Could I possible request for some entries in the DATs be checked, please? I think they might be wrong.
If you could please not shoot the messenger I am not looking to cause trouble or more work for you, just looking to help.
An entry (shown below) in "Bally Professional Arcade & Astrocade - Applications - [WAV]" I think has an incorrect ROM name, the game name states "2 of 2", but the ROM name states "1 of 2". As there is already a "1 of 2" entry which looks correct, I presume this should have been "2 of 2".
<game name="Blue RAM Utility v1.3 (1982)(Perkins Engineering)[2000 baud - Blue RAM BASIC - Load 2 of 2]">
<description>Blue RAM Utility v1.3 (1982)(Perkins Engineering)[2000 baud - Blue RAM BASIC - Load 2 of 2]</description>
<rom name="Blue RAM Utility v1.3 (1982)(Perkins Engineering)[2000 baud - Blue RAM BASIC - Load 1 of 2].wav" size="438300" crc="e85e91bd" md5="e6b078d436c98cdb04af430c48646881" sha1="d7240779cc5ff254f2ab615446ebfdecc6420328"/>
</game>
An entry (shown below) in "Commodore Amiga - CD - Compilations - [ISO]" I think has an incorrect ROM name, the game name has the tag of "[a]", but the ROM name is missing this tag. Another ROM already exists without the tag of "[a]" so a duplicate ROM name exists, but the sha1 hash is different in both cases.
<game name="Scene Archives, The #10 (2001)(APC&TCP)[a]">
<description>Scene Archives, The #10 (2001)(APC&TCP)[a]</description>
<rom name="Scene Archives, The #10 (2001)(APC&TCP).iso" size="675338240" crc="866b7b0d" md5="05ee86e5a2a39dcca5811f148aa8f238" sha1="a9159b1fdbee4f2fa66839a64be8c34c1290b41f"/>
</game>
Just whilst I am on this may in fact be correct, but I am unsure so just bringing it to someone's attention who is more knowledgeable. It's two things really. The first is that in the below entry Track 1 is sort of a duplicate if you consider the game name the entry had having just that track, however, it isn't due to the 2nd track having a different hash to the 2nd track in the other similar game name, I guess that's correct.
My 2nd query was to do with the name of track 2, the game name has the [a] flag on this entry, the other entry does not have this flag, but the names for track 2 are the same in both entries, should the ROM name in this entry also have the [a] flag, I have seen this for other games in other systems.
<game name="Cannon Fodder (1993)(Virgin)[Amiga-CD32][a]">
<description>Cannon Fodder (1993)(Virgin)[Amiga-CD32][a]</description>
<rom name="Cannon Fodder (1993)(Virgin)[Amiga-CD32].cue" size="264" crc="a738441f" md5="35b2d5e68f4746e6db4b3b3de47a1899" sha1="03d1d9d7459418d5716f8cc911251dbe3d83c910"/>
<rom name="Cannon Fodder (1993)(Virgin)[Track 1 of 2][!][Amiga-CD32].iso" size="55775232" crc="9b71fa84" md5="5ea736e3aff3cb2ca065216aac2dd492" sha1="c86edeaf3aaf81ef36e8054ad846215b6c20a7f8"/>
<rom name="Cannon Fodder (1993)(Virgin)[Track 2 of 2][Amiga-CD32].iso" size="29811600" crc="091a2789" md5="0141ba81cf04e0f90192dcd903b9871f" sha1="5ac8b10b69a9275adffcaa64f3e121fd9441cc73"/>
</game>
I have a question if a game name has a flag that is exactly "[a3]" for example, do the ROM names also need to have "[a3]" or is "[a]" sufficient? An example below of this from "Commodore C64 - Demos - [Z64]".
<game name="Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a3]">
<description>Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a3]</description>
<rom name="1!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="43214" crc="3dc71b06" md5="18971d297b76ade9cb0478d5cf1cfbf8" sha1="6b013a50bc08f3254552b04f95efe1a7b467cfa6"/>
<rom name="2!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="41476" crc="5159eeb2" md5="e352276fbb078bcee25cd77348f4889c" sha1="32b951480b6c1931e3de2e67d3aa375f5c654ab1"/>
<rom name="3!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="39869" crc="8a7ec888" md5="3731c16b540cd9331f26f19d90194fa1" sha1="e0dddeb11eef011cb1c480eb7b0f6353df68cccf"/>
<rom name="4!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="45117" crc="4969be85" md5="8817820521cf5adae2500d92b5fe4d3e" sha1="eb1667b2c6f48bf4146389218ad83303169815dc"/>
</game>
Edit: Actually I have just noticed that there are four entries for the game "Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)", but all the CRC, MD5, SHA1 hashes are identically in them all. Are they placeholders as you don't have the correct hashes yet, or is this a typo?
