Author Topic: Using dat files with RomCenter  (Read 13313 times)

Offline pSyLoX

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Using dat files with RomCenter
« on: May 22, 2013, 07:02:00 PM »
Hi All

Hope someone can help me out with the Tosec dat files in RomCenter
(Or any other rom manager that is better)

I have a Tosec dat file [ TOSEC - DAT Pack - Complete (2095) (TOSEC-v2013-04-13) ] which is ~ 179 MB (188,137,323 bytes)

I added the [ TOSEC - Current Release DATs (TOSEC-v2013-04-13_CM).dat ]  into RomCenter

But after that I am simply lost

I do not have all the Tosec collections (yet)  

only
- Commodore C64
- Commodore Amiga

If i add the  [ TOSEC - Current Release DATs (TOSEC-v2013-04-13_CM).dat ]  into RomCenter, then I see the following

screenshot sh1.png


How do I point to the Tosec > Commodore C64 [TOSEC v2012-04-23] ~6.46 GB (6,938,799,417 bytes)

Do i have to Add each single dat file one by one ??  (2095)
Screenshot sh2.png



thank you very much for any help
« Last Edit: May 22, 2013, 07:03:59 PM by pSyLoX »



Offline PandMonium

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Re: Using dat files with RomCenter
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2013, 01:00:50 AM »
Hey there,

I can't really help you out with Romcenter but the dat you added is only used to rename / catalog our real datfiles, which are in the other folders (you have already found out). Indeed it works by adding each one of the real dats, creating a different folder for each and so on. Fortunately nowadays rommanagers can help you with that. I would recomend you clrmame pro or romvault (easier).

If you choose romvault there is even a long video explaining out to use it. You will have to use the scripts available in our datpack (create folders and move datfiles) to organize the dats (you will probably just need the TOSEC main folder for now). Then you just move them to the dat folder of romvault and open the tool. That should be it (i don't use it :P).

More info at http://www.romvault.com/ and the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUOIYYbZuAg
Please note that the video is outdated, romvault 1.7 was used there and nowadays you have version 2.x. Things have probably changed a bit.

Offline bierbaron

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Re: Using dat files with RomCenter
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2013, 06:12:46 PM »
Please note that the video is outdated, romvault 1.7 was used there and nowadays you have version 2.x. Things have probably changed a bit.

GUI still looks and works the same :)

Offline pSyLoX

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Re: Using dat files with RomCenter
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2013, 06:51:57 PM »
thank you !!

is there any rom manager that provide screenshots of the roms ?
and able to start a emulator

sorry I am new to this :(

« Last Edit: May 23, 2013, 07:17:06 PM by pSyLoX »

Offline Kodoichi

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Re: Using dat files with RomCenter
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2013, 07:18:17 PM »
Do i have to Add each single dat file one by one ??
Yes. I recently deinstalled RomCenter to test Romulus, but here's what I recall:
- unzip your Tosec archive somewhere so you have all the single dats
- "file - open" in the menu, choose the dat you want to import. I think you will be asked if you want to import from a file or an emulator, choose file. RomCenter will convert it to it's own format which might take a while.
- repeat with all the dats you need. Delete the converted and unnecessary dats if you want to save harddisk space.
- all the disks from a dat should appear in the folder tree under "all games". This is simply a full list of files the dat contains.
- note that the tree only displays the entries of one dat at a time, you have to choose "file - open" to open/check another one (in RomCenter format, else you will be asked to import)
- right-click on "Rom files" and choose the folder where you have your disk images. I think you can add/delete more folders if you need. They are saved so you can continue once you restart RomCenter.
- the files you have should now be listed too under "Rom files" and you can right-click "fix files" or so to rename them, either a single file by right-clicking on it or the whole folder content by clicking on the folder path.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2013, 07:26:49 PM by Kodoichi »

Offline pSyLoX

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Re: Using dat files with RomCenter
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2013, 07:39:49 PM »
thx Kodoichi
Very usefull information !!

You may noticed that i removed my previous post, Because i wrote "i like the screenshot" but romcenter doesnt have any screenshots (my mistake)

The zip files with the roms are located on my network bitcasa drive ( unlimited storage )
Then i use winarchiver to mount the zip file to a local drive (In this case G:\)

RomCenter seems to "backup / local cache" the files ?? which means the content of the zip with the roms (located on bitcasa) is somehow downloaded/cached locally
(which i do not want)

 anyway thank you very much for the guidance, will try it the way you described

first have to fix this local cache thing,