fix: place libretro dolphin files where it reads

emulators/dolphin.yml

@@ -12,10 +12,13 @@ cores:
   - dolphin
 systems: [nintendo-gamecube, nintendo-wii, sega-triforce]
 
-# File paths are relative to Dolphin User directory:
-#   Standalone: User/GC/ and User/Wii/
-#   Libretro (RetroArch): system/dolphin-emu/GC/ and system/dolphin-emu/Wii/
-# Sys/ is checked as fallback when not found in User/.
+# path: is where the libretro core reads a file, standalone_path: where the
+# standalone app reads it under its User directory.
+# Libretro: User is <save>/User, Sys is <system>/dolphin-emu/Sys
+#   (Source/Core/DolphinLibretro/Boot.cpp:248-254). The GC ROMs and
+#   segaboot.gcm fall back to Sys (Source/Core/Core/Config/MainSettings.cpp:761-768,
+#   Source/Core/Core/HW/DVD/AMMediaboard.cpp:500-513); the Wii and GBA files
+#   are read under User only.
 
 pack_structure:
   libretro: "dolphin-emu"
@@ -32,7 +35,8 @@ files:
   # Checked in User/GC/<region>/ then Sys/GC/<region>/
   # Regions: USA, EUR, JAP (legacy), JPN, DEV
   - name: "IPL.bin"
-    path: "GC/USA/IPL.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/USA/IPL.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/USA/IPL.bin"
     region: [north-america]
     size: 2097152
     required: false
@@ -41,7 +45,8 @@ files:
     source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:139, Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceIPL.cpp:108"
 
   - name: "IPL.bin"
-    path: "GC/EUR/IPL.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/EUR/IPL.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/EUR/IPL.bin"
     region: [europe]
     size: 2097152
     required: false
@@ -50,7 +55,8 @@ files:
     source_ref: "Source/Core/Core/Config/MainSettings.cpp:776-782"
 
   - name: "IPL.bin"
-    path: "GC/JAP/IPL.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/JAP/IPL.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/JAP/IPL.bin"
     region: [japan]
     size: 2097152
     required: false
@@ -63,7 +69,8 @@ files:
   # Dolphin ships free replacement ROMs, but real dumps improve accuracy.
   # Searched in: User/GC/ then Sys/GC/
   - name: "dsp_rom.bin"
-    path: "GC/dsp_rom.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/dsp_rom.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/dsp_rom.bin"
     size: 8192
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
@@ -74,7 +81,8 @@ files:
     source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:136, Source/Core/Core/HW/DSPLLE/DSPLLE.cpp:84-117, Source/Core/Core/DSP/DSPCore.cpp:28-102"
 
   - name: "dsp_coef.bin"
-    path: "GC/dsp_coef.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/dsp_coef.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/dsp_coef.bin"
     size: 4096
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
@@ -89,7 +97,8 @@ files:
   # If IPL dump is present, fonts are extracted from it instead (preferred).
   # Searched in: Sys/GC/
   - name: "font_western.bin"
-    path: "GC/font_western.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/font_western.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/font_western.bin"
     size: 9589
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
@@ -97,7 +106,8 @@ files:
     source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:133, Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceIPL.cpp:130,202-239"
 
   - name: "font_japanese.bin"
-    path: "GC/font_japanese.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/font_japanese.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/font_japanese.bin"
     size: 303693
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
@@ -107,7 +117,8 @@ files:
   # -- Triforce firmware --
   # Loaded from User/Triforce/ only, no Sys fallback.
   - name: "segaboot.gcm"
-    path: "Triforce/segaboot.gcm"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/Triforce/segaboot.gcm"
+    standalone_path: "Triforce/segaboot.gcm"
     system: sega-triforce
     required: true
     note: "SegaBoot, the Triforce system disc image. Read on every Triforce boot, min(size, 2 MiB) copied into the firmware buffer, nothing validated"
@@ -118,6 +129,8 @@ files:
   # Loaded from User/GBA/gba_bios.bin (no Sys fallback).
   - name: "gba_bios.bin"
     path: "GBA/gba_bios.bin"
+    load_from:
+      libretro: save_dir
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
     note: "GBA BIOS for GC-GBA link feature (uses integrated mGBA). Path configurable in settings"
@@ -129,6 +142,8 @@ files:
 
