[4.0 b2.1] Missing 0-size samples cause a game to show as red

[Wanderer]

I have a mame 0.142 game that has missing samples. All other roms exist and are green. The samples are shown as missing, having size 0 and no CRC, yet RC does not create them and also marks the whole game as red. Why? IMO it should handle this game as green or at least yellow since the missing samples can be created.

[RomCenter]

Missing samples can't be created. They are not unknown. They are simply not part of the arcade board and can't be dumped.

[Wanderer]

OK, i think we're messing different things here.

The samples are missing from the zip in the game path. They have size 0. Why can't they be created by RC (create dummies) so that the game can be shown as green and not red? The mode is "merged samples in main set".

No the other hand, if what i'm saying is not logical in some way (i still can't get if you're saying that), then why the game is shown in red if it is playable and the samples are not required?

[RomCenter]

Of course I could create a dummy sample, it will appear as green and it will produce garbage sounds when playing. And then you won't be able to tell if it is a legit sample, or a dummy. And it will polute internet with dummy samples.

Samples are not required for a game to start, but it doesn't mean a real sample file is not available somewhere (unlike nodump and baddump).

The good question is why the file is not green?
I consider samples as part of the game, and as they are easy to find, I think you should download them to get a full working game.

[Wanderer]

I think you should download them to get a full working game.

All the samples i'm talking about have a size of 0 (mame game 005). There is no need to download anything, i could just create 5-6 dummy files with the appropriate names and that's it. I just wonder why doesn't RC create them (again, they are 0 sized files). Are you saying there are valid files out there? If so, since they are reported as 0 sized in RC, adding some valid files in it, wouldn't make RC report them as invalid since they will have a size > 0?

The good question is why the file is not green?
I consider samples as part of the game, and as they are easy to find, I think you should download them to get a full working game.

That's indeed a good question. Since the game is playable without them, perhaps another green state should exist (darker or lighter), to denote a playable game but with some non-important files missing.

P.S.: OK, now that i think of it, it would need much work to implement and it may mess things up.

[RomCenter]

Samples have no defined size. You can find a single sample in 22khz, 44khz, 48khz... they will have different size and crc, and all are valid samples.