Antropus

Thanks for testing it! I cannot reproduce the problem with the dummy file, but I wonder if it's due to the fact that those are regular .txt files only named .zip. Works for me though! :) Since I'm using 7zip for other things, I decided to create dummy files that will be actual zip files from now on, so I hope that fixes it for you. It will be available in the next version! About the metadata from History... that's very tricky. Look at this example for Altered Beast: History.dat lists: $info=altbeast, $bio Altered Beast (c) 1988 SEGA Enterprises, Ltd. Re-Edition. See the original version; "Altered Beast [Model 317-0066]". When I search for "317-0066" then I get to this entry: $info=altbeast2,altbeast4, $bio Altered Beast (c) 1988 Sega. Export release. Game developed in Japan. For more information about the game itself, please see the original Japanese release entry; "Juuouki". - TECHNICAL - Runs on the Sega "System 16B" hardware. Game ID: 317-0066 Now look at what Lightspeed is doing with "altbeast4": That means that it's indeed working and looking for the source entry, unless it's sent into a 3rd loop. So at this point I was already sent to 2 loops. Searching for "Juuouki", now I finally get to this entry: $info=altbeastj3,altbeastj2,altbeastj,altbeastj1,altbeastj3d, $bio Juuouki (c) 1988 Sega. The goddess Athena has been abducted by the Lord of the Underworld. Her father, the great god Zeus, searched for a brave warrior strong enough to save her. He chose a brave warrior who died with honour & courage on the battlefield. Zeus raised the warrior from the grave and granted him the power to morph into a powerful, holy beast in order to do battle against the unspeakable horrors of the Underworld. Juuouki is a 1-player sideways scrolling beat-em-up. The game begins with the player controlling the human form of the resurrected warrior. During the levels the warrior will be attacked by a number of flashing animals. Destroying these creatures will result in an orb being dropped. If the player picks up an orb, he will begin his transformation from human into 'Beast'. Once 3 orbs have been collected, the transformation is complete. In beast form the player's character is much faster and stronger than in the human form, and also has the ability to throw fireballs at the enemy. At the end of each stage, after the boss fight, the player's special powers are taken from him and he once again reverts to human form. The action in Juuouki veers from being untypically slow-paced and sedate for a game of this nature, but the game's premise and graphical flair helped to separate it from other rivals of the genre. - TECHNICAL - Game ID : 317-0065 To be able to capture the information for the export entries I had to add a second loop to the program, which slowed things down quite a bit in relation to the first version of Lightspeed. If I add a third loop just to *chase* that information, then things will get very slow. It's doable, but then I will need to rename the program "TurtleSpeed"! :P I think the only two options to make sure things are kept fast and the info is correct are: 1) We see if Alexis can fix this on his own History.dat or... 2) I create a parser that reorganizes History.dat and runs all those loops to get the maximum amount of info possible and then instead of packaging history.dat, I will need to package my own modified version of it. This would take the burden from the user, to have to wait for this to run, but then the user will be dependent of my updates to get the latest History, instead of simply downloading and updating it themselves! -Kris

OK, I'm not an "outlaw" anymore! I got permission to package history.dat (thanks Alexis!!!), Catver.ini, Languages.ini and Series.ini (thank you AntoPISA!!!) with Lightspeed. NPLayers.ini is free to use as well, based on the note on their website, so we are all set with all the support files! Now, I still need to contact the Maximus Arcade folks and ask if it's ok to keep re-distributing their Maximus List Converter. I assume it is, since it's listed under freebies, but you know how it goes. I will try to contact them anyway. The last remaining third party piece of the puzzle is the Mala List Converter, which was developed by a user over Arcade Controls, but he simply vanished for years now. I'm sure he will be ok with me redistributing his little app because he is very engaged in all sorts of open source projects, but I'm still trying to contact him. On other news, I went public with it and it's now posted at mameworld, so make sure you stop by to say hello :) -Kris

