Translating DAT files into XML?

[dragon57]

As I said before NeoGeo should be info. Neogeo entries (AES) are very limited and even so you missed many games (ie androrun is in the history.dat but not in your neogeo.ini)

You also forgot Nintendo Famicom Disk System, although some guys will tell you "screw with that" because most (all?) games are japanese.

Gotcha. I had worked on Neo Geo before you listed the info systems. I had mistakenly thought the Neo Geo reference in history.dat was to the one on the HyperList page. I'll remove the .ini file from the archive and update the link.

I missed the Famicom system as I am not familiar with it. I'll add it to my list and see how it processes. Thanks for catching it!

[dragon57]

Just to clarify why it seamed to work for some cases.

Once the community is able to build propper rom mapping files for release groups like the MESS software lists, NoINtro, Tosec,... you would need to just copy the MESS software list map ini files to the history.dat folder to have a perfect match between games and history info. The oposite can be done also, use the history dat inis on the rom mapping feature, to allow you to use roms whithout having to renaming them or to choose what is your preferable language for play games automatically. This will only work if you follow the naming conventions set on the link provided by djvj.

I updated the code and the ini files are now formatted to match the specs on the Hyperlaunch page, e.g. multiple lines for each alternate rom name. I appreciate all the help getting these files correct.

[djvj]

Here is an updated archive with the changes pointed out and requested. Give it a go and keep pointing out anything that needs updating.

https://mega.co.nz/#!G9QUzLrQ!gt4yuhhUcWtYXkbAv6JA7EJslCMEFlgpH9sya4JzWFU

You didn't follow the example I provided:

[A-Team, The (USA) (Proto)]

Alternate_Rom_Name=ateamp2

Alternate_Rom_Name=ateam

Alternate_Rom_Name=ateamp1

It needs to look like this:

[A-Team, The (USA) (Proto)]

Alternate_Rom_Name_1=ateamp2

Alternate_Rom_Name_2=ateam

Alternate_Rom_Name_3=ateamp1

The only time you can use "Alternate_Rom_Name" is if only one alt rom is provided.

[ninja2bceen]

Keep at it dragon! U got 2 of the top dogs here watching u, keep fine tuning! They're brilliant

[dragon57]

You didn't follow the example I provided:

It needs to look like this:

The only time you can use "Alternate_Rom_Name" is if only one alt rom is provided.

Oops, late night. I read that, but by the time I coded the extra lines, I neglected the counter. I'll fix that up here directly. Thanks for the followup. I'm glad someone is checking up on me.

[dragon57]

Here is the latest update. Hopefully it is very close.

Also, I processed the Famicom file, but there were very, very few matches, but I included it anyway, just for semi-completeness sake.

As with the previous files, many thanks for those that provide feedback. I am very new to Hyperspin and am appreciative to those willing to point me in the direction of information allowing me to assist others in this endeavor. I don't even have a working setup so I can test these myself yet!

Edit: url deleted, see below for new link.

[Dogway]

Also, I processed the Famicom file, but there were very, very few matches, but I included it anyway, just for semi-completeness sake.

What xml are you using? I find (search by hand) all titles I searched for.

This is what I use. https://www.sendspace.com/file/6q5npz

[dragon57]

What xml are you using? I find (search by hand) all titles I searched for.

This is what I use. https://www.sendspace.com/file/6q5npz

The one from the Hyperlist page. Aren't those the official files?

[Dogway]

well... yeah, probably, they are a mess though. I think the real official ones are on the server for the Hypersync feature, but since I don't use that I can't tell. I think I grabbed this from the ftp.

[dragon57]

well... yeah, probably, they are a mess though. I think the real official ones are on the server for the Hypersync feature, but since I don't use that I can't tell. I think I grabbed this from the ftp.

I grabbed the xml from Sendspace and compared it to the one I used last night. The one from Sendspace is much smaller and has a different set of file/rom references. It looks custom/hand built. I seem to recall seeing another effort to finish up another Famicom project on the forums a while back. I wonder if there was an xml generated from that effort. Any idea?

[Dogway]

I think that's the Famicom Disk System full set so probably you are mistaking it with the Japanese NES (family Computer)?

The "Nintendo Famicom Disk System" is the one that has the original "Super Mario Bros 2" game, "Tennis", and a few more classics.

That's the system that matches famicom_flop for the history.dat, on the Hyperlist I just downloaded the xml and it's empty so use mine.

[dragon57]

I think that's the Famicom Disk System full set so probably you are mistaking it with the Japanese NES (family Computer)?

The "Nintendo Famicom Disk System" is the one that has the original "Super Mario Bros 2" game, "Tennis", and a few more classics.

