VGMToolbox – Manual

VGMToolbox (VGMT) is an application to aid in the auditing of yourVideo Game Music (VGM) collections. Inspired by rom organizers like clrMAMEPro and the GoodTools applications, VGMT aims to offer the best of both tools while focusing on VGM related file types (NSF,PSF, etc...). The key feature of the VGMT is the ability to calculate checksums over the actual data of each of these formats. VGMT also offers various tools that aid the VGM collector, datafile creator, and music ripper.

Supported Formats for VGMToolbox Methods Checksums

Auditing Tools

Auditing Tools > Datafile Creator

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Auditing Tools > File Rebuilder

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Auditing Tools > Datafile Checker

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Examine/Exploration Tools

Examine/Exploration Tools > Tag/Info Viewer

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Examine/Exploration Tools > Checksum Calculator

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Examine/Exploration Tools > Search for Files

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GENH

GENH > Create/Extract GENH

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Misc. Tools

Hoot Tools > XML Builder

Description: The Hoot XML Builder generates skeleton XML files for the GBS/NSF/HES/KSS file formats. It can be useful for batch creation of Hoot xml files for GBS/NSF/HES/KSS files. HES and KSS files require Nezplug format .m3u files, since their format does not contain track information. XML file(s) will be output in the "hoot" subdirectory of the application folder.

Usage: Drag and Drop files or folders into the large area at the top of the form.

Options:

• Parse file name according to Knurek style naming convention: Will parse the file name and add data to the Hoot XML based on the following format: English Name [Japanese Name](Year)(Developer)(Publisher)
• (At least one must be checked for output.)
• Combine output to single XML file: All XML will be output to a single file (combined).
• Output one file per game: A single XML file will be generated for each input game.

Hoot Tools > Collection Auditor

Description: The Hoot Collection Auditor scans the "Archive Folders" for each set in the source .xml files in your Hoot XML Folder. It should be used to see which Hoot sets or games have .xml availible but you do not have the sets for. The results will be displayed in a Tree Format with missing files in red. Results will also be output to the "hoot" subdirectory underneath VGMToolbox as a UTF-16 LE text file named "audit.txt".

Usage:

1. Type or Browse to the Hoot XML Folder.
2. Type or Browse to the folders containing your sets. (More than one may be entered and subdirectories are supported.)
3. Click the "Audit Collection" button.

NSF Tools > NSFE --> NSF + M3U

Description: The NSFE to .m3u converter takes an NSFE format file and creates an NSF with an Nezplug format .m3u playlist. The files will be output in the same directory as the source file.

Usage: Drag and Drop files or folders into the large area at the top of the form.

Options:

• Output additional .m3u per track: In addition to an .m3u for the all of the tracks, another .m3u will be created for each track.

GBS Tools > GBS M3U Creator

Description: The GBS M3U Creator creates Nezplug format .m3u playlist for each track in the GBS. The files will be output in the same directory as the source file.

Usage: Drag and Drop files or folders into the large area at the top of the form.

Options:

• Output additional .m3u per track: In addition to an .m3u for the all of the tracks, another .m3u will be created for each track.

VGM Tools > VGM Tag Editor

Description: The VGM Tag Editor will add or edit the tags of VGM format files. Output files will be GZip'd if the input files were GZip'd.

Usage:

1. Type or Browse to the Source Folder.
2. Select one or more files to edit. If multiple files are selected, the "Track Tags" will be disabled.
3. Click "Update Tags".

Options:

• Right-Click and select "Refresh File List" to referesh the file list.

xSF Tools > xSF2EXE

Description: Decompress and extract the Compressed Data Section (and Reserved Section if the option is selected) of an xSF format file. The data will be extracted to the same directory as the source file with the ".data.bin" and ".reserved.bin" file extensions appended.

Usage: Drag and Drop files or folders into the large area at the top of the form.

Options:

• Also extract Reserved Section: Extract the Reserved Section from the xSF file.
• Include original file extension in output file name: When generating the output file, include the original file's extension in the output file name.
• Strip GSF header after decompression: Strip the first 12 bytes of the output Data Section.

xSF Tools > xSF Recompress

Description: Recompress the Compressed Data Section of an xSF format file. Optionally, 7zip the output.

Usage:

1. Select a new Compression Level.
2. Check the option to 7zip if desired.
3. Browse to select a folder to compress and click "Recompress xSFs" button, or drag and drop files onto the Source text box

Options:

• 7zip (ultra) top level folder(s) (if applicable): 7zips the top level folders. Best compression is achieved with "Store" level compression and 7zipping the output folders.

xSF Tools > xSF Tag Editor

Description: The xSF Tag Editor will add or edit the tags of xSF format files or files that use the xSF style tags (S98v3).

Usage:

1. Type or Browse to the Source Folder.
2. Select one or more files to edit. If multiple files are selected, the "Track Tags" will be disabled.
3. Click "Update Tags".

