CHD Manager 2.0.1

CHD Manager 2.0.1 is a small follow-up to 2.0.0 with two convenience fixes.

What's fixed

• Downloading the base PBP now selects it. In Settings, after you press Download for the PSP base PBP, it is filled in and saved for you; no more browsing for it.
• Moving the program folder no longer breaks saved paths. If you move or rename the folder, the program notices at startup and points the saved paths (base PBP, chdman, Dolphin, artwork and output folders that were inside the old folder) at the new location.

SHA-256

CHD-Manager-2.0.1-win64.zip: 4808e3e06adcfc41768b4c68b663afdc6aec0c213ed53f3dc3345b40ea656b3c

Unzip anywhere and run CHD Manager.exe. Python is not needed, and your settings carry over. The exe is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen may warn about an unknown publisher (More info, Run anyway). Full details and the list of what was and wasn't tested are in the README.

CHD Manager 2.0.0

CHD Manager 2.0.0 now converts PSP, GameCube, Wii and Wii U disc formats as well as CHD, PBP and CDI, checks that a conversion will fit on the drive before it starts, and is now free software under the GPL.

What's new

• New formats. CSO and ZSO (PSP/PS2), ECM, and the GameCube/Wii family: ISO, RVZ, WIA, WBFS, GCZ and CISO, plus Wii U WUX/WUD in both directions. Archives (zip, tar, gz, 7z, rar) can be added directly.
• Mode 1 error correction for CD images, so a CUE/BIN with blank error-correction data becomes a complete, correct image.
• Disk-space check. Before each conversion the app estimates the space it will need (temporary files included) and refuses a job that clearly won't fit, with a plain message, instead of failing halfway.
• Safer clean-up, your choice. Sources still go to the Recycle Bin after a verified result; there is now an optional, warned "delete permanently" switch that frees the space at once.
• Command line. chdm (in the zip) runs the same conversions without a window and returns exit codes 0/1/2.
• PSP title cards. PBP files with no artwork of your own get a drawn title card with the game name and code.
• Easier Wii setup. One window: show the app where Dolphin is, or give it your own Wii key. No key is included in the program or this repository, and none is downloaded.
• License is now GPL v3 or later, because the GameCube/Wii code is a Python port of parts of the Dolphin emulator's GPL code. Full notices are in THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.txt.
• Fixes: the settings window now fits its contents on scaled displays, and a column that clipped "GameCube disc".

Updating

Version 1.4.0's built-in updater should offer this release. Otherwise unzip CHD-Manager-2.0.0-win64.zip anywhere and run CHD Manager.exe. Python is not needed, and your settings carry over.

SHA-256

CHD-Manager-2.0.0-win64.zip: 2e48e987df2e6fb0b9f659f786e6854871545f3bca522f113bd82954fe0a5640

Notes

• The exe is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen may warn about an unknown publisher (More info, Run anyway), and some antivirus programs are wary of packaged Python programs.
• Tested against Dolphin's own tool, the real lz4 library and real discs; not tested on real hardware or in every emulator. The README lists exactly what was and wasn't tested.
• This project includes no games, BIOS files or Wii keys. Use it only with discs you own.

CHD Manager 1.4.0

You choose what happens to CHD files, and extraction now sorts out multi-file discs for you

• CHD files choice. When a CHD is in the list, a CHD files choice appears at the top: Extract it, Verify it, or Recompress it with different compression (your original is kept). Right-click a file to give just that one a different action. The Action column always says what will happen.
• Automatic one-BIN-per-track. When extracting a CD, the app reads its track count first. A disc with several tracks (audio plus data) gets one BIN per track; a one-track disc gets a single BIN. No setting to remember. You can still force "one BIN per track" or "one single BIN".
• Tidy batches. Anything that comes out as several files (split CDs, Dreamcast GDI) is put in its own folder named after the disc, so a big batch doesn't turn into a pile of mixed-up files.
• ISO output for data CDs, offered only when nothing would be lost; discs with audio, several tracks or Form 2 sectors are refused with a reason instead of mangled.
• Skipped jobs now say why. Files dropped on the exe or opened with "Open with" are loaded at startup.
• Tested on real discs: multi-track CDs (32, 11 and 2 tracks) were extracted with Automatic and rebuilt to CHDs with identical data checksums; a Dreamcast GD-ROM extracted into its own folder.

Updating: the in-app updater will offer this version (click the version button at the bottom of the window). Updates from 1.2.2 or newer restart cleanly.

Download CHD-Manager-1.4.0-win64.zip, unzip it anywhere, and run CHD Manager.exe. Windows 10/11, 64-bit. Python is not needed. Includes chdman 0.289.

Heads up: the exe is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "unknown publisher" (choose More info, Run anyway), and some antivirus programs can be suspicious of packaged Python programs. You can also run CHD_Manager.pyw from source or build the exe yourself with build.ps1 (see the README).

SHA-256 of the zip: 53E6668071E5129040C919DD5CEF0AD0A3CE9547FA7D54A35B5933AA6B13F939

CHD Manager 1.3.0

A calmer, simpler main window

• One list of discs, one line saying which settings will be used, and one Start button. That's the whole main screen.
• The five tabs moved into a Settings window (the More menu, or Change settings...). It has the conversion options, output folder, the suggested-settings explanation, and an About page.
• The log is hidden until you click Show log. It opens by itself if something fails.
• Less common actions (info, verify selected, light/dark theme) are in the More menu.
• The table no longer shows the Folder column. The header is slimmer and spacing is roomier.
• The version buttons at the bottom of the window (chdman 0.289 and CHD Manager 1.3.0) are now the update buttons: click one to check for an update, and it turns orange when one is waiting.
• Nothing about how discs are converted, extracted or verified changed.

