Omitting game file types?

franchise2099

Hi all,
I have been bouncing around this question for several different versions of batocera.... How do we exclude certain file types from our game menu?

PSX has (commonly) a ".bin" (data) & a ".cue" (sector location) files for games. If I wanted to launch my games from just .cue files and exclude the bin file how would I go about doing that?

I know there is an option to do this on a per game basis, I was hoping to have/find a global editing config file where I could get rid of an extension. Reacalbox has a couple of forums but i don't know if it translates properly.

I was only able to find squat in the emulation station files found in "/userdata/system/configs/emulationstation/es_settings.cfg"

Any help would spare my brain cells some extra damage...

joinski

franchise2099

https://forum.batocera.org/d/3022-batocera-5-24-is-showing-bin-files-on-psx-rom-folder

franchise2099

joinski Thank you so much. I was going mental looking for that file!!!!! I guess it's in a different local on different distros running emulationstation.

[deleted]

I'll set a PR to remove *.bin

BZZ

[deleted] why? some games have singe .bin and I rather not bother with creating a .cue if I can hide what I dont need and leave rest there.

[deleted]

BZZ
Why? Because it's a bad habbit, standalone BINs are useless without metadata and so I'd like to threat them like bad dumps. But you can leave your concerns here let's discuss 🙂

You can read here and obtain missing cue files, too
https://github.com/opsxcq/psx-cue-sbi-collection

Why cue over bin? CUE descripes the bin file and so it's possible to play the audio tracks that were inside the image file. Usually the dumped container contains bin next to cue and there is no need to delete the cue-file.

If you want to create CUE files than use
1. https://github.com/thorst/CueMaker (python for unix, mac -> mass creator)
2. https://cue-maker.informer.com/2.4/ (windows -> single cue)
3. https://nielsbuus.dk/pg/psx_cue_maker/ (online -> single cue)

Maybe you can play WipEout with a CUE and without one. You should hear the difference (or did you delete the audiotrack, too?)

FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 01) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 01 MODE2/2352
    INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 02) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 02 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 00:00:00
    INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 03) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 03 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 00:00:00
    INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 04) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 04 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 00:00:00
    INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 05) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 05 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 00:00:00
    INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 06) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 06 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 00:00:00
    INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 07) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 07 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 00:00:00
    INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 08) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 08 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 00:00:00
    INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 09) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 09 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 00:00:00
    INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 10) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 10 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 00:00:00
    INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 11) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 11 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 00:00:00
    INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE "WipEout (E) (v1.0) (Track 12) [SCES-00010].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 12 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 00:00:00
    INDEX 01 00:02:00

joinski

BZZ
For certain games, .cue files are definitely necessary.
For example Tomb Raider (german version).
If you do not have the correct .cue-File (with the correct content) then you have some audio issues (in the training-level for example, when Lara gives you instuctions).

BZZ

[deleted] Yes I am not negating it. The 'why?' was rhetorical (which I get was hard to read). I understand how to make a .cue. You could have listed much longer file to try to make your point... I do not see the point of going for discussion to github. I can already see that this is futile.... I play with no sound as the environment i keep Batocera is loud and headphones would not help.

joinski I am not saying all of them need or don't need it. I just don't believe that removing .bin from this system is the right direction to go in. It is same as when mame cores were removed. I understand why - I am just saying that even if they were no longer supported they could have been left as alternative. And yes I get why/how I can get another set that works with current core.

BZZ

[deleted] I am sorry? Maybe there is a missunderstanding:

BZZ "I play with no sound as the environment i keep Batocera is loud and headphones would not help."

BZZ "Other than having sound what would make the association of BIN/CUE or IMG/CUE or CHD better than just having a BIN in the rom folder ?"

Should I also draw a picture to make a point? I would also expect developers to read the forum I assume they provide? Seeing how noone has gotten involved in this discussion I assume they didn't read, don't mind or fairly less likely don't care. I didn't quite mean 'win' or 'loose' in pure meaning of the word that is why I said 'in a matter of speaking'. I do not want to mess with things and keep changing them back and forth. If the change was made let it be... I do not see the point of continuing this argument. Why are you so hard on making your point? The discussion already run its course.

