Multi Databases

[starbuck]

If I edit or add to the games database and I reinstalled GaMeEx manually, I assume my changes will be overwritten. If I made the database read only,I won't get any of the changes made by the database team. Can an option be added to have a GameEx option setting so each emulator can be told to wheater to use a different database or the install GameEx database and where to look for the different database. This option would be used when for that emulator you don't want to use the database that comes with Gameex. If the option is no that emulator would use the installed GameEx database.

[Tom Speirs]

They way it works is you just make a copy of the database, then tell GameEx to use the copy in the emulator config and work with the copy.

[starbuck]

Hi Tom,

THanks for the quick reply.

Can I do that on a per emulator basis.

[Tom Speirs]

Maybe I misunderstand but you can make as many copies or any new databases you need and just tell each emulator which one to use. Multiple emulator configs can use either the same or different databases.

[starbuck]

Thanks thats what I want to do. I'm starting to put some computer emulators into GameEx and alot of the files are compulations roms. They have multiple games on one disc. They don't fit in the normal structure No-Intro, TOSEC etc.

ON these I want to use a custom database where when you enter the game you will get a description showing what games are in the compulation.

[Tom Speirs]

The NoIntro, Goodname etc just try to lookup the filename so you should be able to use those, then when GamEex matches the filename it will show the description.

[starbuck]

Tried using the current database and it found no match. Durning the early days of emulation. BBS groups made compulation disls with 5 or six or more games on a single disk with a menu. Currently I'm working on setting up Atari 800. So far I have disks from 4 different groups that did this. One group names their disks Gamedisc001, Gamedisc002, etc. Without making a custom database a user has no idea what is on each disk when they show up in GameEx. If I I take the current database and add entrys giving the description for these game disk with what games are on that disk It will solve the problem. I just don't want to update the regular database with these new changes. I want to use a seperate database just for Atari 800 so when I manually update GameEx and have it overwrite my databse for my other roms. This why I want to use a seperate database with a few emulators. As the group updates the normal databse I want those changes so I can use them for my other emulators. (Currently I don't even think Atari 800 is in the databe that comes with GameEx.)

[Draco1962]

You may want to look at the Atari 5200 and 7800 Console DBs and modify as needed (Renaming, of course, for the Atari 8-bit) for those programs that are not compilation disks as thbe 5200+ was basically the 400/800/800XL without the keyboard and external drives. You will find many titles for individual games to be the same (ex: Ballblazer, Rescue on Fractilus - also known as Behind Jaggi Lines). You may need to modify the names in the DB to match the 8-bit files, but it may save you considerable time with setting up the descriptions.