Multiple games in the same folder

[mr_a500]

In some cases I like to put more than one game into a folder - sequels (eg. Zeewolf 1 and 2) in same folder, all classic arcade into the same folder and so on - so that I don't have to keep opening folders to play games. (open one folder and see all game icons)

The problem is that most WHDload slaves use the same naming for disks or data - "data" folder, "disk.1". Also with the PRELOAD tooltype set, some games attempt to load everything in the whole folder, not just the game data.

Some game slaves using "data" folders I just binary edited and changed the folder to a different 4 character name and this works nicely. But what can I do for slaves using "disk.1", "disk.2" etc?

Wouldn't it be better if naming was based on game name? Like "Pacmania.disk1" or for data folder "StarWars.data"?

[Shoonay]

Wouldn't it be better if naming was based on game name?
Yes it would. Not all it takes is to rewrite those 1662 slaves :crazy :D

[mr_a500]

OK, forget the naming. There are already too many games out there to bother with naming changes.

The workaround that I think should be working is setting slave location in the game icon tooltypes. Since you can set the path of the slave in the tooltypes, can't WHDload set the current directory to that path? That way you can have just the icons in one folder and the slaves and data in each game's own folder.


(I tried this years ago thinking this is how it worked, only to be disappointed.)

[mr_a500]

Ha! You were too fast for me Shoonay. I was typing as you posted.

[girv]

mr_a500, I was just thinking about this myself recently :)

WHDLoad from command line supports the DATA parameter to set the location of the data directory, overriding the slave's internal default. I'd expect that this also works from tooltypes.

WHDLoad SLAVE=Zeewolf.slave DATA=zeewolf_data
WHDLoad SLAVE=Zeewolf2.slave DATA=zeewolf2_data

I'm sure you can figure the rest out yourself :)

[mr_a500]

Hey, it works! Thanks girv! And for disks, I just create a data folder for them and set the tooltype. (..looks like my "slave binary editing" days are over..) I still think it's more efficient to have WHDload assume the data is where the slave is first though, but it's good enough. :)

Are you THE "girv" - maker of Zeewolf slaves? I love that Zeewolf 2 GUI!

[girv]

Are you THE "girv" - maker of Zeewolf slaves? I love that Zeewolf 2 GUI!Guilty :agree !

Thats an interesting comment about the GUI. I was thinking of integrating the trainer menus into the slave itself like a trainer menu you'd get on a cracktro, rather than having them as an external program as they currently are. Any thoughts or opinions?

(..looks like my "slave binary editing" days are over..) !
You ... BUTCHER! LEAVE MY BINARY BABIES ALONE! :D

I still think it's more efficient to have WHDload assume the data is where the slave is first though
Do you mean to do away with a data subdirectory altogether ? Sometimes this is not practical / sensible, such as when the game has many data files that cannot (easily) be renamed.

[mr_a500]

Thats an interesting comment about the GUI. I was thinking of integrating the trainer menus into the slave itself like a trainer menu you'd get on a cracktro, rather than having them as an external program as they currently are. Any thoughts or opinions?

I prefer the GUI. It's great as it is.

You ... BUTCHER! LEAVE MY BINARY BABIES ALONE!

Uh... um... well, of your slaves, it's only Zeewolf 1 that I edited, but now I can put it back to normal... there, there, nice binary... ;)

Do you mean to do away with a data subdirectory altogether ? Sometimes this is not practical / sensible, such as when the game has many data files that cannot (easily) be renamed.

No, that's not what I mean. Currently, the SLAVE tooltype specifies where the slave is (naturally enough), but the current directory is still where the icon was executed from. It would make more sense to have the current directory changed to where the slave is (if there is a path attached). I see no reason why someone would want only the slave in a different location and still have the data where the icon is.

Example:
I have game icon in folder, but everything else in another folder. I set path to SLAVE so WHDload knows where slave is. Current directory is still where the icon is. Now I have to set path to DATA.

I'm not saying it's a big deal for me to set an extra tooltype and I know I could also put the slave with the icon and just set DATA tooltype. I'm just saying it would make more sense to change the current directory to where the slave is. (and DATA tooltype could still override this if necessary)

[girv]

OK I understand now. Seems like a good idea but it would have to be implemented in WHDLoad itself rather than the slave...

[Wepl]

No, that's not what I mean. Currently, the SLAVE tooltype specifies where the slave is (naturally enough), but the current directory is still where the icon was executed from. It would make more sense to have the current directory changed to where the slave is (if there is a path attached). I see no reason why someone would want only the slave in a different location and still have the data where the icon is.

Example:
I have game icon in folder, but everything else in another folder. I set path to SLAVE so WHDload knows where slave is. Current directory is still where the icon is. Now I have to set path to DATA.

I'm not saying it's a big deal for me to set an extra tooltype and I know I could also put the slave with the icon and just set DATA tooltype. I'm just saying it would make more sense to change the current directory to where the slave is. (and DATA tooltype could still override this if necessary)
Hmm, I could change it this way. No big effort. Must think if this has some other side effects.

[Codetapper]

@mr_a500: Just curious, but if you have all your slaves in one directory and each game's data files in it's own subdirectory, what do you do with the readmes, manuals, solutions, extras etc for each game? Where do those live? Or do you have that one directory cluttered with hundred's of icons and readme's? :)

[mr_a500]

Well, so far the only folder I have piled a bunch of games is the Classic Arcade folder. Half these games didn't have manuals or solutions and I just kept the ReadMe without icon in the folder (named Something.ReadMe to find quickly if necessary). Folders with sequels (Zeewolf1,2, Monkey Island1,2) I still have manuals, solutions and readme with icons. I'll probably leave other games in their own folder.

I could have also added a folder Games to my Help folder and named files like Exile.Manual, Exile.Solution, Exile.ReadMe (without icons). It would take only 1 click in ABCdir to find. I don't use the text files that often anyway.