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collections [2017/05/25 02:25]
phulshof
collections [2020/03/18 08:34]
phulshof [Playlists]
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-====== About Collections ​======+====== About collections ​======
 \\ \\
 A collection defines a set of games or menu level that generally have a common purpose, e.g. "​Nintendo Entertainment System"​ or "​Consoles"​. RetroFE generally supports 3 types of collections:​ A collection defines a set of games or menu level that generally have a common purpose, e.g. "​Nintendo Entertainment System"​ or "​Consoles"​. RetroFE generally supports 3 types of collections:​
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 \\ \\
-===== How to Add/Create Extra Collections? =====+===== How to Add/Create Extra collections? =====
  
  
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 **PS:** To enable your new collection in the interface menu, you will need to add the name of the collection in the menu.txt file stored in the Main folder **PS:** To enable your new collection in the interface menu, you will need to add the name of the collection in the menu.txt file stored in the Main folder
 +
 +
 +\\
 +
 +===== Directory Structure of a collection =====
 +
 +^File / Folder^ Description^
 +|info.conf|This file can be used to add additional system information,​ such as manufacturer,​ year, generation, etc. that can be displayed from the theme layouts. This same information can also be defined within settings.conf,​ but this extra file allows for a clean separation of settings and system information.|
 +|include.txt|If not empty, include only those files to show on the list, if empty, all files in ROM folder will be included. This file must contain one game per line (without the file extension). |
 +|exclude.txt |List of ROMs to exclude from showing up on the menu (if you want this collection to be a menu of collections). This file must contain one game per line (without the file extension).|  ​
 +|exclude_all.txt |List of ROMs to exclude from the all playlist. This file must contain one game per line (without the file extension).|  ​
 +|[[settings.conf|settings.conf]]|Set ROM file extensions, launcher (emulator to execute), override default media paths, etc |
 +|<​collectionname>​.sub|Imports a list of games from another collection. (i.e. Your collection is named "​Mario"​. You would have an "​Nintendo Entertainment System.sub"​ and "Super Nintendo Entertainment System.sub"​. Each sub file would contain a list of all mario games for that system. The .sub file contains one game per line (without the file extension).If the file is blank, the list settings defined for the subcollection will be used. |
 +|roms|Default location to search for ROM files (can be different if modified in the settings.conf file)|
 +|playlists|Default location for the favorites.txt file allowing you to manage your favorites|
 +|medium_artwork/​|Artwork for individual games|
 +|medium_artwork/​artwork_back|Default location to search for flyer, box and case backs |
 +|medium_artwork/​artwork_front|Default location to search for flyer, box and case fronts|
 +|medium_artwork/​medium_back|Default location to search for disc and cartridge backs|
 +|medium_artwork/​medium_front|Default location to search for disc and cartridge fronts|
 +|medium_artwork/​screenshot|Default location to search for screenshots for each individual game|
 +|medium_artwork/​screentitle|Default location to search for screentitles for each individual game|
 +|medium_artwork/​logo|Default location to search for logos for each individual game|
 +|medium_artwork/​video|Default location to search for videos for each individual game|
 +|medium_artwork/​story|Default location to search for game information story txt files for scrolling text display.|
 +|system_artwork/​|Artwork for the system collection. i.e. a picture of a Nintendo Entertainment System, its logo, or a "best of" video.|
 +|system_artwork/​device.png|Picture of the system device|
 +|system_artwork/​logo.png|Picture of the systems logo|
 +|system_artwork/​video.mp4|Video to play for this particular system|
 +|system_artwork/​story.txt|Text file containing system information for scrolling text display. |
 +
 \\ \\
 \\ \\
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 \\ \\
-=====Menus=====+===== (Sub)menu ​=====
  
-A menu contains a list of other collections,​ and can be defined via the menu.txt file. When you select that item in the frontend, it will load that collection in a submenu. RetroFE allows you to combine games and collections in a single menu, by using both a menu.txt file and a games collection.+A menu contains a list of other collections,​ and can be defined via the menu.txt file. When you select that item in the frontend, it will load that collection in a submenu. RetroFE allows you to combine games and collections in a single menu, by using both a menu.txt file and a games collection. A (sub-)menu collection is used to create a hierarchical level within your menu structure, e.g. Main->​Consoles->​Nintendo Entertainment System.
  
 Below is an example for a basic collections/<​collection name>/​menu.txt file: Below is an example for a basic collections/<​collection name>/​menu.txt file:
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-===== Games Collections ​=====+===== Games collection ​=====
  
-Games collections are collections consisting of the games, e.g. for a certain system like "​Nintendo Entertainment System"​. It uses the contents of the rom directory in combination with the include.txt and exclude.txt file in the following manner:+Games collections are collections consisting of a list of games, e.g. for a certain system like "​Nintendo Entertainment System"​. It uses the contents of the rom directory in combination with the include.txt and exclude.txt file in the following manner:
  
-If list.includeMissingItems in the settings.conf is false: +If list.includeMissingItems in the [[settings.conf|settings.conf]] ​is false: 
- +      - Read the contents of the roms directory.
-      - Read the contents of the rom directory.+
       - Keep only the names defined in include.txt.       - Keep only the names defined in include.txt.
       - Remove the names defined in exclude.txt.       - Remove the names defined in exclude.txt.
  
