26-APR-2020: Updated downloads to fix an extra space character in the generated .CFG files
TL; DR -- Batch file to add artwork, VMCs, CFGs, VCDs. Batch file at the bottom; extract to your hdl_hdd folder inside your OPL Manager folder. Connect your PS2 HDD to your PC and install the games you want using HDLBATCH (link at bottom). Then run OPL Manager with admin rights, and set OPL Manager to scan PS2 HDD for the games list. Batch download the art files and adjust them to your liking using OPL Manager. Then run OPLBATCH.BAT by right-clicking on it and choosing Run as administrator and answer the prompts.
This batch file was written to speed up the process of finalizing an new PS2 HDD setup. My preferred workflow for setting up a PS2 with an internal HDD for gaming -- from scratch -- is as follows.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- PS2
- PS2 Network Adapter (NA)
- HDD
- USB adapter for HDD
- USB flash drive (formated FAT32)
- (optional) IDE-to-SATA modkit for NA
- (optional) official Sony memory card (MC)
WORKFLOW:
DETAILED INFO:
So you've installed a list of games, and now you want to make your installation a bit more complete with artwork (covers, screenshots, etc.) and even dabble in some PS1 gaming via POPSTARTER. The simplest way to transfer the necessary files is either via USB or ethernet, with USB being simplest (no configuring to do). Unfortunately USB is the slowest method of transfer since we're dealing with USB 1.1. Fortunately, it is possible to transfer all that you want using PFSSHELL and connecting your HDD to your computer. However, PFSSHELL is much like a command terminal and only deals with single files. So copying over hundreds of files one by one is not ideal. This is where OPLBATCH can make the process much easier. OPLBATCH basically just creates scripts for each subfolder from OPL Manager. If there are files in the ART folder, it makes a script for copying all the PNG and JPG files over onto the HDD and feeds the script to PFSSHELL. Additionally, it will do the same for POPS (the folder that presumably contains the PS1 VCD files that were converted from PS1 BIN/CUE files). It will also make virtual memory cards (VMCs) for use with OPL. The more recent daily builds of OPL are bugged with VMC creation -- when you create a new VMC in OPL on your PS2, you will run into an error that says the VMC is too fragmented despite being newly created. But even if this bug did not exist, creating VMCs for hundreds of games is a very tedious process. OPLBATCH will create these files and also adjust your CFG files accordingly, or create one if one does not already exist. (The CFG file is necessary so that OPL knows to use the correct VMC file.)
When creating VMCs and CFG files, the existing VMC and CFG folder will be renamed to VCM.bkp and CFG.bkp. Any files in these backed up folders will have higher priority over creating new ones. OPLBATCH will then back up the existing VMCS and CFG files on the PS2 HDD (unless directed to skip this step) and store them in the VMC and CFG folders, respectively. When creating new VMCs, it will give priority to the files in VMC or CFG (i.e. the ones pulled from the PS2 HDD), followed by VMC.bkp and CFG.bkp, and then lastly create new ones if none are found in the aforementioned folders. If a .bkp folder already exists, then OPLBATCH will exit until you fix this discrepancy (e.g. re-running OPLBATCH). In general, after running OPLBATCH, the VMC and CFG folders have the "merged" content and the .bkp folders can be discarded. But this is left up to you to decide what to do with the .bkp folders (the idea is that theoretically you might have placed files into VMC and CFG folders that actually don't correspond to any installed games, and so do not get used after being moved into the .bkp folders).
All the scripts that it builds are in the TMP folder that it creates. You can delete the TMP folder once done.
ABOUT OPL MANAGER AND ARTWORK:
Those of you who have used this wonderful tool know that there are certain rules that can, at first glance, make life seemingly tedious. OPL Manager has two folders: CD and DVD for games of that type. It would seem that you would have to sort your game files before you can do any batch art downloads. However, you DO NOT need to sort any of your games at all. Use HDLBATCH to install your games into the HDD first, and then use the PS2 HDD mode within OPL Manager. Go to Settings > Change Mode/OPL Folder and select the PS2 HDD. Then update the games list and proceed to use the batch downloader for artwork. The art files are stored in the hdl_hdd/ART folder (which is itself inside the OPL Manager folder). When done, you can then click on Manage ARTs and adjust any of the artwork for each individual game.
HDLBATCH: https://gbatemp.net/download/hdlbatch.36256/
Please send any bug reports via this thread.
WARNING: Only compatible with installations where games were installed using either HDLBATCH or installers that used HDLDUMP 0.9.2.
TL; DR -- Batch file to add artwork, VMCs, CFGs, VCDs. Batch file at the bottom; extract to your hdl_hdd folder inside your OPL Manager folder. Connect your PS2 HDD to your PC and install the games you want using HDLBATCH (link at bottom). Then run OPL Manager with admin rights, and set OPL Manager to scan PS2 HDD for the games list. Batch download the art files and adjust them to your liking using OPL Manager. Then run OPLBATCH.BAT by right-clicking on it and choosing Run as administrator and answer the prompts.
