RetroFE new starter questions

[Doosh]

Hi

I have a few question as a new starter about the RetroFE which I hope someone is able to answer:

1. Is the games selection list in the emulator (game) selection layout for any emulator, is it a XML file? ie. For MAME you use an MAME 0.195 XML file, for Model2 you use an Model2 XML file ... etc?

2. Is there a tool that you can use to edit XML files. For example, MAME has arcade games, pokey games, console games, working games, non working games  ... etc. If I want to only have a MAME XML file that only has working arcade games, how can this be done?

3. Is there a location where I can download the XMl files for emulators. I note on the RetroFE download web page that you are able to download the MAME 0.195 XML file.

4. Further to question 2 above, if for example I have a MAME Arcade XML file created, what is the best way to delete unwanted games.

5. For MAME emulation, I intend using the ARCADE64 0.195 with RetroFE. Does anyone know if there is a equivalent:

a) no nag version of ARCADE64

b) XML file for ARCADE64

6. Does RetroFE support the X-Arcade (tank version) joystick? and if so, what is the configuration required to have it operational with RetroFE?

7. I came across the RocketLauncher Wiki web site (http://www.rlauncher.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page), and I note that RocketLauncher supports RetroFE.

What is the benefit of using Rocketlauncher with RetroFE? Can any one give examples of using RocketLauncher with RetroFE.


Look forward to replies.

Thank you.
D.

[Agent47]

1. The xml files are only used for meta data (publisher, developer, year, genre, etc). The game list in the frontend is generated by scanning your rom folder for the file extensions you specify. If you only want to list certain roms instead of all the roms you can list the rom names in the include.txt file for that system and it will only show those games.

2. There are a million different filtered MAME lists available on the downloads page that Pieter generates.

3. Most people use the xmls from HyperSpin (which I believe are included in the RetroFE download) but most of those are terrible in terms of quality per the guidelines they're supposed to abide by and some are flat out useless.

4. That depends. You can open it in a text editor and manually delete them or probably use one of the many database tools on the HyperSpin website to do so since they basically have the same structure.

5. I'm sure there's plenty of no-nag builds compiled on various frontend and emulation websites, I don't use Arcade64. You would just use a normal MAME xml.

6. You should be able to just set the controls config to match the preset tank stick mapped keys to control the frontend. You would still obviously have to map your emulators individually since that's completely separate from the frontend itself.

7. I've use RL for years with RetroFE and for years before that with other frontends. The main benefits people care about are the cosmetic ones such as Fade (loading screen), Pause (menu that can be triggered in game to view media, manuals, etc) and probably some other stuff I take for granted. RL handles all the emulator launching so you wouldn't need to mess with launcher confs in RetroFE. It also handles keymappers, per system and per game emu configs, and automates some processes regarding emulator launching.

I personally love it, but it's not for everyone. Much like frontends it's a matter of personal preference. It has a bit of a learning curve and some people find the UI confusing.

[Doosh]

HI Agent47

Thank you for your reply.

In reply to the following points: - Please feel free to correct any assumption I have made:

1. Thank you for explaining when the need is to use the XML files. Based on that information I will not require the XML files as I am not interested in meta data, only the games list. It make sense that the games list is generated from what is available in the rom directory.

I am only interested in using RetroFE for arcade emulation only (ie. Mame, model2 , model 3 taito X, Daphne ...). So that the games list is generated in RetroFE, I support I will use the following procedure fro the following emulators:

a) Mame - Use the "include.txt" for for games list generation as I am only interested in working arcade games and not for pokies, console ... emulation.
b) Model 2 - Have RetroRF scan the roms folder to generate the games list.
c) Model 3 - Have RetroRF scan the roms folder to generate the games list.
d) Tatio X - Have RetroRF scan the roms folder to generate the games list.
e) Daphne - Have RetroRF scan the roms folder to generate the games list.

Questions:

i) What does the "include.txt" file contents look like. Is it just the file name of the roms (ie. 1942.zip)?
ii) What is the best way of generating a "include.txt" file for Mame? Are there any tool available? If you know of the too, please provide details.
iii) when RetroFE reads the rom directory or the "include.txt" file to generate the games list, does it cross match the logo file and display the logo like on the games selection screen.
ix) If a rom is found, but the logo file is not found, what shown on the the games selection screen. Nothing ie. the game is not shown on the games list. I gather this is true also with the "include.txt" file.

2. Thanks. What is the link to the Pieter filtered MAME lists. I did a search, but could not locate it. I presume that it has XML files, which I presume will not be useful to me as I am not interested in meta data.

Question:
 
i) Is there XML files which only list the rom details and not the meta data. If so, I am wondering if it is possible to cut and paste the filtered contents to a "include.txt" file.
ii) If you know of a tool(s) that can generate XML files, please let me know.
ii) Not sure, but I found the following tool under third party tools on the forum - "Hyperlist-2-include" (http://retrofe.nl/SMF/index.php?topic=171.0). Does this file generate the include.txt file from a xml file? If that is the case, than this might me the tool that I am looking for.

3. Thanks - Advice taken. I am hoping that the web site Pieter filtered MAME lists has the xml file, or even use a tool to generate the xml file. I have searched hyperspin tools, but could not locate a useful XML generator when I can filter for working arcade games only, remove clones, pinball, console, poker ...etc and may be just filter for just English games.

4. Refer 3 above.

5. Found the Mame Arcade 64 no lag on the hyperspin web site (http://hyperspin-fe.com/files/category/448-other/). current version 0.94 available.

6. Thanks. I will be interested if anyone uses the X-Arcade (tank) with RetroFEand if they can share their FE and Emulator joystick config files.

7. Thanks - It seem to be a very complicate tool!

Thank you again.

Thank you.
D





http://hyperspin-fe.com/files/category/448-other/

[Agent47]

1. The include.txt is just a list of the rom name w/o extension, 1 per line:

Code: [Select]

1942
sf2ce
umk3
Include files for MAME are contained in the package on the download page matching the xmls. The art is matched according to rom name regardless of whether you use an include or have it scan the directory. If you don't have art it will display the rom description in text instead.

2. http://retrofe.nl/download/

[Pieter Hulshoff]

For emulators like MAME, you may want to add that MAME.xml file, just so sorting will be done on the full name rather than the short name of the game that MAME uses. Just download the zip file for your MAME version, put the mame_full.xml file as MAME.xml in the meta/hyperlist directory, and put the include file with the filters of your choice as include.txt in your collections/Arcade directory.

Depending on your theme, if menu art cannot be found it will either show nothing (though the game is still selectable in the list) or the name of the game in text.