How to import game list from Mamewah to Mala?

[Robotgreg]

So almost finished the mame rebuild, as mentioned before could not have done it without huge help from my mate Martin.

As advised by others on here, I've upgraded the mame to a recent version and the front end to Mala.

I had created a number of game lists in the old version of Mame through Mamewah and rather thane have to recreate from scratch in Mala again was wondering if there is a way I can import the game list files in Mala from Mamewah.

I have tried to play about with the files but I believe that Mala stores different data in its game list compared to Mamewah so have not been able to do this but wondered if anyone else has done this in the past or knows how to please?

For a start Mamewah stores its files as lst and rtf whilst Mala seems to .mlb.

Cheers as ever for any help.

 

[tronads]

I think you have again chosen an out of date and old unsupported front end that will likely suffer the same, or at least other issues following changes to the way the core Mame works, in particular the way it creates its lists.

As far as I can tell, Mala has not been updated or supported since 2014.

Also I am a little concerned that you have simply upgraded the Groovymame exe file and you may not be on the latest version of CRT Emu Driver, which is sometimes updated hand in hand with Groovymame. You should check your install readme file against the currently available version.

Regarding your lists issue. The easiest way I can suggest is to use AttractMode front end, which is current and supported (and free), and you can simply create filters from within the menu's that will give you the power to have pages for horizontal only, shooters only, puzzles only, stuff like that. Its very powerful and easy to do.

I know you have continually thanked your mate Martin, but it seems to me he has given you bum steers all the way. I am surprised he never told you to use Windows 3.11 as your operating system! (joke by the way).

 

[Robotgreg]

Thanks again for your reply and advice. I was also recommended Mala by an arcade mate on here.

I did find Attract Mode but I wanted specific games rather than genres so this filter won't do what I need unfortunately but appreciate the idea.

Maybe I'm an old dinosaur (my children would agree!) and don't need the latest greatest, just something that works and does what I need it do but understand more support for later versions although that doesn't guarantee they will do what I need

I've continually thanked Martin cos he's done a huge part of the set up and my skills just aren't up to the job so without him wouldn't have a working system

Robotgreg2020-09-29 09:12:23

 

[tronads]

I've not done it, but there is a Favourites filter on Attract Mode, you could just add your specific games to that, and then create a Favourites2 folder for different ones.
It's a bit of manual work, but by the sounds of it, as they are your specific choices, you are always going to have to do something like that.

My main point is though, folk will find it a lot easier to help if you are on the latest and greatest where issues you are finding might already have been fixed and problems might not even exist anymore.

The first thing I would do to help is to try and recreate the issue, but I am not about to find and install a 10 year old version of Groovymame and a 6 year old front end to do so.....whereas if you are on the same sort of level from the off, its a lot easier for me to help, as I have always tried to....

 

[Robotgreg]

I appreciate you trying to help and get where you're coming from with latest version.

I'll try the folders idea, thanks.

 

[Robotgreg]

Doing it manually using the Mala Gamelist.exe. Actually helps to trim down the huge rom list of 220 to a main list before I do my custom lists.

Pleased took your advice to use an updated version of MAME as plenty more roms in there that weren't in the older version.

Thanks again for your help.