Create .M3U files for multi-disc Roms

Available from version 1.8.5.1

If you have Roms that contain multiple disks, you can collect them in a single '.m3u' file. You just have to scrape this file, and in your frontend you can change the disk via the Retroarch menu.

Since version 1.9.1.2 Beta 8

It is no longer necessary to select Rom by Rom, you can select all the Roms and ARRM will take care of creating the M3Us automatically for all or part of the selected Roms. ARRM will search for files containing (dis*) (side*) (tape*) (part*) [part*]. Single files are ignored. scrape information will be retained. Roms added in M3Us will have the cache attribute in the gamelist.

ARRM uses this file :
%appdata%\Nexouille Soft\arrm\database\multi_part.txt
to identify multipart game.

Video Tutorial

View video

Operating mode in ARRM

If you have multi-disc Roms listed in the ARRM database.

For example with the X68000 system:

Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 1 of 3)(Disk A).dim
Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 2 of 3)(Disk B).dim
Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 3 of 3)(Opening).dim

To create the file ' Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft).m3u ' you must select (highlight) in the database, the following files (please note that the files must be in ascending order of the disks):

Since version 1.9.1.2 Beta 8

Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 1 of 3)(Disk A).dim
Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 2 of 3)(Disk B).dim
Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 3 of 3)(Opening).dim

Click on ' Create M3U '.

The file 'Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft).m3u' will be created containing these 3 lines (the file is cleaned of disc information):

Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 1 of 3)(Disk A).dim
Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 2 of 3)(Disk B).dim
Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 3 of 3)(Opening).dim

ARRM will then put these 3 files in 'hidden' ( <hidden> ) automatically, so that there are no duplicates when displaying the gamelist in your Frontend.

This will give in the gamelist.xml for this game:

  <game>
    <path>./Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft).m3u</path>
    <name>Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)</name>
  </game>
  <game>
    <path>./Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 1 of 3)(Disk A).dim</path>
    <name>Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 1 of 3)(Disk A)</name>
    <hidden>true</hidden>
  </game>
  <game>
    <path>./Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 2 of 3)(Disk B).dim</path>
    <name>Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 2 of 3)(Disk B)</name>
    <hidden>true</hidden>
  </game>
  <game>
    <path>./Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 3 of 3)(Opening).dim</path>
    <name>Baruusa No Fukushuu (1991)(Zain Soft)(Disk 3 of 3)(Opening)</name>
    <hidden>true</hidden>
  </game>

If the Roms had been scraped, ARRM will attribute to the M3U file the media and descriptions already present in these cached Roms

When you have finished all your creations of .M3U, Save your gamelist.xml

Reload the database by clicking on the ' Display ' button to see the new '.M3U' files appear

If you do not see your . M3U files appear, make sure that the extension '.m3u' is recognized for the current system. (see ARRM does not display all my games. How to add an extension?)

Scrap the new '.M3U' files

Configure the joystick shortcut in Retroach to change discs

In the game, go to Retroarch menu (Hotkey + B).
Press A to access the Main Menu .
Go to Settings> Input> Input Hotkey binds .
Define Disk eject toggle , Disk next and Disk prev with your favorite keys.

Example: Disk eject toggle (right-analog up), Disk next (right-analog right) and Disk prev (right-analog left).

Now in the game, you can press Hotkey + “button” to eject the disc, swap the disc and insert the disc (and reset the game if necessary).