[FEATURE SUGGESTION] Playlist browsing as file manager?

Libretro Lakka
, ,
#1

Hello there, following this thread click if was wondering whether playlist browsing would act as some sort of file manager, letting user browse what has picked up from scanning, not just ramming all the recognized file in a single playlist.

While this might be more coherent with “you are free to organize roms as you want” concept, would make lakka more user friendly, and some systems emulation might take advantage, like ms dos emulation, since in every folder there is more than and .exe.

I am far from be an IT expert but this would take a load of effort or might be a simple change? Thanks

#2

you can already do that with ‘load content’

#3

ok but i mean a less tricky and more straigtforward solution, hope devs will mind that, please let us know…

#4

I don’t get your issue - having roms organized in subfolders is no issue for correct playlist assignment (using automatic scanning). However, if you want to have “per folder” playlist, then you have to use the manual scanner and create custom playlists per folder.

Also withing a playlist you cannot have subsections. I don’t think there is anything else that can be done to solve your issue, you have to work it out on your side.

Playlist is a list of ROMs, not list of ROMs and subfolders with ROMs. One playlist includes only “links” to ROMs, you have to make multiple playlists according to the organization of your ROMs if you want to have them as in your folder structure. But you will never have “subfolders” within a playlist.

#5

ah that’s exactly what i meant, but then it would necessary to drop the playlist system in favor of a “file browsing” one such retropie…well alternatevely might be added a “per folder” playlist automatic creation option inside lakka witout going manual or usin third party tools, if developersare not willing to drop playlist. Is it even doable?

#6

you could run a script like below, it should add all files found in given path and create playlists based on the paths, e.g. if you have folders:

  • /storage/roms
  • /storage/roms/NES
  • /storage/roms/NES/hacks
  • /storage/roms/Genesis
  • /storage/roms/Genesis/homebrew

And run

./scriptname /storage/roms

it will create playlists:

  • NES.lpl
  • NES-hacks.lpl
  • Genesis.lpl
  • Genesis-homebrew.lpl

It is untested, just written from top of my head, not sure if it works when there are spaces in folder names… Feel free to enhance/fix/adjust

#!/bin/bash

if [ -z "${1}" ]
then
  echo "Run as ${0} /path/to/romfolders"
  exit 1
fi

if [ ! -d ${1} ]
then
  echo "Folder '${1}' not found!"
  exit 2
fi

# make sure the given path does not end with slash
given_path=${1%/}

# find all folders under the given path, but exclude the top level folder from scanning
folders="$(find ${given_path} -type d | tail -n +2)"

# where to save generated playlists
playlist_storage=/storage/playlists

# generate playlist for each folder
for romfolder in ${folders}
do
  (
    # double check if it is a directory
    if [ -d ${romfolder} ]
    then
      cd ${romfolder}
      # get subpath only, will be used as playlist name
      subfolder=${romfolder//${given_path}\//}
      # replace slashes with dashes in subpath
      playlist_name=${subfolder//\//-}
      playlist_file=${playlist_prefix}/${playlist_name}.lpl
      for romfile in *
      do
        # add only files, not folders
        if [ -f ${romfile} ]
        then
          # full path to the rom file
          fullpath="${romfolder}/${romfile}"
          # name shown in the playlist - filename without suffix
          gamename="${romfile%.*}"
          # which core will be used for launching (empty)
          corepath=""
          # crc / hash for matching - none
          crc="DETECT"
          # write playlist entry
          echo -e "${fullpath}\n${gamename}\n${corepath}\n${playlist_name}\n${crc}\n${playlist_name}.lpl" >> ${playlist_file}
        fi
      done
    fi
  )
done
3 Likes
#7

Wow thank you! Honstly, since i’m far from even understand the basics of IT and programming, and im a very occasional gaming, i won’t dare sorry, but i wish such a feature might be avaiable in lakka menu someday, please let us know whether gonna be any chances

#8

There is such feature - it’s called manual scanning - but needs to be done manually for each folder (hence manual scanning). The automatic scanning does everything “full-auto” (like your DSLR on “P” mode) - it scans, tries to match with a database, adds to a playlist for the matched system with the game name from the database (e.g. for proper thumbnail matching).

If you do not update your rom collection very often, it is only one time task. You can always backup your playlists from Lakka if you are going to do a clean install and then put them back.

I do not think that automatic scanning + playlist creation based on folder structure will ever get into RetroArch.

#9

i already know thanks, the only thing is missing is displayng subfolders into playlists, that happens both with manual and auto scan. If only lakka would provide this automatically i would be much more happy, otherways i’ll make it a reason :slight_smile: