Using Roms on External HDD & Can't Find C:/ in XML to Change for Ext.HDD

[Acidstorm-_-_]

Hi! i’m New here, grownup with Commodore C64 & Amiga after years i’m back into Emulation and i must say Launchbox is really a masterpiece! First i’m testing the free version but wanna upgrade soon! But i must say as Easy as it locks it more for the HardCoreComputerFreaks :-D because i’m setting it up twice to find out the error from emumovies if you got to much games! Also had to realize it not just search for rom files only so i had to delet all the .bin.mp3.cdda files and thah is a hell of a work at some cd games. Now i have imported all again with deleting manualy before importing..... But here is my new Problem = I think i had to do it all again a 3rd time because as many of you i figured out to get short of space at my local HDD where i also have installed Launchbox, For backup safety i had already copied the rom’s folder on a EXTERNAL HDD (only USB2) first thought only to run the heavy GB folders from the External but now i want have all Rom’s on the External........Now Read about to Change the Path on XML but i can not find any C:/ Drive only the path after C like \Roms\Launchbox\Amiga CD32 for example........if i only cold change the C to E that whould do the job??? And if run the rom’s from External HDD will it affect Running Stable? sure it will increase load times but i guess not painfully Thanx in advance for HELP! Grezz Acidstorm

[DOS76]

Get Notepad++ and use the find and replace feature under the search menu first go to the find and type in the path of your games ie C:\Emulators\ROMs and then use the count feature to make sure that it is finding your stuff (not necessary but that is how I do it) then go to the replace tab now you will see the path you entered for find and a new text box that you will enter your new path in then click the replace all tab and save and should be good to go you may want to copy your .xml first just in case you run into any unforeseen issues. This whole process should be done with LaunchBox closed as I've had issues with the XML not changing when the program is open still. Running them from an external drive should have no issues what so ever I run many games from external and even have entire platforms that I run from my Windows Home Server network shares (external drives on a completely different computer)

[DOS76]

Sorry I just reread your post if your paths are setup using a relative path already you can move them to a new drive as long as the path is the same on the secondary drive say you have C:\Roms\LaunchBox\Amiga CD32 but your XML is ..\Roms\LaunchBox\Amiga CD32 then you could just move the ROMs to another drive that was say D:\Roms\LaunchBox\Amiga CD32 LB would still see the games under the relative path as long as the path was exactly the same with the drive letter being the only variation in the path.

[Acidstorm-_-_]

Thanx! already read that... but after have over 100 programms installed i wanna avoid Notepad and use the Editor in TotalCommander 7.5 does have the same feature but can't find the drive before the path .........looks like = ..\..\..\Z - Rom's\LaunchBox\Nintendo NES it will find = \Z - Rom's\LaunchBox\Nintendo NES but when i search for C:\Z - Rom's\LaunchBox\Nintendo NES won't find anything and yes backedup the file for badluck ;-) thanx again!!! ben on it for days and wanna get it done at last!

[DOS76]

Yeah it is using a relative path LaunchBox does this so it will be portable and allow you to do what you are looking for if you missed it while you were typing your last post check post 3 that should explain it better.

[SentaiBrad]

You also don't need to delete any files with your CD games. Most emulators want cue sheets, and of course you need the bin and iso image along with it, so what do you do here? When you import games use "Add files". Navigate to the folder of roms you want to import, then at the top right is the windows search function. In here type exactly "*.iso" then it will search that folder for any files with the extension you input. It can be iso, cue, chd, nes, anything you want. Once if finds the files, Ctrl + A to highlight them all and click add. If you have more files that you need to add with different file extensions click add files again, repeat the search process for the different files. Most of my PS2 games are iso, but some are mds and bin. Derek is correct, if they are using relative paths you can move the files up to the file path that is actually there. So as long as the part you can read in the XML matches the new file path you're all good. If they do have a drive associated with them, like C:\Emulators\ then using Notepad++ (or another program with a similar function, this is just what we suggest here) and you are moving it to your D:\ drive, as long as the new path is D:\Emulators\ then just Replace All C:\ with D:\. I have all of my roms on my external in my Emulators folder and nothing takes too long to load. Nothing gets as long as Fallout 4. If I put my PS2, Wii, Gamecube and PSP games on an SSD, maybe there would be an increase in performance, but it would be negligible. If the drive is USB2 it should be just fine, and if it is USB3 then that is much better.