<game name="Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)">
<description>Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)</description>
<rom name="1!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A).z64" size="43214" crc="4282e188" md5="e7b1a2f7fb302a9b90e7e333609c472d" sha1="0f8f5c5bcbcdac0b80f4356b91a33d80b56f3310"/>
<rom name="2!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A).z64" size="41476" crc="5159eeb2" md5="e352276fbb078bcee25cd77348f4889c" sha1="32b951480b6c1931e3de2e67d3aa375f5c654ab1"/>
<rom name="3!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A).z64" size="39794" crc="e8982015" md5="adb4c36cc0819fac144f489780cf12ea" sha1="4ec9c2d7addb9ea98490d6c577b1410b60a16b8b"/>
<rom name="4!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A).z64" size="45117" crc="4969be85" md5="8817820521cf5adae2500d92b5fe4d3e" sha1="eb1667b2c6f48bf4146389218ad83303169815dc"/>
</game>
<game name="Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a]">
<description>Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a]</description>
<rom name="1!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="43214" crc="3dc71b06" md5="18971d297b76ade9cb0478d5cf1cfbf8" sha1="6b013a50bc08f3254552b04f95efe1a7b467cfa6"/>
<rom name="2!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="41476" crc="5159eeb2" md5="e352276fbb078bcee25cd77348f4889c" sha1="32b951480b6c1931e3de2e67d3aa375f5c654ab1"/>
<rom name="3!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="39869" crc="8a7ec888" md5="3731c16b540cd9331f26f19d90194fa1" sha1="e0dddeb11eef011cb1c480eb7b0f6353df68cccf"/>
<rom name="4!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="45117" crc="4969be85" md5="8817820521cf5adae2500d92b5fe4d3e" sha1="eb1667b2c6f48bf4146389218ad83303169815dc"/>
</game>
<game name="Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a2]">
<description>Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a2]</description>
<rom name="1!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a2].z64" size="43214" crc="3dc71b06" md5="18971d297b76ade9cb0478d5cf1cfbf8" sha1="6b013a50bc08f3254552b04f95efe1a7b467cfa6"/>
<rom name="2!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a2].z64" size="41476" crc="5159eeb2" md5="e352276fbb078bcee25cd77348f4889c" sha1="32b951480b6c1931e3de2e67d3aa375f5c654ab1"/>
<rom name="3!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a2].z64" size="39869" crc="8a7ec888" md5="3731c16b540cd9331f26f19d90194fa1" sha1="e0dddeb11eef011cb1c480eb7b0f6353df68cccf"/>
<rom name="4!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a2].z64" size="45117" crc="4969be85" md5="8817820521cf5adae2500d92b5fe4d3e" sha1="eb1667b2c6f48bf4146389218ad83303169815dc"/>
</game>
<game name="Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a3]">
<description>Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a3]</description>
<rom name="1!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="43214" crc="3dc71b06" md5="18971d297b76ade9cb0478d5cf1cfbf8" sha1="6b013a50bc08f3254552b04f95efe1a7b467cfa6"/>
<rom name="2!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="41476" crc="5159eeb2" md5="e352276fbb078bcee25cd77348f4889c" sha1="32b951480b6c1931e3de2e67d3aa375f5c654ab1"/>
<rom name="3!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="39869" crc="8a7ec888" md5="3731c16b540cd9331f26f19d90194fa1" sha1="e0dddeb11eef011cb1c480eb7b0f6353df68cccf"/>
<rom name="4!Follow the Sign 3 - Unsound Minds 75% (1996)(Byterapers)(Side A)[a].z64" size="45117" crc="4969be85" md5="8817820521cf5adae2500d92b5fe4d3e" sha1="eb1667b2c6f48bf4146389218ad83303169815dc"/>
</game>
Could someone perhaps cast an eye over these two entries in "Texas Instruments TI-80 - Demos", should one of them be removed they look identical except for a minor difference in the game name.
