WraithTDK Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 I've been having a devil of a time trying to get Launchbox to recognize my CD-I files. Per the advice of the YouTube tutorial, I aquired them in .chd format from the MAME software list. The only thing I've done differently from that tutorial is that I'm using MAME instead of MESS, because MESS no longer really exists, having been merged with MAME. Do I need to be doing something vastly different here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bundangdon Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 52 minutes ago, WraithTDK said: I've been having a devil of a time trying to get Launchbox to recognize my CD-I files. Per the advice of the YouTube tutorial, I aquired them in .chd format from the MAME software list. The only thing I've done differently from that tutorial is that I'm using MAME instead of MESS, because MESS no longer really exists, having been merged with MAME. Do I need to be doing something vastly different here? For some reason, this is one of the most tricky systems to get working with Mame, based on the number of posts I've seen here on the LaunchBox forums, and I'd have to agree with that, mostly because of Mame's slightly picky configurations for software games like this. First, make sure you have the correct bios file (named "cdimono1.zip" or "cdimono1.7z") and also make sure you have the cdimono1.ini the "ini" folder of mame with the correct directory of where your bios is located. For example, like this: # # CORE SEARCH PATH OPTIONS # homepath . rompath C:\launchbox\emulators\mame\bios hashpath hash samplepath samples artpath artwork ctrlrpath ctrlr I just tested this out, and it's now working for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WraithTDK Posted June 13, 2021 Author Share Posted June 13, 2021 I don't have cdimono1.ini. That's gotta be it. I'm not even sure what that is. I'll have to do some digging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bundangdon Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 15 minutes ago, WraithTDK said: I don't have cdimono1.ini. That's gotta be it. I'm not even sure what that is. I'll have to do some digging. okay, it's basically a copy of the mame.ini file, but customized for only cdi games. so if you don't have it, just copy the mame.ini file and rename it to cdimono1.ini and then change the settings accordingly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headrush69 Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 8 hours ago, WraithTDK said: I don't have cdimono1.ini. That's gotta be it. I'm not even sure what that is. I'll have to do some digging. You don't need it. You just have to make sure that the your mame.ini rompath variable points to where your roms (BIOS) are AND where the root directory is for your software list software. (in there should be a folder cdi with your CHDs) If you are having issues, if you start mame from a command prompt or powershell with the verbose option it should tell you the issue. If using software lists: Quote ./mame.exe cdimono1 defcrown -v Or you can directly start a CHD without using software lists like any other rom: Quote ./mame.exe cdimono1 -cdrm 'E:\Philips CD-i\Hotel Mario.chd' -v You still need your rompath set in mame.ini so it can find the cdi bios file. I prefer the second method in most cases. I keep my bios files in the rom directory in the mame directory which is on my SSD. On my HD I have folders for each platform and store the CHDs. It's easy to import that folder into LB and in general if I have a CHD or image that doesn't match the one mame's software lists wants, I can still run it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WraithTDK Posted June 13, 2021 Author Share Posted June 13, 2021 Alright, so, right now I have cdimono1.ini in my F:\ROMS\Phillips CD-I\ directory, and Using Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon as an example, I've got F:\ROMS\Phillips CD-I\zeldgam\zelda - the wand of gamelon (1993)(philips)(us).chd. I've got cdimono1.ini in F:\Arcade\MAME\ini\ (F:\arcade\MAME being where MAME64 is installed). In it I've got ---------------------------------------------------- # # CORE CONFIGURATION OPTIONS # readconfig 1 writeconfig 0 # # CORE SEARCH PATH OPTIONS # homepath . rompath "roms;F:\ROMS\Phillips CD-I\" hashpath hash samplepath samples artpath artwork ctrlrpath ctrlr inipath .;ini;ini/presets fontpath . cheatpath cheat crosshairpath crosshair pluginspath plugins languagepath language swpath software --------------------------------------------------------- And I've got this setup on my ROMS in Launchbox One thing that may well be relevant that I noticed: when I launch MAME64 on its own, none of the CDI games show up in the games list, even when it's unfiltered, which typically typically includes unavailable games. Perhaps the answer lies there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headrush69 Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 (edited) 10 minutes ago, WraithTDK said: Alright, so, right now I have cdimono1.ini in my F:\ROMS\Phillips CD-I\ directory, This file will not be used. MAME will only read the one in it's ini folder. 10 minutes ago, WraithTDK said: And I've got this setup on my ROMS in Launchbox When you are using the -cdrm option, you are no longer using MAME's software lists and are passing the path to the chd for MAME to use. Your file structure needs to be like this if using software list loading: Quote F:\ROMS\Phillips CD-I\cdi\zeldgam\zelda - the wand of gamelon (1993)(philips)(us).chd We also need to see your default MAME settings in the LB Emulator page. When using software lists, you only want to pass the software name, not a full path. Edited June 13, 2021 by Headrush69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WraithTDK Posted June 13, 2021 Author Share Posted June 13, 2021 Quote This file will not be used. MAME will only read the one in it's ini folder. I'm sorry,I meant I've got cdimono1.zip (the BIOS file) there. Since you suggested adding cdi\ to my path, I copied the BIOS in there, and just for good measure, I added it to