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Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: tommytutone on February 05, 2013, 09:18:20 pm

Title: Deleting ROMs based on mame.xml file
Post by: tommytutone on February 05, 2013, 09:18:20 pm
I hope this makes sense. I have a large folder with MAME ROMs, and the MAME.xml file that lists them all. I am going through the .xml file, deleting fruit machines, pachinko, etc. I would like to delete the ROM files themselves (since they take up space but will never be played) based on the changes made to the .xml file. Is there a tool that will make this happen?

I know you can go the other way around, building an .xml file based on the ROMs you own, but I'm hoping to go backwards, so to speak.
Title: Re: Deleting ROMs based on mame.xml file
Post by: BadMouth on February 05, 2013, 11:04:09 pm
Romlister can make a batch file that copies only games that are included in the xml file over to a new folder.
You just use your modified xml file as the source.

On MAME v.146, I went round and round modifying the xml file by hand and through romlister.
It didn't like using a Mala xml as the source, but somehow I got it to work.
Never did get the xml file small enough to attach to a post.  :lol
Title: Re: Deleting ROMs based on mame.xml file
Post by: NOP on February 07, 2013, 08:50:52 pm
Totally doable with romlister.

1) take your full xml file, merge it with the .ini files.
2) in romlister's main GUI, select all the genres you want *removed* from your list in the category section.
3) in the -find window remove all the text except the genres that you're trying to eliminate.  You'll end up with a chunk of text that looks like this:

 ('BIOS' | quiz | tabletop | Fruit_Machines)

4) put a ! (a NOT) in front of that text:
! ('BIOS' | quiz | tabletop | Fruit_Machines)

5) hit the go button to make a list.  the list now contains everything except the things you've specified.

6) Export that list as XML.

tada!