Bulk Import of non-Roms?

[ZoneArc]

I have an arcade machine that used a custom launcher. I'm converting to Launchbox. I have a couple hundred games that span PS2, Windows, browser based games in custom browsers that are designed for arcade setups, etc that are non-installed, highly customized with batch files to ensure compatibility/controls, etc and would like to add these in to Launchbox under a specific "platform" so I can find them easily. I have them listed in a CSV under various columns and I had hoped that I could use this to import them in bulk but I can't find an import option that reads CSV to quickly generate these. 
I absolutely do not want to spend 8+ hours manually creating game after game, putting in launch parameters, etc to get all of these working. Is there ANY way to bulk add? I can't believe this doesn't exist after 10+ years ... 

[launchretrogirl2562]

If you want all of these under one specific platform name and all games under that one specific platform are all using different settings for launching.

I suppose that would be possible if you create several Mame emulators with each it's own launch commands and settings. (and after having imported them with shift or CTRL clicking all games, and mass-editing them to use a particular mame_custom emulator)

But really, to ask LB devs to build something that is so custom and having to understand probably hundreds of different ways of doing things or what is defined in the csv.
I don't think that is realistic.

Maybe if you posted your csv here so that we might get a bit more context. Cause without that...it's a crapshoot guessing what you mean

[dragon57]

I would have to agree with launchretrogirl2562. Posting your csv file, or least a few representative lines would really help.

For myself, if I had that same situation, I would write a custom parsing script and write out a platform xml file directly, or if you don't have the coding skills, use one of the AI online tools that is good at writing code. You would probably have to upload a short example from Launchbox so the AI knew what syntax is required, then your csv file. You should get really close doing that, and it may work straight away.

[ZoneArc]

So, the CSV was just something I did to organize them all in the hopes to import them. I should have checked if it was even possible first, so scratch that. 
Problem Statement:
Let's say you had 200+ games that launched from a variety of different paths (C:\program files\XXXXX\X.exe), batch files, etc. You wanted to load them up under a single category for ease .. so say Windows. 
Is the best option to create a new XML that defines them each as a unique entity? Because I'm perfectly capable of doing that either with a PS script or just use an LLM to build it out for me using my CSV as the source file. 

Ultimately, I have a crapload of unique stuff, some of the batches run windows games with custom parameters necessary, others run a special version of mame highly customized with 1 rom, etc. Its just easier for these not to dump them in raw and instead create them under 1 new category so I can keep the work I did years ago in place on these. 

[launchretrogirl2562]

I would take it step by step.
First import your windows games.
And first import the windows games who have bat files.
Then import the windows games who run by their exe files.

You can do this in steps cause in LB you can import windows games (or just select import rom files - single platform)...select 'Add files'...and go to your folder where your games are...in explorer right top search...just type *.bat
Then explorer shows all bat files in the folder you selected.
IF you select all bat files from your windows games with CTRL left click...you can easily add all of them.

Next you can do the same but then search for *.exe

Get that out of the way first. Then start focusing on MAME

Edited August 1 by launchretrogirl2562

[launchretrogirl2562]

you have to remember...u only need to import them once.
So take your time doing so cause trying to handle everything all at once can cause headaches later on when certain things don't work as u planned/thought.

After each import...test a few games.
Test the windows bat files u imported

Test the windows exe files u imported
 

[launchretrogirl2562]

And make sure your bat files are aptly named. Cause if u want to scrape metadata or artwork...your batfile name should reflect the name in the Games DB

[launchretrogirl2562]

@ZoneArc : Are u getting any further with importing your games?