novice asking a couple of quick questions regarding samples folder and transfers via USB

Toad

Hi folks,

I have just set up my first retro games machine using a Raspberry Pi model 3b and a 64gb Samsung card with 4.3 image. I reformatted the card to FAT32 before flashing the Retropie image and, simply out of curiosity, I would like to know if this was strictly necessary. Some people seem to advocate this approach whilst others point out that the Retropie image subsequently reformats the entire card anyway. Given the debate, I thought it better to be safe than sorry.

I have transferred roms via a USB stick. I created a "retropie" folder on the USB stick whilst at the pc, and then plugged it into the Pie to enable it to populate it with folders. Then, I plugged the USB back into the pc to fill the arcade folder with 0.78 roms for use with the lr-mame2003 emulator. Things have gone well, but I have run into a couple of issues:

I would like to place sample files in the corresponding folder; however, I see no samples folder anywhere on the USB stick: the Bios folder is empty as is the mame-libretro folder (discounting the roms that I placed there). I have read that, as I am using the arcade folder, I should place my samples into /home/piRetroPie/roms/BIOS/samples/, is this correct?
Given that I currently see no folders in the BIOS folder on the USB, when I plug it into the pc, should I create them? Is it possible to create folders on the USB while it is connected to the PC and then simply plug it into the Pie to transfer them? I have been unable to connect via Wi-Fi via on the Pie, so I am currently unable to transfer over the network and I have no previous experience with a Linux based system, so I am trying to avoid messing around inside the Pie until I am better documented and feel more comfortable. Should these folders have appeared on the USB when the Pie populated it for the first time?
I have also read that the files should be placed in /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/samples/. It appears that mame2003 has been replaced by mame-libretro, is this correct? In any event, I have understood that this advice does not apply, given that I have used the arcade folder for roms, is this correct?

I have tried to read and understand the literature and answer my own questions to the best of my ability.

Many thanks in advance for your patience and help.

Toad

quicksilver

@toad if you have a PC on the same network as your pi, why not just use a program like WinSCP to access the files on your pi? You can drag and drop your ROMs, bios, and samples easy as pie ;)

I know I didn't really answer your question but WinSCP (assuming you are using Windows) is really one of the easiest ways to transfer ROMs and access files on your pi. Plus you don't have to wait to transfer everything to your USB drive and then to your pi. If doing bulk transfers I would recommend using a wired connection as it will be faster than wifi.

Toad

@quicksilver said in novice asking a couple of quick questions regarding samples folder and transfers via USB:

if you have a PC on the same network as your pi, why not just use a program like WinSCP to access the files on your pi? You can drag and drop your ROMs, bios, and samples easy as pie ;)
I know I didn't really answer your question but WinSCP (assuming you are using Windows) is really one of the easiest ways to transfer ROMs and access files on your pi. Plus you don't have to wait to transfer everything to your USB drive and then to your pi. If doing bulk transfers I would recommend using a wired connection as it will be faster than wifi.

I can't get the pie to connect via Wi-Fi. I have placed it in an aluminium case, which may be part of the problem, but in any event my Internet connection via Wi-FI, on the rare occasions when it does detect my network, lasts for all of 10 seconds. I set it up yesterday and this is the first hiccup I have encountered. I don't have a Wi-Fi USB stick at hand, so maybe that would help. I can test tomorrow. I am assuming that I require an Internet connection to connect the Pie and the pc, is that simply showing my ignorance? Connecting directly to the router isn't an option due to the layout of the house.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, your advice is exactly what I plan to do. Is WinSCP similar to Putty? Again, I don't really know what I'm talking about, I have just started glancing over file transfer options, but, yes, the USB method is not the planned long-term option and I want to control the Pie via pc somehow or other.

Cheers, and again, thanks for replying.

quicksilver

@toad WinSCP is an SFTP connection. In layman's terms it's basically a file explorer for your pi. When you boot it up it will prompt you to login. Once you login in to your pi you will have access to all the directories and files on the pi. So if for example you wanted to add a rom to your NES folder you would just click on the ROMs folders, then NES folder, then drag and drop your rom(s). Is it possible to move your pi next to your router just for file transfers? Your pi won't need a monitor because you will be accessing it from your computer through your network.

dankcushions

@toad said in novice asking a couple of quick questions regarding samples folder and transfers via USB:

I would like to place sample files in the corresponding folder; however, I see no samples folder anywhere on the USB stick: the Bios folder is empty as is the mame-libretro folder (discounting the roms that I placed there). I have read that, as I am using the arcade folder, I should place my samples into /home/piRetroPie/roms/BIOS/samples/, is this correct?

no. https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/lr-mame2003#samples

I have also read that the files should be placed in /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/samples/. It appears that mame2003 has been replaced by mame-libretro, is this correct? In any event, I have understood that this advice does not apply, given that I have used the arcade folder for roms, is this correct?

no. the folder you use for roms has no bearing on where lr-mame2003 looks for samples.

Alturis

I have found tha the easiest way to transfer and modify files from a pc on the same network is just typing this in File Explorer

\\RETROPIE

User: pi
Pass: raspberry

As long as you only need to access bios, roms, or configs.

You can just edit stuff like it was right in your own pc.

Toad

@quicksilver an FTP connection, cheers, I have used FTP before.
@dankcushions thanks for clarifying , I will use /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/samples
@alturis thanks, that is the planned method once I get the Pie on network.

I bought a USB WiFi adapter, the TP-Link TL-WN823N ver 2.0 as it was the only one available locally and I was hoping I could simply plug it in and go; however, it requires drivers to be installed, so I will try to return it later and the plan now is simply to buy a 15m ethernet cable to connect the Pie directly to the router. I don't require permanent Internet connection on the Pie, so hopefully this will allow me to do what I need and disconnect. I was reading about connecting the Pie directly to my laptop via an ethernet cable, but again, the steps required appear a little daunting to me.

I can't help but think that, if the Pie had created the samples subfolder structure when I plugged the USB in for the first time, I could simply continue to use the USB to transfer everything I need.

Thanks so much for your input folks.

dankcushions

@toad said in novice asking a couple of quick questions regarding samples folder and transfers via USB:

I can't help but think that, if the Pie had created the samples subfolder structure when I plugged the USB in for the first time, I could simply continue to use the USB to transfer everything I need.

i'm not so sure it doesn't already do that. have you tried it? you will have to create the folder structure on your usb card: /retropie/BIOS/mame2003/samples/

Toad

@dankcushions That's 2 I owe you. No, I had not thought of simply trying it as I was afraid I might mess something up. I created the folder structure on the USB as outlined and it works! I have confirmed by testing Donkey Kong with samples in place.

If nothing else, this thread will serve to confirm that the required folders can be created on a USB stick and then transferred over to the Pie.

Thank you so much.

kaptainsteve

When you transfer roms via your pc and \RETROPIE do you need to turn off Emulationstation before you do this?

Thanks.

jonnykesh

@kaptainsteve No, however you need to restart ES in order to get the ROMs to show up once the transfer is complete.