Rom file types

[raspberry79]

@ExarKunIv
I been looking at this again https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Supported-Systems/
How to know what folder do i put the ROM in, do i just look for the rom folder like it shows here https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Supported-Systems/
and drop the rom that into that rom folder that can read that type of file
Atari 2600 (.7z .a26 .bin .gz .rom .zip)

I see on the page https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Supported-Systems/
That the Sysytems like Atarie/ SNEN/ NED and the rest show what Rom extensions that the system run like .adf .adz .dms .exe .rp9 .zip and other types.
So, i just extract the zip files to see what type of file it is like .7z .gz .zip and drop that folder into the rom folder from what the site shows.

[ExarKunIv]

@raspberry79 yes if you unzip them all you can match up what files to to that system.

Personally I would just stick to one system at a time. IE go to a site and pick NES and just download what you want for those. Then once you unzip them all you know that they all go into the NES folder. No more guessing or looking at the DOCs to see what is what.

[raspberry79]

@ExarKunIv
I thought that i had it. I connected the USB drive that has all of the rom folder on it and i looked over here https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Supported-Systems/
to see what file type goes were. I had some .7z files and dropped them into the Master System folder like it show on the page since it had extension .7z
Mega Drive / Genesis
I reconnected the usb driver to the Pi 4 and loaded into Kodi first and then exit to go to Retropie.
It showed Atari and Genesis and ports.
I clicked on to Atari to load a game and it popup a message something about an error
On here https://retropie.org.uk/about/systems/ shows different then here https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Supported-Systems/

Do i have to go to retropie setting to install the emulators in order to play games

[dankcushions]

@raspberry79 you need to show us a specific example via the info requested in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

it seems like you’re using the file type to identity what system (emulator/folders) the rom is for? this would be a bad approach, since multiple emulators share file types (7z, zip etc). you must surely know what system the game is for ahead of time, otherwise how you acquire it?

if a game doesn’t run, please supply the log as per the above the link. not all emulators are installed by default, yes, but this may not be your issue if things are running but with an error.

[raspberry79]

@dankcushions
First off, do i need to first install the Emulators onto the Retropie.
All these Roms that got, a snapshot of them

They just show like Donkey Kong/ Sonic and more. How would i know what system to put the roms in.
It's not like my roms have name like Nintendo DS and other system names
System---Emulator----Extensions
3do lr-4do .iso

https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Supported-Systems/

[dankcushions]

@raspberry79 we could probably eventually figure out what systems each rom is for based on google and guesswork but it’s a bizarre approach IMO that gives you a needless amount of busywork/error.

do you need to work with this collection? retro game roms aren’t a rare enough quantity to put yourself thru this archival challenge…

[raspberry79]

@dankcushions
I open the rom folders one at a time and right-click to see what type it is. Sometimes i can click into the rom folder and right-click on properties and it will show the type of file

[dankcushions]

@raspberry79 so with that specific example as there’s only one system that supports .a26 in retropie, so you put it in the folder for that and it should work. but doing the whole lot in this way seems very tedious. i would give up with this collection/approach

[windg]

Better find another source for roms that have everything categorize by system.

[raspberry79]

@windg
When going over to download the rom, it will tell the name of the console. So i would write down the name of the game and the name of the console and then place the rom in that rom folder with the console name like snes, atari and more.

[sleve_mcdichael]

@raspberry79 said in Rom file types:

When going over to download the rom, it will tell the name of the console. So i would write down the name of the game and the name of the console and then place the rom in that rom folder with the console name like snes, atari and more.

Yeah. That's how we all do it.

[kiro]

You can always try with my first scraper:

https://github.com/zayamatias/sscraper

It has a sort option that will get the checksums for the file and sort everything under one directory (look for --sort), rom names do not matter at all, to be honest, checksums are much more reliable.

It is not the most user-friendly scraper, but I'm working on a new one (https://github.com/zayamatias/retroscraper) that should be user-friendlier.

Cheers.

[raspberry79]

@kiro
On here https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Supported-Systems/ does the extension matters to the roms.

[kiro]

@raspberry79 for the emulator it does, indeed, bit not anything that's before the extension.

[raspberry79]

@kiro
I downloaded a Rom and once download i open the zip file and it said file type MDF and MDS what is that type and what console it go in.
I also downloaded one and found out it was a rar file type

[kiro]

@raspberry79 As a test, give me the SHA1 + MD5 (preferably the unzipped file) Windows just any tool such as https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/hash_my_files.html) for linux just run sha1sum and md5sum and post them here... with those, unless they are very obscure roms, I should be able to tell you the correct filename and the system they belong to... thanks!

Btw, .mdf is a cd imaging extension, this could be PSX,PS2 or even Saturn, .mds, never seen it before...I see just one rom in my DB with .mds extension "299 Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei (U).mds", a Saturn game, probably won't run in any emulator supported by retropie.

[raspberry79]

@kiro
I made a snapshop here maybe be a little easier to to explain.
https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Supported-Systems/#

I just drop my roms into the system/console instead and not worrying about the extension
So, I just need to know the console name of the rom

I see rom that is .A26 ant that <Atari2600>

[kiro]

@raspberry79 ok, if what you need is a complete list of extensions supported by each emulator supported by retropie, see it here: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/master/platforms.cfg (thanks @mitu for the link) ... sorry I just saw you also have a similar link. I'm a little bit confused :-)

[raspberry79]

@kiro
i added a link above the snapshot https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Supported-Systems/#
Apparently, I have to use .7z to extract all the roms
Some were downloaded in rar file type and other weird types. I can extract the rar rom to a26 .7z to BIN

[raspberry79]

@kiro
Pi4 Retropie 4.8

I tried playing a game, but it keeps popping up a message saying errors are logged to /dev/shm/runcommand.log

It must mean i have to roms in the wrong folders or the emulates isn't installed on the retropie or what