Multiple Databases

[starbuck]

I know the databases are composed of No-intro games. I (like others I'm sure) have games that myself and my friends like to play that aren't in the no intro dats. These include homebrew games, Japanese and other country games that aren't available in a USA version, hacks and prototypes. I don't want to add these to my No-intro sets so I have them divided into seperate rom folders (Similar to what Goodtools does with them.) When friends use my cabinet, the No intros games work great. When myself or hardcore game friends want to play on the cabinet there are timews when we want to play games that are not your regualar run of the mill games.

Is it possible (not by me I'm afraid) to make a script that when you press a key or combination of keys when bring up a list of alternate databases location available for that emulator that you can select and change your list to that database. No-Intro would be the default database when you start up GameEx. When the script is run the new database would be in effect untill you exit that emulator.

All you would be doing is selecting a new rom path on the fly. Don't beleive anyother front end gives you this option.

Any thoughts and is this something that can be done with minimual work. With the new subfolders option that Tom recently put in this would make my cabinet perfect.

[bkenobi]

First, I'm pretty sure the goal of the database project is to include all retail games, so I think all known commercial games should be included. It's not based on No-Intro strictly speaking...AFAIK.

Second, these databases are simply Access mdb files, so you could just add your own games in if you choose. There's no need to have a switching feature, just add the data you want in there. Flash and/or HK might include it in the official database if you provide the data for them.

[greatflash]

First, I'm pretty sure the goal of the database project is to include all retail games, so I think all known commercial games should be included. It's not based on No-Intro strictly speaking...AFAIK.

Second, these databases are simply Access mdb files, so you could just add your own games in if you choose. There's no need to have a switching feature, just add the data you want in there. Flash and/or HK might include it in the official database if you provide the data for them.

The databases are designed around the naming conventions of no-intro, goodtools, and tosec. So they should cover (when complete) pretty much all available sets.

The downside is that very new releases will not be present (yet) and also, games named in a format other than them may not match. If a certain system only has dats for one or two of the databases, I have done my best to pick names that may still enable a match.

[bkenobi]

Ok, I misspoke myself. What I meant to say was that the databases don't use just the no-intro format. They include several formats...but that's what you said Flash

[greatflash]

Ok, I misspoke myself. What I meant to say was that the databases don't use just the no-intro format. They include several formats...but that's what you said Flash

Ahhhh, sorry mate, I messed myself also, I meant to reply to the original post - and failed..

Silly me...

[starbuck]

The purpose of having multiple databases for emulators was to have a way like in Mame to filter the roms and reduce the size of the games lists for those who use the cabinet. Currently I don't know of a way in GameEx to filter a set of roms for emulators without making a map file. (Which is what I do now) All my map file does is give me a neat name of the rom,not all the good info you guys have worked so hard top put into the databases. This means though that I must have each emulator in my list multiple times. Also when I update my database when GameEx has an update, won't it overwrite my changes. I would want the update to get all the new info.

[starbuck]

Another quick thought. Maybe I'll not clear. I don't want multiple databases. With Tom's new folder and subfolder feature, all my roms do show up.

My tree

Genesis/Roms

No-intro

Japanese and other countries that does not have a USA counterpart

Hacks

Prototypes

Homebrew

My rom directory in Gameex is Genesis\roms

I f i could on the fly pick anyone subfolder only I would only display the roms in that folder.

All the above directories would access the one database because the main folder does. So there would not be multiple databases.

I showed Genesis because if I have all the roms in one directory I Have a list of over 9000 roms. This takes a while to load and takes a while to sort thru.

[bkenobi]

I think the easiest thing to do is to run a different version of GameEx for each setup. You can do that using the script that Tempest put together. The only problem is, I can't find the thread where it was being discussed! DOH!!!

[Tempest]

I think the easiest thing to do is to run a different version of GameEx for each setup. You can do that using the script that Tempest put together. The only problem is, I can't find the thread where it was being discussed! DOH!!!

Better late than never???

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?showtopic=6901

[starbuck]

Thanks Tempest,

I've tried this method and not really a good solution. I currently have 162 emulators setup in GameEx. If each emulator had 4 Gameex setups (Jap, Protoype, Homebrew, and all others) I would have over 700 setups. Several past frontends I've have used and the new Hyperspin has this function built in (Genre in the case of Hyperspin) As of yet no other frontend has the functionabilty of GameEx. I use it for all my movie, gaming, comic books, Katraoke etc. Was tring to come up with a easy way to have the function in GameEx.

