MAME ROMs Set Creation (Merged)

Step-by-step guide to create a full MAME ROMs set (merged), using clrmamepro.

This guide will help you to create a clean set of ROMs and ensure you join the latest MAME ROMs torrent with the highest percentage possible!

;; note: In case a dir2dat is available for the set you are about to create, it's advised to use this easier guide:

MAME ROMs Set Creation using a dir2dat

preparation: → Create a new directory and copy your current MAME ROMs folder to it. note: make sure you first stop sharing the files involved in your torrent client to prevent file corruption.

requirements:
Download the Update Pack(s) from the previous full MAME ROMs set(s) to this full MAME ROMs set.
→ URL: https://pleasuredome.github.io/pleasuredome/mame/index.html

Download _ReadMe_.txt attached at the bottom of the MAME announcement post.

Download Torrentzip and extract the archive.
→ URL: https://sourceforge.net/projects/trrntzip/

Download Torrentzip.NET and extract the archive.
→ URL: https://www.romvault.com/trrntzip/

;; note: Skip the next ;; part unless you are building your own custom 7-zip set and not plan to join the torrent:
;; Download Torrent7zip (v0.9.1) and extract the archive.
;; → URL: http://sourceforge.net/projects/t7z/
;; Download and install 7-zip version 9.22, matching your operating system's architecture.
;; → URL: http://sourceforge.net/projects/sevenzip/files/7-Zip/9.22/
Download the latest version of clrmamepro and extract the archive.
→ URL: http://mamedev.emulab.it/clrmamepro/#downloads
note: to prevent unforeseen differences in the end result, it is strongly advised you use a datfile instead of the MAME binary as source to create/rebuild your ROMs set.
Download the appropriate datfile (not a dir2dat), attached to the announcing forum post of the torrent.

clrmamepro:
→ Start cmpro.exe
Dialog: cmpro/cmpro64
→ Press: OK
Dialog: Profiler

→ Press: Options...
Dialog: Misc Profiler Options

→ In section "Parsing Options" check/enable: "Parse ROM 'merge' Tags"

→ In section "Hash Collision" check/enable: "All Clones in Relationship"

→ Close the Misc Profiler Options dialog by pressing the red X in the upper right corner.

Dialog: Profiler

→ Press: Add Datfile...
→ Select the appropriate datfile from file
→ Press: open

Dialog: "Where would you want to put the dat(s)?

;; note: [PROFILES] should be showing and highlighted

→ Press: OK

Dialog: Profiler
The profile "MAME 0.xxx Roms" is now shown in the profiler.

→ Select: the "MAME 0.xxx Roms" profile.
→ Press: Load / Update

Dialog: cmpro/cmpro64
Warning: Illegal download root folder detected.
→ Press: OK

Dialog: Receiving data please wait!!!

Dialog: Datfile problem

→ Press: OK TO ALL

Dialog: >clrmamepro<

→ Press: SETTINGS

Dialog: Settings | MAME 0.xxx Roms

→ In section "Full Merge Mode" enable: "Hash Collision Name"

→ Press: Add...

Dialog: Browse For Folder

→ Select your copied roms folder in your newly created directory
→ Press: OK

Dialog: Settings | MAME 0.xxx Roms
The ROM-Paths you just selected is shown and checked
By default it uses the backup folder in the cmp directory

;; note: Skip the next ;; part unless you are building your own custom 7-zip set and not plan to join the torrent:

;; → Press: Compressor...
;; Dialog: Compressor Properties

;; → Press 7Z
;; → Executable: C:Program Files7-Zip7z.exe
;; note: if you installed a 32-bit version on a 64-bit OS, 7z.exe wil be located in: "C:Program Files (x86)7-Zip"
;; → Compress: a -y -r -mx0 %1 %2
;; → Delete: d -y -mx0 %1 %2

;; → Press: OK

→ Close the dialog by pressing the "X" in the upper right corner

Dialog: >clrmamepro<

→ Press: SCANNER

Dialog: Scanner | MAME 0.xxx Roms
→ In section "You prefer" check/enable: "Merged Sets"
→ In section "You want to scan" uncheck/disable: "Samples" and "CHDs"
→ In section "<Check Fix >" check/enable: All by pressing the "All" button

→ Press: New Scan...

CMP will start scanning all the roms in the roms folder of your newly created directory.
Some roms will be moved to the Backup folder.

Dialog: Fix Wrong Set Name

→ Press: Yes To All

Dialog: Fix Unneeded File

→ Press: Yes To All

Dialog: Fix Missing ROM
→ Press: Yes To All

Dialog: Fix Wrong ROM Place

→ Press: Yes To All

Dialog: Fix Wrong ROM Size
→ Press: Yes To All
note: some of the dialogs above may not appear or other/similar may pop up, In those cases choose: Yes to All

Dialog: Statistics | New Scan-Time: = xx:xx:xx
Shows the Missing Sets and Roms

→ Press: OK

Dialog: Scanner | MAME 0.xxx Roms

→ Press: the small round white button in the very bottom-right corner*

a tool tip shows "Jump To Rebuilder."

Dialog: Rebuilder | MAME 0.xxx Roms
→ In section "Merge Options" check: "Merged Sets"
→ Press: Use BackupPath
→ Source: will now be the Backup folder
→ Destination: is still the copy of the roms folder in your newly created directory
→ In section "Options":

;; note: Skip the next ;; part unless you are building your own custom 7-zip set and not plan to join the torrent:

;; → From the pull-down menu, select: .7z

→ Uncheck/disable: Recompress Files
note: Recompress Files should already be greyed out automatically
→ Check: Remove Matched Sourcefiles

→ In section "Start rebuilding...":
→ Press: Rebuild...