   - name: "SYSCONF"
     path: "Wii/shared2/sys/SYSCONF"
+    load_from:
+      libretro: save_dir
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
     note: "Wii system configuration. Auto-generated by Dolphin, can be imported from NAND backup"
@@ -136,6 +151,8 @@ files:
 
   - name: "setting.txt"
     path: "Wii/title/00000001/00000002/data/setting.txt"
+    load_from:
+      libretro: save_dir
     size: 256
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
@@ -161,6 +178,8 @@ files:
   # -- Wii SD Card Image --
   - name: "WiiSD.raw"
     path: "Load/WiiSD.raw"
+    load_from:
+      libretro: save_dir
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
     note: "Virtual SD card image for Wii homebrew. Auto-created by Dolphin, supports SD/SDHC up to 4GB"
@@ -186,6 +205,8 @@ files:
   # -- NAND Certificates (auto-extracted) --
   - name: "clientca.pem"
     path: "Wii/clientca.pem"
+    load_from:
+      libretro: save_dir
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
     note: "SSL client certificate. Auto-extracted from IOS13 content during NAND import"
@@ -193,6 +214,8 @@ files:
 
   - name: "clientcakey.pem"
     path: "Wii/clientcakey.pem"
+    load_from:
+      libretro: save_dir
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
     note: "SSL client private key. Auto-extracted from IOS13 content during NAND import"
@@ -200,6 +223,8 @@ files:
 
   - name: "rootca.pem"
     path: "Wii/rootca.pem"
+    load_from:
+      libretro: save_dir
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
     note: "SSL root CA certificate. Auto-extracted from IOS13 content during NAND import"

emulators/ishiiruka.yml

@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ systems: [nintendo-gamecube, nintendo-wii]
 
 # Ishiiruka is a performance-focused Dolphin fork (custom GPU backends, async shader compilation).
 # BIOS/firmware handling identical to Dolphin 5.0-era code.
-# Libretro core uses "dolphin-emu" subdirectory, not "ishiiruka".
+# Libretro: User is <save>/User, Sys is <system>/dolphin-emu/Sys
+#   (Source/Core/DolphinLibretro/Boot.cpp:43-49). path: is where the libretro
+#   core reads a file (the GC ROMs fall back to Sys), standalone_path: where
+#   the standalone app reads it under its User directory.
 # Core options use "ishiiruka_" prefix (ishiiruka_dsp_hle, ishiiruka_efb_scale, etc.)
 
 pack_structure:
@@ -30,7 +33,8 @@ files:
   # Region-specific, placed in GC/<region>/IPL.bin
   # Checked in User/GC/<region>/ then Sys/GC/<region>/
   - name: "IPL.bin"
-    path: "GC/USA/IPL.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/USA/IPL.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/USA/IPL.bin"
     region: [north-america]
     size: 2097152
     required: false
@@ -39,7 +43,8 @@ files:
     source_ref: "Source/Core/Core/ConfigManager.cpp:876-883, Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceIPL.cpp:105"
 
   - name: "IPL.bin"
-    path: "GC/EUR/IPL.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/EUR/IPL.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/EUR/IPL.bin"
     region: [europe]
     size: 2097152
     required: false
@@ -48,7 +53,8 @@ files:
     source_ref: "Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceIPL.cpp:185"
 
   - name: "IPL.bin"
-    path: "GC/JAP/IPL.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/JAP/IPL.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/JAP/IPL.bin"
     region: [japan]
     size: 2097152
     required: false
@@ -60,7 +66,8 @@ files:
   # Used by DSP LLE for accurate audio. dsp_coef.bin also used by HLE for polyphase resampling.
   # Searched in: User/GC/ then Sys/GC/
   - name: "dsp_rom.bin"
-    path: "GC/dsp_rom.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/dsp_rom.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/dsp_rom.bin"
     size: 8192
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
@@ -71,7 +78,8 @@ files:
     source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:112, Source/Core/Core/HW/DSPLLE/DSPLLE.cpp:142-150, Source/Core/Core/DSP/DSPCore.cpp:48,67, Source/Core/Core/DSP/DSPCore.cpp:38-105"
 
