NLS

Thanks.

OK so I got the handheld collection going (wrongfully named "Nintendo Game & Watch", when many games are not from Nintendo and definitely many are not of the Game & Watch series and don't even have a clock)... So I see the box showing "GAME&WATCH MULTI SCREEN", "DONKEY KONG", "Nintendo(R)". Nice... I have this game... And here the fun starts (and my questions stem)... In the description under the box, it says "Donkey Kong (Nintendo Multi Screen)" and "(Coleco)". Erm... It can't be "Nintendo Multi Screen" AND "Coleco". I double click it and I get Donkey Kong by Coleco. Which is a table top and definitely not multi-screen! (and also not Game & Watch) I thought... where is my favorite Donkey Kong? Then it came to me... "maybe this "version" thing? And selected "show versions". Well... this did nothing (I am not in Big Box). Not sure what it should do. When I right click, I get two menu items (available both when "show versions" is selected or not), where indeed I can choose to play Coleco version or the real Nintendo Game & Watch version. So here are the questions: 1) How can I default to the correct original version? (also shown in description and box) It should be an option to either select a default version OR the system to remember the last used one (both are nice options). 2) How can I decouple those two games as definitely they are different versions of "Donkey Kong" (in name) but NOT of "Donkey Kong (Nintendo Multi-Screen)" as the description says! Or the box! 3) Can I submit the above (in #2) back to games DB and correct what I consider error? (maybe it gets evaluated? How is this thing handled in general?) Maybe if decoupling is not done, at least the "different versions" describe the game as plain "Donkey Kong" (get the difference?)... 4) Even with real alternative versions of some game, is it possible to indeed see them separately if we want to? 5) Still talking about alternative versions. If for example I also have Donkey Kong for C64 or for arcade, is it possible to see those grouped as alternative versions? 6) What is the purpose of "show versions"? Something for Big Box? ...thanks!

8.7 release is out already (?) and I don't seem to find what is new in it...

Ah! That is good to know! So LB when it finds those files it uses them? How does it know where to find them? From mame.ini and ui.ini? When I first saw LB I was awed by the fact that it "hid" all the power underneath. I understand the mission statement to cater the "average user". MAME is a very special case, because most seasoned MAME users use it the same way: They have the files needed readily available. I just hoped (and still hope) LB utilizes them when it finds them, before looking online. Because MAME is a special case. Can I at least hope in the future that comes support for a) Zipped vs extracted-in-folder (i.e. cabinets.zip or folder cabinets, treated the same). b) Multiple paths for a single resource type (this is actually useful far all platforms when disk splits are needed). For example MAME works OK if in ui.ini is defined this: "marquees_directory marquees;extras/marquees" ...it will correctly read both even if one of the two is a zip containing actual marquees and the other a folder with png files. ...both are features of MAME itself (and also work on any front-end I know). Anyway the subject is exhausted I think. I hope my wishes are given some thought.

Thank you for your reply. I know that using the DB is optional. I just hoped for being able to use what is available but without huge manual work. MAME front-ends (though I realize most of them - not all - are limited to being just MAME front-ends), implement MAME metadata support like that: - Is there a mame.ini and a ui.ini? - If there are, read the paths for the rom location (supporting multiple paths as most people have separate folders for roms, for chd, for software-list roms and for software-list chd), ini location (which has all the info about the roms, history, trivia etc. - even catergories of the roms are described in those ini, like catver.ini), for the screen snapshots, cabinet photos, pcb photos etc. (there are plenty of different graphics supported). - If there there are not, ask those paths in the initial wizard OR expect them set in the front-end settings. So for example, MAME own GUI and front-ends support directly that there can be a "pcb.zip" OR a "pcb" folder, holding PCB photos. Hope LB can do that in the future. MAME is a major thing for any retro-gaming platform. Anyway. Keep up the good work.