OK, I'm not an "outlaw" anymore! I got permission to package history.dat (thanks Alexis!!!), Catver.ini, Languages.ini and Series.ini (thank you AntoPISA!!!) with Lightspeed. NPLayers.ini is free to use as well, based on the note on their website, so we are all set with all the support files! Now, I still need to contact the Maximus Arcade folks and ask if it's ok to keep re-distributing their Maximus List Converter. I assume it is, since it's listed under freebies, but you know how it goes. I will try to contact them anyway. The last remaining third party piece of the puzzle is the Mala List Converter, which was developed by a user over Arcade Controls, but he simply vanished for years now. I'm sure he will be ok with me redistributing his little app because he is very engaged in all sorts of open source projects, but I'm still trying to contact him. On other news, I went public with it and it's now posted at http://www.mameworld.info, so make sure you stop by to say hello :) -Kris

Small visual tweaks here and there and better error message handling regarding "Filter!" and "Go!". The program is now smart enough to detect if any changes were made since the last filtering and will tell you so when you press "Go!". I added this to make sure that the exported list will reflect exactly what you are looking for, because sometimes you might change some filters but unless you click "Filter!" again those changes will not be incorporated in the final list. Now the program will let you know :) Grab it here: Self-extract: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B23vaxsfSk1ydFFuclZncld0bmM 7z: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B23vaxsfSk1yTVo3YVNPc2NSRm8 -Kris

anyany said This program is perfect, thank you! Thank you! :)

wallmachine said Cheers Kris, thanks for fixing the part of the installer that was breaking things! Just wondering are you using a version of 7-zip above 16.00? as previous builds had vulnerabilities that have now been addressed. You are welcome. I hope it's not too broken :) I believe so. I downloaded it last night at 2am, so it should be the latest they have available. -Kris Edit: I just confirmed: I'm using version 16.02. It's about a week old as it seems.

Edit: please grab the latest at the first post of this thread: https://www.launchbox-app.com/forum/emulation/lightspeed-ultra-fast-mame-importer-tool#p13904

New version in! Support files are back, so no need to download anything at this point. Get it while it's fresh, please test it and report. Thanks! Self-extract: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B23vaxsfSk1ydFFuclZncld0bmM 7z: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B23vaxsfSk1yTVo3YVNPc2NSRm8

anyany said this is a new version? I installed, but the executable disappeared somehow ... Where do I get this or a recent version to download? Disappeared? Do you think your antivirus wiped it? This one comes with an installer. Make sure you add the destination folder in there and it should work. If not, I will be making a more refined version available tonight. I got some excellent news: Alexis from Arcade History authorized me to package History.dat with Lightspeed! So no need to download it on the first run anymore. NPlayers.ini is good to go as well. Still waiting for AntoPISA to authorize me to package the other files (catver, languages and series), but that shouldn't be a problem, I think. New version tonight! Thanks, -Kris

I rushed a new version out so you guys can try. Please report anything broken since a whole lot of new code was introduced recently: https://www.launchbox-app.com/forum/emulation/lightspeed-ultra-fast-mame-importer-tool/page-14#p18370 Cheers, -Kris

Good news: I got a new version out for whoever wants to try it. Bad News: there are so many changes in the code that I think it's very likely that bugs are still present. Too many new features to list, so here are some highlights: - It got an installer now - It got a 20+ pages manual in PDF, accessible from the "?" in the GUI (suggestions/corrections, welcomed) - I'm not packaging support files with it anymore, at least until I get authorization from the authors (already requested), but those files will be automatically downloaded the first time you run the program, so don't worry! - A new logo I hacked together, so it's broader in scope and not so much Launchbox-centric anymore. I kept it colorful though :) - The amount of possible filters got pretty insane, but you already know that :) - The amount of Front-Ends supported grew as well Edit: please grab the latest at the first post of this thread: https://www.launchbox-app.com/forum/emulation/lightspeed-ultra-fast-mame-importer-tool#p13904 Cheers! -Kris

You got it, thanks Jason. I'm not one to start stuff, but I'm sure a champion for what's fair and I'll fight for it every time. I apologize in advance for any rebutal to future insensitive comments :)

Imagine how people who create "how to" videos would feel if I said: "Simply Austin already talks about all this stuff. You don't need to watch these videos". That would hurt their ego, I'm pretty sure :)

