

MESS-ed Read Me Version 1.0
===========================

This utility has been designed to aid in the managment of console roms and their files.  


It has 4 sections:

Section 1 is the dat file generation section.  

Thsi is by far the most useful feature.  
Point to a path or paths, give the extension, and a clrmamepro dat is made based on the files you have.
To do multiple paths, seperate each path with a ";" just like you would in mame.  You now have a dat file 
that you can use for your front ends to generate lists.  Keep in mind that this is based on what you actually
have, so it's pretty useless for rom managment. 

 

Section 2 is the Mess compare section.


If and only if the console you are working with is supported by mess, add the path to mess on your system.  
The utility will take mess's extra data, crc values and "good names" and apply then to the freshly generated dat.
It will also make a "conversion" file which tells the utility what your roms should be named, and if need be what 
they were originally named. This section makes your dat less accurate (and will leave out roms for your fe to scan)
unless to use it along with section 3.


Section 3 is the rename section.

It simply takes that conversion data and renames your roms. If you define some artwork folders or misc folders, it will
also look for any files named after a rom and rename them when the rom is renamed.  This should make all of your roms 
"good tools" complaint, or at the least compliant with the titles mess uses, which are good names if at all possible. 
It should be noted that when renaming the roms special characters (/ | \ : * ?)  are removed.  Mess sometimes uses these,
which is dumb, as files can't be named that way.  Also the utility doesn't deal with duplicates very well.  Basically it
deletes which ever one it gets to last.  If this is a problem then backup your roms before using the utility.  


Section 4 is the Dragon King ONLY section.

If you have Dragon King the utility can help you with the files needed to add an emulator to dk.  Basically check all 
options that you want.  If all are checked you simply need to open the newly created cfg file in the cfgs folder and 
setup the emulator path, ect....  When you startup dk regenerate the masterlist and your new emulator will be displayed
and ready to go.  



Final Notes:
============


As of this version zip files are NOT supported.


The "header name" drop down box won't get filled until you define the mess path.  That is why it is the first thing on
the form. DUH! If you are just making a dat file then you don't need to worry about it, simply type in your header name 
manually.
  
Why?  Because all console roms are a single file and zip files sometimes conatain multiple files. It will be supported, 
upon the next release, but be warned, if the zip file has extra crap in it you'll have to fix the zip anyway.

If you haven't noticed there is a "presets" box in the top right-hand corner.  After you've configured the utility for
a system and you are pleased with the settings, save it as a preset.  The next time you want to update that system you
simply select the system name from the box and poof, you are ready to go.  It makes the utility a real time saver.  



If you don't wish to use the mess compare for a system do NOT define a mess path.
If you don't wish to use DK options then do NOT define a DK Path and all dk options will be ignored.

You can use this utility to use dats and only dats.  I use it for making a dat for my visual pinball tables. 


This utility has command line options.


messed.exe -preset nameofpreset 

Will automatically run that preset and exit when done.  


