure to un-check Skip hacked games.

January 13

You can manually add it. Press Ctrl+N, enter the games Title. Go to the Launching section and Browse to the games file and select it. Press OK to save & close.

January 12

9 minutes ago, RetroExecutioner said:

The question is how to delete the games from the complete set so I can reduce its size to 4GB. .... Please elaborate on the steps. Thank you!

Carefully follow all of the steps in the "possible solution".
- Note that the mentioned "curated copy" that is created is your [new] 4GB set.
Once done, and satisfied, delete the folder the full set ("complete set") is in.
- e.g. F:\MAME 0.284 (non-merged)

You won't be able to later to retrieve a future-discovered "gem". (Well, you can. By going through the process that initiated this post. ) But this will accomplish what you're asking for. Having a 4GB set and no full set.

Please take some time and carefully re-read my previous 2 posts as they're pretty elaborate to begin with. Then if you have questions about a specific item in them, ask.

January 12

2 hours ago, RetroExecutioner said:

how do I properly curate the games from the non-merged set? I mean, I want to make it the same 4GB only games that I want

Follow the steps I outlined above.

2 hours ago, RetroExecutioner said:

And you say that it is better to remain on the non-merged version? Can I add new games, or do I always have to create a new set?

As stated above:

If you were to start with a full set, you can cherry pick from that. Then if you later discover a "hidden gem", you can go back to your full set and "pull it out".

The process I outlined creates your "4GB only games" set. AND maintains the full set. Which you can keep on an external drive, or wherever, so that it's out-of-the-way. Yet available.

Again: Note: This process will only work with a non-merged set!

Adding new games:

Then when you discover a "gem" (like Gun Force 2) that's not in your LaunchBox collection, go to your external drive (or wherever) and copy gunforc2.zip to where you have your "4GB only games" set. Then use Tools - Import (or Ctrl+N) and navigate to where you copied the ROM to.

Keeping the full (non-merged) set intact (somewhere, wherever) is cheap insurance in case something was to happen with your "4GB only games" set. Also, it makes it easy to retrieve the "gems" from.

January 11

37 minutes ago, Cloud791 said:

I want to Import into LaunchBox all new MAME games that were added from MAME 0.279 to the latest MAME current version (0.284),

Maybe take a look at this. Note, it will only show MAME cabs (so you don't have to look a bunch of other junk). Also, not all revisions will show having any "new games" (like the last 2 or 3 revisions). With just MAME cabs, you won't see new "prototypes" and the sort.

I suggest 1st creating a new platform (Tools - Manage - Platforms). Then import the "new games" into that platform. From there, you can sort as you had previously done into their "proper" platforms. It shouldn't be that bad. e.g. 0.279 will show only 9 games. Worst case, it'd be a good start.

January 11

2 hours ago, ghassan said:

Thanks JoeViking245

its really working, I downloaded all the missing games for all the platforms, not only that ...you can add missing platforms too

really thank you

Appreciate that.

January 11

26 minutes ago, RetroExecutioner said:

So I need only ROMs for 0.253?

Ideally, yes. In the case of Gun Force 2, you need one for at least 0.253. A newer versioned one may still work with 0.253.

30 minutes ago, RetroExecutioner said:

Also, my set is merged. Is it better to have merged or non-merged sets?

If you're cherry-picking, ideally yes.

e.g. The Simpsons

The parent ROM is simpsons.zip which is the 4-player version. If you want the 2-player version only, using a merged set you'd still need the ROM simpsons.zip. But the launching section of the game in LaunchBox will "point to" simpsons2p.zip. simpsons2p files are "inside" of simpsons.zip (along with 12 other versions of the game).

Using a non-merged set, you'd have/use just simpsons2p.zip. Which contains ONLY files for that 2-player version.

In the end, it's less confusing to have and use simpsons2p.zip (via a non-merged set) rather than having simpsons.zip and pointing to simpsons2p.zip (merged set).

BTW, MAME "knows" to look inside simpsons.zip (for simpsons2p files) if simpsons2p.zip doesn't exist.

51 minutes ago, RetroExecutioner said:

And how do I do if some games are not available from the beginning in the sets, like some hidden gems, for example?

I'm not sure what you mean here. If you're starting with a partial set, you get what you have. If you were to start with a full set, you can cherry pick from that. Then if you later discover a "hidden gem", you can go back to your full set and "pull it out".

59 minutes ago, RetroExecutioner said:

Now have to do a new one again?

