Using an existing MAME installation with Launchbox

[Peter007]

Hi, 

I currently have a standalone installation of MAME running and I have no issues. I have set it up to my liking with CRT filter etc. and I am looking at using this installation with LB. 

I guess I could just point LB at MAME and its ROMS but I would like to have a smaller amount of games for this setup with LB and also have MAME within LB for when I eventually set up an arcade. 

My question is, If I choose to run the installer, install MAME within LB and then copy over the top my MAME setup, will this work? Then I would have the settings I want, and edit the ROM selection to my

taste. Does a copy/paste job work? Can I run two separate installations of MAME at once? I feel this is a simple answer but I would like to know before I start. MAME was tricky to setup on my first occasion and I do not want to run into more issues. 

Thanks, 

Peter 

[JoeViking245]

52 minutes ago, Peter007 said:

If I choose to run the installer, install MAME within LB and then copy over the top my MAME setup, will this work? Then I would have the settings I want, and edit the ROM selection to my taste.

The installer will install the most recent version of MAME. If your version is not the most recent, copying and older version on-top of a newer version is never a good idea.  Conversely, copying a newer version on-top of an older version is OK.  When 'updating' your MAME emulator, that's essentially what you're doing.  Or at least that's how I do it.

Your emulators do not have to be within the LaunchBox folder structure.  The easiest way for you [in this case] would be to go to Tools, Manage, Emulators, Add New Emulator. Call it "MAME" (or whatever you want) and point the Application Path to your existing mame.exe file.

1 hour ago, Peter007 said:

Can I run two separate installations of MAME at once?

You can, of course. But that just gets messy.

1 hour ago, Peter007 said:

have MAME within LB for when I eventually set up an arcade. 

When you do install/setup LaunchBox (if not already), create an Emulators folder under LaunchBox and a MAME (or whatever you want to call it) folder under that.  i.e. D:\LaunchBox\Emulators\MAME\  Then copy (or move) your existing MAME files/subfolders into the new MAME folder.  Then Add New Emulator as mentioned above.  

Since you have a bit of time invested into your current MAME setup, you may want to copy it rather than move it. Or at least create a backup of the existing install.  (Cheap insurance)

 

1 hour ago, Peter007 said:

I would like to have a smaller amount of games for this setup with LB

This is a whole 'nother topic in and of itself as there a several factors involved.  Bottom line is you can freely add and remove games from LaunchBox (as you mentioned: "edit the ROM selection to my taste").