Organize MAME screenshots on Android with snapshot_directory and snapname
Point snapshot_directory at a location the installed Android port can write, then keep %g for the machine name and %i for an increasing index in snapname. MAME 0.289 warns that omitting %i makes each new snapshot overwrite the previous one. Take two screenshots, confirm distinct PNG files, and restore defaults if the wrapper rejects either option.
Do this in order
- 01
Record the Android port, embedded MAME version, current snapshot_directory, snapname, and one authorized test machine short name.
- 02
Choose a writable location through the wrapper's supported storage picker or documented configuration; do not guess an app-private path.
- 03
Use a snapname template that retains %g and %i, such as the upstream default %g/%i, so machines separate and indices advance.
- 04
Restart, take two screenshots of the same machine, and confirm two distinct PNG files appear below the effective snapshot directory.
- 05
Check orientation and view before forcing snapsize; MAME does not automatically swap a forced width and height for vertical systems.
- 06
Preserve the effective options and file names as the receipt, then restore defaults if the wrapper rewrites or ignores unsupported values.
Decision and diagnostic table
| Symptom | Likely boundary | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| No file appears | Directory access or wrapper option | Verify effective path and write grant |
| Only one file remains | %i omitted from snapname | Restore an indexed template |
| Wrong machine folder | %g omitted or replaced | Include machine substitution |
| Vertical image is stretched | Forced snapsize/view | Return to auto, then select deliberately |
Directory and naming are independent
snapshot_directory chooses the root. snapname builds the relative path and file stem beneath it. Prove both with two captures instead of changing several output options at once.
An index prevents silent replacement
MAME documents %i as the increasing snapshot index. Without it, the next capture can replace the previous file, which looks like a failed screenshot feature when the directory is actually working.
Screenshots are not replay evidence
A PNG records one rendered moment. An INP records emulated input, while AVI/WAV/MNG record different output streams. Choose the artifact that answers the task.
Use only games, firmware, artwork, audio, fonts, and other media you created, dumped lawfully, or received with permission covering your use. A frontend setting never grants redistribution rights, and ArcadeShelf does not link to ROM or BIOS packs.