A possible solution is to:

Get full non-merged set.
- save it somewhere. e.g. F:\MAME 0.284 (non-merged)
Get the corresponding mame.exe version
- e.g. 0.284
Optional, but probably not a bad idea...
- Create a backup of your /LaunchBox/Data/ folder before continuing.
- This can be done in LaunchBox via Tools < Options < Data < Backups
In LaunchBox
- Update your MAME emulator to the new one
In LaunchBox
- In your Arcade platform
  - select all games
  - Go to Tools < File Management < Change ROMs Folder Path for Selected Games...
  - Tell it to change the path to wherever you saved your non-merged set
  - Test a few games. They should just work.
- In your Arcade platform
  - select all games
  - Go to Tools < File Management < Export/Copy ROM Files from Selected Games to New Folder...
  - Tell it to copy the ROMs to your "F:\LaunchBox 13.5\LaunchBox\Games\Arcade\" folder
    - aka. where you had you previously stored the games you like
  - This step creates a curated COPY of your ROMs. Leaving the full set intact for later retrieval of future-discovered "hidden gems"
  - If you're nervous, you can create a backup of your existing ROMs 1st, before doing this step.
- In your Arcade platform
  - select all games
  - Go to Tools < File Management < Change ROMs Folder Path for Selected Games...
  - Tell it to change the path [back] to "F:\LaunchBox 13.5\LaunchBox\Games\Arcade\"
  - Test a few games. They should just work.

Note: This process will only work with a non-merged set!

January 11

1 hour ago, RetroExecutioner said:

This is what i receive from the plugin

Quote

-----------------
Run MAME output
-----------------
Warning: layout view 'Bezel Artwork' contains deprecated bezel element
Warning: layout view 'Bezel Artwork' contains deprecated bezel element
m92_a-3m-.ic11 NOT FOUND (tried in gunforc2)
m92_a-7j-.ic41 NOT FOUND (tried in gunforc2)
m92_a-9j-.ic51 NOT FOUND (tried in gunforc2)
m92_b-3f-.ic14 NOT FOUND (tried in gunforc2)
m92_b-4f-.ic21 NOT FOUND (tried in gunforc2)
m92_b-7j-a.ic41 NOT FOUND (tried in gunforc2)
Fatal error: Required files are missing, the machine cannot be run.

You can ignore the 1st 2 warnings. The other 6 errors are files missing from inside the ROM file's zip. Based on those missing files, it looks like the ROM file you have is for MAME 0.252 or older.

I was right when I stated, "the ROM might not be compatible with your 0.253." But was wrong when I said, "it might be for a newer release." It's actually for an older release.

Though some ROMs can work between different released versions of the MAME executable, the rule of thumb is to have ROMs that are for the same version as the executable.

January 11

1 hour ago, SilverFrankie01 said:

want to somehow clone all of my LaunchBox build to a new PC's new HDD drive. The catch is not the majority of my LaunchBox games/roms and emulators are not in the LaunchBox folder itself, just in other folders on the same drive.

Give this a read and see if it helps any.

Moving Your LaunchBox Instance to a New PC - LaunchBox

January 10

In the game edit window, click the LaunchBox database link in the upper right corner to go straight to the source.

January 10

8 minutes ago, SiriusVI said:

Aren't the .iso files a lot larger than the folders? CHD support would be nice, though.

iso files are generally the same size as the "expanded" folders. "Expanded" as in, not all put into one "book cover". It's still all the same "pages". aka, iso file are generally not compressed at all.

January 10

3 hours ago, RetroExecutioner said:

I am using Launchbox 13.24. I managed to add the game with CTRL+N, but it is not starting, just a 1 sec black screen and that's it.

Is it safe to assume the other games in Arcade launch and the added ROM(s?) is in the same folder as the others?

If so, the ROM might not be compatible with your 0.253. That is, it might be for a newer release.

You could try this plugin and see if it sheds any light.

January 10

25 minutes ago, RetroExecutioner said:

CTRL-N does not even find the game, only the first Gunforce and another Gunforce for SNES, no Gunforce 2.

Run... Tools < Download < Force Update Games Database Metadata... Then try again.

What version of LaunchBox are you on?

January 10

It should be able to show up and import without issue. Which method are you using to import the ROM? If you're hoping it will auto import when adding it to you /Games/Arcade/ folder, auto-import is disabled for Arcade (as well as a few other platforms).

Worst case scenario, you can press Crtl+N to manually add the game. When in you Arcade platform, press Ctrl+N and type in the Title and hit enter to get the metadata. Then in the Launching section, click Browse and navigate to and select the ROM.

January 10

On 12/20/2025 at 12:25 PM, hyper92 said:

when it prompts me to update from the plugins manager, that IS actually mame, right?

The MAME integration plugin is used for installing MAME in LaunchBox. Updating the plugin itself doesn't update/install MAME. Go ahead and click the Update button, then you won't be prompted about it anymore.

If/when you later decide to install a new version of MAME, it will then use that plugin to assist you with that. Well, the updated one. It won't work with the current version 1.2 of the plugin you have. Hope that helps.