This batch file was written to speed up the process of finalizing an new PS2 HDD setup. My preferred workflow for setting up a PS2 with an internal HDD for gaming -- from scratch -- is as follows.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- PS2
- PS2 Network Adapter (NA)
- HDD
- USB adapter for HDD
- USB flash drive (formated FAT32)
- (optional) IDE-to-SATA modkit for NA
- (optional) official Sony memory card (MC)
WORKFLOW:
- Use an FMCB HDD boot image to copy onto the HDD via your PC.
- Boot the PS2 using the HDD and run uLaunchELF to create your own FMCB memory card.
- Format the PS2 HDD and install FHDB.
- Create the +OPL partition on the PS2; additionally create the __.POPS partition for PS1 games
- Re-connect the HDD to the PC and use HDLBATCH to install games.
- Run OPL Manager (with admin rights) and scan the PS HDD for its games list; batch download art and adjust to personal preference.
- Run OPLBATCH (with admin rights) to add the art, VMCs, and possibly any PS1 VCDs placed in the hdl_hdd/POPS folder.
DETAILED INFO:
So you've installed a list of games, and now you want to make your installation a bit more complete with artwork (covers, screenshots, etc.) and even dabble in some PS1 gaming via POPSTARTER. The simplest way to transfer the necessary files is either via USB or ethernet, with USB being simplest (no configuring to do). Unfortunately USB is the slowest method of transfer since we're dealing with USB 1.1. Fortunately, it is possible to transfer all that you want using PFSSHELL and connecting your HDD to your computer. However, PFSSHELL is much like a command terminal and only deals with single files. So copying over hundreds of files one by one is not ideal. This is where OPLBATCH can make the process much easier. OPLBATCH basically just creates scripts for each subfolder from OPL Manager. If there are files in the ART folder, it makes a script for copying all the PNG and JPG files over onto the HDD and feeds the script to PFSSHELL. Additionally, it will do the same for POPS (the folder that presumably contains the PS1 VCD files that were converted from PS1 BIN/CUE files). It will also make virtual memory cards (VMCs) for use with OPL. The more recent daily builds of OPL are bugged with VMC creation -- when you create a new VMC in OPL on your PS2, you will run into an error that says the VMC is too fragmented despite being newly created. But even if this bug did not exist, creating VMCs for hundreds of games is a very tedious process. OPLBATCH will create these files and also adjust your CFG files accordingly, or create one if one does not already exist. (The CFG file is necessary so that OPL knows to use the correct VMC file.)
When creating VMCs and CFG files, the existing VMC and CFG folder will be renamed to VCM.bkp and CFG.bkp. Any files in these backed up folders will have higher priority over creating new ones. OPLBATCH will then back up the existing VMCS and CFG files on the PS2 HDD (unless directed to skip this step) and store them in the VMC and CFG folders, respectively. When creating new VMCs, it will give priority to the files in VMC or CFG (i.e. the ones pulled from the PS2 HDD), followed by VMC.bkp and CFG.bkp, and then lastly create new ones if none are found in the aforementioned folders. If a .bkp folder already exists, then OPLBATCH will exit until you fix this discrepancy (e.g. re-running OPLBATCH). In general, after running OPLBATCH, the VMC and CFG folders have the "merged" content and the .bkp folders can be discarded. But this is left up to you to decide what to do with the .bkp folders (the idea is that theoretically you might have placed files into VMC and CFG folders that actually don't correspond to any installed games, and so do not get used after being moved into the .bkp folders).
All the scripts that it builds are in the TMP folder that it creates. You can delete the TMP folder once done.
ABOUT OPL MANAGER AND ARTWORK:
Those of you who have used this wonderful tool know that there are certain rules that can, at first glance, make life seemingly tedious. OPL Manager has two folders: CD and DVD for games of that type. It would seem that you would have to sort your game files before you can do any batch art downloads. However, you DO NOT need to sort any of your games at all. Use HDLBATCH to install your games into the HDD first, and then use the PS2 HDD mode within OPL Manager. Go to Settings > Change Mode/OPL Folder and select the PS2 HDD. Then update the games list and proceed to use the batch downloader for artwork. The art files are stored in the hdl_hdd/ART folder (which is itself inside the OPL Manager folder). When done, you can then click on Manage ARTs and adjust any of the artwork for each individual game.
HDLBATCH: https://gbatemp.net/download/hdlbatch.36256/
Please send any bug reports via this thread.
WARNING: Only compatible with installations where games were installed using either HDLBATCH or installers that used HDLDUMP 0.9.2.
Last edited by rs1n,
