updating mame rom/emu "properly"

[firedoggod]

i know a couple versions back the Mame emulator automatic download/update was introduced, i had incorrectly assumed that it just applied itself within the existing mame versions folder thus preserving my custom keymaps and so forth. i know now that was wrong and its going into its own folder which I'm fine with but its then not pulling over the keymaps and other settings. is it possible to make that happen automatically? if not anyone know what files i need to bring over by hand?

 

[skizzosjt]

20 minutes ago, firedoggod said:

i know a couple versions back the Mame emulator automatic download/update was introduced, i had incorrectly assumed that it just applied itself within the existing mame versions folder thus preserving my custom keymaps and so forth. i know now that was wrong and its going into its own folder which I'm fine with but its then not pulling over the keymaps and other settings. is it possible to make that happen automatically? if not anyone know what files i need to bring over by hand?

 

so depending on what you're really referring to, I'm giving you both locations not knowing which one specifically you mean. you could be talking about controller remaps or actually remapping controls for specific games

 

Controller remaps are going to be in MAME\ctrlr and will be named after whatever you made them as

These are ones for ex I use to make sure a xinput controller is always detected as controller #1 (aka "joycode_1" in MAME syntax)

 

Remapping controls for specific games will be in MAME\cfg and then the individual file would be named after the specific ROM file. These are commonly referred to as config files, hence the folder name and file type

These are what is used if you wanted to change individual buttons for games. ie changing the default jump button from left shift to spacebar. Though note they may contain more than just making button A act like button B, this would be where data is stored that says to toggle on/off crosshairs for a lightgun game for ex.

 

By theory, I would believe you could simply copy these folders and paste them over the new/updated location.

Alternatively you can also change where MAME searches for these files. In the mame.ini file you could either change the path all together, or list a 2nd path (or 3rd, and 4th, and so on) for MAME to look in. The mame.ini file will be in your MAME root folder, or more likely in the MAME\ini folder. For example I've circled specifically where these settings are in the ini. They are right at the top so pretty easy to find. Notice how the ini folder path has what looks like two entries? The semi-colon separator tells MAME to look in both the folder ini,  and in ini\presets. So that is how you would format it if you wanted to add additional folder paths rather than change the single one that is there.