-> Participate in Romcenter version 4 design!

[derebo]

Hello,

Thank you for leting us know about wip! It looks promising indeed. I just subscribed to the topic

Greetings,

[RomCenter]

It is written in visual studio 2010 in c#. Target framework for now is 4.0.
I tried to follow a mvvm design to make interface independent to the data model. So the wpf interface is linked directly to data-model properties and the model objects doesn't know which interface is linked to it.
Using expression blend, you can really make incredible user interfaces without writing codes (but I don't use expression blend myself, no time to learn ).

Maybe a Linux version is possible with mono. If someone is skilled enough, it may be possible to do something. A gtk interface will be needed also...

Next version will add a new multi dat interface. I'm currently doing the data-model to handle that.

[supersecretos]

In earlier times they had discussed that point and others, but this is the most serious.

For example in the screenshot below you can see that the program RomCenter indicates that the file has an incorrect name ("Nombre incorrecto del archivo"):



But that's not true, as can be seen in the following imagem:



You can also buy opening the mame and looking at the game list and see if it exists.

This error happens with many games.

The solution would be RomCenter first check if that file exists in the list of games (never mind that the file has size zero or empty), and only if it does not exist in the list of games, should show the newly error that the file has a wrong name.

Once solved that, the other point is that when you use the option to fix the game (find roms) the search for roms should be taken into account in the name of the file ("Nombre del archivo"), not as now basing the search on the name suggested the game ("Nombre esperado"). then show a picture of what I mean:



Another thing is that they have added the option to delete empty files pore defect, it is very arbitrary in turn, should make even an option where I can choose to enable that option.

An improvement for the program would add the option to choose a folder to CHDs and BIOSes, as is done for samples.

As I do not have time to make these corrections, the better because they put the source code here, to make a change. I also think it will be easy to take progress with the help of all, since you are using the svn system.

I hope now sip take into account these points.

Thanks, having a good day.

[Wanderer]

From time to time, some people ask if they can create subsets of dat files (mainly with only the main files and not the clones). Up until now, the only way is to delete whatever you don't want from the dat file and then create a database from it. I have a suggestion on how to improve this.

The database subfolders (main/clones/bios files, etc) could have a properties window (on rightclick) in which a "hidden" checkbox could exist (like in windows) or perhaps just a "show/hide folder" menu item. In preferences, a "show hidden folders" checkbox could also exist. Their icons (of the hidden folders) could be shown dimmed if "show hidden folders" is checked or not shown at all if "show hidden folders" is not checked (again as in Windows explorer). Of course the files belonging in hidden folders will not be taken into account, as if they do not exist. If found in rom paths, they should be considered as grey.

[RomCenter]

I also think about that problem and I found a solution similar to yours, but some case can be tricky. For example, what happen if you remove the main games ?
Remaining games will be clones, and all parents will be removed. So I have to remove parent/clone relation and we will loose all merge informations. We will end with 4000 independant files which will take much more places than with parent merged sets.

[Wanderer]

We will end with 4000 independant files which will take much more places than with parent merged sets.

It will be up to the user to decide. A user may want that, for some reason. Give him the freedom to use the most inefficient solution! Of course, he may always choose to do something more logical (like removing the clones).

[supersecretos]

In earlier times they had discussed that point and others, but this is the most serious.

For example in the screenshot below you can see that the program RomCenter indicates that the file has an incorrect name ("Nombre incorrecto del archivo"):



But that's not true, as can be seen in the following imagem:



You can also buy opening the mame and looking at the game list and see if it exists.

This error happens with many games.

The solution would be RomCenter first check if that file exists in the list of games (never mind that the file has size zero or empty), and only if it does not exist in the list of games, should show the newly error that the file has a wrong name.

Once solved that, the other point is that when you use the option to fix the game (find roms) the search for roms should be taken into account in the name of the file ("Nombre del archivo"), not as now basing the search on the name suggested the game ("Nombre esperado"). then show a picture of what I mean:



Another thing is that they have added the option to delete empty files pore defect, it is very arbitrary in turn, should make even an option where I can choose to enable that option.

An improvement for the program would add the option to choose a folder to CHDs and BIOSes, as is done for samples.

As I do not have time to make these corrections, the better because they put the source code here, to make a change. I also think it will be easy to take progress with the help of all, since you are using the svn system.

I hope now sip take into account these points.

Thanks, having a good day.

Someone out there might take the trouble to respond to this report I did. Thanks.

[RomCenter]

Please stop writing in red.

I saw your post, but I don't have time now to check the bug your reported.
About new features, thank you for your ideas, they will be taken into account, but later, as I'm now working on the core libraries and gui.

As per making available the source code, we already discuss that point. It can be possible, but not in the actual state of the delphi version, and before spending many time on preparing code release, I want to be sure that some people are interested in helping for development.
Until now : nobody

[SFX Group]

i;d help, however i have never had the time to look at how to code...

There has been a number of projects i wanted to do in VC, however just never had the time to sit down and do it...

