From e255348f527679b991dffbd929f5d71fd70a59ab Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Abdessamad Derraz <3028866+Abdess@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:02:30 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] fix: read mame hiscore.dat where the cores open it

mame2000 opens hiscore.dat, history.dat and mameinfo.dat from IMAMEBASEPATH, the content directory (src/libretro/fileio.c:1002-1014, libretro.c:1044-1052). mame2014 and mame2015 open hiscore.dat through emu_file with no search path, the working directory (src/emu/hiscore.c:330-337, fileio.c:141-143). With no load_from the entries claimed system/ and the packs shipped files neither core opens there. ANoteOutsideTheSystemDirCarriesLoadFrom holds libretro notes and load_from together.
---
 emulators/mame2000.yml          | 15 +++++++++------
 emulators/mame2014.yml          |  1 +
 emulators/mame2015.yml          |  1 +
 tests/test_audit_regressions.py | 30 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 4 files changed, 41 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/emulators/mame2000.yml b/emulators/mame2000.yml
index b840fe1e..a29ae3bc 100644
--- a/emulators/mame2000.yml
+++ b/emulators/mame2000.yml
@@ -34,15 +34,16 @@ notes: |
 
 files:
   - name: hiscore.dat
+    load_from: content_dir
     required: false
     category: game_data
     system: arcade
     sha1: "21ddda0c61bd4f1cc04fb9d09e16d403d620f9e8"
     md5: "9b262149ec70cbda741a8ba55784f8e1"
     size: 36182
-    source_ref: "src/hiscore.c:18,132-146,252-254, src/cpuintrf.c:664-666"
+    source_ref: "src/hiscore.c:18,132-146,252-254, src/cpuintrf.c:664-666, src/libretro/fileio.c:1002-1014, src/libretro/libretro.c:1044-1052"
     note: >-
-      high score definitions, loaded from ROM directory. metadata/hiscore.dat
+      high score definitions, opened from IMAMEBASEPATH, the directory of the loaded content. metadata/hiscore.dat
       of the core repository. is_mem_range reads only "cpu:addr:len:start:end"
       lines under a "gamename:" header.
 
@@ -55,18 +56,20 @@ files:
     note: "cheat definitions, loaded from system_dir/mame2000/cheat/"
 
   - name: history.dat
+    load_from: content_dir
     required: false
     category: game_data
     system: arcade
-    source_ref: "src/datafile.c:52,281,541"
-    note: "game history database, loaded from ROM directory"
+    source_ref: "src/datafile.c:52,281,541, src/libretro/fileio.c:1002-1014"
+    note: "game history database, opened from IMAMEBASEPATH, the directory of the loaded content"
 
   - name: mameinfo.dat
+    load_from: content_dir
     required: false
     category: game_data
     system: arcade
-    source_ref: "src/datafile.c:53,281,568"
-    note: "game technical info database, loaded from ROM directory"
+    source_ref: "src/datafile.c:53,281,568, src/libretro/fileio.c:1002-1014"
+    note: "game technical info database, opened from IMAMEBASEPATH, the directory of the loaded content"
 
   - name: neogeo.zip
     required: true
diff --git a/emulators/mame2014.yml b/emulators/mame2014.yml
index 835cee5b..4fd821d0 100644
--- a/emulators/mame2014.yml
+++ b/emulators/mame2014.yml
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ notes: |
 files:
   # Data files
   - name: hiscore.dat
+    load_from: working_directory
     required: false
     category: game_data
     system: arcade
diff --git a/emulators/mame2015.yml b/emulators/mame2015.yml
index 816735dc..2c45a9cf 100644
--- a/emulators/mame2015.yml
+++ b/emulators/mame2015.yml
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ notes: |
 files:
   # Data files
   - name: hiscore.dat
+    load_from: working_directory
     installed_on: [recalbox]
     required: false
     category: game_data
diff --git a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
index 63279a06..4ec515b7 100644
--- a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
+++ b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
@@ -5511,6 +5511,36 @@ class AHashScanLabelNamesNoOtherDump(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(sorted(set(clashes)), [])
 
 
+class ANoteOutsideTheSystemDirCarriesLoadFrom(unittest.TestCase):
+    """mame2000 opens hiscore.dat, history.dat and mameinfo.dat from the
+    directory of the loaded content (src/libretro/fileio.c:1002-1014), and
+    mame2014 and mame2015 open hiscore.dat from the working directory
+    (src/emu/hiscore.c:330-337). Their notes said so, but no load_from did:
+    the entries claimed system/hiscore.dat and the RetroArch pack shipped a
+    file neither core opens there. A libretro entry whose note places the
+    read outside the system directory declares where."""
+
+    ELSEWHERE = re.compile(
+        r"\b(?:opened|read|loaded)\b[^.]*?\bfrom (?:the )?(?:working directory|"
+        r"ROM directory|content directory|directory of the loaded content)"
+        r"|IMAMEBASEPATH",
+        re.IGNORECASE,
+    )
+
+    def test_prose_and_load_from_agree(self):
+        offenders = []
+        for path in sorted((ROOT / "emulators").glob("*.yml")):
+            profile = yaml.safe_load(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")) or {}
+            if profile.get("type") != "libretro":
+                continue
+            for entry in profile.get("files") or []:
+                if entry.get("path") or entry.get("load_from") or entry.get("mode") == "standalone":
+                    continue
+                if self.ELSEWHERE.search(str(entry.get("note") or "")):
+                    offenders.append(f"{path.name}: {entry.get('name')}")
+        self.assertEqual(offenders, [])
+
+
 class ReportsHoldTheDataTrees(unittest.TestCase):
     """Run on their own, the README, site and slot reports resolved against
     data/ without the shared hold, so a concurrent refresh could swap a tree