Any idea on how to batch process game names onto mame snaps?

[Dustin Mustangs]

I have been using my mame preview snaps as a screen saver for my cabinet with the 'my pictures slideshow' screen saver that is standard issue for windows.  I really like this because it gives me a random look at games I may not have tried before and requires very little effort from the computer.  The problem is when one comes up that grabs my attention chances are I have no idea which game it is. 

So I am looking to copy my snap folder and edit all the images to show the game name in one of the lower corners.  I have photoshop and it seems possible to get the image name onto the snap with a batch process, but ideally I'd like the game name to be on them (not rom names) so it's a little easier to know which game it is.  Is this possible?  Maybe with a cp viewer type app??  I would think whatever it is that could do this would have to be able to reference an ini to make the conversion from rom (image) name to game name.

I realize this is a long shot, but does anyone have any ideas for this???

 

[Neverending Project]

I'll have a go at a solution, but I'm a mac guy  , so this is all in theory...

A quick google found this utility to rename files using a text file as an input. I have never used it, and I am sure there are others. But since this is the first one that I ran into, we'll use it as an example.

I have attached a space delimited text file which has the romname first, then the game name. This was easy for me since I have the mame xml info already loaded into a database that I will be using for my arcade.

So, in theory, you should be able to load this text file into the afore mentioned utility and have it change the filenames to the actual game name. Then you can use Photoshop to add the file name. Then use the text file again to re-rename the files.
*[EDIT]* I just realized that the change-to names would contain spaces, so you will need to find a utility that will allow spaces in the filenames.

It sounds like a long shot but it may work. Make a copy first, obviously, in case something goes wrong. Also, you may want to get rid of the file extensions somehow, since they will show up in photoshop. Good luck! Let me know if you need the text file in another format.

Also, if you have access to a mac, this sounds like it would be pretty straight forward using a combination of Applescript, Automator, and possibly Photoshop...

[Neverending Project]

One more thing... the same google I did above also had the following link:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/resources/qanda/may06/hey0511.mspx

It appears to be a MS script to read filenames from a text file and rename files with it. I didn't really look at it too closely but thought you may want to check it out.

[Dustin Mustangs]

Hmmm... I tried the first app you linked and couldn't get it to work.  I couldn't get anything in change to field, everything would end up in the change from.  This even happened with the example txt code he lists on the how to.  Anyways, I think your line of thought is pretty good on this so I'll just try finding a diff app that does the same thing.  Thanks for the idea and the text file, both will certainly help!

[Thy]

There is an option with the My Picture Slideshow that when selected shows the file names with the picture. Whilst it may not be a great option, it might do for the time being.