various issues with PSX games and redump

[papazark]

Hi there

I've been doing some test with psx dats from redump and hit some issues.

Redump focuses on exact dump (their dumping guide is quite complex) so I wanted to check my rips against their dat file.

I want to store my PSX games in a different folder for each game, so my PSX roms root only contains subfolders.

So, to test the 'worst case' scenario, I downloaded the full '.cue' pack from redump (containing only cue files), and created a folder for everyone of them.

(about 2400 folders)

To make that work in gameex, I activated 'sub folders', and put a filter on *.cue.

That worked well, but it's extremely slow.

GameEx takes forever to 'Update List', it's not possible to interupt it, and Alt+Tabbibg doesn't work well.

Once the list is updated, I can select a game, play it, but everytime I return to the main list (with back button), it updates the list again.

Is there a way to speedup things, have them cached or even disable the scan ?

Next issue is about naming conventions.

I'd like to use redump names, but they aren't in GameEx database, so I don't see game info in GameEx

Just to make a test, I edited the PSX DB to replace one of the goodname with one from redump, and GameEx was fooled.

I was able to display the game resume correctly.

So, would it be possible to add a Redump column in GameEX database or is it out of scope ?

[fRequEnCy]

  papazark said:

Hi there

I've been doing some test with psx dats from redump and hit some issues.

Redump focuses on exact dump (their dumping guide is quite complex) so I wanted to check my rips against their dat file.

I want to store my PSX games in a different folder for each game, so my PSX roms root only contains subfolders.

So, to test the 'worst case' scenario, I downloaded the full '.cue' pack from redump (containing only cue files), and created a folder for everyone of them.

(about 2400 folders)

To make that work in gameex, I activated 'sub folders', and put a filter on *.cue.

That worked well, but it's extremely slow.

GameEx takes forever to 'Update List', it's not possible to interupt it, and Alt+Tabbibg doesn't work well.

Once the list is updated, I can select a game, play it, but everytime I return to the main list (with back button), it updates the list again.

Is there a way to speedup things, have them cached or even disable the scan ?

Next issue is about naming conventions.

I'd like to use redump names, but they aren't in GameEx database, so I don't see game info in GameEx

Just to make a test, I edited the PSX DB to replace one of the goodname with one from redump, and GameEx was fooled.

I was able to display the game resume correctly.

So, would it be possible to add a Redump column in GameEX database or is it out of scope ?

Try saving the map file that it generates when it updates the list and then point to it in configuration. That should speed it up for ya.

[papazark]

  fRequEnCy said:

Try saving the map file that it generates when it updates the list and then point to it in configuration. That should speed it up for ya.

thanks for the suggestion, I'll have a look at that.

I did a mistake in my previous post, the message wasn't 'Updating List', but only a 'Please Wait'

I check what happened in the log file, and when I select my PSX emu, the last line in the log file states

15:25:27.1 3/22/2009: Restoring Emulator Database From Cache

Then, nothing during 3 minutes. Looks like it's a cache issue.

I destroyed the cache, and tried again.

It's almost the same time to get access to the game list (and regenerate the cache), so I would say the cache isn't super effective

Could that be related to the 'scan subfolder' option ?

Bug or feature ?

I have some other folder containing 3000+ files and the loading is instantaneous (but no subfolders scan activated)

Any way to activate more logs to see exactly what's taking time ?

[JK1974]

I have written about this already at http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?showtopic=7128. The directory list is being read several times if you have "Show last games played" is activated.

Try to disable this option until a fixed GameEx is available.

[papazark]

  JK1974 said:

I have written about this already at http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?showtopic=7128. The directory list is being read several times if you have "Show last games played" is activated.

Try to disable this option until a fixed GameEx is available.

Damned, and I thought I did my homework.

I was about the push the investigation further with ProcMon but it seems you already did that

As a 'user' I obviously consider that as a bug

I removed the show last games played and it worked

thanks for the tip.

Now I need to figure out the naming problem ...

[fRequEnCy]

  papazark said:

Damned, and I thought I did my homework.

I was about the push the investigation further with ProcMon but it seems you already did that

As a 'user' I obviously consider that as a bug

I removed the show last games played and it worked

thanks for the tip.

Now I need to figure out the naming problem ...

Since PSX doesn't use the Goodname or No-Intro naming convention then it would just be wise to copy the psx database and enter in the names of your roms in the Goodname section. That's how the others are done. But would make a copy and name it it your own file to avoid it being over written during updates.

[bkenobi]

Yes, either make it read only or name it something else or it WILL be over written. That would be a horrible waste of time!

[papazark]

  bkenobi said:

Yes, either make it read only or name it something else or it WILL be over written. That would be a horrible waste of time!

Thanks for the suggestions !

Of course I'd prefer to leave GameEx official DB untouched and benefit from automatic updates, but it seems I won't have choice

I'll have to go with my own custom DB for Redump PSX list and manualy merge changes from the dat file and GameEX DB.

Does anybody know if there are plans to support Redump names, since I don't see NoIntro making a PSX set ?

[fRequEnCy]

  papazark said:

Thanks for the suggestions !

Of course I'd prefer to leave GameEx official DB untouched and benefit from automatic updates, but it seems I won't have choice

I'll have to go with my own custom DB for Redump PSX list and manualy merge changes from the dat file and GameEX DB.

Does anybody know if there are plans to support Redump names, since I don't see NoIntro making a PSX set ?

As far as support then we would have to wait for headkaze or flash to see what they have planned. I do know they are busy with other projects so if this is wanted, someone can take it upon themselves to put in the time to do the db for the community.

[JK1974]

  papazark said:

Now I need to figure out the naming problem ...

I simply copied the "Name" column to the "GoodName" column in the "GameData" table of the database - then it worked for quite a lot of games.

[bkenobi]

If you have any experience with databases, you could build your own and use queries to grab the data from the official GameEx database. That way you could keep up to date and get the benefit from your own naming without worrying about getting your stuff overwritten.