Updating from 1.2.2 or older: the in-app updater will offer this version. If you update from 1.2.1 or older you may see a one-time "Failed to load Python DLL" error after the update; the update still applied, so just open CHD Manager again. Updates from 1.2.2 onward should restart cleanly.

Download CHD-Manager-1.3.0-win64.zip, unzip it anywhere, and run CHD Manager.exe. Windows 10/11, 64-bit. Python is not needed. Includes chdman 0.289.

Heads up: the exe is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "unknown publisher" (choose More info, Run anyway), and some antivirus programs can be suspicious of packaged Python programs. You can also run CHD_Manager.pyw from source or build the exe yourself with build.ps1 (see the README).

SHA-256 of the zip: E15379FCDD42303FE54902A34E640D0D5E3CB3641C7D737E5D725A455987A808

CHD Manager 1.2.2

Fix: the app now restarts cleanly after updating itself.

In 1.2.0 and 1.2.1, after installing an update the new version could fail to start with a "Failed to load Python DLL" error. The update itself was applied; only the automatic restart failed. Starting the program again always worked. 1.2.2 fixes the restart. If you update to 1.2.2 from 1.2.0 or 1.2.1 you may see that error one last time, because the old version performs that update. Just open CHD Manager again. Updates from 1.2.2 onward restart normally.

Nothing else changed since 1.2.1 (the fixes from testing on 42 real discs, and the emulator boot tests, are all still in; see the README's Testing section).

Download CHD-Manager-1.2.2-win64.zip, unzip it anywhere, and run CHD Manager.exe. Windows 10/11, 64-bit. Python is not needed. Includes chdman 0.289.

Heads up: the exe is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "unknown publisher" (choose More info, Run anyway), and some antivirus programs can be suspicious of packaged Python programs. You can also run CHD_Manager.pyw from source or build the exe yourself with build.ps1 (see the README).

SHA-256 of the zip: F125693A7CF8FA32CDD522CABBCF38FD8489DE48568EA4B6E08B898CDF751F95

CHD Manager 1.2.1

Fixes found by testing on 42 real discs

• "None" compression plus verify no longer reports a false "Verify failed". chdman can't verify an uncompressed CHD, so the app now says so and keeps your source files.
• When a job fails, chdman's real error message is now shown in the log and in the Result column (it was being hidden).
• Dreamcast CD discs that start with audio tracks now get a platform label.
• Folder scans now say which files they skipped (.cdi, .pbp and similar can't be read by chdman).
• The suggested-settings text now cites measured results.

How it was tested: 42 real discs (6 Dreamcast GD-ROM, 3 Dreamcast CD, 16 PS1, 17 PS2; 7.3 GB of CHDs). All 42 verified, extracted, and rebuilt with the same data SHA-1 as the originals. The DVD path was checked on real PS2 ISOs (4.4 GB and 1.4 GB). Compression levels and thread scaling were measured. Rebuilt CHDs booted in PCSX2 (PS2, CD-type and DVD-type), DuckStation (PS1) and RetroArch with Flycast (Dreamcast), including zstd, uncompressed and larger-hunk builds. I checked that games boot and show their intro; I did not play them through. Full numbers are in the README's Testing section.

Download CHD-Manager-1.2.1-win64.zip, unzip it anywhere, and run CHD Manager.exe. Windows 10/11, 64-bit. Python is not needed. Includes chdman 0.289. If you are on 1.2.0, the app will offer this update itself.

Heads up: the exe is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "unknown publisher" (choose More info, Run anyway), and some antivirus programs can be suspicious of packaged Python programs. You can also run CHD_Manager.pyw from source or build the exe yourself with build.ps1 (see the README).

SHA-256 of the zip: F930702994344674F2089F60C70CD630D8119F97C243B99D67C5B8D5B43E16B2

CHD Manager 1.2.0

New in 1.2.0

• Drag and drop files or folders straight onto the window.
• CHD Manager can check for and install its own updates (SHA-256 verified, test-run before it swaps itself in). The prompt offers Update now, Remind me next time, or Skip this version, and a small badge stays in the header.
• New About tab: version, links, license info, update controls, and a Copy diagnostics button for bug reports.
• The window opens wide enough that the toolbar is never squeezed, and the table, options and log scale together when you resize.
• Tip added for emulators that only accept zlib-compressed CHDs.

Download CHD-Manager-1.2.0-win64.zip, unzip it anywhere, and run CHD Manager.exe. Windows 10/11, 64-bit. Python is not needed. Includes chdman 0.289.

If you are on 1.1.0: it can't update itself, so download this zip by hand once. From 1.2.0 on, updates are offered inside the app.

Heads up: the exe is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "unknown publisher" (choose More info, Run anyway), and some antivirus programs can be suspicious of packaged Python programs. You can also run CHD_Manager.pyw from source or build the exe yourself with build.ps1 (see the README).

SHA-256 of the zip: 524FF2903B190C6F9F8FA19A53EFECFA01A44A5931C1511F0A6705FED3193A16

CHD Manager 1.1.0

First public release.

Download CHD-Manager-1.1-win64.zip, unzip it anywhere, and run CHD Manager.exe. Windows 10/11, 64-bit. Python is not needed. It is portable: settings are saved in the same folder.

Includes chdman 0.289 (the official build from the MAME project).

Heads up: the exe is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "unknown publisher" (choose More info, Run anyway), and some antivirus programs can be suspicious of packaged Python programs. If you'd rather not run a binary, run CHD_Manager.pyw from source or build the exe yourself with build.ps1 (see the README).

SHA-256 of the zip: E207CDE5A2AB2C257575574B71E47A955B1BBD08622AF6C5A84C5ABB775145DD