Launchbox/BigBox Platforms and MAME Manual Update

[Cloud791]

Hi everybody,

First of all, let me thank you so much LaunchBox dev and community for your kind effort and the highly appreciated BigBox Frontend!

I would like to update my MAME Full RomSet in LaunchBox and before proceeding, I kindly ask your support in order to do not make any mistake or lose any data.

I started using LaunchBox/BigBox few months ago, when I imported manually the Full MAME Romset (it was MAME 0.278) and I associated all the Roms to the default ARCADE Platform.

Then, I continued to import many other Arcade games for many platforms, such as Sega Triforce or Sega Model 3, and many emulators, such as TeknoParrot and its Full Romset.

So, in order to create ordered gaming lists, I decided to manually create new PLATFORMS, one per each Arcade Board, and to move every single imported game from the default ARCADE Platform to the custom Platform whose name coincides with the arcade board that originally plays the game. I've done this step by simply selecting each game and then right clicking on it, selecting Edit Metadata/Media and then switching the Platform to the custom one.

Basically, I have now several Platforms and I want to maintain them and keep them up to date. You can have a look to a set of them in the attached picture.

So, when I had to update MAME version, I faced two different problems and at this stage I solved just the first of them.

To update MAME binaries version, I simply switched the APPLICATION PATH in the Emulator record dedicated to MAME. Please consider I'm using GroovyMAME and I manually update it.

For the ROMs folder it was trickier, since I usually append the MAME version to the Folder Name, so I had to search and replace any occurrence of the older MAME Folder Name into LaunchBox Data Folder, using Notepad++ features. 

Now, coming to the second problem, I want to Import into LaunchBox all new MAME games that were added from MAME 0.279 to the latest MAME current version (0.284), while preserving the current Platforms and its already associated games and avoiding duplicate games (i.e. if I import MAME updated full ROMSet into Arcade default Platform, I don't want to import into Arcade Platform all SNK Neo Geo MAME games that I already moved from the Arcade Platform to the dedicated SNK Neo Geo MVS Platform).

Does Launchbox MAME import process looks for games duplicates across ALL (default and custom) Platforms, or just into the target (Arcade) Platform?

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Thanks a lot everybody!!

 

 

 

 

[JoeViking245]

37 minutes ago, Cloud791 said:

I want to Import into LaunchBox all new MAME games that were added from MAME 0.279 to the latest MAME current version (0.284),

Maybe take a look at this.  Note, it will only show MAME cabs (so you don't have to look a bunch of other junk). Also, not all revisions will show having any "new games" (like the last 2 or 3 revisions).  With just MAME cabs, you won't see new "prototypes" and the sort. 

I suggest 1st creating a new platform (Tools - Manage - Platforms).  Then import the "new games" into that platform.  From there, you can sort as you had previously done into their "proper" platforms.  It shouldn't be that bad. e.g. 0.279 will show only 9 games.  Worst case, it'd be a good start.

 

[Cloud791]

Dear @JoeViking245 thank you SO much for your kind reply and suggestion as well!

I installed the plugin you mentioned and it fits perfectly with my scope!

Probably there is just one bug: If I Add the missing Games of a specific newer MAME version and those games are other Sets/Versions or the new Main version of a MAME game already existing into my Arcade Platform, that game will be added as a duplicate. So I need to merge it somehow later. But it is absolutely the best starting point to update manually my game library in Launchbox!

Thanks a lot once again!!

Best regards.