Emu Loader - Powerful M.A.M.E. Frontend

Emu Loader - Powerful M.A.M.E. Frontend
Documentation
Designed by Ciro Alfredo Consentino

- What's New -

Emu Loader v3.9

Fixes:

1. with the help of "BarMenu Components" you can finally see if the option is checked or not in the main menu and popup menus... and you get a nice side bar too :)

2. Errors when creating a games list due to the new "biosset" entry in the "-listinfo" output

3. Menu shortcuts are working now (no need to force a function call anymore)

4. The filter type icon on the buttons toolbar was not being set when initializing the frontend

5. Errors on the translation system. Some texts was not being translated

Changes:

1. Languages selection screen is rewritten

2. Language translation filenames are now fixed
Please, rename your .lng files to the following (if not already renamed):
- English: "engligh.lng"
- Portuguese (Brazil): "brazilian.lng"
- Chinese (Simplified): "chinese_simp.lng"
- Chinese (Traditional): "chinese_trad.lng"
- German: "german.lng"
- French: "french.lng"
- Italian: "italian.lng"
- Korean: "korean.lng"
- Polish: "polish.lng"
- Spanish: "spanish.lng"
- Russian: "russian.lng"

3. Put the flag image filename in the new "Flag" entry ("Version Information" section), without the full path, only the file with the extension. The frontend will always search for the file in the "language\flags" folder
Correct : Flag=brazil.gif
Incorrect: Flag=language\flags\brazil.gif

4. Language information is shown as a hint in each flag: "country name", "translation author", "author e-mail", "frontend version"

5. Adding a new translation is not possible anymore (no point in doing that)
If you want to add a new translation, please contact me

6. File "NoRealIcon.ico" renamed to "NoGameIcon.ico" ("resources\defaulticons" folder)

7. Renamed all "real icons" texts to "games icons" on the .lng file (see "docs\lng-changes.txt" for details)

8. New FMOD API used (v3.63)
Make sure to update "fmod.dll", if you are only replacing the "EmuLoader.exe" file on an existing frontend installation. Basically, it has fixes and improvements to the .mp3 file format

9. Updated all options for MAME 0.70
- Clean Stretch
- Bios (including "debug", "hacked" and "universal" bios)
- D3D Prescale
- Removed the D3D Saturation option

10. The progress counter in the status window now shows a percentage value (from 0% to 100%)
It is used when creating a games list, refreshing games and creating the games list icons (MAMu_ icons)

11. The Games Data Viewing (mameinfo.dat, history.dat, gamename.faq) and Emu Loader / MAME documentation screens are now handled as HTML pages (it may take a little longer to show the "Game Information" text

12. User Profile has a few changes
I recommend you to recreate your profiles (to delete old and unused entries)

13. The languages selection screen is displayed on the first execution of the frontend. Also when the "EmuLoader.ini" file is not found

Removed:

1. Top bars were completely removed from all screens

2. The screen captions are back to the window bar

3. Folder "resources\images\topwindow" is completely deleted

4. Icon files from the translated languages (replaced by an animated flag in .gif format)

5. "M.A.M.E. Keys Info" screen

6. Shadowed .png icons from all screens (deleted the entire "resources\images\icons" folders tree)

7. Font type from "Games Data" and "View Text Files" screens

8. Text "Word Wrap" from "Games Data" screen (mameinfo.dat, history.dat, gamename.faq)

9. "View Text Files" option and screen

Optimizations:

1. Removed a few redundant coding

2. Language selection screen

3. Rearranged the items in a few screens for better viewing

4. Create Games List feature

New Additions:

1. New folder: "resources\language\flags"
This folder contains flags for all translations available. Please read the "Disclaimer" section on "el-readme.htm" for more info
The frontend does not need these flags to work. You can safely delete the .gif files

2. All languages now have an animated flag (transparent .gif format)
To select a language, just click on a flag once

3. "Animated Flags" option on "Frontend Language" screen to toggle between animated and static flags
This option is not saved anywhere

4. Two new components are used to compile Emu Loader:
- TGIFImage: this component adds animated gif support (flags on language screen)
- BarMenu Components: Customized menus (main menu and popup menus... preliminary implementation)

5: New games and pictures options ("Preferences" screen):
- "Hide Bios": do not load bios on the list ("Games" tab)
- "Hide Navigation Panel": hide the pictures navigation panel at the bottom ("Pictures" tab)
- "Hide Picture Hint": hide the hint of the picture ("Pictures" tab)

6. Updated "gclonebios.ini" file with the new Neo Geo clones and bios filenames changes

7. Automatic Game Information appearance order
Set the order you want the automatic information of the game be displayed below the preview picture. You will find four drop-down boxes for this purpose in "Preferences" screen, "Miscellaneous" tab

8. New set of default icons, made by "D3CA", an EL user (see "resources\defaulticons\d3ca" folder)

9. Preliminary support for "User Manual" (HTML Help format)
The supported filenames are:
- English: "emuloader.chm" (default language)
- Portuguese (Brazil): "brazilian.chm"
- Chinese (Simplified): "chinese_simp.chm"
- Chinese (Traditional): "chinese_trad.chm"
- German: "german.chm"
- French: "french.chm"
- Italian: "italian.chm"
- Korean: "korean.chm"
- Polish: "polish.chm"
- Spanish: "spanish.chm"
- Russian: "russian.chm"

10. New folder: "help"
This folder will be used for the upcoming "User Manual". Translated manuals will also be supported (see item #9)

11. New option: "Open Game's Internet Page"
This option opens the homepage / page of the selected game. You can define the html link page on "Preferences" screen, "Miscellaneous" tab
An internet connection is required