Advanced MAME Launcher – MAME frontend for Kodi

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Welcome to Advanced MAME Launcher

Advanced MAME Launcher is a MAME front-end for Kodi. It supports both MAME arcade ROMs plus Software Lists (about 100.000 ROMs in total).

Installation & Downloads

Current Stable Version: 0.9.0

Development builds are also available from GitHub by clicking HERE.

Getting Started

Setting up MAME ROMs, CHDs and assets

Recommended MAME directories layout. Catver/Catlist/Genre from progretto-SNAPS are optional:

Code:
/home/kodi/AML-ROMs/              --> Put MAME arcade ROMs and BIOSes here
/home/kodi/AML-CHDs/              --> Put the CHDs here
/home/kodi/AML-SL-ROMs/           --> Put the Software Lists ROMs here
/home/kodi/AML-assets/Catver.ini  --> Catver (optional)
/home/kodi/AML-assets/Catlist.ini --> Catlist (optional)
/home/kodi/AML-assets/Genre.ini   --> Genre (optional)

Place MAME assets/artwork here:

Code:
/home/kodi/AML-assets/cabinets/
/home/kodi/AML-assets/cpanels/
/home/kodi/AML-assets/flyers/
/home/kodi/AML-assets/marquees/
/home/kodi/AML-assets/PCBs/
/home/kodi/AML-assets/snaps/
/home/kodi/AML-assets/titles/
/home/kodi/AML-assets/clearlogos/

Remember to update mame.ini to point to the directories where you have your ROMs/CHDs.

Setting up Advanced MAME Launcher

Follow these steps:

1) Install and run AML for the first time.

2) Open AML settings, in tab Paths configure the MAME executable and the ROMs path.

3) Optional: configure the MAME assets path, Software Lists hash path, CHDs path, Samples path, Catver.ini path, Catlist.ini path and Genre.ini path.

4) In AML root select any item, open the context menu, select “Setup plugin”. Execute, in consecutive order:

4.1) Extract MAME.xml… this will get the MAME.xml database from MAME.

4.2) Build main MAME database…

4.3) Build main MAME indices/catalogs…

4.4) Build main Software Lists indices/catalogs… This makes the database to navigate the Software Lists (last entry of the addon main menu). Skip this step if you didn’t configure the Software Lists hash path.

4.5) Scan ROMs/CHDs/Samples…

4.6) Scan assets/artwork… This looks for the assets/artwork and updates the database. Skip this step if you didn’t configure the MAME assets path.

If everything is OK you are now able to navigate all MAME ROMs (arcade and Software Lists). At the moment only launching MAME arcade ROMs is supported.

Bugs & Feature Requests

You can ask for feature requests in this thread or directly on GitHub.

If you find a bug or Kodi shows an error in AEL you can report it in this thread or in GitHub. Try to be descriptive about the problem and the steps you do that cause it. Unless otherwise told, follow these steps:

  • In Kodi Settings, turn Kodi debug log OFF.
  • In AEL Settings, go to Advanced and set the log level to DEBUG.
  • Reproduce the bug.
  • Put your Kodi log file in Ubuntu pastebin or PasteBin.

You can use the Kodi Logfile Uploader addon to help with the log upload process. Thanks to Ronie for this fine addon.

TODO – Known issues

  1. Android is not supported yet.
  2. Launching Software Lists ROMs is not supported yet.

Release history (and release notes)