January 9

3 hours ago, 5thWolf said:

Most people don't normally remove their game completely from LB after playing it from their playlist, they just want it off the playlist. And its way to easy to accidentally hit yes on the second question and then your stuck having to add the game again. All I am saying is there is no need to ask to perm delete the game from playlist deletion. Most people are normally using platform list anyway and it can be deleted there more safely.

Point taken. I recommend submitting a Feature Request to have the prompt changed. Once submitted and made public, be sure to post a link to it here so others can upvote it.

January 8

3 hours ago, Jayinem said:

I don't understand why this is important, how often are you deleting games?

Me? Hardly ever. But the moment that [hypothetically] gets changed to a Yes/No only option, someone's going to say...

"When I'm viewing my playlists and I want to remove a game from my collection, I have to remove it from my playlist, then switch to platforms view, go to that platform, find the game and then also delete it from there. Why can't I just be able to remove it from my collection when viewing it in the playlist?"

January 8

59 minutes ago, Sasuto said:

But geez, 1TB of CHD files, im gonna keep only with Full Set and when a game dont launch i get its CHD individualy

Good choice.

Note, as of release 0.284:

There are 644 MAME Arcade CHDs
Of those, 361 are Parent ROMs
Of the 361, only 57 are considered "Working"

That said, I recommend always checking the Arcade Database first before messing with CHDs.

Example:

CarnEvil

January 8

22 minutes ago, Sasuto said:

specifically the one I want to play isn't working, which is CarnEvil

Most likely you don't have the [also] required CHD file for it, or MAME can't "find it" when launching.

23 minutes ago, Sasuto said:

I can't play the games that open because neither my keyboard nor my DualShock 4 controller responds.

When a game is loaded, can you press "5" on the keyboard to 'load a coin'? Then press "1" to start the game?

January 8

8 hours ago, 5thWolf said:

Just either not ask at all and just remove from it from the playlist

Having it "just remove it from the paylist" without any type of message confirmation is asking for trouble. So a popup message box is necessary.

The current message that comes up is two-fold.

(though not explicitly stated) Do you wish to remove game "xyz" from the playlist?
- No. Press Cancel
Do you want to also permanently remove the game from your collection?
- Yes. Press Yes
  - The game is removed from your collection and is removed from the static playlist.
- No. Press No
  - The game is only removed from the playlist

To have it only confirm removing it from the playlist, you'd see only two [button] options (instead of the above 3).

Yes
- The game is removed from the static playlist (same as pressing No above)
No
- Same a pressing Cancel above

With the current setup, the are no extra button clicks to accomplish the end goal. Just one extra option.

January 7

1 hour ago, viritys said:

I'm a retro game collector like many people here, so yeah, I do click "search for metadata" on the edit game window on most days ie whenever adulting, kids, wife or my other hobbies don't keep me away II'm adding missing games and/or fixing mistakes to gamesdb and it starts by making sure someone else hasn't already done it before by clicking "search for metadata" for the game.

Not a fix nor a workaround (especially if it doesn't prove well ), but a test of sorts... Tomorrow (or the "next day"), before doing any "Search", run

Tools < Download < Force Update Games Database Metadata...

and see if that process is any better (faster). When that's complete, then do your searches.

January 7

37 minutes ago, EvilHomer777 said:

When I select Edit, there is no images there, even though the images are in their respective folder(s) for that platform/image-type.

Then LaunchBox is not seeing the images [in the folder] for that game.

In the left panel, select a Platform (not a Platform Category).
Right-click the Platform and select edit.
In the Folders tab, are the Folder Paths pointing to the same folder your images are in for the respective image types?

January 7

2 minutes ago, The Papaw said:

I know that Mr. Joe, but I know I've done it before, somehow, some way, they did finally auto in when auto import was turned on, well sorta, gotta get rid of some of the oddball files that also imported

Yeah, the auto import [for PS3] will work with games you've installed into RPCS3. But manually adding games and selecting the Use Folder Names has only ever grabbed the folder immediately above the ROM file.

January 7

34 minutes ago, The Papaw said:

Am I missing something, I know I've done this so many times

The folder the ROM file (EBOOT.BIN) is in is "USRDIR". Which is in "PS3_GAME". Which is in "3D Dot Game Heroes (USA)"

January 7

13 hours ago, EvilHomer777 said:

I went over every point as suggested. Nothing seems to be wrong with any of that. I am able to add a game's image manually, refresh, and not have it disappear.

To clarify, when you Edit a game and look in the Images section, the images are not there? Even though the images are in their respective folder(s) for that platform/image-type.

Also, in the left panel, are you selecting a Platform (vs. a Platform Category or Playlist)? Is this images-not-there debacle happening in several Platforms? Or just in one?

Profiles

Forums

Articles

Downloads

Gallery

Blogs

Posts posted by JoeViking245