Yesterday I downloaded some art packs (marquees, flyers, etc) and downloaded the DATs for them to clean them up to current using ClrMamePro. It's been quite an ordeal. I'll just highlight the flyers for example. I downloaded the 4 flyer packs from arcadeflyers.net and downloaded the DAT file from clrmame.com, so as to have the latest version of both. I put the 4 flyer zip files into one folder, and loaded the DAT into CMP. I then set the ROM-Path to the folder in which the 4 zips are. I then went to scan, thinking that CMP would be able to check the individual files inside the zip files. It reported missing sets 1 of 1, missing ROMs 0 of 2578. I thought that was rather odd, so on a hunch I removed one of the zip files from the folder and scanned again. Much to my surprise, it still said missing ROMs 0 of 2578. At that point I knew something was wrong. I searched the forum here and discovered that apparently according to the two "scanmodes", either all the files would have to be in a single zip file, or all the files have to be unzipped into a single folder. So I tried unzipping them all into that same folder, and moved the original zip files out, and scanned again. Now CMP reports missing sets 1 of 1, missing ROMs 2578 of 2578, and unneeded files 2578 of 2578. I read some more on the forums, and saw that the folder name should be the same as the set name. So I renamed the folder "flyers", and scanned again; same result.

I know there's something I'm doing wrong, but I'm just not sure what. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thank you!

Ok I think I figured out the problem. I unzipped and opened the DAT in a text editor and found that the flyers are all one "set". So basically I had to put the files in a folder, and put that folder inside *another* folder, and set *that* folder as the ROM-Path. It now finally gives the expected output. Whew! So that leads me to another couple of questions:

1. Isn't there some way to get ClrMamePro to properly verify and clean up file collections (such as the flyers, control panels, etc.) just as they are stored online, without having to go and unzip them all or rezip them all into one zip file first? So that basically you just download the zipped packs just as they are into a single folder, and run them through ClrMamePro to get a clean, current set? Without all the extra steps.

2. Is there any simple way to determine the structure of a DAT file's contents (other than adding even *more* steps to the workflow, ie unzipping the DAT and opening it in a text editor), so as to determine just how you need to organize your files *before* scanning? (Especially if the answer to question 1 is "no".)

3. One final curiosity: if I unzip the flyer packs and toss the flyer files all into one folder, CMP reports 0 missing and 18 wrong named, which appears to be normal. If I instead try to save a step and unzip each of the four flyer zip packs and put the four resulting folders into the "flyers" folder, CMP reports 3 unneeded files (cbtime.png, tmnt.png, and vsgradus.png), and 2 missing files (btime.png and gradius.png, neither of which are actually missing). None of those were among the 18 listed as wrong named in the other method of scanning. Plus, the summary says 3 of 2578 missing, even though the details only list 2 missing files...when both should say 0. Very inconsistent...(and note the similarity between the file names of the unneeded files and the missing files...very peculiar)

Unless I am grossly misinterpreting the results and misunderstanding how the app works, it seems to me that ClrMamePro apparently expects the files to be *just* so, perfectly organized, to avoid any bizarre errors such as this...which sort of seems redundant with CMP's purpose in the first place. If anyone can set me straight on the questions above, please do so. Thank you! :)

It's simpler as you think...

you have to know the 2 scan modes clrmamepro supports:

rompath\setname.zip for zipped sets
rompath\setname\file 1....file n for unzipped sets

Most of the art related datfiles use one set for all picture files. Let's assume you've chose the flyers datfile. As you can see in the datfile the setname for the set is "flyers". So you either need:

rompath\flyers.zip
rompath\flyers\file 1.....with the unzipped pictures


You could have used the rebuilder to create do everything you need with one simple click, too.



Roman Scherzer

Thank you very much. Rebuilder was apparently what I needed to be using, not Scanner; works great!

One more question: if I use Rebuilder and choose "Recompress Files" when working with zips, or if I even choose "Zip Files" when working with loose files, it reports an error (it doesn't report any reason why, just an error) and asks if I wish to stop or continue. I'm running WinXP Pro, and I never installed WinZip since XP appears to have some Zip functionality already built-in. Do I need to install WinZip? If not, any other ideas? Thanks again!

> One more question: if I use Rebuilder and choose "Recompress Files" when working
> with zips, or if I even choose "Zip Files" when working with loose files, it
> reports an error (it doesn't report any reason why, just an error) and asks if I
> wish to stop or continue. I'm running WinXP Pro, and I never installed WinZip
> since XP appears to have some Zip functionality already built-in. Do I need to
> install WinZip? If not, any other ideas? Thanks again!


Open the dockable warningswindow (button in the lower right corner)...it usually have more detailed information about what error happened. The prompt should already give you a clue what didn't work (like unzip failed, zipping failed...rebuild failed...). Without any message I can't tell you exactly what went wrong...could be anything......even out of diskspace ;)


Roman Scherzer

Here is the error in its entirety:

Error while adding
Z:\arcade\support files\Control Panels Daphne\cpanel\ace.png
to
Z:\arcade\support files\Control Panels Daphne done\cpanel.zip
Will you stop the rebuilding process?

Nothing appears in the warnings window until I try a second time, then it says:
Corrupt Zipfile:Z:\arcade\support files\Control Panels Daphne done\cpanel.zip | Reason: UNKNOWN LOCAL FILE HEADER

> Here is the error in its entirety:
>
> Error while adding
> Z:\arcade\support files\Control Panels Daphne\cpanel\ace.png
> to
> Z:\arcade\support files\Control Panels Daphne done\cpanel.zip
> Will you stop the rebuilding process?
>
> Nothing appears in the warnings window until I try a second time, then it says:
> Corrupt Zipfile:Z:\arcade\support files\Control Panels Daphne done\cpanel.zip |
> Reason: UNKNOWN LOCAL FILE HEADER
>



Hmm...looks like something goes wrong when a file is added to the zipfile and another pickup (either by scanner or rebuilder) shows a bad zipfile.

Reasons could be anything from disk-full, to RAM problems or buggy VIA chipsets.

What you can try is to enable settings->zipsettings->additional flush and full zip structure scan, try rebuilding to another drive, playing with recompress option.....or you zip the sourcefolder and try to rebuild from a zipped file to a zipped file.

I will also do some tests with unzipped art files later at home.


Roman Scherzer