[mm21xx]

Hi,

I was curious to know: What language are you using to develop Romcenter?
I've been a user of your application since a long time now to audit my ROMs, and I wanted to see if I can be of any help, either maintaining / refreshing the look a bit on the RomCenter website, or to help develop / review the code of RomCenter along side with you.

If you are interested in knowing a bit more about me, let me know by PM or by sending me an e-mail.

Keep up the excellent work!

[RomCenter]

Hi

Current version 3.71 of romcenter is written in Delphi (pascal).
The new 4.0 is written in C#.net and ui in wpf. Database is still a firebird db.

Are you skilled in c# or wpf or sql ?

[SFX Group]

Hi

Just read the whole thread... i would like to put a small bit of input (i have touched on this before a while ago).

The amount of data this software has to move is astounding, i am sure most have some sort of server or store device they are using to store this.

I noticed a problem in Windows XP (which i would hope wont be a problem as no one should be using it) which gridlocks the server service while all the IO writes are going on accross a lNA, is there a way you can optimize this somehow/

I did set my TEMP location to my local disk, but it still would take days to CRC check items as it was reading data alot over a network.

Just a thought...

[SFX Group]

Not looked at the software, however i was going to ask how to manage more than one emulator....

[Wanderer]

Hey Eric.

In this thread, there was an earlier discussion about how to handle entire systems (i.e a C64 set of roms - which is composed out of several different dats). Given that this is a one-man-show and your devoted time to RC is limited and also there is much work to be done, such a feature may take some time to be implemented. I wonder if you would be willing to provide some means to anyone interested to utilize RC's internal checking functions in order to create a quick-n-dirty solution for that task until it is properly integrated in RC.

What i was thinking was perhaps a way from command line to update an existing database, providing also the source datafile to update it from (or perhaps provide an XML/JSON which would contain database and source dat file and anything else required). That function would just update the existing db and then exit RC with a return status determining if everything went OK. That way, one could create his own program to i.e. gather all new tosec datafiles from a folder and call RC once for each file, to update all the existing databases he has created from within RC.

[RomCenter]

Hi Wanderer

I'm not sure to understand the goal. Do you mean updating romcenter databases with datafiles new versions ? without opening all databases ?

If yes, I can provide in the next version a command line interface. This is one point in my todo list. This behaviour is already used for the tests.

[Wanderer]

I'm not sure to understand the goal. Do you mean updating romcenter databases with datafiles new versions ? without opening all databases ?

The goal is indeed to automate the database update process for entire systems. For instance, the TOSEC Amstrad CPC system consists of several dats, which means several databases, as RC is now. For every TOSEC release, having to open each one of them and then press "Update", select the dat file and wait for the update process to finish is a little tiresome and takes quite some time, with the user having to be in front of the pc doing a more-or-less repetitive task. And the Amstrad CPC set which i used as an example is a small one (few dats).

It would be nice to have something within RC but until this happens, a command-line switch to achieve that, would give anyone interested a temporary way to automate this task by creating his own software. Also, this may relieve you from this task for a while, since there will be a workaround.

[Wanderer]

If yes, I can provide in the next version a command line interface. This is one point in my todo list. This behaviour is already used for the tests.

Hey Eric,

If you do provide that command line option, it would be nice if RC did not ask whether to upgrade the database from an older RC version (it just assumes Yes as an answer).

EDIT: Now that i think of it, it would be useful to have an option to select multiple databases (or perhaps a folder containing all the databases) and RC just open each of them, upgrade it and then close it.

[imulilla]

First of all, wish everyone a happy new year.
I wanted to suggest being able to support editions of games, tapes and images in addition to roms, each edition would go inside a folder inside the .zip. I give you an example of how the .dat would be, how do you see it?

<game name="007 A View to a Kill" isbios="no">
<description>007 A View to a Kill (1986)</description>
<edition name="domark">
<tape name="007 A View to a Kill (1986)(Domark)(en)[!][RUN'CAS-'][v0.8b].tsx" size="70991" crc="880cf782" status="good" />
<rom name="A View to a Kill.rom" size="70667" crc="0FB02AB5" md5="5e65bb56200873403b6948b9d8cd5c0d" status="good" />
<img name="A View to a Kill - Full Cover.jpg" size="494207" crc="D0AAAE46" md5="c39a995b4a09e7dc98e373e5580f6515" status="good" />
</edition>
<edition name="erbe">
<tape name="007 A View to a Kill (1986)(ERBE)(en)[!][RUN'CAS-'][v0.8b].tsx" size="70991" crc="880cf782" status="good" />
</edition>
</game>

[RomCenter]

Hi

I think it would be better to talk first with a datafile website like https://no-intro.org/.
See with them how they handle this problem and propose your solution.

[imulilla]

Ok, I'll check it there to see what they say

[jessica]

Hi

After reading the while discussion about RC4 development, I was wondering if there is now a team of developers or if Eric is still the only developer (as refered to in older posts here when RC4 development was starting)

Thx

[Wanderer]

Hi.

No, RC4 is a personal project and Eric is the sole developer.