FE Buddy - Utility to filter your ROMs, images and videos (pics added)

[RitchieTheBrit]

Hey guys, I have been working on a little application to help with my pet hate.

I like my FE to be pretty.  That involves having the correct marquee images, cabinet images, control panel images, videos; whatever the FE skin uses.  There's nothing more annoying than a ROM missing loads of resources.

With me so far?  Great!  What my application does is create a list of available ROMs, and then compares the list to user specified folders for the matching images/vids.  EG, a user wants matching ROMs, videos and marquees images, they simply tick the MARQUEE and VIDEO boxes, browse for the three folders, and then stipulate a target folder.

The application will then create a set of folders for marquees, ROMs and videos, and copy across complete sets.  That is, each ROM will have a matching video and marquee.  If EITHER one of the resources is missing, then the ROM and remaining files won't be copied, only COMPLETE sets.

Hope this made sense!
(pics in my last post)

[gonzo90017]

It sounds a little confusing. Maybe some screenshots or video would help?

[RitchieTheBrit]

Hehehe, yeah it DOES sound confusing!  It's so much easier than it sounds.  No screenies or vids until I get the code fettled, as the UI is a bit fugly at the moment, with debug boxes and whatnot.

I may be able to get something posted on Monday.

[Crazy Cooter]

So if I'm following you right:

Using your ROM folder as the "reference", it will check to see if ALL the checked boxes (cp image, marquee image, etc) are available.  If so, it creates a new set of directories: ROM, cp images, marquees, whatever boxes were ticked.

If you're missing a marquee, it doesn't copy ANY info over (ROM or otherwise).

Right?

[Cakemeister]

I wrote a batch process to do something like this when I was creating the Khameleon demo.

There were some "if not exist marquees\%1.png goto dontcopy" or similar statements.

Your utility is a lot cleaner.

Make sure you add it to the software utilities page of the wiki.

[RitchieTheBrit]

So if I'm following you right:

Using your ROM folder as the "reference", it will check to see if ALL the checked boxes (cp image, marquee image, etc) are available.  If so, it creates a new set of directories: ROM, cp images, marquees, whatever boxes were ticked.

If you're missing a marquee, it doesn't copy ANY info over (ROM or otherwise).

Right?

That's exactly it.  Like I said, straightforward to use, but a pain in the ass to explain! 

[Space Fractal]

give some screenshots, what can sometimes say more than words.

[RitchieTheBrit]

Okay, just getting things running a little smoother.  I am limiting the sub-routines to only accept a limited number of extensions.

So far I have...

ROMs: Anything at the moment.
Images: PNG, GIF BMP, JPEG, JPG
Videos: AVI, WMV, MOV, MPG, MPEG

Does that cover the range of commonly used extensions for the resource files?  Any that I should include and have forgotten?

[CM]

Will this provide a report feature like ClrMamePro's miss-list / have-list?  A report-only scan would be useful.

[Havok]

Sounds great! I would suggest a log of games that didn't copy over, and what was missing - that would help to get the pieces you are missing...

[Neverending Project]

just another suggestion here. How about a box to tick labeled "Don't move/copy files". If this was ticked, it would only output a list of missing files.

[RitchieTheBrit]

At the moment, the way it works is in a cascading fashion, so it would be able to ouput a MISS list of ROM names that are missing, but I would have to do a rewrite to get a list of what exact files are missing.

Hmmm.  Did I mention this is the first time I've programmed?   

-R

[RitchieTheBrit]

Well, looks like I have a miss list for each category working now!  Woot!  No rewrite required either.

Anyway, I just need to get it to output to a logfile in the destination directory.  At the moment, the miss lists are created before any copying happens, and a dialog box pops up anyway telling you how many complete sets you have,m giving you the option to copy or cancel.

[RitchieTheBrit]

Okay, got the Miss List working.   Now, when you run the program, it will create a txt file in the destination location, before giving you the option of copying the files across.  The file will look a little like this...

Code: [Select]

5 complete gamesets from 31 ROM files.


-- Cabinet Image Miss List --

1941
dino
dynwar
knights
kod
megaman
mtwins
nemo
pang3
pnickj
qad
qtono2
sfzch
slammast
wof


-- Control Panel Image Miss List --

1941
cworld2j
dynwar
mtwins
nemo
pnickj
qtono2
sfzch
wof


-- Flyer Image Miss List --

pang3
sfzch


-- Marquee Image Miss List --

1941
cworld2j
mtwins
nemo
pang3
pnickj
qtono2
sfzch


-- Snapshot Image Miss List --

sfzch


-- Title Screen Image Miss List --

sfzch


-- Video Image Miss List --

3wonders
cworld2j
megaman
mercs
msword
mtwins
nemo
pang3
pnickj
punisher
qad
qtono2
sf2
sf2ce
sfzch
slammast
strider
unsquad
varth
willow
wof

[zobook]

Nice job, looks very interesting (and usefull too, of course).

What language are you using? Just curious

[RitchieTheBrit]

Thanks dude!

I'm using VB.Net.  It's taken about two week of learning and experimenting to get to the point it is now, but I'm actually quite pleased with the results so far.

I actually wanted an easy way of sorting out the NeoGeo and CPS1/2 ROMs that I am using with Kawaks, and there was nothing that would do the job, so... 

[zobook]

I actually wanted an easy way of sorting out the NeoGeo and CPS1/2 ROMs that I am using with Kawaks, and there was nothing that would do the job, so... 

Yes, there are 2 reasons that generally make me start typing source code. Needing something and not founding it, or founding something and wanted to doit myself. I see a potential "second reason" alert right now. I use Delphi 7, because the exe generated are very portables to any windows system (no runtime needed)

Keep on coding!!!

[Dariusz]

RitchieTheBrit,

Can your app be used to also have your screen folder as you reference to create the roms required for the screens?

[deadsoulz]

For video extensions, could you add .flv .  Hyperspin-FE uses this extension for videos.

[RitchieTheBrit]

Can your app be used to also have your screen folder as you reference to create the roms required for the screens?

Not too sure what you mean, Dariusz.  I think maybe you are referring to the Snaps folder?  They are the in-game screenshots, and the Titles are the title screens.  I decided to keep the Mame folder names, as they will be most familiar to people using it, generally speaking.  But if that's what you meant, then yes, it can use the screenshots to filter the ROMs as well.

I really need to get back to finishing this, I got sidelined on another project.  I really just need to get the error catching done, and it should be ready for release.

For video extensions, could you add .flv .  Hyperspin-FE uses this extension for videos.

I'll add that now, Deadsoulz, cheers dude.

[ccarlesco]

I can't believe that no one has created this program yet  - I can't stand manually separating files.
- I'm really looking forward to the release!

[Dariusz]

Hi RitchieTheBrit,

Just thought I'd ask how is the development of FE Buddy comming along. I'm looking forward to the release of the program as it will be a valuable tool of mine in sorting out roms which have videos and or snaps.

Thanks,

Dariusz