- Copy an emulator card from the RetroArch or DuckStation saves directory into this workspace for JAPS1ME work (bare file name or prefix; asks before overwriting).
- Infer RetroArch `.srm` versus DuckStation `.mcd` from conventional directory names, without an emulator prompt.
- Configure the emulator memory-card directory ahead of time with `setup`.
- Install a raw card into your RetroArch or DuckStation directory (remembers the directory, backs up the replaced card).
| `japs1me list <CARD.gme\|CARD.srm\|CARD.mcd>...` | List saves and free slots for one or more cards. |
| `japs1me convert <INPUT.gme> <OUTPUT.srm\|OUTPUT.mcd>` | Convert a DexDrive `.gme` file to a raw card image (use `.mcd` when targeting DuckStation). |
| `japs1me import <CARD.srm\|CARD.mcd> <SOURCE.gme> <SAVE-NAME>` | Import a save from a `.gme` (or raw misnamed `.gme`) file into a raw card. |
| `japs1me delete <CARD.srm\|CARD.mcd> <SLOT-OR-SAVE>` | Delete a save from a raw card by 1-based slot number or save name. |
| `japs1me copy <SOURCE.srm\|SOURCE.mcd> <DEST\|DEST-DIR>` | Copy an emulator card into the workspace; a directory destination keeps the source filename. |
| `japs1me setup` | Configure the RetroArch or DuckStation memory-card directory used by `copy` and `install`. |
| `japs1me install [--new\|-n] <SOURCE.srm\|SOURCE.mcd>` | Install into the configured emulator directory; `--new` creates a convention-named card and converts its extension. |
- Shows each save's 1-based slot, save name, game title (Shift-JIS decoded, falling back to the save name), region, block count, payload size, and active/deleted status.
- The footer reports free slots out of 15. Directory checksum mismatches and orphaned links are reported as warnings on stderr.
### `convert`
- Accepts DexDrive `.gme` input only (134976 bytes with an `MC` signature at offset 3904). Files with a missing/zeroed header are accepted with a warning.
- Copies one save (matched by exact save name, e.g. `BESLES-03946PES-OPT`) from a `.gme` source into a raw `.srm` card, using the first free slots in slot order. A raw 131072-byte source starting with `MC` is also accepted (with a warning) for `.gme` files that are actually misnamed raw images.
- If the save already exists on the target, asks `Save <name> already exists on <card>, overwrite it with the one from <source>? (y/n)` on interactive terminals. Only `y`/`yes` proceeds; anything else cancels and leaves the card unchanged. The old save is freed first, so replacements with a different block count work.
- When stdin is not a terminal, an existing save is a hard error instead of a prompt.
- Link bytes are relinked to the new slots, the size field is recomputed, and touched directory checksums are regenerated. Identity bytes (region, product code, identifier, title, save data) are preserved verbatim; saves imported from a deleted source slot are normalized to active.
- The target is staged in a temporary file, re-validated, and only then replaced.
### `delete`
- Deletes one save selected by 1-based slot number (the save's initial slot, as shown in `list`) or exact save name. All-digit selections are slot numbers.
- The save's slots are reset to formatted with fresh checksums and zeroed data, freeing them for future imports.
-`.srm` targets only; the updated card is staged, re-validated, and only then replaced.
- Exports one save's 16x16 game icon as a PNG. Accepts `.gme` files and raw `.srm`/`.mcd`/`.mcr` images; the card is read-only and never modified.
- The save is selected by 1-based slot number (the initial slot shown in `list`) or exact save name, the same way `delete` selects one.
-`--scale N` (integer, default `1`) upscales the icon with nearest-neighbor sampling, so `--scale 8` produces a 128x128 image.
-`--frame circle` scales the icon down to fit inside the canvas's inscribed circle (the whole square stays visible, nothing is cropped), centers it on transparent padding, then applies the circular alpha mask. The output stays square; `--scale` sets that square canvas size. Whole-number zooms are preferred so the pixel art stays crisp.
-`--palette NAME` or `--palette #RRGGBB` changes palette hues in HSL while preserving saturation and lightness. `NAME` is `RED`, `GREEN`, `BLUE`, `YELLOW`, `PURPLE`, or `ORANGE` (case-insensitive); hex colors may be written with or without `#` and must be saturated (grayscale is rejected because it has no hue). Transparent colors, exact black/white, and gray shades remain unchanged.
