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MAME Smart ROM Sorter

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What MAME Smart ROM Sorter is

MAME Smart ROM Sorter is a free Windows utility for arcade builders who want to make focused folders from large MAME collections. It copies or hard-links selected files into an output folder, with filters and presets for controls, player count, screen orientation, genre, working status, and cabinet goals. Control options include joystick, buttons, trackball, spinner, light gun, and driving controls. Its 1G1R-style curation uses MAME parent and clone relationships with region and language preferences to reduce duplicate versions. God Mode filtering draws on MAME XML and can also use support INI data. CHD-aware export is available for games that need disk folders. The project lists arcade resources such as Controls.dat, Arcade Database, and NPlayers. Processing is designed to be local once required metadata is present. Users must provide their own legally obtained files; a non-merged MAME set is recommended. The sorter does not supply ROMs or resolve missing parent ROMs, BIOS or device ZIPs, CHDs, or samples.

Who it suits

It suits home arcade builders curating collections for particular controls, cabinet styles, or playable-game folders. It is for Windows users who already have MAME files and want to organize them.

What it does well

  • Filters collections by controls, players, genre, and orientation.
  • Uses region and language preferences to reduce duplicates.
  • Supports CHD-aware export behavior.
  • Designed for local processing when metadata is present.
  • Free Windows utility with source package available.

What to know first

  • Requires users to supply their own MAME files.
  • A non-merged ROM set is recommended.
  • Cannot resolve missing ROM, BIOS, CHD, or sample dependencies.
  • The standalone executable may trigger antivirus warnings.

Verdict

MAME Smart ROM Sorter can shape an existing MAME collection around cabinet and play preferences, but it does not supply games or repair missing dependencies. Confirm that your set and metadata are suitable before relying on its curated output.

Facts from MAME Smart ROM Sorter's own pages

CHD handling
The sorter supports CHD-aware export behavior for games that need disk folders. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Clone curation
Its 1G1R-style options use MAME parent and clone relationships plus region and language preferences to reduce duplicates. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Control filters
Users can filter around cabinet controls such as joystick, buttons, trackball, spinner, light gun, and driving controls. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Curation
Its 1G1R-style options use MAME parent and clone relationships with region and language preferences to reduce duplicate versions. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Downloads
The README identifies a Windows executable and a source ZIP as release downloads, with an optional SHA256SUMS checksum file. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
File handling
The sorter copies or hard-links matching files into a curated output folder. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Filtering
Filters and presets can shape a set around controls, players, screen orientation, genre, working status, and cabinet goals. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Integrations
The README lists ProgettoSnaps, AntoPISA MAME Support Files, Controls.dat, Arcade Database, and NPlayers as metadata and arcade data resources. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Integrations and data
The README lists ProgettoSnaps, AntoPISA MAME Support Files, Controls.dat, Arcade Database, and NPlayers as arcade metadata resources. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Intended users
The project describes use cases including general arcade cabinets, controller setups, light-gun or trackball builds, driving setups, fighters, and lean playable-game folders. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Licensing
The README says the source code uses the MIT License, documentation generally uses CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, and branding and other creative assets are reserved unless otherwise stated. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Local processing
The project says it is designed for local processing once the needed metadata is present, though optional support metadata may come from public community data sources. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Maker and support
The project credits Shawn Flanagan / CyborgBob as owner, creator, testing, direction, and release lead; the repository links to Technically Not a Technician and its YouTube channel. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Metadata
God Mode filtering uses MAME XML and optional support INI data. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Not a downloader
The project says it does not include, link to, download, or distribute ROMs, BIOS files, CHDs, samples, or copyrighted game content. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Output limitation
The sorter can curate files but cannot resolve missing parent ROMs, BIOS or device ZIPs, CHDs, or samples needed by MAME. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Purpose
MAME Smart ROM Sorter helps home arcade builders curate large MAME collections into smaller, purpose-built folders. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
ROM handling
The tool does not include, provide, link to, download, or distribute ROMs, BIOS files, CHDs, samples, or copyrighted game content. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
ROM requirements
Users must provide their own legally obtained MAME files, and the README recommends a non-merged ROM set. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Set requirement
The README says a non-merged MAME ROM set is required and warns that merged or split sets are more prone to dependency problems. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Windows warning
The standalone Windows executable is packaged with PyInstaller and may trigger antivirus warnings; the source package is included for inspection or rebuilding. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026

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