Hacking Rominator Database Update info

[windsur]

I have a question...

I had to reinstall Rominator 2008.20 for Windows after a computer crash.

I got all of these custom updates done sucessfully, but is there any way to get the box art for all the releases prior to the built in updater going offline??

Basically I need box art for 001-4602... Any suggestions?


Thanks in advance for the help and thank you to everyone trying to keep this great app alive!!


Eric

For 0001-4179 (I think that's where I took over: It's late here.

), you can highlight all the games and press CTRL+I (or go to Tools->Get Info) to retrieve the online information. From there, the next step would be install this update to update the roms arts before 4179 and to go up to 4637.

 

[windsur]

For those of you who may have noticed, rom 4713 (Playmobil Knights) is actually wrong. It was a last-minute add to the database and where I got it from had it as 4713 but really it's 4714. It'll be fixed for the next release.

 

[dilav]

Once again, thanks alot for the updates!!!

 

[elbaC]

Thanks for the update.
You're doing an excellent job!

 

[windsur]

Thanks for the votes of confidence: they're really appreciated.

I didn't mean to have this update wait so long (I'd really had an update ready at 4700 but I forgot to upload it

). I'd like to say I'm back on track now, but I might jinx myself.

 

[markmcrobie]

I too am getting Unhandled Exception Errors on newer games since the new update. I'm on Mac OS X 10.6.2 and I put the Box art files and other file in the correct place.

 

[Edster]

I too am getting Unhandled Exception Errors on newer games since the new update. I'm on Mac OS X 10.6.2 and I put the Box art files and other file in the correct place.

Me too. Unhandled errors all the time. Also, what's up with the Rom numbers. Everywhere I go the numbers are different. Are the ones on the new database correct? They don't match the GBA numbering and other sites are off as well. Is there no set numbering system or does everyone just make up their own now?

 

[windsur]

I can't really say much about the Unhandled Exception errors (I'm the database admin and not a programmer): I do get them also on Windows (when running crc32 checks). Normally it seems to happen when I'm trying to check a large file in an old game list after the updated database is loaded in. I've taken the same problem rom, created a new game list for it and it verifies with no problem. What I'd suggest is to use the Rominator feedback button to get in contact with hankchill.

And yes, people seem to make up number lists. Previously, Rominator follows GBATemps' numbering scheme, but then along came the DSi enhanced games: Some sites branch off around there (example: GBAtemp splits them off as DSI0001, et al), some sites include them in their regular numbering, and (IMHO) some sites are just plain nuts.

When I asked hankchill (originally) which way to go, he told me to use best judgment so I did. Problem with GBA's method is there are actually DSi exclusive games (which personally, I'd number DSI0001 through whatever). Then again, in my view, pretty much everyone's system is wrong: Before the DSi was officially released, about 15 games surfaced that have never made it to a list. The trick was to go with what works for you.

For personal use, I do try to use Advanscene's list as well as Rominator, but their numbering is also slightly off (7 roms with different numbers the last I checked).

Edited to add: There are a few roms (like PoupeeGirl) that have corrupt header information, so if you're trying to use the uncompressed rom, Rominator will have issues with it. I don't know how many roms are affected offhand: All my roms are compressed in .zips so I don't have the issue of Rominator trying to read the rom headers and crashing. I'll try to have a list of "issue" roms within the next week if someone else doesn't beat me to it.

It would be possible to edit the headers of the roms with NDS Header Edit but it changes the crc32 value.

 

[Edster]

I can't really say much about the Unhandled Exception errors (I'm the database admin and not a programmer): I do get them also on Windows (when running crc32 checks). Normally it seems to happen when I'm trying to check a large file in an old game list after the updated database is loaded in. I've taken the same problem rom, created a new game list for it and it verifies with no problem. What I'd suggest is to use the Rominator feedback button to get in contact with hankchill.

And yes, people seem to make up number lists. Previously, Rominator follows GBATemps' numbering scheme, but then along came the DSi enhanced games: Some sites branch off around there (example: GBAtemp splits them off as DSI0001, et al), some sites include them in their regular numbering, and (IMHO) some sites are just plain nuts.

