MESS won't launch Atari 2600 games with spaces

[robneal81]

I have my MaLa setup configured to run a bunch of different emulators.  Recently, I tried to use MESS for as many as possible, just to make things easier.  It worked perfect for Colecovision, even with games that have spaces in the names.

Unfortunately, it won't work with Atari 2600 games that have spaces.  For example, if I try to launch Zaxxon (zaxxon.bin), it works perfectly.  If I try to launch Ms. Pac Man (Ms. Pac Man.bin), it won't launch. 

Has anyone fixed this issue?  I realize it's probably a MESS issue (I'm running 0.150), but I was hoping someone here had found a fix when using it with MaLa.

[robneal81]

Sorry to reply to my own thread, but I found a solution and I think everyone who's run into this issue (using any emulator) can benefit:

Use the following script to auto-rename the files and remove the spaces.  Simply copy and paste this into notepad and then save the file as "RemoveSpaces.bat":

:renameNoSpace  [/R]  [FolderPath]
@echo off
setlocal disableDelayedExpansion
if /i "%~1"=="/R" (
  set "forOption=%~1 %2"
  set "inPath="
) else (
  set "forOption="
  if "%~1" neq "" (set "inPath=%~1\") else set "inPath="
)
for %forOption% %%F in ("%inPath%* *") do (
  if /i "%~f0" neq "%%~fF" (
    set "folder=%%~dpF"
    set "file=%%~nxF"
    setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
    echo ren "!folder!!file!" "!file: =!"
    ren "!folder!!file!" "!file: =!"
    endlocal
  )
)


Then, copy that batch file into the directory your roms are stored in.  Then, using a command prompt, navigate to that directory and run: 

RemoveSpaces.bat /r

I did it and not only does it work perfectly, EmuMovies still finds the proper artwork for all the files.  For more information, go here:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11270453/how-to-remove-spaces-from-file-names-in-bulk

I hope this will help anyone else who's running into the same issue!

[rpgposer]

I use AdvanceMenu as a frontend, here is my a2600 MESS command line:  "D:\Emulators\Computer\Multi\Mess\mess.exe" "a2600 -cart %p -now".
%p is AdvanceMenu's variable for passing the entire rom path and name.
Regardless, did you try putting double quotes around the mess command line like mine:  "a2600 -cart %p -now"?
I love your little batch file, but worry it might have been for naught.
The only command line based emu I have had trouble with as far as spaces go is ePXSe.

[robneal81]

Thanks for your reply.  I did use the quotes correctly...not really sure why there was an issue.  Either way, that batch file did the trick and I'm up and running.

AdvanceMenu looks cool, but I already have a MILLION hours into MaLa and it's working exactly the way I need it to, so I'll leave well enough alone.

[rpgposer]

That's fine, I wasn't trying to convert you.  I use MALA on my arcade cabinet and AdvanceMenu on my HTPC.  Now I wonder if my MESS setup will work if I upgrade to .150...

[robneal81]

That's fine, I wasn't trying to convert you.  I use MALA on my arcade cabinet and AdvanceMenu on my HTPC.  Now I wonder if my MESS setup will work if I upgrade to .150...

Actually, that's a good thought...I never tried an older version.  Maybe the is a bug in .150?

[rpgposer]

I will know more after I can try it later tonight... 
Update - Upgraded to mess .150 64bit.  After running a mess.exe -cc, had no issues running Atari 2600 games with spaces in their names in Advance Menu or MALA. My roms are zipped.
Here is the command line I use within MALA:  a2600 -cart "%path%\%rom%.%ext%"

Good Luck.