   - name: "dsp_coef.bin"
-    path: "GC/dsp_coef.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/dsp_coef.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/dsp_coef.bin"
     size: 4096
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
@@ -86,7 +94,8 @@ files:
   # If IPL dump is present, fonts are extracted from it instead (preferred).
   # Loaded from: Sys/GC/
   - name: "font_western.bin"
-    path: "GC/font_western.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/font_western.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/font_western.bin"
     size: 9589
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
@@ -94,7 +103,8 @@ files:
     source_ref: "Source/Core/Common/CommonPaths.h:109, Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceIPL.cpp:123,193-227"
 
   - name: "font_japanese.bin"
-    path: "GC/font_japanese.bin"
+    path: "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/font_japanese.bin"
+    standalone_path: "GC/font_japanese.bin"
     size: 303693
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
@@ -113,6 +123,8 @@ files:
   # Auto-generated/managed by Dolphin's Wii emulation.
   - name: "SYSCONF"
     path: "Wii/shared2/sys/SYSCONF"
+    load_from:
+      libretro: save_dir
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
     note: "Wii system configuration. Auto-generated, can be imported from NAND backup"
@@ -120,6 +132,8 @@ files:
 
   - name: "setting.txt"
     path: "Wii/title/00000001/00000002/data/setting.txt"
+    load_from:
+      libretro: save_dir
     size: 256
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
@@ -129,6 +143,8 @@ files:
   # -- Wii SD Card Image --
   - name: "sd.raw"
     path: "Wii/sd.raw"
+    load_from:
+      libretro: save_dir
     required: false
     hle_fallback: true
     note: "Virtual SD card image for Wii homebrew. Auto-created (128MB) if not present"

schemas/emulator.schema.json

@@ -433,7 +433,25 @@
             "type": "boolean"
           },
           "load_from": {
-            "type": "string"
+            "description": "Where the emulator reads the file when not from the system directory; keyed by build when the libretro and standalone builds read it from different places.",
+            "oneOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "object",
+                "additionalProperties": false,
+                "minProperties": 1,
+                "properties": {
+                  "libretro": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                  },
+                  "standalone": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            ]
           },
           "priority": {
             "description": "Preference order among the BIOS a system accepts, lowest first. DuckStation's FindBIOSImageInDirectory keeps the image whose priority is lower; a search list the code walks in order maps onto it as 1, 2, 3.",

scripts/generate_pack.py

@@ -1303,33 +1303,8 @@ def generate_emulator_pack(
                 db,
                 standalone,
             )
-            # A tree only one build reads follows that build, like a file.
-            for dd in filter_files_by_mode(
-                profile.get("data_directories", []), standalone
-            ):
-                ref_key = dd.get("ref", "")
-                if not ref_key or not data_registry or ref_key not in data_registry:
-                    if ref_key:
-                        data_dir_notices.append(ref_key)
-                    continue
-                entry = data_registry[ref_key]
-                local_cache = entry.get("local_cache", "")
-                if not local_cache or not os.path.isdir(local_cache):
-                    data_dir_notices.append(ref_key)
-                    continue
-                dd_dest = dd.get("destination", "")
-                if pack_structure:
-                    mode_key = "standalone" if standalone else "libretro"
-                    prefix = pack_structure.get(mode_key, "")
-                    if prefix:
-                        dd_dest = f"{prefix}/{dd_dest}" if dd_dest else prefix
-                total_files += _pack_data_tree(
-                    zf, local_cache, dd_dest, seen_destinations, seen_parents, seen_lower
-                )
-
             if not files:
                 print(f"  No files needed for {profile.get('emulator', emu_name)}")
-                continue
 
