MAME GameEx system pack - Installing latest version of mame

[zakvilneuv]

Hi all.

I open this new topic which seems not to have been spoken about.

In fact, after installing the NES and SNES system packs, for which all went well, I wanted to install the MAME system pack.

And then, I faced a problem.

I wanted to put the latest MAME version (0.192) where the GameEx MAME system pack includes version 0.180 .

So I took the 0.192 MAME ROMSET.

When I unzipped the system pack, I then replaced the emulator with the latest one (deleted every files, and unzipped the latest MAME installer in the "emulator" system pack folder.

I also put the ROMs I decided to keep in a E:\ROMS\MAME folder.

Then, launched the system pack installer (after indicating the right paths), and got an error.

In fact, after searching the forum, I discovered that we need a complete ROMSET for installing the system pack, but I don't want to keep all the ROMs because I've already selected the ones that correspond to my type of arcade cabinet (buttons numbers, types of controls (spinner, trackball, etc...)).

Is there any solution, or must I install everything manually ?

[Draco1962]

There is no way to automate selective exclusion so you will need to modify your collection manually I'm afraid. Also, it is difficult to know how to address the system pack installer error without knowing what error was generated. 

[Evilforces]

Hi Zakvilneuv, and welcome to GameEx forums!!!

In my opinion, seeing your particular config, my advise is to use a service like Emumovies to download only the media for the roms you have (and not all the system pack).

This has another benefict, you can save space on your hard drive downloading only the media for your existing roms.

You can use Emumovies Sync to do this.

 

[zakvilneuv]

@Draco1962 : the error was "invalid system pack path", and I think it was caused by replacing the MAME included in the system pack by the new version, because everything else seems OK... Or it's certainly due to the fact that I choosed to use an incomplete ROMset, as I saw in another topic, and the installer doesn't accept that...

I'll retry with the included MAME (v 0.180), just to undersand, but, never mind, if I have to do it manually I will. Or do it as usual with the system pack, and then, replace the old MAME emulator by the new one, and remove every ROMs replacing them with the new ones, and only the ones I want to keep... But not sure it's interesting to do that, instead of doing everything manually...

 

@Evilforces : Done ! thank you ! The system pack was 20Go, and the downloaded artworks for the ROMs I decided to keep is 411Mo !...

Now I just "need" to set-up MAME 0.192...

[RedDog]

@zakvilneuv The installer validates the set by checking for the very first rom in the set, 005.zip. If you don't have it, it errors. I assume since you stated your set is not complete that the rom is not present. If you still want to give the System Pack a try just create a 005.zip dummy and place it in your set before trying the installer. If that is indeed the cause of the problem, you should be fine.

However, like you recognized, the system pack has assets for every game regardless if you have it in your set or not. Since your set is far from complete, you may be wasting a fair amount of extra space. On the other hand, if you expect to add games in the future, you will likely already have the images.

[zakvilneuv]

Thank's RedDog. Really clear !

I didn't think it would check only the first one ! In the post I had read, I thought this dummy file was suggested just because it was the only ROM that the other guy was missing ! Now I understand.

I will see if I try to cheat with the installer or do it manually. In fact, I filtered the ROM in order to just keep the ones that suit my arcade cabinet controllers type and buttons number, and removing clones, casino games, etc... I know that Gameex can also filter, but the ROMs would have still been there !

Thank's again.

[Draco1962]

Did you happen to see this application by Tempest?

 

It has been a while since I last tried it so your mileage may vary, but my experience with most of Tempest's apps is that they have been very reliable and withstood the ravages of time.

EDIT:  This one may be deprecated due to age and changes in gameex.ini.

[RedDog]

@zakvilneuv Glad it was helpful.

[zakvilneuv]

@Draco1962 : Nice app, but as you told, seems outdated... Never mind, I not really need it I think, because I've already filtered my ROMs using ROMlister, and used its patch copy function to copy only the ROMs I had selected, to another directory. Really nice soft !

Thank's again !