- The output path must end in `.png`; transparent palette entries are preserved as an alpha channel. Existing output files are not overwritten, and the file is written via a temporary file.
- Pull an emulator save out of the configured RetroArch or DuckStation directory into this workspace copy, so `list`/`import`/`delete` work happens here and the emulator original is never modified (raw `.srm`/`.mcd`, 131072 bytes starting with `MC`).
- A bare source file name (no `/`) that does not exist as given resolves inside the configured emulator directory (`./.japs1mesavedir` wins over the global config when both exist); paths with a separator or that exist literally are used as-is. Exact filename, then same stem across extensions, then prefix matching is used; no match errors, one match is used, and several show a numbered picker.
- An existing destination asks `Overwrite <dest> with <source>? (y/n)` on interactive terminals; only `y`/`yes` proceeds. Piped stdin fails instead of overwriting. Copying a file onto itself is refused.
- If the destination is `.` or an existing directory, the resolved source filename is used inside that directory; other destinations are treated as exact file paths.
- On first use (no saved directory configured), asks for the RetroArch or DuckStation memory-card directory and saves it as a single line (`$XDG_CONFIG_HOME` is honored when set; falls back to `./.japs1mesavedir` when no user config directory resolves, e.g. on Windows). A `./.japs1mesavedir` file in the invocation directory overrides the global config when both exist, so a workspace can point elsewhere.
- Infers DuckStation when the configured path contains a `memcards` or `duckstation` component (case-insensitive); other paths are treated as RetroArch. It scans for `.mcd` in DuckStation directories and `.srm` otherwise.
- When the source stem matches a card in the saves directory, that card is inferred even if the source extension differs, and the numbered picker is skipped. Otherwise it asks which matching-emulator card to overwrite. A second strict `y`/`yes` confirmation follows; anything else cancels.
-`install --new <SOURCE>` or selecting `n` in the overwrite picker creates a new per-game card. The source filename must follow `GAMENAME (REGIONCODE)` with an optional DuckStation `_SLOT` suffix. RetroArch names the result `GAMENAME (REGIONCODE).srm`; DuckStation names it `GAMENAME (REGIONCODE)_SLOT.mcd` (default slot 1). The extension and slot suffix are converted to match the configured emulator.
- If the derived name already exists, JAPS1ME asks before overwriting and backs up the existing card. New files are staged and validated before being created. If the directory has no cards, use `--new` to create one.
- Multi-disc names such as `(Disc 1)` trigger a warning: RetroArch users should manually copy and rename the card when progressing to another disc; DuckStation shares its per-game card across discs.
- Backs up the existing card to `<name>.<ext>.japs1me-bak` first, replacing an existing regular-file backup with the card currently being overwritten, then replaces the target's contents in place so the filename still matches the game's disc basename.
- Configure the RetroArch or DuckStation PS1 memory-card directory used by `copy` and `install` without starting an install. The emulator is inferred from the path; `memcards`/`duckstation` selects DuckStation, otherwise RetroArch.
- Reuses a valid configured directory; if the setting is missing or points to a nonexistent directory, prompts for a valid one and saves it using the same local/global config rules as `install`.
- There is no GUI, card formatting, comment editing, or hardware (DexDrive/serial) support. JAPS1ME validates directory checksums read-only and never recalculates them, except when relinking frames during imports and resetting them during deletions.
For details about the card formats, see the [technical format guide](docs/FORMATS.md). The [save-games collection](save-games/README.md) lists the saves shared in this repository.
## Tests
Run formatting, tests, lint checks, and a release build from the repository root:
Copyright (C) 2026 Mark Robillard Jr (MARKMENTAL).
JAPS1ME is licensed under the **GNU General Public License, version 3 or (at your option) any later version** (SPDX: `GPL-3.0-or-later`). See [LICENSE](LICENSE) for the full text. This project license does not automatically apply to the individual save files in `save-games/`; see that directory's README for contribution and attribution guidance.
Thanks to [ShendoXT and the MemcardRex project](https://github.com/ShendoXT/memcardrex), an advanced PlayStation 1 memory-card editor. Its implementation provided a valuable technical reference for understanding the PS1 memory-card and DexDrive formats.