             # Collect archives as atomic units
             archives: set[str] = set()
@@ -1393,7 +1368,7 @@ def generate_emulator_pack(
                     continue
                 if fe.get("archive"):
                     continue
-                dest = _resolve_destination(fe, pack_structure, standalone)
+                dest = _resolve_destination(fe, standalone)
                 if not dest:
                     continue
                 if region_drops and dest in region_drops:
@@ -1541,6 +1516,33 @@ def generate_emulator_pack(
                 packed_at[dest.lower()] = local_path
                 total_files += 1
 
+            # The trees after the files, as in a platform pack: a dump the
+            # profile declares wins over the copy a tree bundles at the same
+            # path (Dolphin's real dsp_rom.bin over Sys/GC's free one).
+            # A tree only one build reads follows that build, like a file.
+            for dd in filter_files_by_mode(
+                profile.get("data_directories", []), standalone
+            ):
+                ref_key = dd.get("ref", "")
+                if not ref_key or not data_registry or ref_key not in data_registry:
+                    if ref_key:
+                        data_dir_notices.append(ref_key)
+                    continue
+                entry = data_registry[ref_key]
+                local_cache = entry.get("local_cache", "")
+                if not local_cache or not os.path.isdir(local_cache):
+                    data_dir_notices.append(ref_key)
+                    continue
+                dd_dest = dd.get("destination", "")
+                if pack_structure:
+                    mode_key = "standalone" if standalone else "libretro"
+                    prefix = pack_structure.get(mode_key, "")
+                    if prefix:
+                        dd_dest = f"{prefix}/{dd_dest}" if dd_dest else prefix
+                total_files += _pack_data_tree(
+                    zf, local_cache, dd_dest, seen_destinations, seen_parents, seen_lower
+                )
+
     # Remove empty ZIP (no files packed and no missing = nothing to ship)
     if total_files == 0 and not (missing_files or rejected_files or instruction_files or unsourceable_files):
         os.unlink(zip_path)
@@ -1884,7 +1886,6 @@ def generate_md5_pack(
             for fe in system.get("files", []):
                 plat_file_index.setdefault(fe.get("name", "").lower(), []).append(fe)
 
-    emu_pack_structure = None
     emu_display = ""
     if emulator_name and emulators_dir:
         profiles = load_emulator_profiles(emulators_dir, skip_aliases=False)
@@ -1899,7 +1900,6 @@ def generate_md5_pack(
             print(f"Error: {exc}", file=sys.stderr)
             return None
         emu_display = profile.get("emulator", emulator_name)
-        emu_pack_structure = profile.get("pack_structure")
         for fe in profile.get("files", []):
             plat_file_index.setdefault(fe.get("name", "").lower(), []).append(fe)
             for alias in fe.get("aliases", []):
@@ -1955,12 +1955,9 @@ def generate_md5_pack(
 
             if matched_fe:
                 if emulator_name:
-                    # Laid out as the emulator pack lays it out: a profile
-                    # without pack_structure still names its path and its
-                    # standalone_path, and --standalone has to reach them.
-                    dest = _resolve_destination(
-                        matched_fe, emu_pack_structure, standalone
-                    )
+                    # Laid out as the emulator pack lays it out: its path and
+                    # its standalone_path, which --standalone has to reach.
+                    dest = _resolve_destination(matched_fe, standalone)
                 else:
                     dest = matched_fe.get("destination", matched_fe.get("name", name))
             elif paths:

scripts/packextras.py

@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ def _collect_emulator_extras(
                 continue
             if file_mode == "libretro" and is_standalone:
                 continue
-            if not read_from_system_dir(f):
+            if not read_from_system_dir(f, is_standalone):
                 continue
             if is_standalone:
                 raw = f.get("standalone_path") or f.get("path") or fname
@@ -943,12 +943,11 @@ def emulator_region_drops(
     region_index = region_mod.build_region_index(dict(selected))
     region_groups: dict[str, list[tuple[str, str]]] = {}
     for emu_name, profile in sorted(selected):
-        structure = profile.get("pack_structure")
         # Decided over what the pack keeps, as on the platform side: an
         # optional winner removed afterwards left its slot empty.
         entries = filter_files_by_mode(profile.get("files", []), standalone)
         for fe in _kept(entries, required_only):
-            dest = _resolve_destination(fe, structure, standalone)
+            dest = _resolve_destination(fe, standalone)
             if dest:
                 group_id = _emulator_region_group(emu_name, profile, fe)
                 region_groups.setdefault(group_id, []).append(

