Adding files/txt docs to image...

[Matt68061]

Yeah, several months ago I tried to move that folder to boot but could not get AM pointed in the right direction to look for it. So, for those of us slow learner types that need things a bit more black and white...

Not sure what a "symlink" does but presume it is making a copy or shifting where AttractMode is looking for it.

Are these the exact steps-

1. Create the romlists folder in the boot partition. /boot/romlists
2. In that folder copy my allGames.txt document
3. Go to command line and type in "ln -s /boot/romlists /home/pi/.attract/romlists". (No quotes)

Do I need to do this - "romlistdir=/home/pi/.attract/romlists" or was that just if you use the romscanner?

Its been a long day and my reading comprehension is worse than usual I guess.

I appreciate you taking the time to help out with this! I am all for most things being accessible in the boot partition but also undrestand you probably dont want folks mucking around in there and breaking things.

There are a handful of us that pop up in the forums that really like tweaking things...guess thats what backups are for!

Later, have a good one!

[dee2eR]

You have to make sure you have removed/moved the existing /home/pi/.attract/romlists folder before creating the symlink. If you just move the romlists folder to /boot it will work, or delete the existing one and put one where ever you want. No need to create any lists unless you have a custom one, if you have a custom one don't use the romscanner script or it will be overwritten. If you want the romscanner to work use the new one I posted and edit the romlistdir in scanRoms.sh to suit your new setup:

# set romlist folder
romlistdir=/home/pi/.attract/romlists

Hope that helps, it's late and I'm not sure I'm writing this well.

[Matt68061]

So if I want to move it to the boot drive... would it be...

# set romlist folder
romlistdir=/boot/romlists

I am sorry...I am certainly making this waaaay more confusing than it needs to be but I am missing a step somewhere.

Just trying to move the folder to the boot partition.

I only use the allGames list for mame. Do NOT use the romscanner.

[dee2eR]

Sorry for the slow reply.

Do not worry about the romscanner, or editing the romlistdir variable inside it. If you don't use it there's no point.
All you need to do is move the folder and replace it with a symlink to where you moved it to. The command to move the folder should be:

sudo mv /home/pi/.attract/romlists /boot

Follow that by creating the symlink:

ln -s /boot/romlists /home/pi/.attract/romlists

After that it should be done. If the second command complains about permissions put 'sudo' in front of it, I don't think you'l need to.

[Matt68061]

OK stepped away for a few days. Getting frustrated that something so seemingly simple is not doing as intended.

I did the first command and it moved my romlist folder to boot. Actually, I seem to have two folders with romlists in it;

1. /boot/romlists/allGames.txt
2. /boot/.attract/romlists/allGames.txt

I still can not get AttractMode to locate the romlist.

When I type in EXACTLY "In -s /boot/romlists /home/pi/.attract/romlists"
I get this message -bash: In: command not found

If I throw a "sudo" in front of it I get.... sudo: In: command not found

I feel like you have me pretty close.....but again, presume you are working with a second grader here...because that is about my level of Linux .

Thank you....again

[dee2eR]

that's not a capitol 'i' it's a lowercase 'L'
"ln"

[Matt68061]

Oh my.

Thats about par for the course.

Thanks

[Matt68061]

Hello.

Let me start by saying "thank you." (to Dylan) I can't tell you how impressed I am with your after the sale "customer service." You really go over and above dealing with the constant questions on your product. I see all of your replies on the various forums and am constantly asking myself... "how does this dude deal with all these dorks like me that don't know the first thing about Linux."

Your patience is amazing.

Before I move on.... what is the command on 3.83 to get back to attractmode from the service menu?? seems to have changed.

OK...so I have to ask. Has anyone reading these posts managed to try this out and getting it to work? I sure can't.

Here are my Exact steps... starting from a fresh image that works perfectly before I start.

1. Fire up the Arpicade and it does it's romscan as normal.
2. go into the run.sh and disable romscan. test this by rebooting and all is fine.
3. follow the command prompt lines above;
sudo mv /home/pi/.attract/romlists /boot
Follow that by creating the symlink:
ln -s /boot/romlists /home/pi/.attract/romlists
4. This creates the romlist folder in Boot partition. I can find the "allGames.txt" file and make changes.
HOWEVER when I go to reboot AttractMode still looks at the original file. It does not appear to move its focus from the romlist in the original partition to the new location.

Any thoughts on what I am missing here.

Honestly...this is not that big of a deal. I just really like to teach myself how this stuff works.

If this is becoming a waste of time just let me know and I will drop it.

I can say....moving forward, as was stated earlier, having the romlists folder in Boot to edit like the other configs would be awesome.

Have a good one...sorry so long!!

[guntherm]

Haven't tried this, as I have my own rabbits I am chasing.

But you said just to edit the Romlists? You can edit them via SFTP, Take SD card to a Linux machine, use an application called Filezilla to copy off the file edit it and upload it back? What am I missing?

Its what I am doing trying to get the Genres to work on this PI.

[Matt68061]

Good morning Gunther....well at least its morning here!

I appreciate the suggestion however I do not have a Linux machine. That being said...I am thinking very, very hard about purchasing a refurb desktop with no OS and dropping Linux in it.

As I said earlier in the thread...I really just am trying to figure out how to accomplish what Dylan suggested. For some reason I seem to struggle with the "basics." In the real world my concern on this is about a 2 out of 10.

When I first started playing with the pi (uh....yeah) I tried to running a linux based OS from a USB. I still ran into permissions issues. Again that was three years ago and I was a TOTAL newb. not just an intermediate newb like I am now. It was Retropie and not Arpicade based.

When Dylan releases a new version of his software its great...cant wait to get a chance to see what is new and improved. It is easy enough to drop in ROMS, artwork and layouts but I kind of dread having to -

1. Edit my Romlist
2. Edit the advance.rc file(s) (trackballs, enable artwork, game specific settings, etc...)

So it is really not that big of a deal...there just has to be a better way that I don't currently understand.