[Tempest]

Well, I think that you are really only talking about having 4 different GameEx.ini files. All of your emulators would be the same, with different rom paths. Of course you would have to shut GameEx down, and re-start...

Also, since we are talking, are you still interested in the password option that we had talked about? I sent you a PM, but you never responded. The code I attached was just a sample of what could be done.

I would be happy to help you with either one of these if you want to pursue them.

[starbuck]

Well, I think that you are really only talking about having 4 different GameEx.ini files. All of your emulators would be the same, with different rom paths. Of course you would have to shut GameEx down, and re-start...

Also, since we are talking, are you still interested in the password option that we had talked about? I sent you a PM, but you never responded. The code I attached was just a sample of what could be done.

I would be happy to help you with either one of these if you want to pursue them.

[starbuck]

Hey Tempest,

Sent a private reply, guess it didn't go thru for some reason????????

I think you are on the right path for the password. And I agree that a popbox would help alot.

No, I believe you would have a lot more then 4 ini files. Yes if you wanted an ini for all homebrew for all emulators. Or an in for all jap games. But this isn't what I want to do. I want to be able while in GameEx to press a key while in the gamelist fro any one emulator and a box pop up saying

All

Homebrew

Japanese

prototype

you pick one and you game list changes to a list of just the one you pick. I currently do it with map files but I have to have a seperate emulator setup for each.

Check out Hyperspin and see how they handle Genre. Several other of the frontends do this. But I love GameEx and it does everything else for me so well. Now that Tom has added subfolders, your list pick could just change the folder you are reading.

With this method, someone using my cab could be playing say Genesis and want to narrow down the rom list form all to say just RPG games in English. Or a list for nes with over 6000 games to just the games beginning with "C". All this could be controlled either by the number of folders or map files that you have. Hyperspin does it using XML files. You can have as many combinations as you want with it reading from the same directory.

Thank you for your help

[bkenobi]

You only need a different database/installation of GameEx if you want this for MAME though. GameEx treats MAME differently than all other emulators...

[starbuck]

Comfused,

Don't want it for Mame.

But for other emulators.

Right now I have a 5 sometimes 6 setups for each of my systems.

Genesis\roms

Genesis\roms\ no-intro

Genesis\roms\Japanese

Genesis\roms\homebrew

Genesis\rom\prototypes

They all referance the same data base but because of my map files I only show in the list the games for the above type.

I understand Tom may be getting rid of map files in the future and then there will be no way to seperate roms.

I have started doing away with my map files and just showing the rom directory as above for each of the above setups.

If there way a way to change the directory on the fly and thus change the game list, it would give a whole lot of flexability to GameEX.

[bkenobi]

Maybe I'm confused, but if you have 5 or 6 versions of your romset set up in different emulators, then what's the problem?

In the example you list, you have 5 sets for Genesis. You can set each up as an emulator and point each to the same Genesis database. The main down side to this is that you have to set up 5 emulators for this system (not much that you can do about that though). If you want to shrink your list (which would be pointless in this case), you could group the emulators together. There would be no way to tell which set it came out of AFAIK though.

There is another option you might want explore, though. Tom recently added the "Roms in sub-directories" option. I haven't played with it yet, but it might help you create a single emulator setup for what you are trying to do. I don't know if it lists each game in a single list or if it keeps some reference to the folder it came from though.

When I originally suggested multiple versions of GameEx, I misunderstood thinking you were asking about MAME. For what you are trying to do, you don't need to do that. You will have to put some effort into setting things up since your desired setup is not exactly standard. Your system does look nicely organized though.

[starbuck]

Thats exactly what I'm doing now for each emulator. Currently I have over a 100 emulators set up. If I was to do that for each emulator I would have over 500 setups, more then GameEx can handle. This also creates a lot of duplication, as they all are using the same setup with only the rom directories being different. The big advantage is the size of the game lists.

Take Genesis for instance. No-intro has less then 2000 games. But if I use all games. Prototypes, homebrew, Japanese etc. It grows to over 9000 games. I like the advantage of the user pickling what type games they are looking to play. I looking for a script that will go into the run before of an emulator and by pressing a key when you start an emulator will allow the changing of the rom directory based on what key you press. If none is pressed it would default to the directory in your setup. Tempest is looking into this. I got to believe there are others that would love to have this option. This would really add relability to GameEx.