Extending the search paths

[Removed by request]

I'm using Ubuntu 16.04 dev with mame 0.170-0ubuntu1 and I'm noticing that some paths in /etc/mame/mame.ini seems to be wrong as they begin with "$HOME/mame" while I would expect it to be "$HOME/.mame" like already specified on the most other paths.

[Cesare Falco (c.falco)]

This is by design: hidden directory like .mame are for configuration and run-time data purposes.

For resource files (roms, samples etc.) a subdirectory is more appropriate.

[Removed by request (removed3425744)]

> For resource files (roms, samples etc.) a subdirectory is more appropriate.

I think you meant a non-hidden directory as a subdirectory could also take place in "$HOME/.mame".

[Removed by request (removed3425744)]

Edit: I think that it could make sense to add these resource paths also additionally to the search paths so that the user can for example put roms into "$HOME/mame/roms" and "$HOME/.mame/roms". That would be useful if the user displays hidden directories at default and wants to keep out of the box all in one directory.

[shankao (shankao)]

If the user does show the .mame folder by default, she can as well move her roms to .mame and only have .mame in the config file.
For the sake of simplicity, there should only be one ROM's path

[Cesare Falco (c.falco)]

This matter has been long debated within Mame packagers, and has finally been agreed that:

- configuration and runtime files and subdirectories must lie in the hidden directory ~/.mame. The reason is that the user doesn't need to see them though he/she may like to (e.g. to share the snapshot taken, or the savestate files etc.)

- resource files and subdirectories must lie in the non-hidden directory ~/mame. The reason is that the user can easily place there any personal needed file (let me stress the fact that only a limited number of roms are legally available for free, the vast majority requires owning a licence or the original PCB and can _not_ be distributed)

- the user can override these rules at will in a personal ~/.mame/mame.ini file, or editing /etc/mame.ini at his/her convenience

>> For resource files (roms, samples etc.) a subdirectory is more appropriate.
> I think you meant a non-hidden directory as a subdirectory could also take place in "$HOME/.mame".
Yes, of course. :)
I'm sorry, I should have checked twice before posting.

> If the user does show the .mame folder by default, she can as well move her roms
> to .mame and only have .mame in the config file.
This can be easily accomplished by copying /etc/mame in ~/.mame/ and tweaking it

> For the sake of simplicity, there should only be one ROM's path
Definitely, referring to the user personal files. In /etc/mame.ini there are many concatenated paths to manage files distributed in the package (e.g. artworks) and still allow usage of personal resource files of the same type.