1st:
<game name="Chansey (2002)(Meysman, Timmy)">
<description>Chansey (2002)(Meysman, Timmy)</description>
<rom name="chansey.txt" size="2160" crc="9896c55d" md5="905f156bf5c275215db57b0a08e732cc" sha1="150cf20cfb584fa76f56c3905a5d3943e6233a0b"/>
</game>
2nd:
<game name="Chansey v1.0 (2002)(Meysman, Timmy)">
<description>Chansey v1.0 (2002)(Meysman, Timmy)</description>
<rom name="chansey.txt" size="2160" crc="9896c55d" md5="905f156bf5c275215db57b0a08e732cc" sha1="150cf20cfb584fa76f56c3905a5d3943e6233a0b"/>
</game>
I don't know whether this is right or not, so just not saying this is wrong, merely asking if it is right in "Commodore C65 - Demos" there are two entries that have identical files amongst others, is that correct? It looked odd to me that another entry would have all the files from another entry in it. There are other entries similar to the two below also so it may well be correct on the basis that I would like to think it would be hard to make the same mistake multiple times.
1st:
<game name="Border (19xx)(Kleinert, Stephan)">
<description>Border (19xx)(Kleinert, Stephan)</description>
<rom name="border-demo" size="666" crc="96500191" md5="d6ecf73628df3b64e6243f095fe2eac6" sha1="0cf64eb3dff90788df221870aad39b229093f4d1"/>
<rom name="border.obj" size="124" crc="5b0ab73d" md5="a927d46389aa7d67607db993ffc32616" sha1="bc25ca6798e9813e22b3bbf4a5320a29d9502f98"/>
<rom name="border.src" size="1607" crc="7a809776" md5="274a2a90272ee7fc569d6c646bf929bd" sha1="84f164fa27f2fcf20b284a7e36b67a202b1e5148"/>
</game>
2nd:
<game name="SK Demo (19xx)(Kleinert, Stephan)">
<description>SK Demo (19xx)(Kleinert, Stephan)</description>
<snip/>
<rom name="border-demo" size="666" crc="96500191" md5="d6ecf73628df3b64e6243f095fe2eac6" sha1="0cf64eb3dff90788df221870aad39b229093f4d1"/>
<rom name="border.obj" size="124" crc="5b0ab73d" md5="a927d46389aa7d67607db993ffc32616" sha1="bc25ca6798e9813e22b3bbf4a5320a29d9502f98"/>
<rom name="border.src" size="1607" crc="7a809776" md5="274a2a90272ee7fc569d6c646bf929bd" sha1="84f164fa27f2fcf20b284a7e36b67a202b1e5148"/>
<snip/>
</game>
I noticed that the two entries below in "Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 4 - Various" are fairly similar, some inconsistencies with the capitalisation of the ROM names, but other than that they look identical-looking solely at the hashes themselves, are both needed? I guess they are seeing as they exist. I couldn't help but feel like one could be removed so that there was less to maintain, possibly move the "FILES" ROM entry into the 2nd and make it lowercase perhaps? Was just a thought I had.
If the two entries below are correct, could I possible request some information on folder structures? I have been sorting my ROMs as one of the following examples, I mainly use the first example, but when duplicate filenames exist in a DAT file I use the second example for those. Do you have a better suggestion perhaps?
Tandy_Radio_Shack_TRS-80_Model_4\Various\F
or
Tandy_Radio_Shack_TRS-80_Model_4\Various\F\FileEdit_v6.2_(19xx)(Software_Affairs)[CMD]
1st:
<game name="FEDIT File Modification for TRSDOS v6.x (19xx)(-)[CMD]">
<description>FEDIT File Modification for TRSDOS v6.x (19xx)(-)[CMD]</description>
<rom name="FEDIT.CMD" size="7552" crc="56918a0c" md5="b04a6ee7ae60f60d4ae94fb2e3d474f1" sha1="aca8c5f54de57a20d3272a548518200fa5f66975"/>
<rom name="FILES" size="1603" crc="69b9764d" md5="e4380229beb5fecf895970c55f28b69b" sha1="ad8d918a388d4edd4d9a3699c17b6329236de0f6"/>
</game>
2nd:
<game name="FileEdit v6.2 (19xx)(Software Affairs)[CMD]">
<description>FileEdit v6.2 (19xx)(Software Affairs)[CMD]</description>
<rom name="fedit.cmd" size="7552" crc="56918a0c" md5="b04a6ee7ae60f60d4ae94fb2e3d474f1" sha1="aca8c5f54de57a20d3272a548518200fa5f66975"/>
</game>