SentaiBrad said They wont download metadata properly unless you add them as Arcade then Bulk Edit their system name though, which you can easily just do within LaunchBox. You don't need the software. Please explain what you mean by that. The metadata is parsed from History.dat, independently of the platform you import to. You can check the CPS1 platform only, click on its name to rename it to whatever you want and the games will be imported into this platform, with all metadata. Same for CPS2, CPS3, Neogeo etc. In fact, you can pick ANY source from the dropdown menu and export a list matching just Model2 games, for example, or STV games or literally every single system supported by Mame. Just check the box, give it a nice name and that platform will be created as well, with all metadata in it. About the metadata, the next release (in a day or two) will fix a problem that is not actually a problem, where games marked as " export" in history.dat will now get the metadata parsed from the main game, so the metadata will be quite extensive. "You don't need the software"... please ignore this comment. It's just SentaiBrad doing what he does best :) Pretty sure he is not paying attention to development of my program, especially to make a comment like this. Definitely not coming from a user, so pay attention to actual users instead... Try the software (wait a day or two until the next version is up) and make up your own mind. It's free of charge, so you have nothing to lose. -Kris

wallmachine said anyone else find the site slow to load? Most of the time. Not worse than the Arcade Controls forum when it comes to loading speed, but sometimes pretty close :)

Getting pretty close to a release (if I can only stop adding shit to it :P )! I'm mostly concentrating on finishing up the documentation at this point. A supah-dupah release WILL happen this week! -Kris

Weekend update: 1) I changed my code to be faster and more effective when cross-referencing folder contents. As a consequence, you can now also choose to match your final list with the Wheels/Clearlogos that you have. 2) I incorporated the update buttons as a very easy, straight forward way of getting the latest support files available, so Lightspeed can be always up-to-date. The way it works: downloads the files > unzips them into a temp folder > copies the necessary file to the correct folder > deletes the temp folder > reads the uncompressed file to capture its version from the header > updated the interface to reflect that number by the update button side, so you know which versions you are using at all times. 3) AntoPISA did a great thing with his Catver.ini, Series.ini and Languages.ini. He kept the download names consistent every time there's a new version for download, so the updater simply works. Now, with History.dat and NPlayers.ini, the names change every time there's a new version and it's not only an update on the number itself, like "0174", but sometimes "0174a", for example. For that reason I added an inputbox that you can use to enter the new version that you are looking for, with examples you can try. Again, this is only necessary for NPlayers.ini and History.dat 4) History.dat is the only support file that's big. For that reason I added a little progress bar: 5) Because I understand the importance of the work being done by the support files creators/maintainers, after any of those updates you will get a popup window crediting the authors and providing a link that everybody is encouraged to click to support their projects (as I understand, they need traffic and accept donations, so please click the links!). 5b) Same here: You can now generate/update your Mame xml file via the mame -listxml command line running under the hood: -Kris

It doesn't seem like much, but A LOT is being done under the hood and I got things more optimized and modular now. Still work to do, but getting easier to update things. Some more features: Here are the new options I mentioned. If you check all of those last 4 options, the exported list will only contain games that have artwork available for them. I just exported a list and BigBox looked great, with absolutely no missing artwork :) The All Killer No Filler filter just got fancier: 1) Firstly, it basically overrides the other filters, so only the games in this list will be imported when you check this box. 2) BUT, you now have the option to choose if the other filters have or not influence over this list. If you choose to bypass the filters, then the full list will be generated. If you don't choose to bypass the filters, then everything is taken in account, so you can get rid of all BIOS in that list, if you already have those BIOS in your ROMs folder, so the list will contain only the games themselves. Or you can eliminate the CHDs from the list and so on. 3) On the favorites idea, now you can choose to make the games in this list favorites in LaunchBox/BigBox. Just mark the checkbox and all games in the list will be favorite'd when the list is exported. Another way to do this is to rename the Mame Arcade platform to "All Killer", for example, export those games as part of this platform, mass edit all games in it as favorites and then mass edit them again, moving them into your Mame Arcade platform this time: I started adding a context menu that will grow quite a bit. So far you can already select all, invert selection, delete selected and move selected clones into the output list. I will be adding more stuff soon: I started a thread over Arcade Controls and it was super cool that the author of Romlister stopped by to give his thumbs up so I can "carry the torch" on this whole list generator thingy :) Sorry it's taking a little long to get a new version out. I really need to iron things out some more and there are many ideas lingering around my head now. I had this crazy idea of creating a "GameList Blender". It would work like this: - Select a list format from the dropdown menu, hyperspin for example, then click import to have your old list imported into Lightspeed. If the information is incomplete, it doesn't really matter right now. This list will be parsed into a "Blender" listview. Now select another format, attract-mode for example, and import your attract-mode list. It will be merged with the previous list and anything already there will be skipped. You will be able to merge as many lists from as many different front-ends as you wish, so you can basically consolidate all lists from all the different FEs you might use into a single list if you wish. But here comes the great part about it: this list will become a filter and all the metadata will be parsed again and anything missing before will now be filled in for you, as long as the exporting format supports all those fields. Now you can simply export this consolidated list to all your front-ends again, super-fast. A little ambitious, but I think I can make it work. Cheers, -Kris