-If list.includeMissingItems in the settings.conf is true: +If list.includeMissingItems in the [[settings.conf|settings.conf]] ​is true:
       - Use the names defined in include.txt.       - Use the names defined in include.txt.
       - Remove the names defined in exclude.txt.       - Remove the names defined in exclude.txt.
 \\ \\
  
-=====Sub/​Merged ​Collections=====+=====Sub/​Merged ​collection=====
  
 Sub collections contain a subset of other collections,​ e.g. Capcom Play System I can be set up as a sub-set of Arcade. The sub-collection is defined by a <​collection>​.sub file, e.g. "​Capcom Play System I.sub"​. Sub collections contain a subset of other collections,​ e.g. Capcom Play System I can be set up as a sub-set of Arcade. The sub-collection is defined by a <​collection>​.sub file, e.g. "​Capcom Play System I.sub"​.
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-===== (Sub-)Menu Collections ​=====+====== Playlists ======
  
-A (sub-)menu ​collection ​is used to create ​hierarchical level within ​your menu structure, ​e.g. Main->​Consoles->​Nintendo Entertainment System. It is defined by the menu.txt file as described in Menus. Since older versions ​of RetroFE supported ​menu.xml file in stead, such legacy support still exists within RetroFE, but using menu.txt file is easier+RetroFE supports playlists, a sort of sub collection ​within ​collection. You can step through them using the previous/​next playlist keys defined in your [[controls|controls.conf]] file. You can use this feature to e.g. show a list of all games from certain manufacturer or certain genre.
  
 +Playlists are defined via txt files in the playlists directory of your collection, and like include.txt files simply contain a list of the games you want in that playlist. If a game is pulled from another collection via a sub/merged collection (.sub file), use _<​collection name>:<​game name>. The asterisk (*) can be used in stead of the game name to include an entire collection.
  
-\\ +Example: playlists/​example.txt 
- +  ​_Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Super Mario World 
-====== Directory Structure of a Collection ====== +  ​_Nintendo Entertainment System: Super Mario Bros 
-\\ +  Super Turrican 
-===== Collection Folder ===== +This defines ​playlist called examplecontaining ​the Super Mario World game from the Super Nintendo Entertainment System ​collection, ​Super Mario Bros from the Nintendo Entertainment System ​collection, ​and Super Turrican from this collection ​(available in the roms section ​and/​or ​defined via the include.txt file).
- +
-^File / Folder^ Description^ +
-|info.conf|This file can be used to add additional system information,​ such as manufacturer,​ year, generation, etc. that can be displayed from the theme layouts. This same information can also be defined within settings.conf,​ but this extra file allows for clean separation of settings and system information.| +
-|include.txt|If not emptyinclude only those files to show on the list, if empty, all files in ROM folder will be included. This file must contain one game per line (without the file extension). | +
-|exclude.txt |List of ROMs to exclude ​from showing up on the menu (if you want this collection ​to be a menu of collections). This file must contain one game per line (without the file extension).| ​  +
-|settings.conf|Set ROM file extensionslauncher (emulator to execute), override default media paths, etc | +
-|<​collectionname>​.sub|Imports a list of games from another collection. (i.e. Your collection is named "​Mario"​. You would have an "Nintendo Entertainment System.sub" ​and "Super Nintendo Entertainment System.sub"​. Each sub file would contain a list of all mario games for that system. The .sub file contains one game per line (without ​the file extension).If the file is blank, the list settings defined for the subcollection will be used. | +
-|**roms**|**Default location to search for ROM files (can be different if modified in the settings.conf file)**| +
-|**playlists**|**Default location for the favorites.txt file allowing you to manage your favorites**| +
-|**medium_artwork/​**|**Artwork for individual games**| +
-|     medium_artwork/​artwork_back|Default location to search for flyer, box and case backs | +
-|     medium_artwork/artwork_front|Default location to search for flyer, box and case fronts| +
-|     medium_artwork/​medium_back|Default location to search for disc and cartridge backs| +
-|     medium_artwork/​medium_front|Default location to search for disc and cartridge fronts| +
-|     medium_artwork/​screenshot|Default location to search for screenshots for each individual game| +
-|     medium_artwork/​screentitle|Default location to search for screentitles for each individual game| +
-|     medium_artwork/​logo|Default location to search for logos for each individual game| +
-|     medium_artwork/​video|Default location to search for videos for each individual game| +
-|     medium_artwork/​story|Default location to search for game information story txt files for scrolling text display.| +
-|**system_artwork/​**|**Artwork for the system collection. i.e. a picture of a Nintendo Entertainment System, its logo, or a "best of" video.**| +
-|     system_artwork/​device.png|Picture of the system device| +
-|     system_artwork/​logo.png|Picture of the systems logo| +
-|     system_artwork/​video.mp4|Video to play for this particular system| +
-|     system_artwork/​story.txt|Text file containing system information for scrolling text display. | +
- +
-\\ +
- +
- +
-=====Playlists===== +
- +
-RetroFE currently supports one type of playlist: one list of your favorite games per Collection.\\ +
-This file is located in playlists/​favorites.txt and will be automatically created when you add your first game to the list.\\ +
-\\ +
-The controls configuration allows you to assign keys to add games to this list, remove them from this list, and switch between the full list and this playlist.\\ A setting in the general settings.conf allows you to automatically switch to your favorite games if this list exists.\\  +
- +
-**PS**: Support for more playlists is planned in a future release.+
  
 +A special type of playlist is the favorites playlist (playlists/​favorites.txt). Games can be added/​removed from this playlist directly from RetroFE using the addPlaylist and removePlaylist controls, and a separate key favPlaylist allows you to switch between the favorites list and the full game list. You can even use the autoFavorites = yes parameter setting in your [[global_settings.conf|global settings.conf]] file to automatically switch to your favorite games when you enter a collection.
collections.txt · Last modified: 2022/10/25 01:58 by igarikoitz