[Wintermute0110]

xml files for
atari 5200,7800,Jaguar,Jaguar cd,Lynx

http://www.filedropper.com/xmlfiles_2

can you add Amstrad CPC to cover both CPC and GX4000 in the moby scraper,
ive started adding the descriptions to cpc but it may take a while as ive ended up doing copy and paste to add them
ill upload as soon as its finished.
in the mean time ill create the missing xml files and check then upload them

Thanks a lot for your work, billyc666!

Currently I'm busy to spend time on the scrapers, but I have plans for the future. I was thinking on sending you a PM but maybe it could be a better idea to discuss this in the thread so other people can contribute with ideas. This are some random thoughts:

1) AEL scrapers can be used outside of the plugin. I have prepared a repository to test the online scrapers and also to build the databases of the offline scraper, you can find it here. Of course... a lot of work to do.

2) For platforms supported by No-Intro, I want to create an utility (let's call it AEL-DB-CREATE.py) that allows manual editing of the database (in XML) and simplifies the upgrades when a new No-Intro DAT file is released. To create the AEL scraper database for the first time, an utility takes the No-Intro DAT, MAME software lists, you GameDB database, Tempest INI files and Hyperspin XML DATs. The output is the AEL database in XML, which is compatible with Hyperspin. Also, this utility will support parent and clone games: it is required to put the metadata of the parent game and it will be used in all the clones if the metadata of the clone is not available.

The AEL XML databases can be manually edited to correct mistakes, add new ROMs no present in the DAT file, etc.

When a new version of the No-Intro DAT is released, another utility (AEL-DB-UPDATE.py) takes the new No-Intro DAT and the old AEL database. This utility will detect if ROMs have been added/deleted/renamed in the No-Intro DAT file and change the AEL db accordingly.

3) For MAME there will be similar utilities, but instead of a No-Intro DAT the main DAT will be the XML file output by MAME itself.

4) For platforms not included in No-Intro and MAME then the current Hyperspin format will be OK.

5) I am willing to code any other utility in Python you may need or consider useful for the project, but it will take me some time.

6) I will suggest you reorganise your repository in Github, get rid of the ODT/CVS files, and stick with the XML files only. The reason is that XML files can be easily edited to correct for mistakes.

Of course this is open to discussion. Surely once I start coding the utilities new issues will show up.