I just added native support to attract-mode FE as an export list format. Very surprised with how fast and smooth the interface is. Incredibly light as well if you have an old machine. More to come.

Done! I just need to make it pretty now :) I actually found a super nice sample code online, so I didn't need to think too much about the downloader. It's downloading all files, unzipping them (I will start packaging 7zip with Lightspeed soon) and copying them over the old ones. No backup working just yet, but soon. I spend most of my time bench-marking it against the only similar software out there, which is RomLister. Overall the speed difference goes from about 25% faster on very large lists all the way to 160%+ faster in smaller lists, all in favor of Lightspeed! It seems much more precise as well. RomLister was listing random stuff mixed in some specific lists, but overall, in many lists, both programs yelled the exact same results, with Lightspeed being always faster. Very happy with it at this point, but bugs are still present, so I will squash some more before I can release something for you guys!! -Kris

I forgot to mention. I still need to talk to the support file maintainers, but I have a plan to program an updater. Not sure if it will work, but it would work like this: Every time a new Mame version is out you would press an updater button to go thorough the various websites, download the zip files and unzip them inside of the correct folder, all under the hood as you watch a progress bar, while making a backup of the previous versions before copying the new ones. That would be neat, so you can make sure your files are all up-to-date with minimum effort. Lets see if I can implement it. -Kris

Awesome! Thanks a lot lordmonkus :) The way I have it set, anyone will be able to edit a single ini file to come up with their own dream list. I will update with these new files. Thanks again! -Kris

Squashed some more bugs over the weekend, but since I moved quite a bit of code around, I'm sure more stuff will come up :) I added a cool feature, especially for a front-end like Launchbox: - The ability to create lists containing only games that have artwork available. You can now force the output list to match your snapshots folder, or your flyers/front image folder, or your videos folder. Combined with the already present feature that allows you to create lists containing only the roms you have, now you can create lists containing only games which you have roms, snaps, front images and/or videos for, or any combination of those 4 elements. - As a consequence of those new arrays in place, now it will be very easy to generate lists of missing snaps, flyers, videos and roms, by rom name or description, so I will add those lists to the new list exporter. Here's what was added to the list (check the new columns): -Kris

I hope they will! One of the next steps moving forward is to contact all the support files maintainers, mala and maximus list converter developers and the guy in charge of the All killer list. I'll credit all of them and ask if it's ok to package those extra files within Lightspeed, once I'm over the beta. I'm refining things as well, thinking about cleaner solutions for some of the current features etc. I want to make sure it's a good package since the target audience is potentially bigger. -Kris

Some more progress: - New filters: number of screens, samples, supported and unsupported savestate. Cocktail/Upright will come next. - Cleaner filters interface, since many new checkboxes were added - Mala exporter fully implemented. It uses a third party command line conversion tool as the backend, but completely hides it. Lightspeed streams the cmd into a nice little progress window instead (picture below). Tested. - Maximus Arcade exporter fully functional as well, and also using a third party conversion tool, which is called on completion. You just have to drag and drop your generated list into the program's window and it will convert your list into Maximus' format. Tested. - I'm documenting things now. About 14 pages and counting. -Kris