How to duplicate/copy a game?

[Zaphod54]

Is there an easy way to duplicate or copy a game entry in Launchbox?

I see lots of posts and info about merging or cleaning up duplicates, but can't find anything about CREATING a duplicate.

I want to have 2 entries for some games with slightly different configs for a different play experience.  So I'd like to copy the existing entry, which I can then edit and tweak the copy.

Or do I just have to reimport the rom again and use the option to import duplicates to make it create a 2nd copy?

[AstroBob]

Hi @Zaphod54 this sounds like a good use-case to use "Additional Apps", since you can have a single entry in LaunchBox, but then launch different versions, each of which can point to their own executable and have their own custom command line parameters.

Was just curious if this is a workflow you've explored, or if you're use-case wouldn't work for additional apps?

[Zaphod54]

I do understand what you're saying, I'm familiar with how LB manages different versions or clones of a game through Additional Apps, but I don't think that will accomplish what I want, for 2 reasons.  It's not like having different "versions" of a game, like clones.  It's different configurations of the SAME version of a game.

• I want a physically separate entry for the duplicate game.  I use BigBox in an arcade cabinet and I want it easy for non-technical user to easily be able to choose either.

• I'm already running multiple Additional Apps before the game launches, like starting DemulShooter, possibly a game specific AHK script, and sometimes one or two other things.  I still need to run Additional Apps in both instances, but the commands for those Additional Apps might be different for each instance.  I don't see an option with Additional Apps to configure each line item to run only with a specific "version".  If there is such an option and you can point me to it, I'll take a 2nd look at this idea.

 

Here is my most obvious example.  Star Wars Trilogy, running in the Supermodel emulator.  It's originally designed for an analog joystick, but it also plays well with a light gun.

• I want a separate "Star Wars Trilogy (Joystick)" entry and a "Star Wars Trilogy (Light gun)" entry easily selectable in BigBox.

• Within Supermodel itself, the controls configuration for the joystick are different from the light gun.  So, in Additional Applications I have a command to copy in the appropriate Supermodel control .ini file before launching the game.
  
  But also, with the light gun instance I need to send serial commands to configure my Gun4IR before launching the game, so that's another Additional Applications line item for the light gun instance.

Funny enough, I already DID do this for SWT, but for the life of me I can't remember how I created the copy.  It was a year ago.  But now I want to do the same thing for some other games.

 

[AstroBob]

Hi there, thanks for elaborating on the use case there, and makes sense.

As far as I know, there isn't a dedicated *duplicate* option in LaunchBox, however, there is the `combine/split` function used for separating additional apps into their instances. Nothing technically stops you from having 2 copies of the same game. You probably won't be able to get it to appear with an import, since LaunchBox will think you've got it in your library already, however, you can manually create a new entry and link it up to the same LaunchBox DB ID (it will even use the same media).

Of course, your audit section will flag it as a duplicate, but it should work as long as you don't mind.

[Zaphod54]

Ok, thank you!  Like I said, I did somehow manage to duplicate my Star Wars Trilogy entry, but I can't remember how I did it.

For duplicating with import, there is that option for "Force importing duplicate games".  Wouldn't that do the trick?

[AstroBob]

5 hours ago, Zaphod54 said:

For duplicating with import, there is that option for "Force importing duplicate games".  Wouldn't that do the trick?

Yes, however that is only for when you are importing a game. If you have that ticked, it will let you import a game even if it already exists in your library.

What I was referring to, is that there's no function such as (right click > duplicate entry). However you certainly can import a duplicate copy using the import wizard, and simply manually creating a new entry that uses the same LaunchBox DB ID, it will let you do that no problem.

[Zaphod54]

12 hours ago, AstroBob said:

Yes, however that is only for when you are importing a game. If you have that ticked, it will let you import a game even if it already exists in your library.

What I was referring to, is that there's no function such as (right click > duplicate entry). However you certainly can import a duplicate copy using the import wizard, and simply manually creating a new entry that uses the same LaunchBox DB ID, it will let you do that no problem.

Thanks again!  I think we're ultimately on the same page.  Just a little confusion about phrasing or terminology.

My comment about the "Force importing duplicate games" was in reply to your previous comment of "You probably won't be able to get it to appear with an import, since LaunchBox will think you've got it in your library already" in your previous reply.  So I thought you were implying that there was NO way to get a duplicate even by reimporting the rom.