When I asked hankchill (originally) which way to go, he told me to use best judgment so I did. Problem with GBA's method is there are actually DSi exclusive games (which personally, I'd number DSI0001 through whatever). Then again, in my view, pretty much everyone's system is wrong: Before the DSi was officially released, about 15 games surfaced that have never made it to a list. The trick was to go with what works for you.

For personal use, I do try to use Advanscene's list as well as Rominator, but their numbering is also slightly off (7 roms with different numbers the last I checked).

I gotcha. It's a real hassle when you are trying to search for a title by number.

 

[windsur]

I gotcha. It's a real hassle when you are trying to search for a title by number.

I understand your pain, believe it or not: Not all the roms I use for the database come from the same site, nor in the same file format (some are zip, some are rar or rar-in-rar) so I have to go through on my side and fix everything so I can double-check the database before uploading.

 

[Edster]

I gotcha. It's a real hassle when you are trying to search for a title by number.

I understand your pain, believe it or not: Not all the roms I use for the database come from the same site, nor in the same file format (some are zip, some are rar or rar-in-rar) so I have to go through on my side and fix everything so I can double-check the database before uploading.

Well you have way more patience than me. Thanks for all your efforts.

 

[dilav]

Theres a typo on rom 4643: Sofie - Syng Lek og Laer
missing the "i" it doesn't matter to me if it gets fixed or not, just pointing it out.

 

[esmith13]

For 0001-4179 (I think that's where I took over: It's late here.

), you can highlight all the games and press CTRL+I (or go to Tools->Get Info) to retrieve the online information. From there, the next step would be install this update to update the roms arts before 4179 and to go up to 4637.

Thanks, now I feel stupid... I made an assumption that since it was unsupported by the original author the previous updates would be unavailable... I actually hadn't restored my files into rominator yet when I asked and I forgot you can't download the art for files you don't have in the library. It appeared to me as if updates were not available any longer because my library was empty!!!

Thanks for being tolerant of a stupid question without flaming and thanks again for the hard work to continue the project!!!!


Eric

 

[fgghjjkll]

Dumb question, but is it possible to ask hankchill to redirect the database server to someone else so it would update from unofficial servers?

 

[SquareP]

I've noticed that both Roms #4071 Pocket Monsters - HeartGold and #4087 Up are Korean versions but seem to be listed as Japanese in the database.

 

[windsur]

I've noticed that both Roms #4701 Pocket Monsters - HeartGold and #4087 Up are Korean versions but seem to be listed as Japanese in the database.

Thanks for the good catch.

I've fixed them now and the fixes will be in the next release (coming soon). I've also had to change the info for rom 4697: Apparently there are two different versions and neither group of sites I get roms from acknowledges the other version exists so I had to hunt down the version the other DATs use, so crc32 E3B2A73E will be wrong and crc32 5E461FB8 will be right.

New dat will be up in the morning: I'll have it finished shortly but (as always) I want to test it first.



Posts merged

QUOTE(wtfisausername @ Feb 14 2010, 08:14 AM) Theres a typo on rom 4643: Sofie - Syng Lek og Laer
missing the "i" it doesn't matter to me if it gets fixed or not, just pointing it out.

It'll be fixed in this upcoming Dat.

 

[windsur]

Dumb question, but is it possible to ask hankchill to redirect the database server to someone else so it would update from unofficial servers?

I'd asked him about that way back in the beginning but he wasn't keen on the idea. I've just sent him a friendly poke via email to see where he's at on his projects: I actually haven't tried getting a hold of him since December so any news I have is about 2 months old right now.

 

[windsur]

Okie dokie, new file uploaded here.

Rom 4722 (Ragnarok) is one of those games with the "Weird Header" like 4673 (Poupee Girl). It doesn't seem to do anything to Rominator (it identifies fine, it crc32 checks fine) so I'm not going to worry about making the list of games with that particular header problem unless someone desperately wants one.

 

[CrimzonEyed]

were do i put the ds.rod file?
using windows 7

 

[djnicey]

the ds.rod file needs to be copied to the folder \AppData\Roaming\Rominator Data