[Acidstorm-_-_]

thanx! but it did'nt work.... it says: file doies not exist in path... but wenn i open a game in edit window there it has changed to F: Grezz Acidstorm

[SentaiBrad]

Then either the relative path is wrong or it's not using a relative path. The game you just tested, copy and paste the path from the XML then from LaunchBox.

[Acidstorm-_-_]

SentaiBrad said You also don't need to delete any files with your CD games. Most emulators want cue sheets, and of course you need the bin and iso image along with it, so what do you do here? When you import games use "Add files". Navigate to the folder of roms you want to import, then at the top right is the windows search function. In here type exactly "*.iso" then it will search that folder for any files with the extension you input. It can be iso, cue, chd, nes, anything you want. Once if finds the files, Ctrl + A to highlight them all and click add. If you have more files that you need to add with different file extensions click add files again, repeat the search process for the different files. Most of my PS2 games are iso, but some are mds and bin. Derek is correct, if they are using relative paths you can move the files up to the file path that is actually there. So as long as the part you can read in the XML matches the new file path you're all good. If they do have a drive associated with them, like C:\Emulators\ then using Notepad++ (or another program with a similar function, this is just what we suggest here) and you are moving it to your D:\ drive, as long as the new path is D:\Emulators\ then just Replace All C:\ with D:\. I have all of my roms on my external in my Emulators folder and nothing takes too long to load. Nothing gets as long as Fallout 4. If I put my PS2, Wii, Gamecube and PSP games on an SSD, maybe there would be an increase in performance, but it would be negligible. If the drive is USB2 it should be just fine, and if it is USB3 then that is much better.

Thanx! i deletet just from the last page on importing....But Hell your right! chossing Add Files and Search for .cue whould saved my a Day of work :-D Can't find C:| ....not even see it on the text in the XML file.... Downloading notepad plus now...

[Acidstorm-_-_]

Same in Notepad++... Did Screenshots: -

[SentaiBrad]

Make a backup of this XML first in case this doesn't work, or you'll probably need to re-import your games. Search for ..\..\..\ in Notepad++ and replace that with the drive and path it should be. So Ctrl + F, click the Replace tab at the top, search for ..\..\..\ and replace that with F:\ https://i.imgur.com/rVQ9abv.png Then click replace all.

[DOS76]

Hey Brad since changing paths and importing multi file games is something that constantly comes up maybe make a post that is sticky and maybe a new tricks and tweaks topic that new users can easily read the solutions to these issues because while they are easy to implement they aren't intuitive. I know that when I started using LB last year I had my own posts on both issues. If possible maybe both of these topics could be explained and demonstrated in an upcoming video.

[SentaiBrad]

I should do that. I am unsure how often people will see it though. It is surprising how many people don't search the forums. I've thought about making a tutorial on how to use Notepad++ in case something happens and you need to manually fix it. A Tips and Tricks video would also work too... Having people see either is going to be hard though.

[DOS76]

Do it as the Friday feature while learning how to set up systems is great learning how to use LaunchBox for important features would be just as important to users. Or make a regular video with a system on Friday and add it as a smalll section at the end.

[SentaiBrad]

Also Jason needs to fix the sub forum so people can post suggestions like that in the suggestions thread. I haven't made one for the tutorials yet because NO ONE CAN POST ON THE RSS THREAD... JASON... xD I told him let me do it, that's what im here for. Lazy ass. ;)

[Acidstorm-_-_]

SentaiBrad said So Ctrl + F, click the Replace tab at the top, search for ..\..\..\ and replace that with F:\ Then click replace all.

Logic but no Sucess.... it changed the path from ..\..\..\F:\Z - Rom's\LaunchBox to F:\Z - Rom's\LaunchBox but stilll Launchbox can't find it.......i believe i'm starting all over with a Reiinstall

[SentaiBrad]

You don't need to completely reinstall, just use a new XML. The images will stay there as long as you use the same Platform names. And by use a new XML, just delete your current one and start LaunchBox up. It will create a new one.

[DOS76]

What is the actual path on the C: drive I'm guessing that because it has a few ..\..\ sections it is C:\Users\User name\Z-ROMs\ or something like that

[SentaiBrad]

Well it doesn't matter what the old pathing was, we were trying to tell it the new pathing. At this point, the easiest solution would be to just reimport. I've had to do it myself at least 8 or 9 times over 2 years. That's part of how I learned as much as I did.

[DOS76]

I'm glad you did this way you could teach me how to move stuff around without having to re-import everything again. Also maybe there could be and FAQ added to keep these questions from being asked over and over again.