ecc_dat - new datformat RFC

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ecc
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ecc_dat - new datformat RFC

Post by ecc »

Hi,

i write a tool called emuControlCenter (ecc) at this time. It is useable and can scan your disks and parse informations from your rom-files. As an addition, it show you the screenshots of your roms in a listview and in a infoscreen. I will add some screenshots within the next days.

U will find it at http://www.camya.com/

For ecc, i will add a new format for dat-transfer. I call this format ecc_dat.

Here you can see a first RFC-Release of the DAT-Fomat:

Code: Select all

# ecc dat-file for mediadetection
# version 0.0.1
# date 2006/05/11

[ECC_DAT_INFO]
name			= Gameboy Advanced
ecc_ident		= ECC_DAT_GBA
release_version	= 0.0.1
release_date	= 2006/05/11
release_state	= alpha
comment			= Visit camya for the newest dat-file
author			= ecc
website			= http://www.camya.de/
email			= e@mail.de

[MEDIA]

# demodata
# name;extension;crc32;running;buggy;county;languages;multiplayer;trainer;introhack;hardware;usermod;free;doublettes
# varchar;varchar;crc32;int;bool;int[|n];int[|n];int;bool;bool;int[|n];bool;bool;crc32[|n]
#
# demodata description
# name;			varchar		real title of the media
# extension;	varchar		extension e.g. gba of the media
# crc32;		crc32		media crc32 checksum
# running;		bool		0=running | 1=not running
# buggy;		bool		0=ok | 1=has bugs
# county;		int[|]		Pipe-Seperated Coutries (Source [MEDIA_COUNTRY])
# languages;	int[|]		Pipe-Seperated supported languages of the media (Source [MEDIA_LANGUAGES])
# multiplayer;		int		0=no | 1=yes, but no info | 2-n count of players
# trainer;		bool		0=no trainer | 1-n=includes a trainer
# introhack;	bool		0=no intro | 1=intro hack added to the media
# hardware;		int[|]		Pipe-Seperated Special hardware used in this media (Source [MEDIA_HARDWARE])
# usermod;		bool		0=no | 1=yes User-Modification e.g. user-translations
# free;			bool		0=no freeware | 1=freeware eg publicdomain (PD)
# category		int			type of game  (Source [MEDIA_CATEGORY])
# doublettes	crc32[|]	Pipe-Seperated crc32-checksums of equal games

Super Mario Advance 2 - Super Mario World;gba;5206880A;1;0;1;2;0;0;0;0;0;0;1;3D2B51F0
Super Mario Advance 2 - Super Mario World;gba;3D2B51F0;1;0;3;2;0;0;0;0;0;0;1;5206880A
Golden Sun;gba;1053DCE4;1;0;3;1;0;0;0;0;0;3;E1FB68E8
Golden Sun;gba;E1FB68E8;1;0;1;2;0;0;0;0;0;3;1053DCE4
Golden Sun 2 - Die Vergessene Epoche;gba;D981D889;1;0;3;1;0;0;0;0;0;0;5;671EE52A|1717CDED
Golden Sun 2;gba;671EE52A;1;0;1;2;0;0;0;0;0;0;5;D981D889|1717CDED
Golden Sun 2;gba;1717CDED;1;0;2;4;0;0;1;0;0;0;5;D981D889|671EE52A
The date behind the values in the dat-files are stored in a ini file in the emuControlCenter and maybe look like that.

# general data

Code: Select all

[MEDIA_COUNTRY]
0	= No country version
1	= USA
2	= Japan
3	= Europa

[MEDIA_LANGUAGES]
0	= Keine Sprache
1	= Deutsch
2	= Englisch
4	= Japanisch
5	= Schwedisch
6	= Dänisch
7	= Französisch
8	= Spanisch
9	= Koreanisch
10	= Chinesisch
11	= Italienisch

[MEDIA_CATEGORY]
0	= keine Kategorie zugewiesen
1	= Jump and Run
2	= Action adventure
3	= Sport
# special data e.g. for gameboy advanced in a special ini

Code: Select all

[MEDIA_HARDWARE]
0	= keine spezielle Hardware
1	= Solarsensor
2	= Tilt-Sensor
Any comments to this format?

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Post by RomCenter »

The romcenter 3 datafile format will be xml (mostly like mame xml list). So, I can only advice you to go with xml instead of 'old' dat format.
Eric - RomCenter developer
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Post by ecc »

I will take a look at this format. Thank you for this info.

btw.: I´ve created a emuControlCenter - microsite http://www.camya.com/ecc/

Regards,
Andreas

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Post by Wanderer »

RomCenter wrote:The romcenter 3 datafile format will be xml (mostly like mame xml list). So, I can only advice you to go with xml instead of 'old' dat format.
Hmm, interesting. Will the INI remain for storing parameters or it will be changed to XML too?

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Post by RomCenter »

It should stay as ini for now, but as a xml config file is already used, I will maybe move all settings in xml later.

But no registry :P
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Post by Wanderer »

RomCenter wrote:It should stay as ini for now, but as a xml config file is already used, I will maybe move all settings in xml later.
Ok. At that point, if i have the time i could extend my REG -> INI tool to an INI -> XML conversion tool.
RomCenter wrote:But no registry :P
I agree. At the end, INIs are better for utilities such as RC. XMLs seem to be even better though! :)

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Re: ecc_dat - new datformat RFC

Post by ecc »

@Wanderer and RomCenter

I today again see an visitor in my logs comming from this thread written Mon May 15, 2006 11:05 am :-) Long time ago. If you want, you can remove this tread. Looks like an big crossite promotion. But at this time i wrote ecc, it was only a prototye :) Sometimes i think, XML-Style format is mutch better. But i also think, xml files are very big and have an to big overhead. The CM Format is mutch smaller, but is not really good parsable, i think. I´ve implemente rom auditing for MAME and the arcade platforms, and parsing was hard work for me. Do you know, where the format of the CM-Dat file arrays are from? Is this an known format parsable in some languages like C ?

In RC 3, there will be an complete own xml-based datfile format, or also the old RC and CM datfiles?

Regards,
Andreas

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Re: ecc_dat - new datformat RFC

Post by RomCenter »

Rc3 supports old formats thrught Logiqx datutil tool. All formats are converted to mame xml format.

Also, a new xml format is created for romcenter and clrmame (see here for more details). It is the mame xml extended with rc and clrmame tags. :clap:

Afaik, clrmame format is proprietary. You won't find any tool to parse it. Maybe ask Roman...
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Re: ecc_dat - new datformat RFC

Post by ecc »

Also, a new xml format is created for romcenter and clrmame (see here for more details). It is the mame xml extended with rc and clrmame tags. :clap:
I´ve never seen this xml format :-) On the page http://forum.logiqx.com/viewtopic.php?t=363 there is only a snipplet. Can you give me an full export containing also <games> of your new xml style for one platform? Is this the direct xml output from mame?

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Re: ecc_dat - new datformat RFC

Post by RomCenter »

Here is new format dtd. It's not a direct mame xml, it is enclosed in 'datafiles' tags.
Eric - RomCenter developer
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