How do I create a datafile?

Post by **runey** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:07 pm

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction with this.

I know how to create a datafile by hand, but I don't really want to type in the info for 5000 games

How hard is to create a datafile for Romcenter and/or ClrMamePro from a list of files in a directory. e.g. I have selected a whole bunch of adf images and they are in my games directory. I need to convert that into a datafile for other people to rename their own (probably TOSEC) sets.

The other thing can I create a datafile from either an Access database (thats what Gamebase uses) or from an Excel spread sheet. This later option is probably the most useful for me. That way when I alter the GamebaseAMY database I can generate a new datafile for distribution.

Well hope someone can help.

Chow

Post by **Dweezledap** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 2:07 pm

runey wrote:How hard is to create a datafile for Romcenter and/or ClrMamePro from a list of files in a directory. e.g. I have selected a whole bunch of adf images and they are in my games directory. I need to convert that into a datafile for other people to rename their own (probably TOSEC) sets.

You can use Logiqx's Datutil to do this.

How to use Datutil:

run CMD.exe
cd to your datutil directory EX: cd C:\datutil
type in the games directory EX:
For a Romcenter datafile type: datutil -f romcenter2 C:\MyGames
For a ClrMamePro datafile type: datutil C:\MyGames

This will create a file called datutil.dat in the Datutil directory.
Rename it to what ever you like EX: MyGames.dat

Now use the RomCenter Datafile manager to import the new file and your good to go.

Edit: Be sure to at least fill in the "refname=" field in the header information or RomCenter may have problems.

Post by **runey** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 4:14 am

Thanks heaps for that

Gets me one step closer

Anybody know whether I can import an existing dat file into Access and then export it back out againb once I'm finished with it.

Thanks again

p0p · Post by **p0p** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:04 am

Hi,

sorry I tried that several times and with several options but I keep getting the following error:

Scanning directory and writing details to datlib.tmp...
Loading the file into memory (0.3KB)...
Identified the file as being 'Folder Scan' format.
Calling the 'Folder Scan' pre-parser/tokenizer...
Storing the tokenized dat within the actual dat structure...
Error - No games were loaded.
Aborted processing due to errors!

Can you help ? Thanks..

p0p

p0p · Post by **p0p** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:13 am

Ok, I noticed it only likes .ZIP files. How can I get DatUtil to handle non-zip files ?

Thanks,
p0p

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 1:51 am

you could ofcourse also try the dat compiler in TIM, TOSEC's new tool

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 1:56 am

Non-compressed files need to go in individual sub-directories (as per emulators like MAME). ROMs can be in ZIPs (i.e. compressed) or directories (i.e. non-compressed) but not all in one directory. I am guessing that you have them all in one directory, which for example is called 'xxx'. In which case, to scan them:

- Create an empty directory 'yyy' and copy 'xxx' into it (so, 'yyy' contains the directory 'xxx' and 'xxx' contains your files).

- datutil -f romcenter yyy

That should do you but the dat will have one game containing all of your files. You'll have to play about with Excel, Access, awk or whatever you are comfortable with to re-structure them into sperate games. The RomCenter file format is explained in the RomCenter documentation so you will need to read that.

Logiqx

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 10:56 am

files created with datama v1.22 still open in the newer versions of romcenter.

How do I create a datafile?

How do I create a datafile?

DATFILE CREATION .. that absolutely doesn't work for me...