[deleted]

@BZZ @joinski Maybe I make a small HowTo - merge multiple BINs in one BIN and obtain CUE data. I know there are horrible formats out here

Games Splitted in multi-tracks
Games in ECM format
...

Best format is CHD!

[deleted]

Some more info
https://batocera.org/wiki/doku.php?id=en:playstation_1

BZZ

[deleted] So instead of letting it be, you have removed .bin from version 5.25 I assume in "es_systems.cfg" just to make your point ? Two(2) people asked about it recently on the forum and were told what to do...

Now I will have to (following your wiki edit) convert my bin files to img hoping just file change works. Otherwise I will have to re-download games in img format in the first place or use a proper converter... OR get cue files for all my games.... Alternative was getting people that did not care about .bin to hide it in batocera or using external scraper or removing it from .cfg? I wonder what was simpler ?

joinski

BZZ

simple .bin files without the matching .cue files are not optimal anyway.
it can work, but it can also produce problems with audio tracks (see my example with Tomb Raider).
so sooner or later you will have to get all matching .cue files for your .bin files 😉
and cyperghost posted a link to a file where all .cue files for all ps1 games are packed into one compressed file (just download and extract it).

BZZ

joinski Or... I will just add it back to .cfg and don't bother ? Everything worked fine so far...

[deleted]

BZZ Yes you could possible change it for you by editing es_systems.cfg

First: About masses, you said just 2 people complaint about this. I don't know how much people use RetroPie, RecalBox or Lakka but in all these distrubutions the view of BIN-files is disabled by default. So I think the most people even did not regonized how Playstation ROM folders are working and would be iritated that BATOCERA shows a lot more entries in the game rooster.
Second: Even if you say BINs are always working - yes that's true. But with this simple change you can achive a better gameplay experience (audio in games!). If you want to stick with your collection then it's up to you to change es_systems or to rename your files.
Third: BIN/CUE (or IMG/CUE) is next to CHD the best format. It's the original physical copy format with all file info. Sadly CHD is not supported by all emulators (the non librertro PSX-reARMed for example). ISO will lose some subchanel data and may cause issues with internal copy protection routine as it is pure file storage and the Sony format is not a regular standarized one (afaik!).

BZZ

[deleted] First I said "Two(2) people asked about it recently on the forum and were told what to do". I did not mention anything about masses and did not talk about //ever since forum was created//. If you are using Batocera generally you are not using RecalBox, Lakka or RetroPie. You either came here from there or are here and will end up there. I came from RecalBox due to better Amiga support. At a time at least dont follow much since... I understand that people with zero knowledge would be upset to see many files and not know how to hide them. That would not be however the majority that choose Batocera.

Second. I agree they are always working. I dont know how can I achieve better gameplay experience if I play with no sound ?

Third. Ok.... Following your train of thought... Other than having sound what would make the association of BIN/CUE or IMG/CUE or CHD better than just having a BIN in the rom folder ?

I do also need to add that I do not see why you are keeping this argument up? I said what I had to say, you have justified yourself. You already won this discussion cause the change was already made and discussion is futile as I mentioned before. I will modify the cfg or get the cue as I have no other choice. I dont even play much (or nearly at all). Batocera is setup for my son cause I am currently unemployed(due to many reasons) and cannot afford much to keep him occupied when we cannot go out. I also been lucky enough to have this old pc around and its cool to see him play older games. I am grateful for systems like Batocera and to people that develop(and maintain) them. This is why I contribute and try to help on the forum when I can while most just come ask question and vanish forever. I am happy people contribute to this project and it is always cool to see things move and get better. I do not need to agree with all changes and digging more to the fact that you think it is now better is not needed. Changes have been made, you expressed yourself, my argument is pointless and you won(in a matter of speaking).

[deleted]

BZZ You have no CD audio if you are using bins only. There is nothing about losing or wining a discussion like a game and if you've really concern about gaming experience than it's up to you to talk to the developers and make your point by changing some project code. So told I'm just like you a user with no special privileges.

But I think this pictures states clear for what the change is usefull for.

[deleted]

BZZ No problem pal