Install MAME artwork and bezels on Android without hiding the game
Confirm that the Android port exposes upstream external artwork and an artpath. Put the authorized artwork package or folder under that path using the exact machine short name, keep its default.lay and referenced assets together, restart the machine, then select an available Video Options view. If the image loads but the screen is wrong, restore crop and view settings before editing the layout.
Do this in order
- 01
Record the Android port and upstream MAME revision, then verify that it exposes external artwork, the artpath option, and Video Options or an equivalent view selector.
- 02
Use MAME's exact machine short name and inventory only artwork you created, public-domain material, or files whose license permits your intended use.
- 03
Place one test package at artpath/shortname.zip or artpath/shortname/default.lay with every referenced image beside the layout; do not nest a ZIP inside another archive.
- 04
Cold-start that machine, open Video Options, and choose a named external view instead of assuming the first automatic view is the bezel.
- 05
If the screen is clipped or the bezel is absent, restore crop, aspect, and view defaults, then read the first layout or missing-asset warning from the port's log.
- 06
Keep the working package, source URL, permission note, port version, short name, and selected view together before repeating the process for another machine.
Decision and diagnostic table
| Result | Likely layer | Next proof |
|---|---|---|
| No external view appears | artpath, short name, package nesting, or port support | Test one minimal package and inspect the log |
| View exists but images are blank | Referenced filename, case, format, or missing asset | Compare default.lay references with files exactly |
| Bezel appears but game is cropped | View/crop/aspect selection | Restore defaults and choose a screen-inclusive view |
| Artwork works technically | Rights status still separate | Retain the creator's license and distribution scope |
MAME loads a layout, not a generic wallpaper
External MAME artwork is driven by a .lay XML file. A view arranges emulated screens, images, text, shapes, and other elements. Images copied without the referenced layout do not define where the game screen belongs.
MAME can ignore an unviable view or stop loading a layout after a syntax error. That is why the first log warning and the view list are stronger evidence than repeatedly renaming image files.
Machine identity and artpath are separate checks
The artpath tells MAME where external artwork lives; the machine short name selects which package or folder applies. A correct path with the wrong short name fails differently from a correct package stored outside the configured path.
Android wrappers may map folders through app-private storage or omit upstream controls. Do not publish a universal Android filesystem path unless that exact port documents it.
A viable view can still be the wrong view
Layouts can provide several views, including screen-only, bezel, cabinet, or multi-screen arrangements. Crop settings may intentionally remove artwork, while an artwork view may intentionally reserve space around the screen.
Choose the intended view before changing aspect ratio or editing XML. Preserve the last working package so a display experiment remains reversible.
MAME's artwork system does not license cabinet scans, marquees, bezels, logos, screenshots, or photographs. Use only your own work, public-domain assets, or material with explicit permission, and do not bundle third-party artwork with ROM, BIOS, CHD, or music files.