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formatting-roms.md

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How to format, convert, archive, or batch process ROMs.

Formatting ROMs

To avoid any issues with Importing ROMs, check to make sure your files are formatted correctly.

{% hint style="warning" %} Please refer to the Known Issues regarding Formatting ROMs, and read Issues Usage before posting a new one. {% endhint %}

Supported Formats

ROMs

Manufacturer System Supported Format(s) / Extensions
Atari 2600 .a26 (.bin)
5200 .a52 (.bin)
7800 .a78 (.bin)
Jaguar .j64, .jag (.bin, .rom)
Lynx .lnx
Bandai WonderSwan .ws
WonderSwan Color .wsc
NEC PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 .pce
PC Engine Super CD-ROM² System / TurboGrafx-CD .cue + .bin/iso, .ccd + .img + .sub multi-file ROM
PC Engine SuperGrafx
PC-FX .cue + .bin/iso, .ccd + .img + .sub multi-file ROM
Nintendo

Famicom /

Nintendo Entertainment System

 .nes
Famicom Disk System .fds
Game Boy .gb
Super Famicom / Super Nintendo Entertainment System .snes, .smc, .sfc, .fig
Game Boy Color .gbc, .sgb
Virtual Boy .vb
Nintendo 64 .n64, .z64
Game Boy Advance .gba
Pokemon mini .min
Sega SG-1000 .sg
Master System .sms
Mega Drive / Genesis .md, .smd, .gen (.bin)
Game Gear .gg
Mega CD / Sega CD .cue + .bin multi-file ROM
32X .32X, .32x
Saturn .iso, .cue + .bin/iso, .ccd + .img + .sub, .mds + .mdf multi-file ROM
SNK Neo Geo Pocket .ngp
Neo Geo Pocket Color .ngc, .ngpc, .npc
Sony Playstation .cue + .bin/img/iso, .ccd + .img + .sub multi-file ROM
  • DO NOT rename multi-file ROMs unless you alter .cue file contents as well.
  • All multi-file ROMs must be contained in a single-file archives.° (Instructions)
  • All multi-disc games must include a .m3u file in their archive. (Instructions)

° Though not required, it's recommended to archive all ROMs, individually.

ROM Archives

Supported Formats
.zip, .7z

{% hint style="danger" %} Loose files only. DO NOT contain folder(s) within an archive (this is a known issue and will result in a crash)! {% endhint %}

Multi-file ROMs

A ROM consisting of multiple files such as .bin + .cue for CD-based games (Sega CD, Playstation, etc…) must be contained together in a single .zip or .7z archive before importing and both files are required.¹

Examples of ROM archive contents:

    [game].bin
    [game].cue

    [game] (Track 1).bin
    [game] (Track 2).bin
    [game].cue

    [game].ccd
    [game].img
    [game].sub

{% hint style="warning" %} If .ccd based ROMs are not importing correctly, move files into the system directory, manually, when left behind in Imports or Conflicts. {% endhint %}

{% hint style="danger" %} Loose files only. DO NOT contain folder(s) within an archive (this is a known issue and will result in a crash)! {% endhint %}

.cue Files:

.cue files are plain text and will generally look something like this (unless it specifies additional audio track details). The name of the referenced file: .bin, .img, .iso… specified file must match verbatim the name of the actual file.²

Contents of [game].cue:

FILE "[game].bin" BINARY
  TRACK 01 MODE2/2352
    INDEX 01 00:00:00

¹ If you need to restore a missing/damaged .cue file, check out the archives at redump.org.
² If you rename any files of a.cue based multi-file ROM, you must change the contents of the .cue file or they won't work.

…archive filenames, however, are irrelevant as they are discarded after unarchiving.

