BeemanDev Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 (edited) Presence of file "LB\Games\<Platform>\Platform.xml" => using games in sub folders named "LBGameName [year]" as per current import option (year is optional). Platform.xml may also contain metadata used to override the LB platform metadata on first import. Can be used to add custom platforms Each Game sub-folder optionally contains a Game.xml file used to override metadata when the game is first added. File has <Game> tag with 1+ static fields (Completed, Developer, Favourite, Notes, Platform, Publisher,Rating, DatabaseID, WikipediaURL, Title, Version, Broken, Genre, ReleaseType, MaxPlayers, VideoUrl) (same as Game Tags in current LB\Data\Platforms\<platformName>.xml file). Can be used to add missing/custom games. Each game folder also contains all the media for that game named MediaType_SubFolder (Subfolder optional) eg "Box - Back_Japan.jpg" => equivalent to being at "LB\Images\Atari 2600\Box - Back\Japan\Space Invaders.jpg" --Example file structure @ C:\Emu\LaunchBox\Games\Atari 2600\Space Invaders [1980]\ Box - 3D.png Box - 3D-02.png Box - Back.jpg Box - Back_Hack.jpg Box - Back_Japan.jpg Box - Back-02.jpg Box - Front.jpg Box - Front_Hack.jpg Cart - Front.png Clear Logo.png Fanart - Background.jpg Game.xml Manual.pdf Screenshot - Gameplay.png Space Invaders (Hack).zip Space Invaders (Japan).zip Space Invaders (USA).zip Video.mp4 Video_Theme.mp4 Video_Trailer.mp4 Bezel.png So, why do this? .Games/Meta are self contained so easy to quickly drag & drop game(s) from PC to other PC/android with all data to easily recreate .Variants are auto-grouped together (as current with folders) .No confusion over which rom or media LB is actually linking to. Easier to see what's missing and add new media. .Game.xml file allows easy addition of missing platforms/games or media/meta packs to be shared. Platform.xml can be used to add new platforms. .Leaves existing naming structures intact, just bolts on to top as simpler (imho) alternative file structure. Code-wise should be a lot easier than current, as files are all prenamed so all guesswork is eliminated. Just needs media location function to handle new location alternative. Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading. Edited August 30 by BeemanDev Further simplification 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucoshi Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 Good idea also i would add the region too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeemanDev Posted September 17 Author Share Posted September 17 (edited) It is there, original post says:- eg "Box - Back_Japan.jpg" => equivalent to being at "LB\Images\Atari 2600\Box - Back\Japan\Space Invaders.jpg" I've written code to do it now myself, using symlinks, can reverse process too. Injecting all the metadata in myself as LB importer did some things I didn't want, also Injects Game.xml/Platform.xml, copies Bezels to RetroArch, de-dups, lots of other stuff. Tested loads but yet to unleash on my real data. Temporarily side tracked, rewriting my MameSL importer I wrote a few years ago. Hopefully one day I can release it all, but don't hold your breath. This is revisit 3, over last decade to tame the emu beast. Edited September 17 by BeemanDev 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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