Cache for Platforms

[Glauco Fox]

All my roms are in zip files, and that’s no problem when we’re talking about older generations, but when we start to delve in world of CD many of the new platforms take too long to extract and load, i.e: PS1, Gamecube, specially PS2, etc...
What I’d like to propose is to create a setting to keep a cached extracted iso of the game on a temporary folder. The size of the cache could be set on the settings and all the extracted games would be extracted to said temp folder until the cache is full. Once the cache is full the oldest files of that folder gets deleted to give room to the newly extracted file. Launchbox would always look for the ISO on the temp folder before extracting any game.

This would greatly optimize the loading time.

Thanks

[fraganator]

There’s a plugin called Archive Cache Manager which does exactly what you’re asking (full disclosure - I’m the author). You can find it on the LaunchBox forum: https://forums.launchbox-app.com/topic/35010-archive-cache-manager/?do=findComment&comment=377068

[Christian]

Another solution to this problem is to use a compressed file format that can be read by your emulator directly. Then you wouldn’t need to worry about extraction at all and still enjoy the space savings the zip files give you. Most of the file formats I am referring to actually save more space than standard zip encryption gives so you would gain more space. Leaving the ticket open because I think the request has merit, but wanted to offer a potential solution in the interim.

[Glauco Fox]

That’s a good idea, but currently I have over 8 tb of content and it would be very hard to extract and compress all the content, I also wouldn’t have enough space to do it in batch.

[Glauco Fox]

@fraganator I will check it out, thank you