{% hint style="info" %} For a quick way to preview .cue files on macOS, install the qlstephen QuickLook plugin. {% endhint %}

Multi-disc Games

All multi-disc games must include a .m3u file in their .zip or .7z multi-file ROM archive. Disc numbering in filenames needs to be formatted exactly as: …(Disc #).ext

{% hint style="warning" %} If renaming and using **a .cue **based ****ROM make sure to read the requirements for .cue files in Multi-file ROMs. {% endhint %}

Contents of Final Fantasy VII (USA).7z:

    Final Fantasy VII (USA) (Disc 1).bin
    Final Fantasy VII (USA) (Disc 1).cue
    Final Fantasy VII (USA) (Disc 2).bin
    Final Fantasy VII (USA) (Disc 2).cue
    Final Fantasy VII (USA) (Disc 3).bin
    Final Fantasy VII (USA) (Disc 3).cue
    Final Fantasy VII (USA).m3u

.m3u files can be created as plain text and must contain and match exactly the names of all and only the .cue or .ccd files for the game.³

Contents of Final Fantasy VII (USA).m3u:

Final Fantasy VII (USA) (Disc 1).cue
Final Fantasy VII (USA) (Disc 2).cue
Final Fantasy VII (USA) (Disc 3).cue

³ .m3u filenames are independent of the .bin/.cue files, but a truncated name is recommended, removing " (Disc #)" from the .m3u filename (including the space).

{% hint style="info" %} For a quick way to preview .m3u files on macOS, install the qlstephen QuickLook plugin. {% endhint %}

Converting Formats

Converting ROMs

  • Cartridge-based ROMs generally do not need converting. Formats like .bin vs .md or .gen (Sega Genesis) or .sfc vs .smc (Super Nintendo) are generally just different filename extensions for the same format to simplify identifying shared formats across systems and avoid conflicts. They are basically interchangeable and you can simply rename them to a supported extension.
  • CD-based ROMs require certain supported formats…
    • If you have part of a supported multi-file ROM, but are missing the additional file(s) such as .cue , .ccd, .sub… to complete it, you may want to check out the archives at redump.org in order to restore it properly, or try replacing the ROM entirely from a different source.
    • If your filetypes are not supported, you may need to convert them with a disc image conversion app.
    • If your files have been restructured via ecm (ie. .bin.ecm) they will need to be reverted: unECM.

Converting & Editing Memory Cards

  • PSX memory card formats can be converted to .mcr and edited with apps like MemcardRex.

UnECM

Mac

  1. Install Homebrew (if you don't have it) in Terminal with:

    /usr/bin/ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"

  2. Install via Homebrew with: brew install ecm

  3. Use unecm [path to .ecm file] to restore the original format.

{% hint style="info" %} The Terminal app can be found in: /Applications/Utilities {% endhint %}

Windows

Use these Instructions, for now.

Archiving

Mac

Requirements:

Setup

  1. Set your default app unarchiving (.zip, .7z, .rar, etc…) to Keka:

    1. Select a single archive per filetype and File→Get Info (⌘I)
    2. Change Open with: to Keka and hit Change All….

  2. Open Keka and select .7z or .zip and the following settings:

    ☑️Solid archive .7z

    ☑️Exclude Mac resource forks

    ☑️Delete file(s) after compression

Archive

  1. Drag & Drop ROM file (or files if multi-file ROM, such as .cue + .bin) onto Keka. Done.

{% hint style="danger" %} Loose files only. DO NOT contain folder(s) within an archive (this is a known issue and will result in a crash)! {% endhint %}

Windows

(coming later…)

__

Batching

⚠️ This only applies to single file ROMs. DO NOT batch process multi-file ROMs using the methods below.

Mac

  1. Setup and Requirements from Archiving.

If Unarchiving, first…

  1. In Finder, Select all (⌘A) ROM archives and File→Open (⌘O) to unarchive all.
  2. When complete, the Finder should still have all the archives selected. Delete them all (⌘␡).

If Renaming files…

  1. In Finder, Select all (⌘A) ROMs and Right-Click to Rename items… Example: Replace Text: Find: .bin Replace with… .md

If Re-archiving…

  1. In Keka, enable: ☑️Archive as single files
  2. In Finder, Select all (⌘A) ROMs and drop them all onto Keka. Done.

Windows

If Renaming files…

  1. Open the Command Prompt with ⊞R and type cmd
  2. Enter cd and the [file-path] to a set of ROMs. [file-path]: right-click the folder and select "Properties" and apply via copy/paste.
  3. Example: rename *.bin *.md

⚠️ Known Issues

  • Folders within an archive will result in crash. Archive loose files only.

__

{% hint style="info" %} 🗯 If you are still stuck ask for help on our Discord. {% endhint %}