Download Service Beta Testing

[Circo]

Let's get the Beta rolling, please list any issues or questions here.

Currently this is a closed beta test for lifetime members and above. If your part of the supporting member class and would like to be a beta tester please send me a PM requesting it. We have limited slots available right now and we do need active testers. Therefore I am requiring a post count of at least 5 in order to qualify for the private beta for our supporting members.

EDIT: Version 0.4 has been released link

[Cabel]

This is awesome stuff! Well done.

Only two things I've got to report so far:

1. Minimizing the application window seems to crash the application. It just vaporizes. Windows 7.
   
2. My MAME roms are MERGED. As a result, if it’s using the filename to make download determinations, it will probably skip some movies. For example, I have a “aburner2.zip” rom, with “ aburner.zip” merged into it, so I don’t get the “aburner.zip” movie. I realize this would be extremely hard for you to fix, so maybe the right answer is “don’t merge your roms.”
   

(Why DID I merge my roms!? I can’t even remember. Does anyone else do that?)

I'll keep testing....

[loppydog]

I have not had a chance to use this yet, but I had a couple of question. How does this program go about searching roms? does it use a "fatmatch" type of searching? If so, will the sensitivity be adjustable? Will it be able to give a "report" telling the user which roms could not be matched? I am just kinda wondering how "different" the roms can be from the files on the FTP. BTW great idea and I hope to give it a try ASAP.

[Cabel]

does it use a "fatmatch" type of searching?

According to the announcement thread here:

It also automatically renames all media files to match your Roms, alleviating the need to use 3rd party re-namers such as fat-match.

[Circo]

According to the announcement thread here:

It also automatically renames all media files to match your Roms, alleviating the need to use 3rd party re-namers such as fat-match.

I think the question is more a "how does it work" question. I am not 100% sure to be honest I know that it auto optimizes and gets faster with use. Maybe Tom will pop on and enlighten us all on exactly how it works. (It may be a trade secret though)

[Circo]

This is awesome stuff! Well done.

Only two things I've got to report so far:

1. Minimizing the application window seems to crash the application. It just vaporizes. Windows 7.
2. My MAME roms are MERGED. As a result, if it’s using the filename to make download determinations, it will probably skip some movies. For example, I have a “aburner2.zip” rom, with “ aburner.zip” merged into it, so I don’t get the “aburner.zip” movie. I realize this would be extremely hard for you to fix, so maybe the right answer is “don’t merge your roms.”

(Why DID I merge my roms!? I can’t even remember. Does anyone else do that?)

I'll keep testing....

#1 - We will look into this, thank you for the heads up.

#2 - Um unmerge that stuff

[Stubborn]

Where exactly do you Download the beta for testing?

Thanks

[tspeirs]

#1 - We will look into this, thank you for the heads up.

#2 - Um unmerge that stuff

#1 It goes into the taskbar tray. In windows 7 the tray is a little hidden. Maybe ill disable it doing that for windows 7.

[tspeirs]

I think the question is more a "how does it work" question. I am not 100% sure to be honest I know that it auto optimizes and gets faster with use. Maybe Tom will pop on and enlighten us all on exactly how it works. (It may be a trade secret though)

Its just something custom developed deliberatly aimed at rom/game names. It does various things such as checking without brackets and version numbers, and replacing/moving words and characters. It also caches the results of matches and keeps a copy of the most common ones.

Most of the work is done on the server, and the whole thing has an api which we'll explore later.

[Circo]

Where exactly do you Download the beta for testing?

Thanks

Currently it is a closed beta that is open to all lifetime members and above, we are including some supporting members on a case by case basis (must have post count of 5 or better) there are limited slots available but it will expand over the next couple of weeks.

[vglord57]

It worked extremely well, downloaded the NES set. I will try a larger set download tonight. I didn't really encounter any problems, but I'll keep my eye out

[Logan Mccloud]

It works great for me.

I have no encounter any problem so far, I have download many Artbox sets for diferent systems without any problem.

I will give a chance to bigger packs and see how it works.

Keep you in touch.

[B2K24]

If romsets are incomplete will this download system still work with incomplete sets and does this program have the ability to get the artwork and movies based on roms the user has? I think I had complete goodsets at 1 time but only kept the (USA) ! ones so I'm wondering if this will still work.

Thanks very much for this new feature and Thank you tspeirs for creation of program and GameEX

[NML32]

Great app, I tried it just before heading to the airport and it seemed to work very well.

I noticed it created two txt files can't remember the names but one contained found and the other not found.

Will the missing files txt file be used to assist in add more or missing content? Does the app do anything with these files?

Thanks, I plan on using it more when I get back next week.

[Circo]

Just sent PM's with version 0.3 which addresses some minor issues. And added supporting members with a post count of 5 or more to the beta.

[tspeirs]

I noticed it created two txt files can't remember the names but one contained found and the other not found.

Will the missing files txt file be used to assist in add more or missing content? Does the app do anything with these files?

At the moment it uses the missing file to make the experience much quicker by avoiding the need to search for the files again on the server. It does not currently do anything with the have file other than keep it updated.

[Circo]

Just got a PM that Mame wasn't supported in the current version. We will need to get that fixed.

[MadGear]

Great work Circo!! Well done!!

Yes, Mame stuff missing ang i check right now and the systems intro videos,movie trailers,misc.collectons (pc games,touhou project)wasn't supported

[tspeirs]

Just got a PM that Mame wasn't supported in the current version. We will need to get that fixed.

It is supported. Its under Arcade.

EDIT: Ive renamed Arcade to MAME.

[MadGear]

EDIT: Ive renamed Arcade to MAME.

Ok, i think it's much better. Can you rename

and the folder where it creates;

[Brenry]

what else is needed to run this .exe ? Having an error while loading with ./system32/mscoree.dll . I uninstalled .net framework and re-installed the v2 service pack 1 that is on the gameex site

[Stubborn]

Starting testing now.

My first thought is an enhancement request.

In order to be a complete file management solution there should be some method of handling existing unmatched media. I propose a four option setting:

1) Leave all existing media in folder.

2) Create Unmatched_Local.txt output in the folder.

3) Move all unmatched media to a /Unmatched subfolder.

4) Delete all Unmatched files in Destination folder.

[Stubborn]

To use this I am going to have to reconfigure my system.

When I set up all my systems I opted for a flatter file structure.

-Data

--Arcade roms

--Arcade cp

--Arcade marquee

--Arcade flyer

...

--Visual Pinball tables

--Visual Pinball roms

--Visual Pinball flyer

...

As opposed to:

-Data

--Arcade

---roms

---cp

--Visual Pinball

---tables

---roms

....

Am I the only one who did this?

[MadGear]

Stubborn i think fixed already that. Now it works fine..

[Stubborn]

Stubborn i think fixed already that. Now it works fine..

You had a flat folder structure you mean?