scripts/packpaths.py

@@ -59,10 +59,16 @@ def _flat(arcname: str, prefix: str, flatten: bool) -> str:
         return arcname[len(prefix) + 1:]
     return arcname
 
-def _resolve_destination(
-    file_entry: dict, pack_structure: dict | None, standalone: bool
-) -> str:
-    """Resolve the ZIP destination path for a file entry."""
+def _resolve_destination(file_entry: dict, standalone: bool) -> str:
+    """Resolve the ZIP destination path for a file entry.
+
+    ``path:`` is where the libretro build reads the file from the system
+    directory and ``standalone_path:`` where the standalone app reads it, so
+    a file's destination is written whole. ``pack_structure`` places a
+    profile's data directories and archives: prefixing files with it gave
+    PPSSPP/PPSSPP/ppge_atlas.zim, and the platform packs, which never read
+    it, put libretro Dolphin's IPL at the root of system/.
+    """
     # 1. standalone_path override
     if standalone and file_entry.get("standalone_path"):
         rel = file_entry["standalone_path"]
@@ -73,16 +79,7 @@ def _resolve_destination(
     else:
         rel = file_entry.get("name", "")
 
-    rel = sanitize_pack_path(rel)
-
-    # Prepend pack_structure prefix
-    if pack_structure:
-        mode_key = "standalone" if standalone else "libretro"
-        prefix = pack_structure.get(mode_key, "")
-        if prefix:
-            rel = f"{prefix}/{rel}"
-
-    return rel
+    return sanitize_pack_path(rel)
 
 
 def _archive_destination(

scripts/validation.py

@@ -448,14 +448,18 @@ def validate_cli_modes(args, mode_attrs: list[str]) -> None:
         raise SystemExit(f"Options are mutually exclusive: --{'  --'.join(mode_attrs)}")
 
 
-def read_from_system_dir(file_entry: dict) -> bool:
+def read_from_system_dir(file_entry: dict, standalone: bool = False) -> bool:
     """Whether the emulator reads this entry from the system directory.
 
     A file loaded from the save, content or working directory is not a BIOS:
     no platform lists it, no pack carries it, and the truth model must not
-    ask a platform to declare it.
+    ask a platform to declare it. Two builds can read one file from two
+    places: libretro Dolphin keeps its User tree in the save directory, the
+    standalone app in its own folder, so ``load_from`` can be keyed by build.
     """
     load_from = file_entry.get("load_from", "")
+    if isinstance(load_from, dict):
+        load_from = load_from.get("standalone" if standalone else "libretro", "")
     return not load_from or load_from == "system_dir"
 
 
@@ -478,7 +482,9 @@ def outside_gap_scope(file_entry: dict, is_standalone: bool) -> bool:
         mode == "libretro" and is_standalone
     ):
         return True
-    return not read_from_system_dir(file_entry) or bool(file_entry.get("agnostic"))
+    return not read_from_system_dir(file_entry, is_standalone) or bool(
+        file_entry.get("agnostic")
+    )
 
 
 def filter_files_by_mode(files: list[dict], standalone: bool) -> list[dict]:

scripts/verify.py

@@ -1512,11 +1512,10 @@ def verify_emulator(
             standalone,
         )
         if region_drops:
-            structure = profile.get("pack_structure")
             files = [
                 fe
                 for fe in files
-                if _resolve_destination(fe, structure, standalone) not in region_drops
+                if _resolve_destination(fe, standalone) not in region_drops
             ]
 