F:\MAME\ROMS\ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headrush69 Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 So what exactly is the issue? What is happening? If you open a command prompt and navigate to your MAME folder, then run Quote mame.exe cdimono1 zeldgam -v it will tell us the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WraithTDK Posted June 14, 2021 Author Share Posted June 14, 2021 AHHH-HAAAAA! That IS a useful command! I'll make note of that for later! Looks like I must have got a bad BIOS file from somewhere. I'll have to track down a better one. First time I've seen a site with a bad ROM dump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WraithTDK Posted June 14, 2021 Author Share Posted June 14, 2021 It's definitely the BIOS. Looks like MAME is looking for those two files - zx405042p__cdi_slave_2.0__b43t__zzmk9213.mc68hc705c8a_withtestrom.7206 zx405042p__cdi_slave_2.1__b43t__zzmk9213.mc68hc705c8a_withtestrom.7201 and none of the dumps I've found seem to have them, just cdi200.rom & cdi200b.rom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil9000 Posted June 14, 2021 Share Posted June 14, 2021 29 minutes ago, WraithTDK said: AHHH-HAAAAA! That IS a useful command! I'll make note of that for later! Looks like I must have got a bad BIOS file from somewhere. I'll have to track down a better one. First time I've seen a site with a bad ROM dump. Bios files usually come with a romset, you shouldnt need to source them from random parts of the internet, that is likely exactly your issue. You are using the wrong bios version for the version of mame you are using, MAME emulator and MAME romsets are versioned for a very important reason. Roms and bios files change over the years and the emulator version knows exactly what files should be in the zip for its specific version, if that is not correct nothing will load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotsman Posted June 14, 2021 Share Posted June 14, 2021 58 minutes ago, WraithTDK said: It's definitely the BIOS. Looks like MAME is looking for those two files - zx405042p__cdi_slave_2.0__b43t__zzmk9213.mc68hc705c8a_withtestrom.7206 zx405042p__cdi_slave_2.1__b43t__zzmk9213.mc68hc705c8a_withtestrom.7201 and none of the dumps I've found seem to have them, just cdi200.rom & cdi200b.rom. these 2 files can be found in the cdi910.zip, I couldn't find it in any romset, so had to download it from the web. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil9000 Posted June 14, 2021 Share Posted June 14, 2021 I have them in my romset. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotsman Posted June 14, 2021 Share Posted June 14, 2021 I've got the .229 set and the only cdi bios included was the cdimono1.zip, I had to get the rest online. It's about time I updated my set anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WraithTDK Posted June 15, 2021 Author Share Posted June 15, 2021 SO CLOSE! Alright, I was able to get an updated set and a good BIOS from PD. The trick was that the BIOS was in the standard MAME ROM set, not the Software List set. That got it working. Now the trick is getting it to work with Launch Box. if I tell it Launchbox that I want to use MAME during the import, it doesn't find any games at all in my ROMS\Phillips CD-I directory. Presumably this is because it's looking for MAME ROMs, and the CD-I games aren't listed in the standard ROM set. I can get around this by telling it that I'm going to use Retroarch, and then swapping the console's default emulator to MAME once all of the games are scrapped. The problem there is that now is that the games aren't launching from Launchbox, which I assume is because it's sending the full name of the .chd file, instead of the shortened name that MAME recognizes. So instead of just sending zeldgamu, it's sending zelda - the wand of gamelon (1993)(philips)(us).chd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundogak Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 59 minutes ago, WraithTDK said: SO CLOSE! Alright, I was able to get an updated set and a good BIOS from PD. The trick was that the BIOS was in the standard MAME ROM set, not the Software List set. That got it working. Now the trick is getting it to work with Launch Box. if I tell it Launchbox that I want to use MAME during the import, it doesn't find any games at all in my ROMS\Phillips CD-I directory. Presumably this is because it's looking for MAME ROMs, and the CD-I games aren't listed in the standard ROM set. I can get around this by telling it that I'm going to use Retroarch, and then swapping the console's default emulator to MAME once all of the games are scrapped. The problem there is that now is that the games aren't launching from Launchbox, which I assume is because it's sending the full name of the .chd file, instead of the shortened name that MAME recognizes. So instead of just sending zeldgamu, it's sending zelda - the wand of gamelon (1993)(philips)(us).chd In LB It is setup as shown below: cdimono1 -cdrom There is also this thread on CD-i if still having issues. Lastly make sure your Mame.ini paths under rompath are set correctly to CHDs and ROMs based on your directory setup as well as hash path. Mame will figure out the naming appropriately based on the hash file. As example, my rompath is below but you would need to adjust to fit yours rompath roms;roms_chds;software;software_chds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WraithTDK Posted June 15, 2021 Author Share Posted June 15, 2021 I've got my Launchbox settings screnshotted a few comments up, looks the same as yours. I know the .ini file is functioning correctly, because like I said, I can now run the games from a command line prompt, for example mame.exe cdimono1 zeldgamu -v. The trouble - at least as near as I can tell - is that mame is looking for zeldgamu, which is the MAME-formatted name of the zelda - the wand of gamelon (1993)(philips)(us).chd, but instead it's getting the full name of the .chd file. That's why mame.exe cdimono1 zeldgamu -v will launch the game, but LB won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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