Batch Convert to CHD

Batch Convert to CHD is a high-performance Windows desktop utility designed to streamline the conversion of various disk image formats into the Compressed Hunks of Data (CHD) format.

🚀 Key Features

💻 Modern Side-by-Side Dashboard

• Dual-Pane Interface: View your settings and file list on the left, while monitoring real-time process logs on the right.
• Interactive File Selection: Automatically scans folders and allows you to manually pick exactly which files to process via a detailed file list.
• Optimized File Loader: Utilizes a chunked loading strategy to maintain UI responsiveness even when scanning directories with thousands of files.
• Resizable Layout: Includes a built-in grid splitter to adjust the balance between the file explorer and the terminal view.

💻 Multi-Architecture Support

• Native ARM64 & x64: Automatically detects your system architecture and utilizes the appropriate chdman binaries for maximum efficiency.
• Optimized Performance: Leverages native instructions on ARM64 hardware to reduce overhead during heavy compression tasks.

🛠️ Intelligent Conversion & Extraction

• Automated Batch Processing: Convert entire directories of disk images with real-time progress monitoring and immediate cancellation response.
• Recursive Structure Preservation: Maintains your original directory hierarchy in the output folder when processing subfolders.
• CloneCD Support: Smart detection of .img files that belong to CloneCD sets (via .ccd files), automatically ensuring the correct createcd command is used.
• Robust Extraction: Supports extracting CHD files back to .cue (CD), .iso (DVD), .gdi (Dreamcast/Naomi), and .img (HDD) with intelligent metadata auto-detection.
• Archive Integration: Transparently handles .zip, .7z, and .rar archives, extracting and processing contents automatically while respecting cancellation tokens.
• CSO Decompression: Built-in support for .cso (Compressed ISO) files via maxcso integration.
• PBP Extraction: Convert PlayStation Portable .pbp files to CHD format via psxpackager integration.

✅ Integrity, Safety & Verification

• Safe Deletion: Source files (and their dependencies like .bin, .sub, etc.) are only deleted if the conversion/extraction is confirmed successful.
• Batch Verification: Validate the checksums and structural integrity of existing CHD files.
• Automated Organization: Optionally move verified or failed files into dedicated subfolders (Success/Failed) while ignoring these special folders during subsequent scans.
• Cleanup: Automatically removes empty subdirectories left behind after files are moved or deleted.
• Dependency Protection: Performs a critical dependency check on startup to notify you if required components (like chdman.exe) are missing.

📊 Performance & UI

• Real-time Telemetry: Monitor disk write/read speeds and elapsed time during operations.
• Optimized Logging: High-performance logging system with automatic truncation to keep the application responsive during long-running tasks.
• Centralized Styling: Modern dark-themed UI with consistent, accessible design elements.

🔄 Updates & Stability

• Automatic Update Checks: Notifies you immediately if a newer version is available on GitHub at startup.
• Automated Bug Reporting: Built-in error reporting system helps improve the application by automatically sending crash reports (no personal data collected).

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📂 Supported Formats

Category	Formats
Standard Images	.iso, .cue (+.bin), .img, .ccd (+.sub), .raw, .toc
Console Specific	.cdi (Dreamcast/Saturn), .gdi (Dreamcast), .pbp (PlayStation Portable)
Compressed	.cso (Compressed ISO)
Archives	.zip, .7z, .rar
Output	.chd (Compressed Hunks of Data)

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🛠️ Technical Logic

The application implements priority-based logic to ensure compatibility:

1. DVD Images (.iso): Defaults to createdvd.
2. CloneCD / Multi-track Images (.ccd, .cue, .cdi, .gdi, .toc): Defaults to createcd.
3. Hard Disk Images (.img): Defaults to createhd unless an accompanying .ccd file is detected.
4. Raw Data (.raw): Defaults to createraw.
5. PlayStation PBP (.pbp): Extracts to CUE/BIN using psxpackager, then converts to CHD using createcd.

Note: Users can manually override these settings via the UI to force specific modes (except for PBP which always extracts first).

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💻 Requirements

• Operating System: Windows 10 / 11 (x64 or ARM64)
• Runtime: .NET 10.0 Desktop Runtime
• Bundled Dependencies:
  • chdman.exe / chdman_arm64.exe (MAME Project)
  • maxcso.exe (CSO Decompression - x64 only)
  • psxpackager.exe (PBP Extraction)
• NuGet Dependencies:
  • SharpCompress (v0.46.2) - Archive extraction support

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📥 Installation

1. Download the latest binary from the Releases page.
2. Extract the contents to a permanent folder.
3. Important: Ensure all .exe files (including ARM64 variants) remain in the same directory as BatchConvertToCHD.exe.
4. Launch the application.

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📖 Usage

Conversion Workflow

1. Navigate to the Convert to CHD tab.
2. Select your Source Folder (containing images or archives).
3. Select your Output Folder.
4. (Optional) Enable "Delete original files" to clean up source data after a successful conversion.
5. Click Start Conversion.

Verification Workflow

1. Navigate to the Verify CHD Files tab.
2. Select the folder containing your .chd files.
3. Configure folder organization options (Success/Failed folders).
4. Click Start Verification.

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🤝 Contributing & Support

If you encounter issues or have feature requests, please use the GitHub Issues tracker.

Support the Project: If this tool saves you time, consider supporting further development:

• ⭐ Star this repository on GitHub.
• ☕ Donate: purelogiccode.com/donate

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📜 License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0. See the LICENSE.txt file for details.

Acknowledgements:

• MAME Team for chdman.
• unknownbrackets for maxcso.
• PSXPackager for PlayStation PBP extraction support.
• SharpCompress for archive handling.

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Developed by Pure Logic Code