So, 8.6 MAME overhaul, still needs to download everything from games DB? I mean MAME has a very organised system for its metadata already (since it has an embedded GUI anyway), so historical data, trivia, hardware details (all those in various ini), screenshots, titles, PCB photos etc. are all available in various already existing torrents and many people (actually most I know that use MAME) keep those updated too along with MAME roms. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY they are supported in mame.ini and ui.ini. Only videos are not supported (yet). Still there is also an organized attempt for those too (for all other front-ends). Does LB ignore all that and prefers to download everything from scratch? From an updated "MAME aware" LB I would very much love the option to USE those files if available, like EVERY MAME front-end out there. And support it fully like MAME itself does. For example MAME can read a pcb.zip containing ALL PCB screenshots, or a PCB folder containing them... This is the minimum I would expect from any front-end that supports MAME, i.e. to be at least as capable for MAME as MAME own simplistic GUI. This is what I meant when I voted for "MAME overhaul" at least. Any plans for this kind of MAME support?

Well seems that 8.6 still reads it if it finds it. A bug I'd say. When I deleted that, things worked.

Erm... it is getting worse and weirder. I deleted the contents of data (with LB not running). Started LB and it started WITH THE CONTENTS!!! I quit. I re-deleted them. I start it and now I get an error Could not find a part of the path 'E:\LaunchBox\Data\Platforms\Windows.xml'. App: LaunchBox Version: 8.6 Type: System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException Site: Void (Unbroken.LaunchBox.Data.DataManager, System.Data.DataSet, System.String) Source: Unbroken.LaunchBox at (DataManager , DataSet , String ) at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Data.DataManager.GenerateXml(DataSet set, String destinationPath) at (DataManager , String ) at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Data.DataManager.SaveInternal(String destinationFolder) at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Data.DataManager.<>c__DisplayClass164_0.<Save>b__0() at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx) at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx) at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state) at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart() Recent Log: 9:28:24 PM Music.Prepare Start 9:28:24 μμ Music.Kill Start 9:28:24 μμ Music.Kill Finished 9:28:24 μμ Music.NotifyTrackList Start 9:28:24 μμ Music.NotifyTrackList Invoke WPF 9:28:29 PM Music.Pause Start 9:28:41 PM Exception ...of course you cannot find that because I deleted it! What is going on? EDIT: I found "launchbox.xml" in my launchbox folder... I suspect I need to delete this too as it has the contents I don't need. Why is it there?

It is indeed that specific situation. OK thanks.

OK, so I had LB installed on a machine I didn't actually use it (part of my experiments with LB). I forgot about it for months and then thought, what a heck, let's try to use it in this computer with local games etc. So I updated it to 8.6 (don't remember which version it was before), which was fine. When I opened LB I realized I *had* some Windows games imported in it in the past, but since I didn't remember what I did back then, I thought of doing it from scratch. Well tough luck. Nothing is ever deleted. It shows deleted, but when reopening LB, they are all back! I even tried running it with administrator rights, in case it couldn't modify or remove something, no change. I tried deleting by select all (ctrl-A), then delete. I tried right click on platform and delete. I tried to go in manage platforms, select it and delete. "Deletes" ok every time and every time they are back when restarted. I guess going manually to some XMLs and doing it will work, but still this looks bad if I cannot do it from LB itself. Any ideas? EDIT: I checked the XML and they are indeed populated. The strange thing though is that their timestamp is fresh! (Windows.xml, platforms.xml and some others) So something "touches" them (and doesn't fail) but games (or platform itself) not deleted!

No. Since eXo is a member here, if he wants to release a "thin" version without the games, is for him to do it. Sorry.

I don't understand what you are asking.

@eXo I found a couple of issues (up to now, not finished yet) you may need to see I posted in PD.

Man what are you talking about. Deal with your Real Life (TM) issues and we'll be waiting afterwards. Get well soon.

Option three could be 31 different pre-made-once XML.

