clrmame and updates

[MiKman]

Currently I maintain 2 complete sets of mame roms, one on my cabinet and one on my main PC.

[MiKman]

hmm thinking about this, I bet I could generate 2 dats (.92 and .93) then run them through some comparison utility like beyond compare and pull out the /games that have changes/differences in them.  and make my very own .dat file... Is there a tool that could make this automated?  or some way to output on the differences using mame itself (a switch maybe on the command line)?

[quarterback]

I've seen single "MAME ROM rollback files" that (apparently) allow you to roll back from one version of MAME to a previous version.

[MiKman]

Hmm interesting. If clrmame can do that, then thats what I will need.  Thanks for the insight.  I'll do some messing around with clrmame and see what I can come up with.

[quarterback]

If I'm remembering this correctly just:

- Load up the NEW romset .dat file
- scan the OLD roms
- When the window pops up that shows you what you're missing, you right-click on the window and save the "fixdat" file

This file contains the info for every rom you're missing (or, in this case, every rom that's changed/new/different)

That fixdat file can be used on a COMPLETE NEW rom set to extract just the ones that were missing from your OLD romset.

I think I have that right....  if not, somebody will correct me

[MiKman]

That sounds like it will work for what I am after.  I also ran across a program called mame diff that seems to take two dat's and extract just the changes, creating a new dat file...  but your option seems better/cleaner to me.  I'll give it a go.

Thanks,
MiKman

[Silver]

I basically do exactly what you are talking about - as described by quarterback.

I download an update torrent (eg 0.91 -> 0.92). This ONLY has roms that have changed. (Assuming I already have a complete 0.91 set).

You then need to use ClrmamePro. Load the new datfile (0.92). Point the rom folder at your 0.91 roms. Point the AddFolder at your update torrent folder. I then select "fix all" in the scan options (you will at LEAST need to select Fix Name, Fix Un-needed, Fix missing). Hit Go, and hey-presto - perfect 0.92 romset.

Note these do NOT tend to include CHD files. You can get those seperately.

I was going to post a link to the torrent site I use, but realise that may be against the rules.

[JoyMonkey]

Logiqx has update dats for each Mame release. He usually has a full dat and a 'changes only' dat at http://www.logiqx.com on the day of release.
Sounds like this is exactly what you're looking for, though I guess it's just as easy to make your own fixdat with ClrMame.

[Thenasty]

I tried logicx and don't know which one to use. I downloaded the dat changes which contain lots of DAT and I just wanted the NEW/CHANGED to the new version . In this case I have full 92 and now 93 came out, I just want the 93 new/changed and when I tried it with (don't remmember which dat) one of the dats, and look at the ZIP file of what changed, it does not contain all the files that need to replace the old set. Example, if centiped contains 1,2,3,4,5 (v92) and in 93, they made 3 to be a clone and parent is now 1,2,4,5,NEW one, when I finish it, it only contain the NEWONE but not the rest (1,2,4,5) so If I copied over the NEW CENTIPED.ZIP, it will replace the old ZIP but then its missing (1,2,4,5) files, so it won't work.
Now which one of those DAT that I need to load so the new CENTIPED.ZIP will contain 1,2,4,5,NEW one ?

[MiKman]

I tried logicx and don't know which one to use. I downloaded the dat changes which contain lots of DAT and I just wanted the NEW/CHANGED to the new version . In this case I have full 92 and now 93 came out, I just want the 93 new/changed and when I tried it with (don't remmember which dat) one of the dats, and look at the ZIP file of what changed, it does not contain all the files that need to replace the old set. Example, if centiped contains 1,2,3,4,5 (v92) and in 93, they made 3 to be a clone and parent is now 1,2,4,5,NEW one, when I finish it, it only contain the NEWONE but not the rest (1,2,4,5) so If I copied over the NEW CENTIPED.ZIP, it will replace the old ZIP but then its missing (1,2,4,5) files, so it won't work.
Now which one of those DAT that I need to load so the new CENTIPED.ZIP will contain 1,2,4,5,NEW one ?

I have no idea, but it sounds like you want exactly the same thing I do.  I too looked into logicx but I am a tad bit confused, I also tried the fix dat method using clrmame which seems to work the best.  however clrmame fixdats can only be used in the rebuild functionality. Which seems to only extract the fixdat roms to a specified directory so you can upload or send them to some one.  BUT I opened the fix dat in my favorite text editor and removed the word "Fix" from the first line and I was able to use it as a regular dat file in the scan functionality. This is what I wanted an so far it "appears" to work like a charm.  Thanks for everyones help on this.