Editing PSX disc list for multi-disc games.

RetiQlum

System: Pi 3B
Brand new install of RetroPie as of 7/16/2020
BIOS: SCPH1001.BIN
PSX Emulator: lr-pcsx_rearmed

I have a Pi 3 with a very old version of Retro Pie (2015)
I have PBP file for FF VII that was working fine until I needed to switch to disc II.
I got new discs of the game (using the original file as disc 1) that were in separate files and that seemed to work until one certain part of the game.
I updated the system using apt-get and that's when things really started going South.
I made a new copy of the OS, copied all the files over.

Starting from the PBP file worked (the system recognized that it was 3 discs in one (and then I accidentally switched to Disc 3. It will no longer even start.

Disc 1 and 2 from the separate files will start but the saved games aren't recognized. I copied the .SRM file with the same file name as the games.

As I see it I have two options: get the .srm files to be recognized as playstation saves OR edit the disc list of the PBP version so that it's not forced onto disc 3 and use the other files for those parts.

Somewhere there must be a text file that says Game X has save file Y. Or Game X is on Disc 1, here's where to find Discs 2 and 3.

I am at a complete loss as to where that would be.

windg

If i understand correct, you have a save file from .PBP version of FF VII, from disk 2, that doesn't work with the separate CDs version of FF VII.

If the .PBP version of FF VII is different region from the CDs version then the save file will not work.

If for CDs version of FF VII, you are not using a .m3u playlist file then the save file name must be something like this: Final Fantasy VII (USA) (Disc 2).srm . If you are using a .m3u file then the save file name must be something like this : Final Fantasy VII (USA).srm.

For better information about how to swap disks and for .m3u playlist file, read this: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Playstation-1/

If nothing from above work please upload the save file so i can check it.

RetiQlum

@windg Creating a .m3u file did the trick (mostly, I still have the issue in the game itself.) I had to create it with a .PBP file as the first disc, but it worked. I'm glad. Too many systems try to "help" you these days instead of doing what you told them.

I am still curious as to why the .srm file won't play with the other disc. The original memory cards could have save games from multiple games on them. It should recognize that there are games on it even if it barfs upon loading them. I would upload it so that perhaps we can solve this mystery but I don't see a button for that on this page. Thank you.

mitu

@RetiQlum RetroArch loads the .srm based on the name of the content that's currently loaded. How is .srm file named and how is the game file (.cue/.pbp/.etc) named ?

RetiQlum

The file name is identical other than the extension.

If I change the PBP file name from XXX.PBP to XXX_a.PBP and the other file from XXX.srm to XXX_a.srm the game sees it as an empty memory card.

RetiQlum

I found a workaround with the .srm files.

Open the game you want to use it on before copying over your saved data.
Try to open a saved game. This creates a .srm file associated with the game file.
Overwrite the .srm file with the desiredsave file.

I do not know why this works. It does though.