ROM Watcher BETA v1.0 Now Available

[DinoRoger]

I have just finished the first offical BETA release of ROM Watcher v1.0 complete with MAME .68 game list already included.  This version is BETA and I have been working on it for about a week.  So far it works for me just fine, but want to know if it works for you and the features you would like to see in future versions. Rom Watcher has an automatic MAME update utility build in.  When a new version of MAME is release use the update feature under the settings catagory and a list will be created using the new MAME.EXE file.  I am currently working on a Other catagory to monitor other emualtors using the same program.  This is actualy currently functional at a manual level with this release.  Edit the OTHERLIST.INI found in Program "iles\RomWatcher\".  Add the title of the game/application you wish to monitor on its own line.  To find the correct title run the game/application, enter windows task manage application tab, and write down the title exactly as show there.  Rom Watcher was not written as a wrapper becuae of the future universal options it will have soon.  Also when in a game ROM Watcher uses less that 1% CPU usage.

ROM Watcher Setup File (5.35MB):
http://pchelplive.com/dinos/setup.exe

Here are some EXAMPLES on how I am using it:

* Light LEDs to light buttons per ROM (Will release these actions later)

* Speak the name of the game when it is loaded.

* Display game information on a scrolling hardware marquee when game is loaded (Will release information at a later time).

Post your questions, comments, ideas here or e-mail them to Dino@PCHelpLive.com

Screen Shots:






NOTE: Microsoft Visual Basic 6 Runtime files are requires.  Windows 2000/XP have these nativly.  If you get error when trying to run the application you can download the runtime files here:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/vb60pro/Redist/sp5/WIN98Me/EN-US/vbrun60sp5.exe

[Jakobud]

Sounds interesting but I'm a little confused on what this does...  Does it just tell you what roms you have and what roms you don't have?

[DinoRoger]

Read the examples above and the description for ideas. You can create your own EXE, BAT, or COM files and asign them to run when a particular game is loaded.  Use your imigination for ideas and tell others.

The ROM list is taken directly from your current of MAME.  .68 list already comes with the application and can be updated with a click of a button at any time.  In "Program Files\ROM Watcher" you can edit the file OTHERLIST.INI to monitor other emulators/applications.  More details coming soon about that.  Even if you do not not a game and the list ROM Watcher doesnt care.  Once you do get the game ROM Watcher will monitor it without any instructions from you.  You get to to choose to use ROM Speak or assign an action to take place once the game is loaded.

ROM Speak is another freebie with ROM Watcher.  I created this as a feature of ROM Watcher to speak the name of the game when it is loaded.  Working on a game history reader for the next version.

[Jakobud]

So it's basically a program that monitors any EXE and you can tell it to execute certain commands/programs whenever that certain EXE is started or stopped?

[DinoRoger]

Well doesnt monitor EXE (it can) it monitors things running.  it already has the ability to minitor every game in MAME .68.  You can assign a different action per game.