That's the system that matches famicom_flop for the history.dat, on the Hyperlist I just downloaded the xml and it's empty so use mine.

That makes so much more sense. The Famicom is a system I knew nothing about until I came here and read a bit about it. I was able to match up 100% of the records from the file you pointed me to!

Here is an updated archive which includes an updated .ini from Dogway's Nintendo Famicom Disk System.xml file.

Edit: url deleted, see below for new link.

[ninja2bceen]

Dragon saw and conquered wut no man attempted! Is this side project completed now meaning we got all the inis we can get that source the dat file? Thanks again

[Dogway]

More or less ninja2bceen.

dragon57, I have a last request, is it possible to take all the lines that match "For more information" and copy the chunk up to the game MESS name? So it's easier to go one by one swapping the roms with missing information. Similar to next format. My regex abilities are not too powerful.

$nes=airfortr,
$bio
Air Fortress (c) 1989 HAL Laboratory.
European version. Game developed in Japan. For more information about the game itself, please see the original Japanese release entry; "Air Fortress [Model HAL-AI]".
$nes=airfortru,
$bio
Air Fortress (c) 1989 HAL Laboratory, Incorporated.
For more information about...
...

[dragon57]

Dragon saw and conquered wut no man attempted! Is this side project completed now meaning we got all the inis we can get that source the dat file? Thanks again

What source are you looking for? Now that I have cranked out all the ini files, I am not sure what else you would need.

[dragon57]

More or less ninja2bceen.

dragon57, I have a last request, is it possible to take all the lines that match "For more information" and copy the chunk up to the game MESS name? So it's easier to go one by one swapping the roms with missing information. Similar to next format. My regex abilities are not too powerful.

$nes=airfortr,
$bio
Air Fortress (c) 1989 HAL Laboratory.
European version. Game developed in Japan. For more information about the game itself, please see the original Japanese release entry; "Air Fortress [Model HAL-AI]".
$nes=airfortru,
$bio
Air Fortress (c) 1989 HAL Laboratory, Incorporated.
For more information about...
...

I am not clear what you want. Currently, none of the ini files include lines for roms that don't have a match. Are you asking for those rom lines to be now output with the line from the rom's section in the history.dat file containing "...For more information..." after the "=" sign?

[ninja2bceen]

Hi dragon I was just seeing if this project has been put to bed aka u renamed all systems in the dat. Sounds like u have knocked that out and the last link u posted is essentially the completed project. Many thanks, just wanted to check

[dragon57]

Well, not sure you can call it completed. I am always open to updating it if new systems are added to the history.dat file in the future, or if a lot of updates are added to the history.dat file for already existing systems that would require updating the existing ini files. Stuff like that.

[Dogway]

Hello dragon57, not sure what you understood.

Here not talking about inis at all now. I want to strip down the history.dat file to contain ONLY the chunks that go from the game mess name up to where it says "for more information", to look like the example I posted. This way the file is edited in such way that is easier to swap rom names in the inis by hand (you save to do searches everytime).

[ninja2bceen]

Thanks dragon, ninjas happy :-) sounds like the day file is exhausted at this point and if it gets updated u will watch for it. Amazing job once again, ty

Dogs requested extra stuff that fines tunes thing for him and prob would improve here and there

[dragon57]

Hello dragon57, not sure what you understood.

Here not talking about inis at all now. I want to strip down the history.dat file to contain ONLY the chunks that go from the game mess name up to where it says "for more information", to look like the example I posted. This way the file is edited in such way that is easier to swap rom names in the inis by hand (you save to do searches everytime).

Ah, makes sense now. Yep, I can do that pretty easily. Hang loose for a bit. Work is crazy, but as soon as I can shake some time loose, I'll create a file for you, upload it to my Mega site, then post a link here.

[dragon57]

Dogway, only 259 of the roms (outside of those identified as 'info') have lines w/For more information in them. Is this good enough for you, or do you want to try and figure out a different way to reduce records down the way you need?

[Dogway]

I counted 907, but I'm using a recent version:

## REVISION: 1.54c

## FILE SIZE: 21359019 / Lines: 806459

I prefer all systems, matching $snes, $nes, etc, not only those with $info (mame), so I can work on all of them. "for more information" (case independent) is the only phrase I found that is used on all those games that have full info in another clone/region title.

[dragon57]

Dogway, I am using the same history.dat. After changing the logic to include all systems, I get 784 matches. The rest of the "for more information" references have nothing to do with alternate roms.

Here is the link as promised. Hopefully it is helpful.

Edit: url deleted, see below for new link.

[Dogway]

Wonderful, thanks a lot, it's a lot of work still but this will make it easier.