CMP will attempt to rebuild sets from the Backup folder.

Dialog: Statistics | Rebuild-Time: = xx:xx:xx
→ Press: OK
Dialog: Rebuilder | MAME 0.xxx Roms
→ Uncheck: Remove Matched Sourcefiles
→ Destination: is still the copy of the roms folder in your newly created directory
→ Source, press: "..."
Dialog: Browse For Folder
→ Select the MAME Update Pack folder
note: make sure you first stop sharing the files involved in your torrent client to prevent file corruption.
→ Press: OK
Dialog: Rebuilder | MAME 0.xxx Roms
→ Press: Rebuild...

CMP will now rebuild sets from the Update Pack.

Dialog: Statistics | Rebuild-Time: = xx:xx:xx

→ Press: OK

Dialog: Rebuilder | MAME 0.xxx Roms

→ Press: the small round white button in the very bottom-right corner*

a tool tip shows "Jump To Scanner."

Dialog: Scanner | MAME 0.xxx Roms

→ Press: Scan...

Dialog: Fix Missing ROM
→ Press: Yes To All
Dialog: Statistics | Scan-Time: = xx:xx:xx
In the best case this would show 0 Roms Missing
→ Press: OK
note: in case you downloaded multiple update packs, do this for every update pack you downloaded.

In case ROMS are still missing:

Dialog: Scanner | MAME 0.xxx Roms
→ Press: the small round white button in the very bottom-right corner*

a tool tip shows "Jump To Rebuilder."

Dialog: Rebuilder | MAME 0.xxx Roms
→ Destination: is still the copy of the roms folder in your newly created directory
→ Source, Press "..."
Dialog: Browse For Folder
→ Select your original roms folder (the one you made a copy from)
→ Uncheck: Remove Matched Sourcefiles
→ Press: Rebuild
Dialog: Statistics | Rebuild-Time: = xx:xx:xx
→ Press: OK
Dialog: Rebuilder | MAME 0.xxx Roms
→ Press: the small round white button in the very bottom-right corner*

a tool tip shows "Jump To Scanner."

Dialog: Scanner | MAME 0.xxx Roms
→ Press: Scan...
Dialog: Fix Missing ROM
→ Press: Yes To All
Dialog: Statistics | Scan-Time: = xx:xx:xx
In the best case this would show 0 Roms Missing
→ Press: OK

;; note you can now choose to use the command line verion of Torrentzip or the GUI version Torrentzip.NET.

Torrentzip:
→ Open a Windows File Manager (Explorer)
→ Drag and Drop your new roms folder on the trrntzip.exe or trrntzip64.exe binary.
Torrentzip will start adding archives in a command window.
Torrentzip will skip the archives that are already Torrentzip'ed.
The window will close when the process is finished.

Torrentzip.NET
→ Start TrrntZipUI.exe
→ Input: ZIP & 7z
→ Output: ZIP
→ Fix: checked/enabled
→ Drag and Drop your new roms folder into the square in the upper left corner of the program
Torrentzip.NET will start processing the archives.
Torrentzip.NET will skip archives that are already Torrentzip'ed.

;; note: Skip the next ;; part unless you are building your own custom 7-zip set and not plan to join the torrent:

;; Torrent7zip (optional):
;; → Open a Windows File Manager (Explorer)
;; → Drag and Drop your new roms folder on the t7z.exe binary.
;; Torrent7zip will start adding archives in a command window.
;; Torrent7zip will skip the archives that are already Torrent7zip'ed.
;; The window will close when the process is finished.

To be absolutely sure nothing went wrong, you can scan your roms again with clrmamepro.

clrmamepro:
Dialog: Scanner | MAME 0.xxx Roms
→ Press: Scan...
Dialog: Statistics | Scan-Time: = xx:xx:xx
In the best case this would show 0 Roms Missing
→ Press: OK

In case no roms are missing and/or you're finished:

Dialog: Scanner | MAME 0.xxx Roms
→ Press: the "X" in the upper right corner
this will close the scanner
Dialog: >crlmamepro<
→ Press: the "X" in the upper right corner
this will close clrmamepro

_ReadMe_.txt:
→ Copy the Pleasuredome "_ReadMe_.txt" into your new roms folder.

Join/Seed the torrent:
Your new full MAME ROMS set is now ready to join/seed the new torrent.
→ download the new "MAME 0.xxx ROMs" .torrent file from the tracker
→ load it in qBittorrent (recommended)

qBittorrent (recommended):

Dialog: Save at

→ Browse...: Select the parent folder where your new roms folder is located

→ Check: Skip hash check

If you don't have 0 Roms missing, don't Skip hash checking

→ Press: OK
If you have 0 Roms missing, it should immediately start seeding at 100% and show as seeder on the tracker

;; note: See also this qBittorrent forum post: How to join/seed a (partial) torrent

uTorrent:
Dialog: roms - Add New Torrent
→ Save as: Select your new roms folder
→ Check: Skip hash check
If you don't have 0 Roms missing, don't Skip hash checking
→ Press: OK
If you have 0 Roms missing, it should immediately start seeding at 100% and show as seeder on the tracker