         # Check data directories (only notice if not cached)
@@ -1705,10 +1704,8 @@ def verify_emulator(
             result["hle_fallback"] = hle
             result["ground_truth"] = build_ground_truth(name, validation_index)
             # The slot the emulator pack places this entry in: standalone_path
-            # under --standalone, the pack_structure prefix, the sanitised path.
-            dest = _resolve_destination(
-                file_entry, profile.get("pack_structure"), standalone
-            ) or name
+            # under --standalone, the sanitised path.
+            dest = _resolve_destination(file_entry, standalone) or name
             emu_results.setdefault(dest, []).append((result, required, hle))
 
         for dest, alternatives in emu_results.items():

tests/test_libretro_layout.py

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+"""A profile's path: is where the libretro core reads the file.
+
+pack_structure prefixed files as well as data directories: PPSSPP's
+`PPSSPP/ppge_atlas.zim` became PPSSPP/PPSSPP/, while the platform packs,
+which never read the field, put libretro Dolphin's IPL, DSP ROMs, fonts,
+segaboot and Wii user files at the root of system/. libretro Dolphin reads
+Sys from system/dolphin-emu/Sys and keeps User in the save directory.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import sys
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+sys.path.insert(0, str(REPO_ROOT / "scripts"))
+
+from packpaths import _resolve_destination  # noqa: E402
+from validation import outside_gap_scope, read_from_system_dir  # noqa: E402
+
+
+class PathIsTheDestination(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_no_prefix_on_a_file(self):
+        entry = {"name": "ppge_atlas.zim", "path": "PPSSPP/ppge_atlas.zim"}
+        self.assertEqual(_resolve_destination(entry, False), "PPSSPP/ppge_atlas.zim")
+        dual = {"name": "IPL.bin", "path": "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/USA/IPL.bin",
+                "standalone_path": "GC/USA/IPL.bin"}
+        self.assertEqual(_resolve_destination(dual, False), "dolphin-emu/Sys/GC/USA/IPL.bin")
+        self.assertEqual(_resolve_destination(dual, True), "GC/USA/IPL.bin")
+
+
+class LoadFromPerBuild(unittest.TestCase):
+    ENTRY = {"name": "SYSCONF", "path": "Wii/shared2/sys/SYSCONF",
+             "load_from": {"libretro": "save_dir"}}
+
+    def test_each_build_reads_its_own_place(self):
+        self.assertFalse(read_from_system_dir(self.ENTRY, False))
+        self.assertTrue(read_from_system_dir(self.ENTRY, True))
+        self.assertTrue(outside_gap_scope(self.ENTRY, False))
+        self.assertFalse(outside_gap_scope(self.ENTRY, True))
+
+    def test_a_plain_value_holds_for_both(self):
+        entry = {"name": "x", "load_from": "save_dir"}
+        self.assertFalse(read_from_system_dir(entry, False))
+        self.assertFalse(read_from_system_dir(entry, True))
+
+
+class RetroArchCarriesDolphinWhereItReads(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Reads the repository: skips when the database is absent."""
+
+    def test_no_dolphin_file_at_the_root(self):
+        if not (REPO_ROOT / "database.json").exists():
+            self.skipTest("database.json is not built")
+        previous = os.getcwd()
+        os.chdir(REPO_ROOT)
+        self.addCleanup(os.chdir, previous)
+        from common import load_database, load_emulator_profiles, load_platform_config
+        from packextras import _collect_emulator_extras
+
+        config = load_platform_config("retroarch")
+        extras = _collect_emulator_extras(
+            config, "emulators", load_database("database.json"), set(),
+            config.get("base_destination", ""), load_emulator_profiles("emulators"),
+        )
+        dolphin = [
+            e["destination"] for e in extras
+            if e.get("source_emulator") in ("Dolphin", "Ishiiruka")
+        ]
+        self.assertTrue(dolphin)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [d for d in dolphin if not d.startswith("dolphin-emu/Sys/")], []
+        )
+        self.assertIn("dolphin-emu/Sys/Triforce/segaboot.gcm", dolphin)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()