Emuloader 5.1.6 released

[Robert]

Front End

 

Time for another release...

This one will not have an update package to avoid incompatibilities with older builds. A bunch of things have changed for this buid... again. Please, make a clean install or just delete files from "\arcade\" folder, file "EmuLoader.ini" and "all column profile files from "\ini_files\columns\" folder.

 

This build brings a long waited feature: full ROMs scanning. Yes, now all games are fully validated, ROM by ROM. From this build forward, you can have ROMs of game sets inside bios sets, and bios ROMs inside game sets (parent or clone .zip file). CHD files detection is also fixed. If only a single ROM is not found, the game is set as missing.

 

Several screens have got a face lift. They are simpler, easy on the eyes and more intuitive.

You can now resize columns directly into the list, without going in the columns customizer screen.

Another nice addition is a timer in the splash screen so you can keep track of some tasks like create games list and scan games list. I think this is a better solution than setting the "hour glass" cursor.

 

version 5.1.6 change log [August 27, 2007]

--------------------------------------------------------------

 

.fixed: Auto game document #6 not being correctly read (preferences screen)

 

.fixed: Painting bug when scrolling games list while auto game documents is enabled

 

.fixed: Columns profile not being saved on certain cases (front-end startup)

 

.fixed: Columns profile .ini file is always deleted before saving again... to fix bug

 

.fixed: Games not being set correctly in grouped view mode. You'll need to re-create your games lists to fix this bug

 

.fixed: Custom driver options was setting game name instead of driver name

 

.fixed: Entries with null value now do not have "# entry" (mame.ini)... ctrlr, mngwrite, etc

 

.fixed: Couple bugs when scanning games list and CHD files

 

.fixed: Accesss violation when deleting multiple .zip files (progress bar bug)

 

.fixed: When favorites profile is empty, it was not being set as default at startup

 

.fixed: A few internal bugs

 

.fixed: The drop-down box # 6 (preferences screen) was reading the setting from the drop-down box #5

 

.changed: Renamed "Hidden Games Enabled" to "Activate Hidden Games" / "De-activate Hidden Games"

 

.changed: For MAME based systems, all driver .ini files will now be handled in "\source\" folder. For MAME builds older than v0.118u2, you will need to move the files to "" manually

 

.changed: ZiNc games now use the field "ScreenType" to hold the index of games, so EL can run them with ZiNc emulator

 

.changed: Games list files are changed again. Please re-create all your games lists

 

.changed: User interface in games filters selection screen has changed. Filters descriptions are now displayed as hints as you move the mouse over each option

 

.improved: Feature "Scan Audio Samples" ("Games List" main menu). It only shows a list of sample from missing games and sample files not used by any game

 

.improved: First change to start implementing large view mode, using "EasyListView" v1.60

component

On every game selection, the full game data will have to be redirected to memory variables

I just hope this does not generate the bug from old EL builds...

 

.improved: Removed systems lists from main menus to add them at runtime... much easier to add new systems in the future since I don't need to manually add the menu items

 

.improved: Main buttons tool bar / images buttons tool bar / status bar customization simplified

 

.improved: Customize columns screen

 

.improved: Bios sets selection screen (main menu "Emulator", "Bios Set" menu item)

 

.removed: Menu setting: "Use Controller" (main menu "Emulator")

 

.removed: Menu theme selection from "View" main menu. To select a theme go to preferences screen, "Front-end" tab, "Menu / Popup Themes" sub-tab

 

.removed: Game size (.zip file size)

 

.removed: Top bars and feature descriptions from some screens. Also some files from "\resources\images\topbars\" folder

 

.added: ROMs validation. All games are now fully scanned when updating the games list. If a game is missing a single ROM, it will be set as unavailable

 

Notes:

- ROMs of bios sets can now be placed in game sets (parents and/or clones)

- you can put ROMs of game sets into bios sets, but parent set must still exist

- you still cannot put ROMs of parent sets into clone sets

- ROMs for ZiNc and Daphne systems are not fully scanned (no ROMs list...)

 

.added: Customize main menu and popup menu colors (preferences screen, "Front-end" main tab, "Menu / Popup Themes" sub-tab)

 

Notes:

-> You can create as many themes as you like. They will be saved in "\ini_files\menu_themes.ini" file

-> Setting "Frame Round Corners" is used for both selection band and checked items

-> You can set single color, 2 colors gradient or 4 colors gradient for the selection band

-> Theme "Office 2007" cannot be modified

 

.added: A pretty timer in status screen so you can keep track on how long a task is taking

This is my first piece of code that use a second thread! )

Only create/scan games use this timer for now

 

.added: Fix for clone games with CHD files. File "\arcade\mame_roms.el" is updated to support filenames of clone CHD + filename of the parent CHD, using a ' _"parentchd"_ ' tag, like so:

 

Game: konam80u

CHD : 826uaa01.chd

Parent CHD: 826eaa01.chd

 

.. sample from "mame_roms.el"..

826uaa01.chd_"parentchd"_826eaa01.chd=0¬456f683c5d47dd73cfb73ce80b8a7351¬;

 

This means that the front-end will detect both chd files and if found will set the game as available... Make sure to create the games list again

 

.added: New files to keep track of merged games located in "\arcade\" folder (MAME based systems only)

-> mame_merged.ini

-> agemame_merged.ini

-> pinmame_merged.ini

-> hazemd_merged.ini

 

.added: You can resize game columns directly into the list now

Columns profile will be saved when:

- exiting the front-end

- swicthing between system filters

- when opening columns customizer screen

 

.added: Support for html link on new history.dat (not directly into the richedit box, but with a label

above it)

 

.added: New menu option: Reload "catver.ini" / "nplayers.ini" / "artwork.ini" (main menu "Games List")

Use it to load the info from those files without restarting the front-end

>> Get it HERE.