Options:

• Generate Title from FileName: Auto-Generate Track Titles based on the input file names. Works similar to the psfpoint "-tf" option.
• Remove fields you've left empty from the files' tags.: This will remove the internal structure representing the tag from the file if you have not entered a value for the respective tag.
• Right-Click and select "Refresh File List" to referesh the file list.

xSF Tools > 2SF > Make 2SFs

Description: Create 2SF files for the input NDS SDAT file. STRM files will also be extracted. The 2SF Maker requires testpack.nds which is a part of the "no-brainer" 2SF ripkit. Place it in the directory indicated in the Notes section at the bottom of the form. Duplicates will be unchecked automatically and the row will be highlighted in Red.

Usage:

1. Type or Browse to the SDAT containing the music.
2. Type or Browse to the folder to output the files into.
3. Enter set information.
4. Select the tracks to rip or use the preselected tracks.
5. Click on the "Volume" column to edit track volume if needed.
6. Click the "Make 2SFs" button.

xSF Tools > 2SF > 2SF Timer

Description: Time 2SF files. Works with V2 2SFs only.

Usage:

1. Type or Browse to the 2SFs Source Folder.
2. Type or Browse to the SDAT file path.
3. Click "Time 2SFs".

Options:

• Single Loop (leave unchecked for two loops): Check if you only want looped files to loop once.

xSF Tools > 2SF > SDAT Optimizer (Removal Pending)

Description: Optimize SDATs for 2SF creation. Overwrites unsed data with "0" to allow zlib compression to have maximum effect. Now that the "Make 2SF" tool does this automatically and with better selection, this tool is less useful.

Usage:

1. Select sequences to include.
2. Drag and Drop SDAT to optimize onto the text box at the top of the form.

Options:

• Starting Sequence: First Sequence to include.
• Ending Sequence: Last Sequence to include.
• Include All Sequences: Include all sequences, only STRM data will be optimized.

xSF Tools > 2SF > 2SF - V1 to V2 Tag Copier

Description: Copy tags from V1 formats 2SFs to V2 format tags.

Usage:

1. Type or Browse to the V1 2SFs Source Folder.
2. Type or Browse to the V2 2SFs Source Folder.
3. Select the tag items to copy.
4. Click the "Copy Tags" button..

Options:

• Default: Checks the default tag items to copy.
• Check All: Checks all tag items to copy.
• Check None: Checks none of the tag items to copy.

xSF Tools > PSF > PSF Maker

Description: Create PSFs in batch mode. Imports SEQ/VH/VB data from the Source Files folder into the Driver. Be sure matching SEQ/VH/VB have the same file name (e.g. BGM01.SEQ, BGM01.VH, BGM01.VB).

Usage:

1. Type or Browse to the Driver Path.
2. Type or Browse to the Source Folder.
3. Type the name of the Output Folder. (This will be underneath VGMToolbox in "rips\psf").
4. Enter the PSFLib name if making .minipsfs.
5. Enter the values for the SEQ/VH/VB Offsets or use the "Generic Driver" presets at the top.
6. Click the "Make PSFs" button..

Options:

• Output .minipsfs: Output .minipsf files with _lib tags pointing to the "PSFLib Name" file.
• Allow Zero Length Sequences: Allow zero length sequences, good for creating PSFLibs.

xSF Tools > PSF > PSF Stub Creator

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xSF Tools > PSF > PSF Timer

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xSF Tools > PSF2 > mkpsf2 Front End

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xSF Tools > PSF2 > PSF2 Unpacker

Description: Unpack PSF2 Files.

Usage: Drag and Drop PSF2 to unpack onto the large box on the form.

xSF Tools > PSF2 > PSF2 to PSF2LIB

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xSF Tools > PSF2 > PSF2 SQ Extractor

Description: Extract the SQ from PSF2s.

Usage: Drag and Drop PSF2 to extract SQs from onto the large box on the form.

xSF Tools > PSF2 > PSF2 Timer

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xSF Tools > SSF > ssfmake Front End

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xSF Tools > SSF > seqext.py/tonext.py Front End

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Extraction Tools > Generic > Simple Cutter (Snakebite GUI)

Description: The Simple Cutter will extract chunks from a file (or files) according to the input rules.

Usage:

1. Enter the Cut Options (be sure to prefix all hexidecimal values with '0x')
   1. Enter the Start Address to begin the cut.
   2. Select the Cut Length radio button for the type of cut you would like to use:
   1. End Address: Enter a specific address to end the file cut. Cut file will include [Start Address - End Address]
   2. Length: Enter the number of bytes to cut. Cut file will include [Start Address - (Start Address + Length Bytes)]
   3. EOF: Read until the End of File, good for removing a static sized header. Cut file will include [Start Address - End of File]
2. Select 'Single File Mode' or 'Batch Mode'.
   1. Single File Mode: Select this if you will only be cutting one file with these settings.
   1. ADD THIS!!!
   2. Batch Mode: Select this if you will be cutting multiple files with these settings.
   1. Enter the "Output File Extension" for the cut files, including the leading period '.'. The file name will be based on the original file name.
3. ADD THIS!!!

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Extraction Tools > Generic > Advanced Cutter/Offset Finder

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Extraction Tools > Generic > CD-XA Extractor

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Extraction Tools > Generic > MIDI Extractor

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Extraction Tools > Nintendo DS > SDAT Extractor

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Extraction Tools > Nintendo DS > SDAT Finder

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Compression Tools > gzip Compress/Decompress

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Compression Tools > zlib Compress/Decompress

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