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    Please do not post a support request without first reading and following the advice in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

    Zero Byte es_systems.cfg file!

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    • BuZzB
      BuZz administrators @ChoccyHobNob
      last edited by BuZz

      @ChoccyHobNob i dont think retropie-setup would have done that . It can happen thought if you power off while updating etc. It's possible the file got mangled before at some point which confused the xml processing tool.

      If you remove the config, and then update all packages, it will get rebuilt.

      To help us help you - please make sure you read the sticky topics before posting - https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

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      • ChoccyHobNobC
        ChoccyHobNob Banned
        last edited by

        I deleted the 0 byte files and ran a core system packages update and it put back a minimal file

        Now I'm updating all installed packages again and its repopulating the file.

        The file was there and look OK immediately before I ran the update, I had literally just edited it to add a file type to the amiga types list (im testing a new amiga setup) and realised I hadn't updated before commencing my fiddling, I know you guys are messing with amiga too and I wanted the latest changes you've made , so off I go to update and then make a cup of tea (that keen thing takes ages) I come back in with my tea and notice it's telling me that es_systems.cfg is a zero byte file after each system updates.

        so I ssh in and check, sure enough its an empty file now.

        ¯\(ツ)/¯

        BuZzB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • BuZzB
          BuZz administrators @ChoccyHobNob
          last edited by

          @ChoccyHobNob I will try and reproduce it, but I can't think of anything that has changed to cause this. A log from the update would be useful so I can see if any errors are thrown by xmlstartlet - (from logs/) - can depack and put on pastebin.com or similar.

          To help us help you - please make sure you read the sticky topics before posting - https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

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          • ChoccyHobNobC
            ChoccyHobNob Banned
            last edited by

            OK the update has finished and it's all back.

            I wonder what it didn't like about that file to empty it like that...

            I really need to send a pull request for adding .32x and .cue to the megadrive system filetypes so I don't have to edit that every time!

            BuZzB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • ChoccyHobNobC
              ChoccyHobNob Banned
              last edited by

              will the log have been overwritten? if not I can go and get it

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              • BuZzB
                BuZz administrators @ChoccyHobNob
                last edited by BuZz

                @ChoccyHobNob power off at some point when the file was opened for writing, or a manual edit to the file that broke the XML markup could cause the system to fail when trying to update it. You shouldn't edit the file directly btw. You can add additional extensions via a custom platforms.cfg or manage a copy of es_systems.cfg yourself in /opt/retropie/configs/all/emulationstation

                To help us help you - please make sure you read the sticky topics before posting - https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

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                • ChoccyHobNobC
                  ChoccyHobNob Banned
                  last edited by

                  I'm not keen on the custom es_systems file approach, I always forget every time I add a new emulator to update it.

                  What is this fabled platforms.cfg of which you speak? Some new sorcery of which I am unaware?!

                  BuZzB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • BuZzB
                    BuZz administrators @ChoccyHobNob
                    last edited by

                    @ChoccyHobNob https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Genesis-Megadrive/#switching-emulation-station-to-the-genesis-logo

                    has an example of overriding platforms.cfg data - you can override anything in the default ~/RetroPie-Setup/platforms.cfg

                    To help us help you - please make sure you read the sticky topics before posting - https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

                    ChoccyHobNobC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • ChoccyHobNobC
                      ChoccyHobNob Banned @BuZz
                      last edited by ChoccyHobNob

                      @BuZz said in Zero Byte es_systems.cfg file!:

                      @ChoccyHobNob https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Genesis-Megadrive/#switching-emulation-station-to-the-genesis-logo

                      has an example of overriding platforms.cfg data - you can override anything in the default ~/RetroPie-Setup/platforms.cfg

                      This is very cool! I bundle my systems together gb+gbc, md+32x+segacd this will sort that out for me without having to mess with es!

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                      • ChoccyHobNobC
                        ChoccyHobNob Banned
                        last edited by

                        Here's the relevant bit of the log, it looks like it wasn't happy with the xml so it deleted it!

                        http://pastebin.com/JfAafFNB

                        I didn't do the whole log, I think you'll get the idea :)

                        BuZzB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • herb_fargusH
                          herb_fargus administrators
                          last edited by

                          Just for reference I've updated the docs recently with the latest info on system specific overrides including the platforms.cfg method:

                          https://retropie.org.uk/docs/EmulationStation/#es_systemscfg-edits

                          If you read the documentation it will answer 99% of your questions: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/

                          Also if you want a solution to your problems read this first: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

                          ChoccyHobNobC 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • ChoccyHobNobC
                            ChoccyHobNob Banned @herb_fargus
                            last edited by

                            @herb_fargus said in Zero Byte es_systems.cfg file!:

                            Just for reference I've updated the docs recently with the latest info on system specific overrides including the platforms.cfg method:

                            https://retropie.org.uk/docs/EmulationStation/#es_systemscfg-edits

                            Thanks Herb, that's really useful!

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                            • BuZzB
                              BuZz administrators @ChoccyHobNob
                              last edited by

                              @ChoccyHobNob the file was bad XML so it got confused. Must have been an error in a manual edit or it got corrupted somehow

                              To help us help you - please make sure you read the sticky topics before posting - https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

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                              • ChoccyHobNobC
                                ChoccyHobNob Banned @herb_fargus
                                last edited by

                                @herb_fargus is there any way to re-order the systems without editing es_systems.cfg?

                                herb_fargusH 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • herb_fargusH
                                  herb_fargus administrators @ChoccyHobNob
                                  last edited by

                                  @ChoccyHobNob unfortunately not that I know of. There has been some work done on enhanced filtering with a SQLite backend and system order may be part of that but I'm not sure where that's at, it's a large change and may be a while before implemented

                                  If you read the documentation it will answer 99% of your questions: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/

                                  Also if you want a solution to your problems read this first: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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