eXo thank you for your FANTASTIC work. It makes me almost sad I was never really an MS-DOS gamer (MS-DOS gamer sounds like a joke coming from Amiga). You are helping LB become even better, the Go To solution for any retro gaming needs (and even non retro as you can use it for Steam and normal installs too). Hope LB team realizes that (I think they do). Now for the XML thing and until an automatic solution comes up (if ever)... I have three different ideas. 1) The worse idea. Make it separate platforms. So MS-DOS_RPG is one. I hate it but is a solution. 2) You can release separate versions of the XML. In the download package you will have the released genre's XML. So when you release RPG, it will be just that. Outside the package and in any description you make (in PD, or wherever) you also post separately a new XML that includes ALL released genres. So if you released RPG first, you only have the XML that includes RPG games. If you release Action second, then in the package you have XML with only Action package and in the post talking about the package, you post an XML with already merged RPG and Action (and in separate genres/categories). With the third release you do the same... only include the single one in the package and a complete (three genres) outside. 3) Similar to #2 but with more work. Since you already know your complete contents and you only need the clean up (and the actual content upload), you can already make the COMPLETE XML, but fill the non-released (and non-cleaned-up) genres/games with simple placeholders! This would be the best, as it will make known even to people that don't have the other (released or unreleased) parts that they need to get them (or wait for them)! So it will be a complete list, with normal genre separation but if you only released RPG and someone scrolls to an Action game, it will instead get a placeholder picture and placeholder description (copy paste) that says "this belongs to the Action part of my collection, expected release so and so, please if interested look for it so and so. Make sure to replace MS-DOS.xml with the latest version found so and so...". This would be great, but needs more work now (and less later).

I also have my Atari 2600. :-P That said, no space to actually use them. Only torrent is not something illegal. It is good way for decentralized downloads and evendors major companies use it.

I still have my C64 and 1541 drive, (one of) my A500 and my A4000/040 (with 060 actually). Yes there is what you ask and even better: http://1541ultimate.net/content/index.php

C64 had a 300bps MODEM cartridge. Basically C64 ruled the world. But I went online really (actually dialing to BBSes) when 1200 was more common and 2400MNP5 was just about to happen. The big news were MNP5 of course, since before that, every little phone line crack (they were analog of course) meant errors in the text or (painfully slow) download. Remember waiting minutes for a 30Kb nude gif. Now there is VR and interactive porn.

Thank you for flooding my inbox. You made me change the notification settings to something arguably better (that should be default... just saying). Anyway what we get from this thread: - Weird pics. - eXo lies a lot (fact). - Kubla Khan reference. - Torrent IS the best method to spread files, by far. - Newsgroups are so old that even look old to me, that I remember 2400MNP5 MODEM like "a new thing much better than 1200" yesterday and some people need to come to the 21st century. - PD. PD is PD. It is innocent. The place. - There are other places (oups, you didn't get that from the thread). - People want 3.0 yesterday. (I know I do) - I will still need a way to use this with an already set-up Launchbox (and actually most in here, as most of them are here exactly because they HAVE Launchbox already?). - My first posts in months.

Torrent speed is fine. Archive.org will take long. Some multi-upload solution is OK too (mostly... some are very strict). Many don't use newsgroups any more (many providers don't have a free feed) and don't even know about them or how to use them. Torrents NEED the load as it will eventually give more seeds.

So you will probably have a guide to allow the use of an EXISTING LaunchBox installation with your new packages too? (i.e. not messing with other collections already on the installation)

Thanks. So will switch to split. Which means a lot of work. Hope I can drop them in RomVault as I hate setting up 153 switches on CMP (and THEN having to torrentzip).

Well this is what I ask about. To be able to "import" and select each and every clone and not "miss" some because of the "merged". If one more (not that I don't trust you, esp. since you are a mod, but is a lot work) can verify that split works better, I will switch.

I admit I haven't spent as much time as I wanted with LaunchBox, although I am a full user for more than a year. So this looks totally like a newbie post (heck IS a newbie post) although I am into emulation the last... 25 years. Here it is. A well known (torrent) source of MAME content, differentiates the ROMs (and software list for MESS part of MAME) to - merged (my all time favorite as once was by far the smallest in storage needs, not so much any more, plus I always use full collection not partial) - split (which now is of similar size) - non-merged (which is by far the largest and AFAIK is only useful to people that want to pin-point specific games or clones or whatever and the game zip includes all needed files, so this version has many duplicates) (CHDs are always merged) ...now. As I said I use merged version all these years, but I've read somewhere in here, that LB doesn't do proper parsing/scraping on merged. Is that correct and valid even for latest version? I am willing to switch to split but NOT to non-merged. Let me know if that will help with this issue (if the issue exists). Thanks.